The Annual Meeting, 1950–2025

Two kinds of source, and the page says which is which. Everything up to 1993 comes from the Society's own report of the meeting in its newsletter and from the booklet the host branch handed out at the meeting itself — seventeen of those booklets survive, one for every year from 1975 to 1993 except 1984 and 1987, and none from any year before 1975 — so the account is only as full as what the editor or the host branch chose to print. Everything from 1997 onward comes from the documents the Society published on its own website: convention programmes, the annual reports circulated to members, and the minutes. The circulated reports survive for 1997 and for 2011, 2012, 2016–2019 and 2021–2023, the minutes for 2006, 2007, 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025. Those are fuller and more formal, and they begin abruptly because that is when the Society began posting them. 1994–1996 is in neither — though the newsletters of those years do report the forty-fourth, forty-fifth and forty-sixth Annual Meetings (Spring–Summer 1994, Summer 1995 and Summer 1996) — and the section at the foot of this page says what else is missing and why.

The Society held an Annual Meeting every year from its founding in 1950 except 2020, and the newsletter reported it — usually on page one of the Summer issue, sometimes as full minutes. Those reports were never gathered, and the Records section's list of Annual Meetings begins at 1975, the earliest year whose own printed programme survives. This page is written from the reports themselves. Every page quoted here is given as printed; every name asserted has been checked against that same page.

The shape of the day

The meeting was a day, not an hour. A Friday evening of setting up display tables and meeting friends not seen since the last one; a Saturday morning of business — the President's remarks, the branch reports, the treasurer's report, the election of officers; then the awards, then demonstrations through the afternoon and a speaker after dinner. The Society moved it around: Ryerson Institute of Technology in Toronto through the fifties, then to whichever branch offered to act as host. The host branch was given written instructions, and they survive.

• Held every year from 1950 except 2020; the meeting of 1953 is numbered the fourth
• At Ryerson Institute of Technology, Toronto, for seven consecutive years to 1958; afterwards hosted by a branch in rotation
• Over 100 members and friends attended in 1953; about 76 registered in 1982 and 60 in 1990
• The day carried the President's report, branch and committee reports, the election of officers, the Associate and Fellow awards, the Weston Trophy, demonstrations and an after-dinner speaker
• Cost the Society a net $122.64 in April 1959, against a total loss for the year of $294.95
• Became a Friday-to-Sunday weekend after the International Assembly of Leathercraftsmen wound up — its last, the sixteenth, at Toronto in April 1970 — hosted by a branch in rotation at a hotel or hall in the Province
• Mississauga welcomed as the Society's seventh branch at the 1984 meeting
• Thirty-four honours recorded here as conferred at the meeting, 1971–1991

Why it became a weekend

A retrospective in Winter 1987 explains the change the reports themselves only show happening. The International Assembly of Leathercraftsmen — Canadian and American guilds meeting together year by year from 1954, the first at the Hotel Statler in Buffalo on 30 and 31 October that year — “operated for many successful years, but finally, due to the break-up of the American Guilds, the last Assembly was held in May 1969 and with deep regrets, it wound up its affairs.” On that occasion the Michigan Leather Artisans of Dearborn, by then disbanding, gave their treasury to the Society to found what is still called the Michigan Leather Artisans Award. “Following the demise of the International Assembly … the Executive of C.S.C.L. decided to change the Society's Annual meeting from a one day affair to a weekend, running from Friday evening til Sunday noon,” held in late April or early May and hosted by the branches in turn — the shape every meeting from the 1970s on took. The same page states plainly what the weekend was for: a Board of Selection judging the Craftsman and Salon ribbons on the Friday evening, the Weston Trophy competition judged separately in advance, the business meeting and elections on Saturday morning, demonstrations and workshops in the afternoon, and the banquet and ribbons in the evening. (Winter 1987, page 5.) The retrospective’s own dates are a little out: the series began at Buffalo in October 1954, not 1953, and the last Assembly was the sixteenth, held with the Society’s 20th Annual Meeting at Toronto on 3–5 April 1970 (Spring 1970, page 3), not in May 1969.

1953 — the fourth

“Successful Fourth Annual Meeting. A full day's program was enjoyed by over 100 members and friends of our Society. The auditorium, library and reception hall of the Ryerson Institute were all used to accommodate illustrated discussions, displays and a workshop period.” The highlights the newsletter listed were a showing by Dr Ralph Larmour of his colour slide record of Canadian leathercraft, a tray-making demonstration and workshop conducted by Deane Russell, and a guest address by Thor Hansen of the Public Relations Department of the British American Oil Company on “Designing for Canadian Leathercraft”. (Summer 1953, page 1.)

The same page shows what the meeting was for. Through the President's annual report “progress since formation of the Society in 1950 was reviewed, and plans were outlined for new services to our field” — and the report was too long for the newsletter, so “to save limited bulletin space, members will receive a complete copy of the President's Report to the Annual Meeting.” The oft-asked question of how the Society could benefit beginners was answered with the two reasons it was created: “to raise standards of design and leatherworking techniques” and “to help anyone interested in any phase of the craft”.

1956 — the retiring President's address

Dr. R. K. Larmour's retiring address of 21 April 1956 is printed in full, and it is not about leather. It is about machinery. “The handicrafts are an island of hope in a sea of despair, because in them Man can still exercise the liason of mind and hand in creating things for his own satisfaction and use.” He argued that children must be “carefully taught how to nurture the creative urge”, and that “what seems to us now merely a pleasant recreational pursuit may become, in the near future, a stark necessity for our children”. (Spring 1956, page 3.)

1958 — the seventh consecutive year

Spring 1958 reports the meeting held “for the 7th consecutive year… again held at Ryerson Institute of Technology”, and prints the branch reports as they were given: Barrie, a new branch formed that March under the chairmanship of Miss Kay Yasunaka; Hamilton, organized in 1956, 45 members and an average attendance of 38; London, an average of 12 at monthly meetings, with displays at the London and Western Fairs; Peterboro, with a booth at the Peterboro Exhibition; Tillsonburg, 19 members and displays at the Tillsonburg and Aylmer fall fairs; Toronto, where every branch member was now also a member of the Society. Chatham members were “waiting until the fall season to plan the formation of a branch” and Guelph members were joining Hamilton. “The branches were congratulated on their good jobs of the past season. They are the framework of the organization and its future strength.” (Spring 1958, page 3.)

The previous page carries the other business of that meeting: a new system of judging, explained by Dr. Larmour, scoring design, workmanship and suitability on a point system weighted differently for the two ranks — “this system is to be used for judging entries in the branch competitions also.” Four members were given Associate rating (Mrs. Edythe Niblett of Peterboro, Clarence Redman of Hamilton, Mrs. May Wheatley of Guelph, Harold Wilson of Hamilton) and four elected Fellows (Mrs. Irva Ford of Hamilton, Mrs. Anne Hook of Toronto, Mrs. Edith Melchior of Port Burwell, Miss Olivia Smith of Toronto). (Spring 1958, page 2.)

“The 7th consecutive year” in 1958 dates the first meeting at Ryerson to 1952, not to the Society's founding in 1950. It is a statement about the venue, not about the series: the meeting of 1953 is numbered the fourth, which counts from 1950.

What it cost — the treasurer's report for 1959

The Annual Meeting appears as a line in the accounts. For April 1959: “Cost of catering, rental, notices $214.84, less receipts $92.20” — a net $122.64 against a year in which the newsletter cost $359.16 net to publish and mail, and the Society lost $294.95 overall, its bank balance falling from $762.12 to $467.17. Affiliation fees that year went to the Canadian Handicrafts Guild ($30.00), the Canadian Conference of the Arts ($15.00) and the International Assembly ($28.88), and sixty diplomas cost $100.83. (Spring 1960, page 11.)

1963 — the thirteenth, and a new President installed

The thirteenth Annual Meeting was held 6 April 1963, again at WoodGreen Community Centre, Queen Street, Toronto. Viola Harris was installed as President, succeeding Harold Wilson, who had carried the office through a difficult final six months of illness: “I wish here to express my, and I am certain your, sincere appreciation to Harold Wilson who so ably filled the Presidency the past two years.” (Spring 1963 p1, her President-Elect's remarks.)

Barrie Branch won the Weston Trophy for the second successive year, presented by Dr. R.K. Larmour; Barrie, Hamilton and Toronto all competed and every branch scored above 85%. The luncheon speaker was Thor Hansen, Vice-President of the Canadian Handicrafts Guild, who reviewed that year's Ontario Souvenir Competition and described a visit to Inuit communities at Povungnituk and Cape Dorset. The afternoon's demonstrations were given by Clara Cavanagh (jewellery), Jessie Little (belts), Isobel Mair (picture frames), Sadie Roebuck (stacked-sole desk sets), Alvin Haig (Morocco billfolds) and Janis Zalitis (spray dyeing). (Spring 1963 pp2–3.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The Board of Selection announced its new Fellow and Associates at this meeting: Fred Brown of Islington, Fellow; Mary Caldwell of Barrie and Dorothy Proctor of Toronto, Associates — reported afterward in the Fall 1963 newsletter and already in the Society's register.

The Summer 1963 newsletter, pp2 and 7, is not a source for this year: those pages report the Ninth International Assembly of Leathercraftsmen at Rochester and a June executive-committee meeting, and the “Annual Meeting” named on p7 is the London Branch's own, not the Society's. The Society's own thirteenth Annual Meeting is reported in the Spring 1963 newsletter instead.

1971 — the twenty-first, at Woodstock

“The Woodstock Branch played host to the 21st Annual Meeting on April 17th, 1971 at Old St. Paul's Church, Dundas Street, Woodstock.” Mrs. Dorothy Muma conducted the election of officers. “No Associate or Fellow awards were made this year.” Miss Olivia Smith, assisted by Mrs. Nan Astley, gave the rundown of Weston Trophy pieces, and Mrs. Helen Wheaton presented the trophy to Mrs. Gladys Riddell, President of the Toronto Branch. Mrs. Nora Huyck had charge of the question box, and Miss Viola Harris spoke on the World Craft Conference in Ireland. (Summer 1971, page 1.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The honour of that meeting was conferred on the widow of a former President: “Mrs. Anne Hook honoured Mrs. Rita Larmour for her contribution to C.S.C.L. by making her an Honorary President. Due to Mrs. Larmour's illness, it was accepted by Fred Brown.”

That page prints her given name “Rita”, in clean pica type. The archive spells her Reta, and the question is already settled from outside the newsletters: Dr. Larmour's obituary in the Toronto Daily Star of 5 October 1970 reads “He leaves his wife, Reta, of Grimsby.” The newsletters print Reta ninety times against five of Rita. The Summer 1971 spelling is recorded here rather than corrected away.

1974 — the twenty-fourth, at Belleville

The Belleville Branch hosted at Holloway Street United Church on 4 May 1974, President Helen Wheaton bringing the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. and Carol McLean recording. May Corbett, Vice-President of Branches, presented the Weston Trophy: “The trophy was won by Barrie Branch with a mark of 84%,” ahead of Woodstock at 82.4 per cent and Hamilton at 80.67 — the Council of Fellows’ own report of the year gives the same 84 per cent independently. Clara Cavanagh, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, presented Associate standing to Joyce Poulson of Lindsay and Howard Brock Sr. of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania; Joyce Poulson’s own mark, 80.8 per cent, won her the Zalitis Pin. Gel Brigden received an Honorary Associate Certificate on the Executive Council’s own recommendation, “recognizing his many years of service to the Executive Council,” and Howard Brock presented Helen Wheaton with a Life Membership in the Leather Pounders International of Salt Lake City. (Minutes of the 24th Annual Meeting and the Council of Fellows’ report for 1974–75, printed in the booklet for the 25th, pp.6–7, 12.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The meeting also decided money, and heard that the library had a name. Fees had been raised only once since the Society’s founding in 1950; a secret ballot on raising them to $5.00 carried 51 to 20 of 71 voters, to take effect for the year beginning April 1975. And the Library Committee, chaired by Fred Brown, reported that the books and tools Ralph and Reta Larmour had given the Society in 1971 were now, after three auctions, “The Larmour Memorial Library” — the fuller account is on that library’s own page. (p.9.)

1975 — the twenty-fifth

The report of the twenty-fifth runs over two pages and is the fullest in the run. Margaret Monteith, corresponding secretary, read the letter confirming that space 55 would again be allotted to the Society at the Canadian National Exhibition. Beula Reynolds announced the Weston Trophy for Woodstock at 87.6 per cent, ahead of Toronto at 87, Hamilton at 85, Barrie at 80.2 and Belleville at 66.2 — and gave the standing to date: “Toronto has won 8 times, Barrie 5 times, Hamilton 4 times, and London once.” Mrs. Jean Hunter of Brampton was admitted to the Associates, and Mrs. Carol McLean was given her Fellowship. (Summer 1975, pages 1–2.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Three honours were conferred. “Miss Bea Austin presented a life membership to Mrs. Lorna Brigden in appreciation of her many years of services to C.S.C.L. This was accepted by her husband Gel. An Honorary Life Fellowship was presented to Edith Roscoe and Clarice Packham.” Miss Clarice Packham for her part donated a book to each member and one to Mrs. Madeleine Mitchell, “the newest member receiving the highest mark in the Weston Trophy competition”. Jean Newton presented the ribbons for Leather '74, and Irva Ford gave Helen Wheaton a gift for her three years as president before Hope Drysdale of Hamilton invited the Society to hold the next meeting there.

The afternoon was demonstrations, and the list is a portrait of what the membership could do: dyeing techniques by Jessie Little, pine cone carving by John Marsden, nature tan leather by Jack Meharg, cattails by Mrs. V. Farrara, wallet interiors by Clara Cavanagh, a braided belt by Muriel McKnight, a beginner's wallet by Ruth Haig, hobbies in aging by Margaret Jennings. The after-dinner speaker was Marie Aiken of Gravenhurst, who had converted an old potassium plant into a studio home.

1976 — the twenty-sixth

Hamilton kept its invitation and the meeting was held at Burlington. “May Corbett chaired the business meeting and stated that this was the start of another 25 years.” Helen Wheaton gave the report of the nominating committee, and the slate for 1976–77 is printed in full — a fifteen-member Executive Council, Anne Hook as Chairman of the Council of Fellows, Robert Muma as Archivist and Teaching Standards, Margaret Monteith as Editor. (Summer 1976, page 1.)

The meeting's own minutes survive too, printed as an appendix to the following year's booklet — the 1977 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.5,9.

Nora Huyck gave the appraisal of the Weston Trophy entries: Hamilton 88.8%, Toronto 85.4%, Woodstock 84.6%, Barrie 77.8%, the trophy accepted by Hope Drysdale on the branch's behalf. Anne Hook, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, made two Associate awards, to Hope Drysdale and to Dorothy Stanton — and Dorothy Stanton, given as of Forest, Ontario on this page, was awarded the Zalitis Pin for the highest marks of the year's new Associates, 85.4%. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Extended from the 1976 Annual Meeting booklet itself, which carries the President's and Vice-President's reports in full and the minutes of the previous year's meeting as an appendix.

May Corbett's own President's Report calls it “a busy year and in some ways a difficult one — due to an unusually severe winter, necessitating the postponement of executive meetings and making travelling rather hazardous.” Seven executive meetings were held over the year, in Toronto, Woodstock, Barrie and Hamilton, averaging twenty members. The C.N.E. sale ran nearly three weeks and was, in her words, “the biggest job” of the year; the Society's fourth biennial exhibition opened in March at the new Gallery of the Ontario Crafts Council, itself formed that year by the merger of the Ontario Crafts Foundation and the Canadian Guild of Crafts (Ontario).

Beula Reynolds, Vice-President, gave her own report a lighter turn: “Although we received some criticism on our '76 Leather exhibition, the general consensus is that it was better than the last exhibition. Most of the fun of achievement is in doing better each time.”

Leather '76

The exhibition itself — the Society's fourth biennial — drew 113 entries from 33 craftsmen, of which 80 were shown; about 125 people a day viewed it over the month, and 19 pieces sold. Robert Muma and Viola Harris judged. The awards: most outstanding piece to Rex Lingwood, most original entry to Gladys Riddell, best craftsmanship to Carol McLean, best functional design to Anne Hook, and the Memorial Award to Daphne Lingwood, who also took one of eight Honorable Mentions alongside Jessie Little, Mary Patterson, Dave Trotter, Margaret Weldon, Itsuko Yasui and Paul Williams, named twice in the booklet's own list for two separate pieces.

1977 — the twenty-seventh, at Stratford

The Summer (June) 1977 newsletter reports the meeting on its first page, and the Society's own minutes, printed as an appendix to the Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting booklet the following year, add to it. The Woodstock Branch hosted at the Victorian Inn, Stratford, on 22 April 1977, with guest demonstrator Mr. Lonshlager of Norton Products Ltd. showing the care of tools with Norton sharpening stones. May Corbett, the outgoing president, told those present of her visit to the home of a charter member and the Society's first president, Deane Russell, who was presented with a past president's pin in recognition of his contribution; Sherle Bottrill, corresponding secretary, read a letter of regret from member Howard Brock of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. Three branches entered the Weston Trophy that year — Beula Reynolds, 1st Vice-President, explained its origin and made the presentation to Gladys Riddell, president of the Toronto branch, for an average mark of 88 per cent, Hamilton and Woodstock close behind; Nora Huyck, assisted by Olivia Smith, gave the descriptive commentary on the winning articles. (Minutes of the 27th Annual Meeting, printed in the Twenty-Eighth Annual Meeting booklet, p.4.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Helen Wheaton, the past president, then presented the incoming slate: May Corbett continuing as President, Beula Reynolds 1st Vice-President, Evelyn Burgess 2nd Vice-President, Joy Findlay Recording Secretary and Pam Frith Corresponding Secretary — and, as the minutes record it, Dorothy Muma as Treasurer, where the previous year's printed programme instead names Dorothy Proctor; the two documents disagree and neither is corrected here. Three vacancies on the fifteen-member Executive Council were filled from the floor: Jack Meharg of the Toronto branch, Muriel McKnight of Hamilton, and Madeleine Mitchell of Woodstock. (Same source, p.5.)

1978 — the twenty-eighth, and a new branch welcomed

The Toronto Branch hosted at the Hotel Triumph, 115 members attending, the business chaired by May Corbett of Barrie as President. May Patterson of Toronto was presented her Associate standing and the Zalitis Pin. Four branches entered the Weston Trophy — Barrie, Hamilton, Toronto and Woodstock — and Beula Reynolds of Woodstock, Vice-President in charge of Branches, found herself “pleasantly surprised” to be presenting the trophy to her own branch's Madeleine Mitchell, on an average mark of 83.8 per cent. “A new branch at Windsor, Ontario was officially welcomed into the Society”; its President, Dan Ouellette, could not attend, and Vice-President Alice Riddle represented the members. The afternoon's demonstrations were a portrait of the membership's range: top weave on belts by Dave Elliott, macramé with leather by Carol McLean, glove making by Dorothy Proctor, inverted carving by Noel Bee, miniatures by Madeleine Mitchell, Morocco wallets by Alvin Haig, a desk pad by Fred Brown, moccasins by Beula Reynolds, a leather lamp shade by Vera Farrara. The formal dinner for 95 was entertained by Ukrainian and Japanese dance troupes, and many who stayed over toured Black Creek Pioneer Village on the Sunday, arranged by Fred Brown. (Summer 1978, page 2.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Confirmed and extended from the meeting's own minutes, printed as an appendix to the following year's booklet — the 1979 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.4-6.

Helen Wheaton's appraisal placed Toronto second at 80% (one article scoring 90%, the highest mark given), Hamilton third at 80%, and Barrie fourth at 76%, behind Woodstock's winning 83.8%. The guest speaker was the founding charter member and the Society's first president, Deane Russell, by then moved from Ottawa to Duncan, B.C.; he told the meeting his own interests had gone 'from leather to knives to pendulums', and brought leather pieces ten or more years old to show. Members were also told of the sale, on 29 April, of the leathercraft and tools left by Irva Ford, past President, who had died that spring.

1979 — the twenty-ninth, a report mislabelled a year late

Beula Reynolds, welcoming members to “the 29th Annual Meeting” — 1979, at the Continental Inn, Barrie — gave her first-year account of the Executive Council's work: six meetings, an average attendance of twenty, two held at Harbourfront in Toronto and the rest in members' homes. The C.N.E. display and sale won the Society an award for the booth's general appearance, and a member's banner took third place in the craft category at the fair besides the Society's own award for the best leathercraft entry. The fifth biennial exhibition was held that November at the Etobicoke Civic Centre. Meetings had begun with the Ontario Craft Council, and in March four members demonstrated at the O.C.C.'s request at the Sportsmen's Show. Each branch again received $25 toward a workshop. “We have lost several of our members this year — our sincere sympathy goes to their loved ones.” (Printed a year late, in the January 1980 newsletter, page 3. The report itself names the 29th Annual Meeting throughout, and the Continental Inn, Barrie booking is confirmed by the 1979 Annual Meeting booklet itself, whose own President's Report opens the same way almost word for word.)

The meeting's full minutes survive too, printed as an appendix to the following booklet, and confirm the January report's figures independently: the Weston Trophy appraisal itself was given by Carol McLean, assisted by Jessie Little, to the same four branches in the same order — Hamilton 92%, Woodstock 86.3%, Toronto 84.5%, Barrie 83.8%. Kay Cloughley presented four Honourary Life Memberships already on this register — Mae MacKinnon (widow of the Society's first Advertising Manager, Don MacKinnon), Jean Newton, Winifred Coombs (printed here "Winnifred", with the extra n) and Fred Brown — each with the short citation the Society read into the minutes. May Corbett, chairman of the nominating committee, presented the incoming slate for 1979–80: Beula Reynolds continuing as President, Hope Drysdale 1st Vice-President, Jack Meharg 2nd Vice-President, Dorothy Muma Treasurer, Lorna Robson Corresponding Secretary and Madeleine Mitchell Recording Secretary, with a fifteen-member Executive Council. Membership stood at 178, down from 205 the year before — Barrie, Belleville, Hamilton, Norland, Toronto, Windsor and Woodstock branches, plus 41 members-at-large. (Minutes of the 29th Annual Meeting, printed as an appendix to the 1980 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.4–10.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

A numbering conflict, stated rather than resolved: the 1980 Annual Meeting booklet's own cover reads “30th ANNUAL MEETING … 1980”, yet the passage below, filed from the 1981 newsletter, also calls that year's meeting “the thirtieth”. Two consecutive years cannot both be the 30th; which one the Society miscounted is not decided here.

1980 — the thirtieth, at Belleville

Belleville hosted at the Sun Valley Motor Inn, 18–20 April 1980, and the booklet handed out there, with the minutes printed in the following year's booklet, are this page's sources for the meeting itself — no Summer 1980 report gathers it the way earlier years were gathered. The Friday evening was registration, membership sign-up and setting up displays, with judging for the Salon and Craftsman ribbons that same night; Saturday's business meeting ran the usual order — elections, the Fellows and Associates, branch competition awards, the Weston Trophy appraisal, a Question Box conducted by Helen Wheaton — and the afternoon was demonstrations: Gladys Riddell on picture framing, Howard Brock on carving and Marian Kehoe on flower making before the coffee break, then Carol McLean on covered bottles, Helen Wheaton on saddle stitching and Hope Drysdale on book covers.

Beula Reynolds gave her own President's Report closing two years in the office, opening it, like the booklet's own cover, “Welcome to the 30th Annual Meeting.” Five executive meetings had been held at Harbourfront, Toronto, some members driving over a hundred and twenty miles each way; the 1979 C.N.E. sale had gone well enough that the Society was asked back for 1980, into a rebuilt Arts, Crafts and Hobbies building, with a second banner contest announced. The Ontario Craft Council had appointed an affiliates representative, Stephen Dryden, and several meetings with him and O.C.C. staff had gone “a mich better understanding of each others ideas and needs” — her own words, kept as printed. Mailing of Canadian Leathercraft had been delayed that year, and she thanked editor Margaret Monteith for “doing such excellent work under trying conditions.” In March the Society had held its first general workshop, a Design Weekend with William Hodge on design principles — “not exactly a workshop” — with a fall and spring weekend already booked at Harbourfront for 1980–81. Leather '80, the Society's sixth biennial exhibition, was to open at the Woodstock Art Gallery on 15 November, close 6 December, and then travel to Barrie.

The meeting's own minutes turned up a year later still, printed as an appendix to the 1981 booklet. Bea Austin was welcomed as the year's only new Fellow. The Weston Trophy went to Hamilton at 85.87% against Toronto's 78.32% — only two branches entered — the winning pieces a laminated bowl by Bea Austin, a moulded jug by Margaret Weldon, a covered bottle by Irene Kirkland, a handbag by Ruth Haig and gloves by Hope Drysdale, appraised by Carol McLean assisted by Gladys Riddell. May Corbett's nominating committee returned Hope Drysdale as President-elect for 1980–81, with Jack Meharg 1st Vice-President, Gary Walsh 2nd Vice-President, Dorothy Muma Treasurer, June Somerville Recording Secretary and Lorna Robson Corresponding Secretary; Carol McLean was nominated Archivist in Robert Muma's place — her own report the following year calls it "a learning year" relieving the office he had "held since its inception". Nineteen members were given Craftsman ribbons at dinner, Bea Austin alone taking seven. One piece of business was not celebration: "The Windsor Branch has recently disbanded because of the local economic problems" — welcomed as new in 1978, gone within two years. (Minutes of the 30th Annual Meeting, 19 April 1980, printed as an appendix to the 1981 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.4–10.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Her own opening line — “Welcome to the 30th Amuel Meeting” — settles nothing about the numbering conflict below except that the confusion was already there in 1980, in the President's own words, not only on the booklet's cover.

1981 — the thirty-first, at Jordan Station

Eighty-seven members met at the Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland), over 1–3 May 1981, Barrie, Belleville, Toronto, Norland and Woodstock Branches and seven Members-at-Large welcomed by the host, Hamilton. Friday evening was branch displays, with a table set aside for old and new handmade leather gloves, some dating to 1920; the Fellows judged the pieces on show for Craftsmen Ribbons.

President Hope Drysdale chaired Saturday's business meeting, Secretary June Somerville assisting. Dorothy Muma retired as Treasurer after some years in the office; Joyce Poulson, a member-at-large, took it on, and Ray Potter of Toronto was elected 2nd Vice-President — the other offices stood. Jean Hunter was elected a Fellow. Life Memberships were presented to four long-serving members: Clara Cavanagh, Viola Harris, Nora Huyck and Olivia Smith. (Summer 1981 pp1–2.)

Four branches entered the Weston Trophy competition and Barrie won it at 85.5%, appraised for the assembly by Bea Austin, assisted by Carol McLean and Gladys Riddell — the winning pieces a shoe bag by Kay Cloughley, book ends by May Corbett, a carrying case by Clara Cavanagh, a bowl by Emma Knowles and a card case by Sherle Bottrill. The same meeting presented the ribbons for Leather '80, the Society's sixth biennial exhibition, held the previous November: the Ontario Crafts Council Award to Jean Hunter, the Michigan Leather Award to Ruth Haig, the C.S.C.L. Award to Bea Austin, the C.S.C.L. Executive Award to Clara Cavanagh, the Irva Ford Award to Carol McLean and the Anne Hook Award to Jessie Little, with Honourable Mentions to Joy Hutcheson (twice), Nora Huyck and Loreen Manuel. Nine Craftsmen Ribbons were presented at dinner besides. Toronto Branch agreed to host the 1982 meeting. (Minutes of the 31st Annual Meeting, printed as an appendix to the 1982 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.5–6.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The afternoon's demonstrations were Jack Meharg on belts, Jean Hunter on lace cutters and lacing, Hilda Chynoweth on carving, Carol McLean on lino-block cutting, Jessie Strain on flower work and Vera Farrara on a moulded bowl. The after-dinner speakers, Mr. and Mrs. McIver of the Hamilton area, showed slides of birds of prey they had rehabilitated. On Sunday morning those who stayed watched a film of the 1980 World Craft Conference in Vienna, presented by Gordon Barnes and Mary Clark.

Hope Drysdale's own President's Report, printed in the booklet handed out at this meeting, gives her first year in her own words: six executive meetings at Harbourfront; a newly built C.N.E. booth, Jack Meharg's work, needing only better lighting; four Ontario Craft Council affiliate meetings attended on the Society's behalf; Leather '80 travelling on from Woodstock — where the Gallery gave the Society $200 toward expenses — to the Barrie and Lindsay libraries, on show again at this very meeting before moving on to Belleville. A Harbourfront workshop on jacket-making with Mr. Klausner had drawn a small but satisfied group in October, and a sandal-making workshop with Ruben Barrett was booked for 24 May 1981. She thanked outgoing editor Margaret Monteith and welcomed the new co-editors, Mary and Fred Patterson, and asked members to send articles to help Norland's branch produce its first newsletter contribution. (the 1981 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.2–3.)

1982 and 1983 — the minutes themselves

By the eighties the newsletter printed the minutes rather than a report. The thirty-second, “held on the week-end of Apr. 30, May 1 & 2, at Toronto, with approximately 76 registered”, was called to order at ten by Hope C. Drysdale, President, who asked Jack Meharg, Vice-President of the host Toronto Branch, to welcome those attending. The minutes of the 1981 meeting and the branch and committee reports were adopted as circulated in the Annual Report — the printed Annual Report doing the work the newsletter had done in 1953. “Life Memberships were then presented to the following members: Dorothy Muma, Jessie Little, Helen Wheaton.” (Summer 1982, page 1.)

The thirty-third, at The Royal Resort, Fenelon Falls, over 29 April–1 May 1983: Fred Brown, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, presented Lillian Kay with an Associate diploma “and a Janis Zalitis C.S.C.L. pin”; the Weston Trophy went to Woodstock, received by branch president Jean Pickering, and the page notes that “this trophy was first presented in 1957 to London”. Bea Austin presented a Life Membership to Sadie Roebuck, “who became a member of the C.S.C.L. in 1951, an Associate in 1955, and a Fellow in 1962”, and Jean Newton presented one to Bea Austin, “who joined in 1952, and is now a Fellow”. (Summer 1983, page 4.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The 1983 page misprints Bea Austin's surname as “Ausitn” in the sentence that gives her the Life Membership, and spells it correctly two lines above. This edition keeps the correction; the original page is unchanged.

The President's own message to that thirty-third meeting is printed separately from the minutes, by Jack Meharg, marking the end of his first year in the office. He had represented the Society as Single Media Director on the Ontario Crafts Council for four years, and his term there ended that June; he asked the members to support Lillian Kay, nominated to succeed him. Membership stood at 175. Leather '82 at the Brampton Library and Art Gallery had gone well, and Leather '84 was planned for the following June. The C.N.E. sales of 1982 were “down drastically”, clearing barely $200 after expenses, and the Society's continued presence there was “doubtful unless some consideration is forthcoming” — an editor's note added afterward that a reduction in rent had in fact been granted. Membership fees, unchanged since April 1974, were proposed to rise from $5.00 to $10.00. (Summer 1983, page 7.)

The Council of Fellows' own report to the thirty-third meeting, read separately from the minutes, fills out the thirty-second's figures. Two branches only entered the Weston Trophy in 1982, Hamilton and Toronto, and the appraisal — Jean Hunter, assisted by Carol McLean and Bea Austin, at the home of Robert and Dorothy Muma on 19 March 1982 — gave Hamilton 74.07% against Toronto's 73.49%. The same evening's judging for the Annual awarded one Salon Ribbon, to Lillian Kay for a set of Mushroom Design Pictures, and twenty-eight Craftsman Ribbons across eighteen members, Ruth Haig's four the most of anyone. Gertrude Hilder's Associate standing, already on this site's register, was confirmed the same evening: she was the only one of two applicants to pass.

Leather '82, the Society's biennial exhibition, ran at the Gallery, City of Brampton Library and Art Gallery, from 2 July to 1 August 1982 — fifty-seven articles by seventeen members, juried into seven awards and six honourable mentions. Lillian Kay won two of the seven, the Ontario Crafts Council Award for Most Original Design (a leather flyswatter) and the Society's own Judges Special Award (a piece called Green/Gold Nude); Jack Meharg also won two, the Michigan Leather Artisans Award for Best Leather Design and the Anne Hook Memorial Award for Best Colour Work, both for a leather clock. Ruth Haig's Ranger Belt took the Executive Award for Most Functional Piece, Bea Austin's Dark Brown Box the Irva Ford Memorial Award for Best Moulded Work, and Kay Cloughley's patchwork suede shoebag the Mary Zatyko Memorial Award for Best Soft Leather Piece — the last two both named for members the Society had already lost.

1984 — the seventh branch

The thirty-fourth meeting was held at the Ethel Finkle Auditorium, Woodstock General Hospital, on 14 April, welcomed by Madeleine Mitchell, President of the Woodstock Guild. Jack Meharg's report as President named the C.N.E.'s continuing losses — over $200 that year, from slow sales, rental costs and replacing equipment — against a workshop programme that had run a Leather Covered Bottle class with Carol McLean and had a Mask workshop with Rae Anderson still to come. Margaret Hunter was presented her Associate certificate by Fred Brown, with the Zalitis pin for high marks. And Jack Meharg welcomed a new guild: “Mississauga Society for Creative Leathercraft”, with its founding executive named in full — President Harold Brister (the notice itself misprints “Brewster”, corrected against his own byline three pages later in the same issue), Vice-President Paul Kitchener, Secretary Joyce Scruton, Treasurer Lea Love — “making our Society now 7 Branches strong.” (Summer 1984, page 1. Fuller account: the Mississauga Branch, from 1984.)

The same evening's judging gave out six Salon Awards and twenty-one Craftsman Awards, the full lists appearing for the first time — Clara Cavanagh (printed “Cavanaugh”) won a Salon Award for a green coloured bottle and shared the Craftsman list with a covered bottle and an inlaid book; Karla Van Horne's four Craftsman pieces (a black clutch purse, a carved wallet, a covered canteen and a lanyard) were the largest haul of the evening. Two Life Memberships went to Mae Corbett and Jack Layton, presented by Membership Chairman Hilda Chynoweth, and Tom Swafford of St. Joseph, Missouri was made an Honourary Associate for his long years of participation. Leather '84, the eighth biennial exhibition, opened at Scarborough City Centre on 5 July 1984 with sixty articles by twenty-one members; its six awards went to Jean Hunter (Ontario Crafts Council Award, a box, “Birds In Flight”), Marg. Hunter (Mary Zatyko Memorial Award, a grey bag), Gladys Riddell (the Society's own Judges Special Award, a leather jewel chest), Jean Pickering (C.S.C.L. Executive Award, a black and grey filigree belt), Karla Van Horne (Irva Ford Memorial Award, a leather canteen) and Lillian Kay (Anne Hook Memorial Award, “Water Babies”, a picture of three nudes), judged by Robert Muma and the artist Paul Williams. (The 1985 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.5, 7–8, 14.)

Barrie and Belleville, two of the Society's long-time branches, both ceased to be branches at the 35th Annual Meeting in April 1985 — their members continuing as members-at-large — the same meeting the President's Message calls the moment the Society was “at a crossroads”. (The 1985 Annual Meeting booklet, p.4.)

1985 — the thirty-fifth, at Barrie, and two branches lost

The thirty-fifth Annual Meeting was held at the Continental Inn, Barrie, 27 April 1985 — the last meeting the Barrie Branch itself would host. Acting President Madeleine Mitchell (in the chair since September 1984) gave the President's Report: Leather '84 had been a great success, and she commended the new Mississauga Branch and its President Harold Brister for their first year, then announced what her own written message to the meeting had already signalled — the dissolution of two of the Society's long-time branches. “While declining membership and ill health has precipitated this action, the members intend to carry on as Members at Large, and are welcomed as such.” Hope Drysdale presented Jack Meharg with the Past President's Pin, thanking him for his efforts and regretting that ill health had kept him from completing his full term. Fred Brown, President of the Council of Fellows, certified Ruth Haig a Fellow and Karla Van Horne an Associate. Ruth Haig then gave the Weston Trophy to Toronto at 85.6%, closely followed by Woodstock and Hamilton, appraised by Gladys Riddell assisted by Jean Hunter. Hilda Chynoweth presented four Life Memberships — Sherle Bottrill, Gel Brigden, Kay Cloughley and Gladys Riddell. The meeting also raised the Sustaining Member fee to $15 a year, on a motion from Lillian Kay seconded by Gladys Riddell. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Hope Drysdale then read the Nominating Committee's slate for 1985–86: Madeleine Mitchell President, Ruth Haig 1st Vice-President, Jean Hunter 2nd Vice-President and Chairperson of the Council of Fellows, Lillian Kay Corresponding Secretary, Karla Van Horne Recording Secretary, Jean Pickering Treasurer, Robert Muma Teaching Standards, Carol McLean Archivist, Fred and Mary Patterson Editors — with Hope Drysdale herself continuing as Acting Past President. Twelve Directors and five Branch Presidents (Hamilton, Mississauga, Norland, Toronto, Woodstock — Barrie and Belleville no longer among them) filled out the slate.

The minutes are printed as an appendix to the following year's booklet, pp.4–5, and give the Society's own account rather than the newsletter's; for the Craftsman/Salon Ribbon and discussion-panel results the minutes refer readers to the Summer 1985 issue.

1986 — a weekend at Jordan's Station

The Annual Weekend began on the Friday at the Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland), on Lake Ontario. As the branches — Mississauga, Toronto, Hamilton, Norland and Woodstock, and the members-at-large — set up their exhibition tables in the Shore Room, President Madeleine Mitchell called an Executive meeting to confirm a change to the incoming 1986–87 slate, to be put to the membership for approval. Jean Hunter, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, then gathered the Fellows to judge the branch and “Whimsical” tables into the night. On the Saturday, Audrey Gorton, President of the Hamilton Leathercraft Guild, welcomed everyone as host; two guests from Texas, Nancy Sawyer and her father Paul Tonsin of the magazine The Leather Craftsman, spent the weekend admiring the standard of the work on show. (Summer 1986, page 1.)

About 80 members heard the President's report, the announcements and the correspondence, and were told of the coming Biennial Exhibition, Leather '86, to be set up in September at the Etobicoke Civic Centre — entries due at Robert and Dorothy Muma's home in Toronto by 10 a.m. on 5 August. George McPhail was named the year's Honorary Life Membership; he was not at the meeting, and Hilda Chynoweth, Membership Chairman, undertook to present him with the certificate at the Executive's next meeting on 23 May. Ruth Haig, 1st Vice-President, then presented the Weston Trophy — won that year by the Hamilton Leathercraft Guild — and the Nominating Committee's report was carried unanimously. (Summer 1986, page 2.) (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

1987 — the 37th, at Mississauga

The 37th Annual Meeting was held at the Novotel Hotel, Mississauga, Ontario, 24–26 April 1987, hosted by the Mississauga Branch. President Madeleine Mitchell called the meeting to order and welcomed two special guests, Bill Bomer of Kansas and Nancy Sawyer of The Leather Craftsman, Texas; Lois MacPherson then welcomed everyone on behalf of Mississauga. The minutes of the 1986 Annual Meeting were adopted as printed, and constitutional amendments were read and carried unanimously. Ruth Haig, acting Chairman of the Council of Fellows in Dorothy Muma’s absence, gave the council’s report and presented Karla Van Horne with a Fellow’s Certificate; she then gave the history of the Weston Trophy and its appraisal, awarding it to the Hamilton Branch. Hilda Chynoweth presented a Life Membership to Beulah Reynolds. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The Nominating Committee reported Jessie Little (moved by Loreen Manual, seconded by Olivia Smith) and May Corbett (moved by Jack Meharg, seconded by Jessie Little) for the slate, which was then closed and the new executive introduced. The Norland Branch invited the Society to hold its 1988 meeting there. A letter of thanks was ordered to the Ontario Crafts Council for displaying Bob Muma’s work, offered to a new craft museum; and the Question Box turned into “a rousing debate on whether or not the public should be admitted to our Annuals.” The meeting closed with a cake, baked by Madeleine Mitchell, to wish Fred Brown a happy 75th birthday.

The minutes are printed as an appendix to the following year’s booklet, pp.4–6, and give the Society’s own account rather than the newsletter’s. The Archivist’s report in the same appendix records that Ken Cavanagh, Clara Cavanagh’s husband, had donated her complete set of bound newsletters from the Society’s beginning to 1974.

1988 — the 38th, at the Royal Resort Hotel

The Norland Branch, having invited the Society the year before, hosted the 38th Annual Meeting at the Royal Resort Hotel — the same name the 33rd Annual (1983) had met under, at Fenelon Falls, in Norland's own corner of the Kawartha Lakes. Phyllis McHale, Norland's president, welcomed everyone; Ruth Haig, in the chair, opened the meeting at ten on Saturday, 7 May 1988. The 1987 minutes and the Branch reports were adopted as printed.

Ruth Haig's own report asked what the membership had done for the Society in return — poor attendance at CSCL-sponsored workshops was named directly. Three motions followed: Sustaining Membership fees rose to $35 a year (Jack Meharg, seconded Harold Brister); a full-time student membership up to the age of twenty was created at half the regular fee (Lois MacPherson, seconded Bob Sutton); and general dues rose by stages, to $15 for 1989 and $20 for 1990 (Betsy Rennie, seconded Viola Harris).

Dorothy Muma, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, presented the Weston Trophy with a plain remark that the work was not the best she had seen and some marks were low. Hamilton won it for the third year running, 76.74%, appraised by Gladys Riddell and Bea Austin; Karla Van Horne gave the trophy's history. The same afternoon Betsy Rennie of Hamilton was made an Associate, with a pin, her four entries all marked over 80% — two years before her Fellowship, recorded above under 1990. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Leather '88, the Society's biennial exhibition, was set for the Hamilton Spectator Gallery that September, chaired by Muriel McKnight of the Hamilton Guild, with a $985 grant from the Ontario Arts Council secured through Walter Sunahara. The Council of Fellows was asked to hold the Jean Hunter Award every second year from 1989 — Spring 1988, page 2, had announced it as every second year beginning in 1988, and the archive states both, and to settle what "novice" should mean in competition. Toronto's branch then invited the Society to its own 1989 meeting, at the Nottawasaga Inn, Alliston.

The minutes name the Nominating Committee's report and “the Executive for the 1989-90 year” as introduced at this, the 1988 meeting — a year ahead of where the rest of the page dates that slate, which the booklet for the following year's meeting (below) has Madeleine Mitchell presenting again, in the same words, at the 39th Annual in 1989. Both readings are printed plainly; neither is corrected here. Source: the 1989 Annual Meeting booklet, pp.2–3, the 38th Annual Meeting's own minutes, printed as an appendix to the booklet for 1989.

How to run one — the instructions to host branches, 1988

Spring 1988 prints the procedure a host branch was to follow, and it is the plainest description of the event the Society ever wrote down. Obtain a speaker for about twenty minutes, and someone to introduce and someone to thank. Have the reports — the President's remarks, membership, treasurer, newsletter, programme — sent to the corresponding secretary at least three weeks in advance “in order to have time to get them photostated”. Stress that members must tell the local registrar of attendance and meals not later than two weeks before. Go over to the hall with the display committee beforehand and plan where the displays go. Make signs: to the display, to the general meeting, to the demonstrations, one for each demonstrator with name and subject, one for membership, one for the Associate display table and one for each Associate entry. Have numbered meal tickets and name tags. “Adult family members are allowed to attend upon payment of registration fee and meals, but do not have voting privileges.” And “check to see that ribbons for five winners in Weston Trophy Competition are on hand.” (Spring 1988, page 6.)

1989 — the thirty-ninth, at the Nottawasaga Inn

Toronto hosted the 39th Annual Meeting at the Nottawasaga Inn, Alliston, opened by Ruth Haig at ten on Saturday, 6 May 1989; Harold Brister, Toronto's president, gave the welcome. The 1988 minutes and Branch reports were adopted. Ruth Haig's report, “What is happening in CSCL?”, counted eight Executive Council meetings over the year.

Two changes were recorded. The Council of Fellows, meeting 1 April 1989 on a motion of Viola Harris seconded by Robert Muma, ruled that machine stitching would be accepted on soft leather articles such as clothing and bags — gloves excepted, which still had to be hand-stitched. And on 28 April 1989 the Executive appointed René Hackstetter Librarian of the Larmour Library, ex officio, on a motion of Madeleine Mitchell seconded by Dorothy Muma; a committee of Jessie Little, Beula Reynolds, Joyce Scruton, René Hackstetter and Ruth Haig was set to reindex it. Dues were confirmed at $20 for 1990.

Dorothy Muma gave Carol McLean the Life Membership voted her the year before, when she had been unable to attend to receive it, and, after reading the trophy's history, presented the Weston Trophy to Hamilton at 83.3%, the articles appraised by Jessie Little assisted by Gladys Riddell. Madeleine Mitchell presented the Executive Council for 1989-90, and on Woodstock's behalf invited the Society to its 40th Annual, in 1990 — recorded above. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The booklet distributed at this meeting also reprints, in full, the Society's own account of its founding meeting of 8 June 1950 — all seventeen persons present named with their occupations — a table of every President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer from 1950 to 1989, and the Weston Trophy's winning branch for every year from 1957.

1990 — the fortieth

The fullest report of all is of the fortieth. The Friday was given to display tables, to reminiscence, and to a commemorative Leather Quilt assembled in the Executive suite “made up of 6"x6" squares of leather — each designed and signed by a C.S.C.L. member”; over thirty squares were attached, and members who had not finished theirs were given tools, leather and table space for instant projects. René Hackstetter of Toronto passed round his own “C.S.C.L. Newsletter” highlighting forty years. Ruth Haig, president for the previous three years, held her last Executive Council meeting. (Spring 1990, page 2.)

On the Saturday morning, 28 April, the registration desk was opened by Loreen Manual, Nancy Durham and Beula Reynolds; “60 registrations were realized with a sprinkling of guests”. In her presidential remarks Ruth Haig “read the minutes of the very first organizational meeting held in Toronto on June 8th, 1950 which created C.S.C.L.” — the founding document, read aloud to the Society forty years on. “One of the founding fathers, Mr. Ray Potter, was honoured today with an Honourary Life Membership. Mr. Robert Muma, F.C.S.C.L. was also at that meeting in 1950 and remains today an advisor, mentor, judge, and friend of the C.S.C.L.”

Dorothy Muma, as Chairman of the Council of Fellows, made Betsy Rennie of Hamilton a Fellow and René Hackstetter of Toronto and Cliff McTavish of Mississauga Associates; “Cliff also received the Zalitz pin for outstanding accomplishments in his Associate pieces”. The Weston Trophy went to Mississauga on the branch's first year of entry, “edging out Hamilton, Toronto, and Woodstock”, and the ribbons were given to Don MacLeod, Bill Whittingham, Cliff McTavish, Lois MacPherson and Kevin Armstrong. Other business: the Larmour Library, the collating and re-printing of the By-Laws, the listing of all archival material, and Leather '90 at Woodstock in September. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The 41st Annual's own booklet, handed out a year later, prints the 40th's minutes in full and adds what the newsletter's own report left out: the meeting was called to order at the Elmhurst Inn, Ingersoll, Madeleine Mitchell of the host Woodstock Branch welcoming everyone; the Weston Trophy pieces were appraised by Jessie Little, assisted by Lillian Kay, for a winning score of 82.1%; and Don MacLeod, Mississauga's own president, read the trophy's history before the award. Madeleine Mitchell then presented Ruth Haig with a Past President's Pin, and Dorothy Muma gave her a parting gift, a crystal vase, closing three years in the chair; the incoming Executive Council for 1990–91 was headed by Don MacLeod of Mississauga as President. Hamilton's invitation for the 41st Annual, at the Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland), 3–5 May 1991, was accepted from the floor.

The key naming everyone in the fortieth-anniversary group photograph taken at this meeting is kept as its own page, among the Society's biographical record rather than here: Everyone in the Photograph, 1990.

“Zalitz” is a third spelling of the pin the Society elsewhere prints “Zalitis” (Summer 1974, Summer 1982, and Summer 1983 above) and the modern documents print “Zelaitis”. It was the gift of Janis Zalitis, whose own name is Zalitis in every newsletter that names him, which is why this edition uses that spelling for the pin as well. The site keeps the published form for the award record and states the drift here.

Found, but the date is not settled between two contemporary sources. The newsletter's own report of the 40th Annual (quoted above) has Ray Potter's Honourary Life Membership presented at the meeting itself, “today”, while the fuller minutes, printed a year later in the 41st's own booklet, read only that a Life Membership would be presented to Ray Potter by Fred Brown at a later date. Both are contemporary to within a year and neither corrects the other on the page; the honour is kept dated 1990 here, on the newsletter's authority as the immediate account.

The CSCL Leather Quilt

Members were asked for a six-inch square of leather, each designed and signed by its maker, and squares went on being attached for years after the fortieth; Madeleine Mitchell’s drawing of the quilt in Fall 1998, page 2 names the maker of each one. The quilt consisted of 50 squares by the autumn of 1998 (Fall 1998, page 3), and of 65 squares worked by 56 members in 2000, when it was shown with its new Millennium squares (Spring–Summer 2000, page 4). The final count is 89 squares from 71 crafters (Summer 2016, page 3).

1991 — the forty-first, and a booklet of its own

The Hamilton Branch hosted the 41st Annual at the Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland), 3–5 May 1991 — one of the seventeen Annual Meetings in the archive that survive as their own printed booklet, agenda and all, rather than only as a newsletter report or a later appendix. Friday evening was registration and the setting up of display tables, with Lois MacPherson demonstrating bracelets in the Hospitality Room; Saturday carried the business meeting from ten, lunch, two rounds of afternoon demonstrations — boxes by Bruce White and pastels on leather by Betsy Rennie, F.C.S.C.L.; wallets by Ruth Haig, F.C.S.C.L., and colour dye and dry brush by Bill Whittingham — a cash bar and the Annual Banquet; Sunday a free wine tour of the Vineland Estates.

Don MacLeod's own President's Message, his first, opens by thanking Jack Meharg for chairing a meeting he had missed during a three-month business absence, and Ruth Haig and Lea Love for “guidance during this first year”. Membership was down in almost every branch, and his address turns on one question — how to attract members between 25 and 50 who are not joining even where a branch is active nearby: “Is the craft too expensive? No... we have to get take them by the hand and steer them to the Branches and C.S.C.L.” He set the Society's project for 1991–92 as “Each one, Teach one”.

Lea Love's Treasurer's Report for the year to 31 March 1991 records income of $2,180.11 against expenditure of $2,901.68 — a deficit for the period of $721.57 — leaving a bank balance of $2,843.63 against a starting balance of $3,565.20; a separate account for the Michigan Leather Artisans fund, the Draw Fund and the Jean Hunter Fund held a further $2,378.07. The statement notes plainly that “some of the expenditures were not approved by the Executive Committee, but there is no evidence of dishonesty”.

The branch reports cover April 1990 to March 1991. Hamilton, under president Muriel McKnight, met seven times at St. Margaret's Anglican Church and elected Betsy Rennie its president for 1991–92. Mississauga found membership hard to hold — a newspaper advertisement drew little response, and the branch moved its meeting night from Thursday to Monday and back again — but still fielded a Weston Trophy entry for a second year running. Norland sent no report. Toronto, under Bruce Briar, ran a full programme of member-led demonstrations — belt-making, photo frames, colouring theory, photo albums, Muma-style embossing — and looked toward the Ruth Haig and Negash sessions still to come. Woodstock, having hosted both the 1990 Annual and the Leather '90 exhibition that September, elected Nancy Durham president for 1991–92.

Kevin Armstrong's Archivist's Report thanks Ray Potter for binding the Society's Newsletter, Volume I to Volume XXI, into three volumes on display at the meeting. René Hackstetter's Library Report announces the Larmour Library fully catalogued after two years' work, in three lists — reference books held at the Ontario Crafts Council's resource centre at 35 McCall Street, Toronto; circulating books; and the slide library — and asks a branch librarian to take over her term, with an inventory of Marg LaChappelle's donated Tandy catalogues and a list of the Hamilton slides left to do.

The Nominating Committee's proposed slate for 1991–92, printed in full with names, branches and telephone numbers for every officer, director, branch president and ex-officio post. The officers it names — Don MacLeod President, Jack Meharg and Bill Whittingham Vice-Presidents, Kevin Armstrong Recording Secretary, Lea Love Treasurer, Madeleine Mitchell for Membership, Lois MacPherson and Betsy Rennie Co-Editors — already stand in the register from the Fall and Winter 1991 newsletters; fifteen Directors and five Branch Presidents are named alongside them.

The minutes of the 41st Annual, printed a year later as an appendix to the 42nd's own booklet, correct and enlarge the account above. Muriel McKnight, president of the host Hamilton Branch, welcomed the fifty-three members registered; the minutes of the 40th Annual were accepted as read, moved by Fred Brown and seconded by Harry Wendland. Madeleine Mitchell was added to the incoming Executive as a Director, in place of Helen Wheaton, and Carol Broumley (the minutes print “Bromley”) confirmed as Norland's new branch president — corrections made from the floor to the nominating committee's own printed report. Lea Love's audited Treasurer's Report was accepted as amended: “Liabilities” corrected to read “Expenses”, and workshop expenses corrected from $215 to $265.

Fred Brown introduced the newest Associate, David McPherson. The Weston Trophy results, read by Bill Whittingham after a history of the award, were: Hamilton 85.7% (Betsy Rennie, David McPherson, Ruth Haig and Muriel McKnight), Mississauga 83.9% (Cliff McTavish, Lea Love, Lois MacPherson, Bill Whittingham and Don MacLeod), Toronto 81.1% (Bruce White, Cal Lucas, Jessie Little, Fred Brown and Jack Meharg), and Woodstock 80.9% (Nancy Durham, Madeleine Mitchell, Loreen Manuel, Dorothy Stanton and Beula Reynolds), with the critiques read by Betsy Rennie and each piece held up by Hilda Newitt. Joyce Scruton presented Ruth Haig with a Life Membership, and reported 64 paid members. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The minutes' Hamilton team for the Weston Trophy names four crafters — Betsy Rennie, David McPherson, Ruth Haig and Muriel McKnight — where the Summer 1991 newsletter names five, adding Sharon Beasley. Both are contemporary; neither corrects the other here.

New business turned on the cost of the Newsletter: raising membership dues was tabled for further thought, after an earlier increase had cost the Society forty members; a change of format to cut printing costs was rejected as incompatible with the existing binding. Ruth Haig agreed to run a leather-mâché workshop on 24 May 1991, and Bill Whittingham, Mississauga's president, circulated a questionnaire on what workshops members wanted at the next Annual and asked each branch to prepare its own mascot or insignia. A Notice of Motion proposed amending Article XII of the By-Laws so that Society cheques could be signed by any two of the Treasurer, the President, the Recording Secretary, or another person designated by the Executive Council.

1992 — the forty-second, at Vineland

Mississauga hosted the 42nd Annual back at the Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland) — the same hotel Hamilton had used for the 41st the year before. The printed programme runs a familiar weekend: Friday registration, display tables and a short executive meeting before judging, with Lois MacPherson demonstrating small moulded items over plexiglass forms; Saturday's business meeting from ten, afternoon demonstrations from Jessie Little (Colourama, in two parts), Cliff McTavish (hand stitching) and Bill Whittingham (tool sharpening), a leather-goods sale in Bruce White and Joyce Scruton's motel room, and the Annual Banquet; Sunday a hands-on Colourama workshop with Jessie Little.

Don MacLeod's President's Message, his second, opens with the Society's membership “a little like the Canadian economy — down” and closes on an idea he calls “the I want one of those idea” — watching what people need and building it. He reports the new treasurer, Lea Love, had finally consolidated the Society's several bank accounts into two, and proposes turning some of the Society's reserve funds toward member-facing prizes: a trophy for best piece in the show, for originality of design, for best club table, for best or most improved novice worker.

The branch reports cover the year to spring 1992. Hamilton marked its 35th Anniversary at Christmas, attended by nine former members including Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wilson and Winnie Comfort, and gave workshops in credit card holders, lasted boxes and Mukluk moccasins; Betsy Rennie and Muriel McKnight staffed a day-long display at the TerryBerry Library. Mississauga reported the death of Bob Myles, originally of the Barrie Guild, and registered with the Mississauga Recreation and Parks Department to reach new members; its incoming 1992–93 executive was Don MacLeod president, Lois MacPherson vice-president, Lea Love treasurer, Kevin Armstrong secretary and Bill Whittingham for membership. Norland, under program co-ordinator Hilda Chynoweth, drew four newcomers to try leathercraft over the year, one of whom joined the Society. Toronto's theme was “Back to Basics” — change purses, hand sewing, and a talk on pricing and selling by Harry Wendland — under president Bruce White. Woodstock's year ran from a June potluck at Edith Melchior-Hawkins's to tool sharpening, a workshop on lasted credit card holders at Hamilton, and Ring Binder projects; its incoming 1992–93 executive was Nancy Durham president, Madeleine Mitchell past president, Beula Reynolds secretary and Loreen Manuel treasurer.

Betsy Rennie and Lois MacPherson's Editor's Report and Kevin Armstrong's Archivist's Report — both brief, thanking contributors and asking for any C.S.C.L. material members no longer want — and the Treasurer's comparative statement of income and expenses to 30 March 1992 are on the page but not itemised here; the printed slate of officers and directors for 1992–93 gives addresses and phone numbers for each.

1993 — the forty-third, and the last of the scanned booklets

The Royal Resort, Fenelon Falls, 23–25 April 1993. The programme runs a familiar weekend: Friday evening registration and the judging of entries, with the Hospitality Room open in the Regal Lounge; Saturday's Annual Business Meeting from ten, covering the year's business, the election of officers, the Associate Award, the Branch Competition (Weston Trophy) appraisal and a question box, followed by demonstrations from Dorothy and David McPherson (leather mâché), Margaret Monteith (button and jewellery work) and Hilda Chynoweth (weed pots made from splits); Sunday closed with Jack Meharg and Bruce White's demonstration, described on the programme only as a “surprise”, tools optional. (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

Don MacLeod, signing this President's Message “1990–1993”, reported the year's growth — six new members from Ontario and the United States, drawn in by advertising — and its losses. “Our old fashion Winter hasn't been kind to us this year,” he wrote, of members' injuries and age-related troubles, before turning to the Society's own: “One of our biggest losses was Bob Muma. Bob has long been everyone's mentor, in all forms of Leathercraft for over 40 years, but very few of the newer people had ever met him.” He described a visit to the Mumas' home the previous summer — seeing Bob Muma's garden, his studio, and his collection of over 2,000 species of moss — and Bob Muma's last appearance among the membership, reading his critiques of the winning pieces at the opening of Leather '92 in Etobicoke while Dorothy Muma presented the awards beside him, before he “walked about meeting as many as he could.”

The five branches each sent their year's report. Hamilton, under Betsy Rennie, had grown to 21 members with three new (Isabella McDermick, Art and Eva Harris), hosted the Society's own autumn workshop on the lasted box, staffed a day at the Terryberry Library, and toured Dundurn Castle at Christmas. Mississauga, under Don MacLeod, reported one new member and Lea Love's retirement after six years as branch treasurer, ending the branch's importing of the American “Leathercrafters Journal” along with it. Norland, under Phyllis McHale, ran its projects from kits prepared by Hilda Chynoweth and was already organizing the following year's Convention. Toronto, under Bruce White, kept its “Back to Basics” theme for a second year. Woodstock, under Nancy Durham, listed a full season of monthly projects and named its incoming 1993–94 executive: Nancy Durham president, Beula Reynolds secretary, Loreen Manuel treasurer, Madeleine Mitchell past president.

Lea Love's Treasurer's Report, for the year to 26 March 1993, showed a bank balance of $3,078.78 against the books and $3,178.78 against the bank, the difference an outstanding cheque for $100 to St. Martin's-in-the-Field Church; the Special Account, audited by Alan Foss and Betsy Rennie, totalled $3,598.81 across the Michigan Leather Artisans fund ($1,238.48), the Jean Hunter Memorial Fund ($625.77), the Draw Account ($608.65) and the Library Account ($1,125.91).

Madeleine Mitchell's Membership Report put the Society at 100 members: 22 Honorary Life Members (10 Fellows, 4 Associates, 1 Honourary Associate, 2 Honourary Fellows), 75 General Members (2 Fellows, 14 Associates, 59 General) and 3 Sustaining Members — Garnett Dyes Co., Tandy Leather Co. and Moore-Pearsall Co. Branch membership stood at Hamilton 19, Mississauga 7, Norland 8, Toronto 29 and Woodstock 10, with 23 Members-at-Large across Canada and the United States. The same report recorded, “with sadness,” the death of Robert Muma on 22 February 1993.

A letter from Kay Cloughley, writing for the disbanded Barrie Branch's Members-at-Large, offered the Executive Council the branch's remaining stock of leather, dyes and tools, built up before it lost its active membership; the Council decided at its March meeting to sell the goods at the workshop of 29 May 1993, at Cooksville United Church, for lack of time to value them individually before the Annual.

The proposed slate for 1993–94 kept Don MacLeod as President and named Ruth Haig Past-President, Jack Meharg 1st Vice-President, Betsy Rennie 2nd Vice-President, Kevin Armstrong Recording Secretary, Lois MacPherson Corresponding Secretary and Lea Love Treasurer, with Dorothy Muma continuing as Chairman of the Council of Fellows and Ruth Haig also as Teaching Standards. Branch presidents for the year were Ruth Haig (Hamilton), Don MacLeod (Mississauga), Carol Broumley (Norland), Bruce White (Toronto) and Nancy Durham (Woodstock).

Two of the twelve names on the printed slate of directors are illegible on the page rather than merely uncertain — one survives only as fragments beside a Toronto-area exchange, the other as “Harold=Buster” beside a 416 number — and both are left unread rather than guessed at. The other ten are Fred Brown, Gladys Riddell, Madeleine Mitchell, Muriel McKnight, Richard Fielding, Laura Bush, Jim Edwards, Art Cousins, Hilda Newitt and Betsy Rennie.

Betsy Rennie's Editor's Report thanked the year's contributors — Dorothy Muma on what an Associate and a Fellow is, the late Bob Muma for his critiques of the Leather '92 winners, Don MacLeod on computer scanners, Bruce White on a free-form stacked box, Rene Hackstetter on Château Renault and a book review, Dorothy McPherson on the Woodstock branch's year, and a reprint contributed by Deane H. Russell — and corrected the volume number printed on the year's first two issues, XLII, to XLI.

This booklet's own appendix carries the minutes of the 42nd (1992) Annual Meeting, enlarging that year's section above: the welcome by Bill Whittingham, President of the host Mississauga Branch; a by-law amendment (Article XII, section 1) letting any two of the Treasurer, President, Recording Secretary or an Executive Council designate sign cheques, moved by Lea Love and seconded by Bruce White, passed unanimously; and the Weston Trophy's full team breakdown for that year.

This is the last of the seventeen booklets that survive. Every year back to 1974 has been enlarged, or the whole meeting recovered, from the following year's own appendix of minutes; no 1994 booklet survives to do the same for 1993, so the meeting itself — as opposed to the year's business reported here, from its own programme and reports — is not minuted in the Society’s surviving papers.

After 1993 — a different kind of record

From here the sources change, and the reader should know it. Everything above was read from the Society's newsletters and its own annual booklets, scanned page by page. What follows is drawn from the documents the Society published on its own website in its later years — convention programmes, the annual reports circulated to members, and the minutes themselves. They are fuller than the newsletter reports and much drier: an agenda, a slate, a set of committee reports. Where a year is thin below, it is because the Society posted little that year, not because the meeting was small.

1997 — the 47th, at Vineland

The Beacon Motor Inn, Jordan Station (Vineland), 18–20 April 1997. The programme and the annual report were printed together as a twelve-page booklet — the last of the era before the Society's paper thins out, and the only one the archive holds between 1993 and 2011. Friday evening was registration, membership and the setting up of displays; the business meeting ran on the Saturday.

2016 — the 66th, and the shape the weekend had settled into

13–15 May 2016. By now the pattern is fixed and recognisably the one the branches were told to follow in 1988: branches set up their tables on the Friday afternoon, the judges work through the entries that evening, the hall is closed until Saturday morning, the Annual Meeting runs from nine to eleven, and a demonstration follows — David Trotter on colouring, finishing and texturing with dyes and acrylics.

2018 and 2019 — the last two conventions before the interruption

The 68th ran 27–29 April 2018 and the 69th 3–5 May 2019, both to the same shape: check-in and branch tables on the Friday, the Fellows' craft evaluations that evening, the meeting of all guilds on the Saturday morning. The 2019 Friday carried a workshop of its own — Richard Borrow teaching a hat band, with a note to bring scissors, a tape measure, needles and a hat.

2020 and 2021 — the meeting that could not be held, and the one held on Zoom

The invitation to the 2020 Annual was issued as usual, with entries to arrive at Hamilton by ten o'clock on Saturday 25 April. The meeting did not take place. The Society's own account of what followed is plain: “The Annual General Meeting has been on hold since May 2020, and so has the Judged Competition.” The 70th and 71st were therefore held together, virtually, on a Zoom call on the morning of Saturday 8 May 2021, and the competition was judged from photographs — “the first Virtual Judging”, with the Council of Fellows setting the criteria and the judges asked to weigh the leatherwork, construction, design and colouring rather than the photography.

The minutes of that meeting name everyone present, which the newsletter reports of the 1950s rarely did: the executive Lauch Harrison, Jim Wilkes, Della Chynoweth and Lauren Malec, four ex officio members, and six voting members. It is one of the few attendance records the archive holds for an Annual Meeting.

2022 — the 72nd, still on Zoom

Saturday 14 May 2022, ten to noon, again by Zoom, and again with the virtual competition's results announced at the meeting. The membership report for 2021–22 gives the Society's size at the end: 25 members — eleven Fellows, no Associates, fourteen general members, and four sustaining members.

2023 — the 73rd, back at Hamilton, and a warning

The Visitor's Inn, Hamilton, 2–3 June 2023, and the first meeting in the room since 2019. Hamilton, Mississauga, Norland and the Members-at-Large were represented by fourteen people. The Fellows judged from seven that Friday evening; the Saturday business meeting was put back to mid-afternoon and the new slate acclaimed. The report does not soften what it found: “The lack of attendees and Executive Committee members is very worrisome.”

2024 and 2025 — the last two

The 2024 meeting was held at the Ramada in Lindsay. The Friday night contest was a bag of scrap leather each and a time limit, the entries numbered and voted on by everyone present, with gift cards for the first three; Jimmy Wilkes was presented with an Honorary Associate Membership by the President, Sean Dalgetty. The invitation to the 2025 Annual Convention Weekend names the Visitors Inn at Hamilton for 9–10 May 2025. It is the last such invitation the archive holds.

The question put to the 75th meeting

The committee struck at Hamilton in 2023 to “probe the viability of the Society” reported to the meeting of 10 May 2025, and its report is printed in the agenda papers for that day. It had been asked, in its own words, “to investigate the possibility of Dissolving the Society and to prepare the ground for a Vote to decide the matter”. It met on the fourth Tuesday of each month, ahead of the Executive, and any member could attend. Its reasoning was that members could not vote on dissolution without first knowing what would become of what the Society owned: “Members must know what will happen to the Assets and Liabilities of the Society and know there will be an orderly transition if Dissolution is chosen.”

The conditions it set out are worth recording, because they are the Society’s own account of what it valued at the end. The physical property was judged to be of no intrinsic value and was not to be sold. The Fellows’ stamps and the pins would be left to the Council of Fellows to decide. The $3,068.66 that had come from the bequests of members who had died or retired would go to Craft Ontario, to be set up as bursaries for artisans. The endowments from the member guilds ($3,228.19) and the operating funds ($9,843.14) would be treated as cash and returned to the guilds in proportion to their membership, with the Members-at-Large able to apply for a share. The library would be entrusted to Paul Kitchener for his leather museum and would stay open to members, anything surplus to be auctioned. The dues already paid for 2025–26 would be given back. In place of a full slate of officers there would be at least two caretakers, a chairperson and a treasurer, and if it could be managed one in each surviving guild. That last division of the money is the report as it went into the meeting; the meeting changed it, as below.

The vote was to be taken before the election of the 2025–26 officers, open to every paid-up member, by a show of hands with proxies allowed, and carried by a simple majority of those voting. The question was set down word for word: “By a Show of Hands & Proxies - Do we Dissolve the Society? For Dissolution and Against Dissolution”. The report also looked past the vote, in case the answer was no: demonstrations at fairs and shows would need a list of volunteers, the future of the virtual annual competition was set down as unknown, and the website would carry on “with very infrequent updates for at least 5 years” — a term the meeting also changed. It is signed by Lauchlan Harrison, who had also written the warning of 2023.

The 75th meeting, 10 May 2025

The minutes of the meeting survive, and record the day. It was called to order at 9:45 in Hamilton, and adopted the minutes of the 74th meeting on a motion from Lauch Harrison, seconded by Sheena Burger. Under business arising it carried two motions, both moved by Sean Dalgetty and seconded by Sheena Burger: an entry for the Weston Trophy, and an entry for the Best of Level award, were each reduced to three articles. The President, Sean Dalgetty, had written the meeting a short message, the last the Society printed. It ended: “The winds of change have been blowing and the tree that is the CSCL is coming down.” (See the Weston Trophy roll.)

The officers’ reports were read or circulated. Barbara Chynoweth’s membership report counted, for 2024–25, 19 General members, no students, one Honorary Fellow, 11 Fellows and one Sustaining member — “Of the total 31 members”, the report says, though its own figures add to 32 — five of whom held Life Memberships. The newsletter had not been issued that year. The Librarian, Paul Kitchener, reported the library at his house in Omemee, Ontario, and the branches reported for the last time: Hamilton meeting on the second and fourth Wednesdays, Norland busy through the winter, Mississauga without a meeting all year.

Before the vote the meeting amended two of the committee’s conditions, and the minutes print the struck words beside the new ones. The funds were no longer to be shared among the guilds according to their membership but divided “in equal parts”, with a way for the Members-at-Large to draw on what the remaining guilds held (moved by “Barb C”, seconded by “Sheena B.”). And the website was to continue not for five years at $120 but for at least two years at $40 US (moved by Nancy Durham, seconded by “Paul K”).

Eleven members in good standing were present — Sheena Burger, Tracey Howard, Della Chynoweth, Barb Chynoweth, James Wilkes, Nancy Durham, Lauchlan Harrison, Sean Dalgetty, Paul Kitchener, Doug Schavo and Betsy Rennie — and six more voted by proxy: Barry Taylor, Colin Paddon, Tammy Gray, Alf Luneborg, David McPherson and Lauren Malec. By a show of hands and proxies, three voted to continue, thirteen to dissolve, and one abstained. The minutes put it plainly: “By a vote of 13 to 3 the Society has been Dissolved.” Lauch Harrison, Sean Dalgetty and Della Chynoweth remained as caretakers “from previous commitment”, and Paul Kitchener and Doug Schavo offered to serve “if needed”. Della Chynoweth was the caretakers’ treasurer. The meeting adjourned on a motion from Sean Dalgetty.

What the minutes settle, and what they do not. The vote above is taken from the minutes of the 75th Annual General Meeting, published in full. What they do not record is what then became of the Society’s funds and its bequests, and that remains unknown here; the 2025–26 dues, which the report said would be given back, were returned. The library, the Librarian reported to the same meeting, was already at Paul Kitchener’s in Omemee. The committee’s report as it went into the meeting is also published: the Continuation Committee’s final report (PDF).

One small thing the report settles differently from the rest of the Society’s papers: it calls the pins the Zalitas Pins. Elsewhere the name is written Zalitis, after Janis Zalitis, and that is the spelling used on these pages. The final report’s spelling is noted here rather than corrected.

What is not here

For the early meetings the newsletter gives only short accounts: the 1952 meeting, for instance, is covered by a one-page “Progress Report” (Summer 1952, page 6). The President's full report to the 1953 meeting was not printed in the newsletter — “to save limited bulletin space” every member was sent a copy separately (Summer 1953) — and no copy survives here. The branch, officer and committee reports circulated for the Annual Meeting survive here for 1997 and for 2011, 2012, 2016–2019 and 2021–2023 (see the Documents); for the years before 1994 the printed reports survive only as the Annual Meeting booklets of 1975–1993 reproduce them, beside the newsletter's accounts and the minutes.

Not this Society's meeting: Summer 1961, page 2, reports an annual meeting attended by “about 40 persons” and “opened by the Report from the President”, but it is the annual meeting of the Canadian Conference of the Arts — the surrounding page is the Conference's Toronto proceedings, with Alan Jarvis as National Director.

Written for this archive from the reports the Society printed of its own Annual Meetings. Every page quoted here links to its issue in the newsletter archive, and every name asserted has been checked against that printed page rather than taken on trust. Where the paper spells a name two ways, the difference is stated rather than silently corrected.