My partner and I carried all ADA expenses during my presidency, including putting out and mailing a periodic newsletter. Toward the end of my term I conducted a mailing to all members obtaining nominations for the presidency and a mailing for voting. My secretary counted the ballots which were returned and informed me that there was a tie between Marlene Bevan and someone else whose name escapes me. I decided that I was not going to spend about $100 more to conduct another election so I arbitrarily changed my vote and Marlene was elected. This turns out to have been a smart move, since her opponent left the field shortly and went into podiatry.

I received a number of interesting letters from hearing aid dealers including one which informed me that he was certainly not going to join an association of communist liberals. I have since pitched all ADA correspondence from this period, but I recall he was from Mississippi.

Most of my early memories revolve around the major roles played by Chauncey Hewitt and Steve Walsh in assisting in the creation of the ADA. Chauncey was President of Vicon Hearing Aids at the time, and contributed the facilities of Vicon and paid our living expenses while the group of us was in Colorado Springs. Steve played a major role in guiding us in forming the new organization. Chauncy has since died, nd Steve is doing some advertising work in Illinois.

My academic friends did not support the concept of the ADA and let me know at ASHA conventions and through the mail. Most of them now are dispensing, although none has ever admitted being wrong. Many of them have joined the AAA and have continued their efforts to block any attempts to work out a compromise on allowing practitioners to achieve the Au.D. without returning to academia and being "taught" by academics who have never been exposed to private practice.