A Bit Of History
Georgia Association of the Deaf
Officers and Conventions through the years
1938-40 Esteben D. Ward, President
John W. Cail, First Vice President
Herbert H. Williams, Second Vice President
Ernest C. Herron, Secretary
James F. Ponder, Treasurer
Treasury: $83.82. Membership dues: 50 cents per person.
Convention: July 4-6, 1940, Fifteenth Biennial, Thirtieth Anniversary, Hotel Ashley, Atlanta, Ernest Hartsfield, Chairman.
1940-45 William J. Scott, President
Joseph H. Taylor, First Vice President
Esteben D. Ward, Second Vice President
Howard Sturgis, Secretary
James F. Ponder, Treasurer
Treasury: $92.36. Membership dues: 50 cents per person (increased to $1.00 in 1944).
Accomplishments: GAD took part in getting the Deaf employed when World War II broke out.
Convention: August 31- September 3,1945, Sixteenth Biennial, Henry Grady Hotel, Atlanta, Chairman: (not available).
1945-47 Esteben D. Ward, President
Howard E. Hartsfield, First Vice President
C. Theodore Waters, Second Vice President
Ernest C. Herron, Secretary
George Mock, Treasurer
Treasury: $187.83. Membership dues: $1.00 per person.
Convention: October 29- November 1, 1947 (details not available).
1947-50 Ernest C. Herron, President
Esteben D. Ward, First Vice President
Fred Harden, Second Vice President
Mrs. James Ponder, Secretary
Horace Taylor, Treasurer
Treasury: $146.89. Membership dues: $2.00 per person.
Convention: June 30 - July 3, 1950, Desota Hotel, Savannah, Chairman: (not available).
1950-52 Fred Harden, President
Howard Sturgis, First Vice President
Walter Wade, Second Vice President
Mrs. James Ponder, Secretary
Horace Taylor, Treasurer
Treasury: $80.22. Membership dues: $2.00 per person.
Accomplishments: GAD took part in getting the Deaf employed when World War II broke out.
Convention: July 2- 4,1952, Bon Air Hotel, Augusta, (details not available)
.
1952-54 Fred Harden, President
Howard Sturgis, First Vice President
James F. Ponder, Second Vice President
Ernest C. Herron, Secretary
Horace Taylor, Treasurer
Treasury: $102.71.
Accomplishments: GAD contributed toward improvements, new buildings and equipment at the Georgia School for the Deaf. GAD renewed its affiliation with the National Association of the Deaf.
Convention: July 1-3,1954,22 Biennial Convention, Dinkler Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Chairman: (not available)
1954-57 Helen C. Herron, President
Mrs. James Ponder, First Vice President
Ethel Harden, Second Vice President
Ellen Craig, Secretary
Horace Taylor, Treasurer
Treasury: $332.37.
Convention: July 4-6, 1957, 47th Anniversary, Georgia School for the Deaf, Cave Spring, Chairman: (not available).
1957-60 Ernest C. Herron, President
Carl G. Turner, First Vice President
Raymond Baker, Second Vice President
Howard P. Sturgis, Secretary
Byron Avant, Treasurer
Treasury: $508.80.
Convention: July 1-2,1960,Fifieth Anniversary, Desoto Hotel, Savannah, Chairman: (not available).
1960-62 Carl G. Turner, President
James Sharpton, First Vice President
Ernest C. Herron, Second Vice President
Eugene Whittle, Secretary
Byron Avant, Treasurer
Treasury: (record unavailable).
Accomplishments: (unavailable).
Convention: June 15-17,1962,52nd Anniversary, Ralston Hotel, Columbus, Walter A. Brown, Jr., Chairperson.
1962-64 Howard Sturgis, President
Ernest C. Herron, First Vice President
Walter Wade, Second Vice President
Walter Brown, Secretary
James Sharpton, Treasurer
Treasury: (record unavailable).
Accomplishments: (unavailable).
Convention: July 2-4,1964, 54th Anniversary, Dinkier Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, Chairman: (not available).
1964-66 Walter Brown, President
Henry Oaks, First Vice President
Brooks Blankenship, Second Vice President
Charles Little, Secretary
Jeff Scott, Treasurer
Treasury: (records unavailable).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: June2-5, 1966, 56th Anniversary, Cave Spring, James Whitworth, Chairperson.
1966-70 Walter Brown, President
Henry Oaks, First Vice President
Billy Hayes, Second Vice President
Doyle Norris, Secretary
Jeff Scott, Treasurer
Treasury: (records unavailable).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: July 18-20, 1968, Wanderer Resort Motel, Jekyll Island, Chairman (not available).
1970-72 Walter Brown, President
Bobby Jones, First Vice President
Esteben Ward, Second Vice President
Ernest Herron, Secretary
John W. Ethridge, Treasurer
James W. Dukes, Assistant Treasurer
Treasury: $2,013.08.
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: July 2-4,1970,DeSoto Hilton Inn, Savannah, C.G. Turner, Chairperson.
1972-75 Walter Brown, President
Bobby Jones, First Vice President
William Peace, Second Vice President
Carl G. Turner, Secretary
Joseph H. Taylor, Treasurer
James W. Dukes, Assistant Treasurer
Note: Walter Brown resigned on March 17, 1975 and Bobby Jones, First Vice President, moved up and became President.
Treasury: (not available).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: August 17-19, 1972, Wanderer Motel, Jekyll Island, Bobby Jones, Chairperson.
Convention: August 9-11, 1973, 32nd Biennial Convention, Rwnada Inn, (city?), Bill Peace, Chairperson.
1975-77 Bobby Jones, President
Jimmy Peterson, First Vice President
Ed Steele, Second Vice President
Carl G. Turner, Secretary
Brooks Blankenship, Treasurer
Treasury: (not available).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: July 3-5, 1975, 33rd Biennial Convention, DeSoto Hilton Hotel, Savannah, C.G. Turner, Chairperson.
1977-79 Ed Steele, Executive President
Duwayne Dukes, Executive Secretary
Dixie Barken, Recording Secretary
Henry Oaks, Executive Treasurer
Treasury: (not available).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: August 11-13, 1977, 34th Biennial Convention, Century Center Hotel, Atlanta, Chairman (not available).
1979-83 Ed Steele, Executive President
Bill Peace, Executive Secretary
Dixie Barken, Recording Secretary
Brooks Blankenship, Executive Treasurer
Note: Duwayne Dukes, Executive Secretary, resigned in December 1980 and Vincent Holmes took this office.
Treasury: (not available).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: August 9-11, 1979, 35th Biennial Convention, Century Airport Inn, Atlanta, Robert Lorch, Chairperson.
Convention: August 5-8, 1981, 36th Biennial Convention, Hilton Hotel, Macon, Chairman (not available).
1983-85 Vincent Holmes, Executive President
Robin Titterington, Executive Secretary
John Roth, Recording Secretary
Joe Barnick, Executive Treasurer
Note: Vincent Holmes, Executive President, resigned (date undetermined), and Jeanette Lorch took over this office.
Treasury: (not available).
Accomplishments: (not available).
Convention: July 20-24, 1983, 37th Biennial Convention, Cave Spring, Chairman (not available).
1985-87 Jeanette
Lorch, Executive President
A. Sandy Marchman, Executive Secretary
Dixie M. Blackwell, Recording Secretary
Martha M. Garmon, Executive Treasurer
Convention: June 26 - 30, 1985, 38th Biennial Convention, Diamond Jubilee - 75th Anniversary, Radisson Inn Hotel, Atlanta, Robert Green, Chairperson.
1987-91
A. Sandy Marchman, Executive President
Duwayne Dukes, Executive Secretary
C. Marc Griffies, Recording Secretary
Robert Green, Executive Treasurer
Convention: 1986 (no details available).
Convention: (date not available) 1988, Ramada Inn, Augusta, Eleanor Foshee, Chairperson.
1991-93
A. Sandy Marchman, Executive President
Patricia ford, Executive Secretary
Becky West, Recording Secretary
Kim Crawford, Executive Treasurer
Convention: None.
1993-95
Patricia Ford, Executive President
Becky West, Executive Secretary
Jeanette Lorch, Recording Secretary
Kim Crawford, Executive Treasurer
Convention:
July 31-August3, 1991, 41st Biennial
Convention, Macon Convention Center, Holiday Inn, Macon, Rudolph
Smith, Chairperson.
1995-97
, Executive President
,
Executive Secretary
,
Recording Secretary
, Executive Treasurer
Convention:
1997-99
, Executive President
,
Executive Secretary
,
Recording Secretary
, Executive Treasurer
Convention:
1999-2001
, Executive President
, Executive Secretary
, Recording Secretary
, Executive Treasurer
Convention:
2001-03
Ray Williams, Executive President
, Executive Secretary
, Recording Secretary
, Executive Treasurer
Convention: August 6-10, 2003, 45th Biennial Convention, Diamond Jubilee - Holiday Inn Beach Resort, Jekyll Island.
2003-05
Dixie Blackwell, President
Christopher
Merritt, Vice President
Joyce
Brown, Recording Secretary
Carolyn Jordan, Treasurer
Convention:
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