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Spreading Our Wings:1960-1969 Throughout the 60’s, members continued to exhibit their crafts and collections at the annual show, the Minne-sota State Fair and Midwest Federation Events, often bringing home trophies and best of show ribbons. Beginning in late 1962, selected individual Club members were invited to set up educational exhibits at regular Club meetings. Members could also request space to sell/swap materials before and after each meeting. The Science Museum of Minnesota offered locked cases for Club members to provide rotating displays of rocks, minerals and fossils from 1960 through 1967. Special projects during the sixties include construction of a porta-ble long wave fluorescent display, co-sponsoring a series of lectures on geology with the Geological Society of Minne-sota and collecting/donating used postage stamps for Church World Service to deliver tons of food to needy families and orphanages abroad. Club members also provided bracelets and bolo ties to young patients at the Gillette Hospital for Crippled Children. In 1965, the struggle between those who wanted to sell at shows and others who preferred the very popular exhibiting without sales finally came to a vote and a small group left the Club to form a new club. Meanwhile, the Club had an extensive history of helping new clubs get organized, with eight clubs formed during the fifties and an addition-al four clubs organized during the sixties and four more during the early seventies. Two of the Club’s driving forces during this period were Imogene “Jean” Dahlberg and her husband Bernhard “Bill” Dahlberg. As the Midwest Federation State Director for Minnesota, Jean helped organize Minnesota clubs, worked with her husband on several regional shows/conventions and led the effort to name a state gemstone. She encouraged the State Tourism Department to share the story of Minnesota rocks and minerals to the rock hobbyists of the nation. In 1969, Jean and members of the Club realized a long-held dream when the MN State Legislature adopted the Lake Superior Agate as the state gemstone (see page 15). The Club donated a Lake Superior Agate specimen to the Secretary of State. The Club awarded her an Honorary Life Membership in 1969 in recognition of her efforts and the Midwest Federation awarded her Honorary Member status in 1980 for her work in organizing Minnesota clubs and securing the agate gemstone recognition. In the Club’s earliest days, Jean was a strong voice in advocating to form a new Club after World War II and served as our first Secretary. She later served as Program Chair and then became the first female President of the Club in 1963. Her forte was all things jade. She also wrote numerous geology articles for Conservation magazine as well as the Rock Rustler’s News. Jean’s husband Bill served as the Club’s first Publicity Chair and newsletter Editor and later served as Treasur-er. He was known for his gemstone reproductions of nostalgic items from the “good old days.” He also served as the Treasurer, and then Secretary of the Midwest Federation. He was named an Honorary Member of the Club in 1972 as part of the Founders group. The decade ended with a bittersweet loss of the Club’s first president William (Bill) Bingham. He devoted over a quarter century teaching motorized lapidary arts skills, refining lapidary equipment, encouraging exhibiting, stand-ardizing exhibit expectations, and contributing to the success of the Minnesota Mineral Club.

Clifford & Lucille Martin Cliff Martin served as Club President in 1967. As a sphere maker, he thought the Club should have a sphere collection that could be entered into regional competition and used at exhibits. The initial collection consisted of 34 spheres, including three that he made. Lucille was a key member of the Hospitality and Banquet Committees for many years, working behind the scenes to make everyone feel welcomed. They be-came Honorary Members in 2001.

MMC Sphere Collection (See Appendix C for a list of spheres)

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Pictured at the signing of the “Minnesota Gemstone” bill, designating the Lake Superior Agate as Minnesota’s official gemstone: from the left are Ida Webb, Armin Steinhauser, Representative Vernon Hoppe, Louis Eggerichs, Governor LeVander, Joy Jones, Kenneth Day, Alfred Bernstein, Senator Mel Hansen, Jean Dahlberg, Mrs. Alfred Bernstein, BG Dahlberg, Milt Honsey. As noted on page 14, Jean Dahlberg (4th from the right) was one of the key driving forces behind this achievement.

National Recognition for MMC Lapidary Artist Charles Smart From 1947 through 2005, Lapidary Journal was the monthly resource for lapidary artists. Imagine being the featured artist on the front cover, not just one time, but three different times over a nine-year period. Charles Smart’s intarsia Mallard and Wood Duck won best in show at the 1961 AFMS Convention. The Wood Duck was the cover feature of the January 1963 Lapidary Jour-nal. The Mallard intarsia followed in October 1964 and the July 1972 issue featured the more complex intarsia called “The Chief.” In addition to his intarsia work, Charlie Smart developed a pipe coupling, hand-rotating method to make spheres. He was named an Honorary Member of the club in 1969. His wife Catherine became an Honorary Member in 1972 in recognition of her role as a Club Founder.

Signing of the “Minnesota Gemstone” Bill

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From January 1960 RRN: Back when gravel pits allowed picking...

Other 1960s happenings …as reported in the Rock Rustler’s News In 1962...WE WON A BLUE RIBBON. We're so proud we can't help bragging -- our Club Exhibit won first prize in the Club General Lapidary Division. Mark Jackson's committee did a fine job selecting the pieces for the exhibit and Hazen Perry designed, set up and took down the exhibit -- even the last item took some hours of work: We thought you'd like to know who contributed what pieces. Mark Jackson -- gun & holster (black jade with silver trimming), jade hearts and bracelet. Marland Mills -- spheres and polished flats Joe Heininger binghamite slab, thomsonites, agate. Ann Hart -- jewelry, carved thomsonitpfish. Arthur Anderson -- polished agates and thomsonites Adolph Heumann -- Lake Superior agates. D. Thomas -- agate and jasper cabochons. H. T. Perry -- cabochons and polished flats. Wm. H. de Neui -- jade carvings, spheres, map of world sandblasted on obsidian sphere In 1964... the AFMS adopted “The Code of Ethics.” The Minnesota Mineral Club has always been a strong believer in and supporter of The Code of Ethics and it is emphasized to all members and reviewed before every field trip. The AFMS Code of Ethics is printed on the back cover of this book for easy reference.

Paul Saylor, Honorary Member 1980

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1969 Flyer

Various Exhibitor Show ribbons from several of the venues the Club used over the years

A 1969 flyer announcing a Club hosted rock swap open to all.

July 1960 Club Picnic & “Bourse” Announcement