The History of the Great Lakes Planetarium Association

By Dave DeBruyn

Charter Members of GLPA Attended meetings in 1964 and/or1965 *Three founding "fathers"
James Abraham	Paul Kirby
David Bertsch	David Krause
Giward Bewgard	Charles Legg, Jr.
Zenon D. Billeadeaux (Deceased)	James Marron
Jeanne (Emmons) Bishop	Jon Marshall
John Bowen	John McMillan
*Von Del Chamberlain	Frank C. Memmer
Mark Chartrand	Roy H. Miller
Fred Cousin, Jr.	Maurice Moore
John Curtin	Thomas H. Osgood (Deceased)
Harris D. Dean	Lawrence Y. Park
*David L. DeBruyn	Jim Pike
Ray Donselman	Donald Rosenfield
Attia Eigammal	Jim Scheu
Robert C. Elliott	William Schaultz (Deceased)
Richard H. Emmons	John Snyder
Thomas Emmons	John Soroka
Ralph O. Ewers	Jack Spoehr
Jeannet Fehner	Duane Stanley
George W. Girard	Dan Snow
Evelyn Grebel	Cynthia Sunal
Allan D. Griesemer	*Dennis Sunal
D. R. Gustafson	Robert A. Thompson
Charles Hallock	Sam Thorndike
Donald Hays	Heather Thorpe
Victor H. Hogg (Deceased)	Donald Tuttle
Maxine Haarstick (Deceased)	Robert C. Victor
Richard M. Howard	Robert E. Weber
Ruth M. Howard (Deceased)	Howard Winters
Stanley Hruska	Alton Yarian
Frank C. Jettner	Richard D. Yarger

The Great Lakes Planetarium Association is the oldest of the regional groups in the United States.

It also predates the Planetarium Association of Canada.

I like to believe that the Great Lakes Planetarium Association inspired the others into existence and is also a foundation upon which CAPE, I.P.S., and other worldwide planetarium groups are built.

The inspiration belongs primarily to one man, Dr. Von Del Chamberlain. After making acquaintance with Dennis Sunal and myself upon a visit to the University of Michigan, he invited us up to Flint to discuss the possibility of collaborating with him in the formation of a regional planetarium group. That meeting took place in the fall of 1963.

A year later the first gathering occurred. Dennis had graduated and moved on to the John Glenn Planetarium in Wayne, I had departed for Grand Rapids, and Von Del had become staff astronomer at Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State University.

The meeting was in Lansing on November 21 1964, which just happened to correspond with one of the earliest major snowstorms in Michigan history. Near blizzard conditions existed the night before. Nevertheless, about 40 people showed up, some from as far away as southern Ohio. Notable were names I have heard of but never seen: Ralph Ewers (the wizard of Cincinnati), and Mr. Richard Emmons of Canton, Ohio, who brought along his enthusiastic daughter Jeanne, and son Tom. I had read about Mr. Emmons' homemade planetarium in Sky and Telescope, and this inspired me to build one myself.

Dr. James Stoekley, a retired astronomy popularizer, and former director of the planetariums of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, was keynote speaker for the one day event. It was decided that there should be an attempt to formalize an organization, and a steering committee was formed to that end. Chamberlain, DeBruyn, and Sunal were among the members of that panel. Discussion indicated that there should be a formal organizational meeting the following year, hopefully a little earlier in the fall to avoid the perils of foul weather.

In March of 1965, DeBruyn, Chamberlain and Sunal got together and journeyed to Canton, Ohio for the meeting of the steering committee- in an ice storm-but the sun came out the next day and it warmed up-a first taste of spring, and a proposal accepted to have the organizational meeting in Grand Rapids with DeBruyn as convention chairman.

That event took place on October 8 and 9, with headquarters at the Pantlin Hotel and what was then known as the "Planetarium of the Grand Rapids Public Museum." Maxine Haarstick was there, and she let her hair down-literally. There were about 75 participants for the two day meeting, with the keynote banquet address delivered by Dr. Ralph Baldwin, an authority on the moon. A proposed constitution drawn up by the steering committee was debated and the organization was officially born. I'll never forget Alton Yarian's demonstration of wide angle projection techniques using a fisheye lens projected against the slightly domed surface of the Pantlind's ballroom ceiling. Von Del Chamberlain is elected as G.L.P.A.'s first president.

On to Cincinnati in 1966, with the inimitable Ralph Ewers as host. This was my first introduction to the miracle of Ortho film, and in the hands of the "Wizard," it was quite a lesson. VonDel tells us about the first graduate program in planetarium education to be offered in the country, and a representative of N.A.S.A. informs us that there are now 485 U.S. planetariums, 180 in schools and 119 in Museums. We also hear of Elgin's Research Project involving the planetarium and curriculum, with Don Tuttle.

1967 - The first Cleveland convention, October 19, 20, and 21. This is Paul Kirby's big gig, centered at the novel facilities of the Cleveland Supplementary Education Center. The executive committee has decided to establish a special annual lectureship in honor of Armand Spitz. Though Spitz himself is confined to his home as a result of a stroke, Mrs. Grace Spitz is present to deliver the initial address. The former Jeanne Emmons, now Mrs. Allan Bishop, presents a paper on the subject of "Correlation of Planetarium Programs with Subjects in the High School Curriculum." Could this be the sign of things to come from this talented and dedicated young lady? Indeed it was.

1968 - Ralph Ewers becomes the second G.L.P.A. president. This is also a very significant year, marking the first joint meeting between G.L.P.A. and M.A.P.S. In the meantime, two more regional groups have come upon the scene, one in the southwest and the other on the west coast. The meeting is held at the brand new Strasenburgh Planetarium in Rochester, New York, and what a place it is. Today, as then, Strasenburgh is considered one of the best, operated by a highly talented and creative staff. This event could easily be subtitled the laughing convention. There was my first introduction to Bart Bok, with the dry wit of Patrick Moore and eccentric humor of Isaac Asimov thrown in. But something that stands out in my memory as perhaps one of the most side splitting experiences in my life was the spoof on the foibles of planetarium operation served up by Ian McClennan and his staff, complete with Walter Bauersfeld's severed head tumbling end over end across the dome. The second annual Armand Spitz lecture is delivered by Dr. Harry Crull, a longtime veteran of the planetarium profession.

1969 - October 9 and 10 in Minneapolis - This is Maxine Haarstick's first big bash, beginning with the planetarium show "Some Enchanted Evening," bearing the inimitable Haarstick trademark. LeRon Codia introduces "blackground," and "3PD," terms now in everyday usage in the profession. We are brought up to date on the revelations of the Mariner 6 and 7 flybys of Mars, and Dr. Mortimer Hait, lunar geologist from N.A.S.A., delivers the third annual Armand Spitz lecture on the subject "The Moon in the Space Age."

1970 - Over 300 American and Canadian planetarium educators assemble in East Lansing, Michigan for the first North American gathering of planetarians. (A new word has been born) Once again, VonDel Chamberlain is the principal guiding light in bringing the growing number of planetarium professionals together to exchange ideas and hear leading speakers. And what a parade of speakers: Harold Urey, Alan Bean, the fourth man on the moon, Henry King. The fourth Spitz lecture is delivered by famous astronomer George Abell, who started on his brilliant career as a guide and later a lecturer at the Griffith Planetarium in Los Angeles. The evening includes a short tape recording from Armand Spitz. There is a concerted effort at this meeting to initiate a national journal, and the International Society of Planetarium Educators is born. A committee is established to come up with a constitution, and Paul Engle of Texas becomes the organization's first president. Bob Elliott of Eau Claire, Wisconsin takes over as 3rd president of G.L.P.A.

1971 - The meeting this year takes place in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, the first in the Association's existence to be hosted entirely by several smaller school planetariums, principally the one operated by Jim Pike. It is at this meeting that I come upon Ken Perkins for the first time, and my life will never be the same again. We are introduced to Project Viking, and its exciting mission proposed for 1976, and hear an unforgettable school program in which Jim Pike has a group of second graders learning unbelievable things. (Who says that they can't do it?) One of the most appropriate of Armand Spitz lecturers is Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who worked closely with Spitz during the early days of "Project Moonwatch" in the 1950's. It is an evening of reminiscing and looking to the future.

1972 - The Youngstown, Ohio meeting, hosted by Warren Young and Ted Pedas. Margaret Noble is the 6th Spitz lecturer. Her subject: "Leaning a Little Closer to the Stars." A highlight of this October meeting is a visit to the impressive Mahoning Valley Observatory, which appears to be the brainchild of Bob Andress. Don Tuttle becomes the 4th G.L.P.A. president.

1973 - It is time for G.L.P.A. to return to its birthplace . The Grand Rapids convention features a field trip to the recently completed James C. Veen Observatory, a labor of love on the part of the local astronomical association and planetarium, which was just a hole in the ground at the time of the 1965 meeting. This meeting features our first introduction to "Smell Effects in the Planetarium," and I don't have to tell you who delivered that paper. Workshop sessions are initiated as pre-conference options, and George Pitluga is the 7th Spitz lecturer, his booming voice somehow managing to overcome the rock concert that has been scheduled in the adjoining room. Dr. Freeman Miller, in his closing address on comets, proves to be all too prophetical when he warns us not to get involved in too much hype about the "Great Comet of 1973," which was on its way at that time. "It could fizzle," he said.

1974 - This was the CRAPPIEST of all conventions, with even a song and graphic pictures portraying the infamous ''Cleveland Regional Association of Planetariums," which I believe is now either defunct or operating under a new title. This was also the meeting where delegates were transported to and from the airport via funeral coach supplied by one of Lloyd Bodie's students. This meeting is also notable as the second to be centered at a primarily school planetarium. It is fitting that our founding father, the person that has played perhaps the leading role in bringing planetariums from throughout the country, and now from throughout the world, together, is the 8th Spitz lecturer. I am speaking of course of VonDel Chamberlain. His presentation, in his usual down to earth and the sincere style, inspires us all. John Soroka takes over as the 5th G.L.P.A. president.

1975 - It's back to Cleveland for a second time, with Jeanne Bishop and an array of sidekicks, including the one and only Doris, as the highly innovative hosts. "Projectra" is born, hopefully for a short life, at the annual banquet. I observe that same Cobra that was peering over my shoulder in 1967 is at it again during the annual banquet held in the Museum's "Nature Hall." Having discovered my fondness for snakes the next day at the Junior Nature and Science Center, my colleagues believe that I should be the recipient of a "special award" at the closing meeting, for which I will be eternally grateful. At the banquet, Dr. Mark Chartrand, who went from a part-time assistant at Cleveland's little Ralph Mueller Planetarium, to much bigger things, is the 9th Spitz lecturer. Dan Snow and Alton Yarian are presented special recognition for their long years of service to Planetariums in the Cleveland area. This is our 10th anniversary year.

1976 - This is the year of the Chicago convention, perhaps one of the most significant in the Association's history. It was a truly fantastic affair, due largely to hard work by Phyllis Pitluga, Lee Simon, and the rest of the Adler staff. Festivities began with a luncheon on the "Crater of the Moon," followed by Dr. David Schramm on "Will the Universe Expand Forever?" Then it was wine and cheese in the Planetarium lobby and on to the "Top of the John" for the evening banquet. This featured a breathtaking view of Chicago's night skyline from the 95 stories above the city, and a truly inspiring and fitting Spitz lecture by Adler director and pioneering planetarium man, Dr. Joseph Chamberlain. After hours, there was the Playboy Towers and other enchanting bits of Chicago's famed night life. This event was particularly significant for me as it was my first as the 6th G.L.P.A. president.

1977 - Toledo convention, under the sponsorship of Bill Rush of the Ritter Observatory and Planetarium, and Bob Gardner of Rogers High School. Chicago would be a hard act to follow, but these guys came up with a fine affair. The one and only Bart Bok is back, this time for a pair of lectures, one on "The Case Against Astrology," and the other on "Star Birth." Another planetarium pioneer, Phillip Stern, is Spitz lecturer, and Miss Ruth Howard, retiring after a long career, is recognized for her many years of service to the Kalamazoo Public Museum, and to the G.L.P.A. The next day, comet expert Armand Delsemme tells us about the proposed Halley's Comet intercept mission.

1978 - This is our first official meeting at Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. However, back in 1958, twenty years ago, a symposium was held here in which, for the first time, the growing number of smaller Museum planetariums, nurtured by the invention of Armand Spitz, were represented. A number of participants at that pioneer gathering, which in many ways inspired the formation of G.L.P.A., participated in a panel discussion entitled "Meet the Pros." They were: Dr. Joseph Chamberlain, Miss Ruth Howard, Jeanne Bishop (Emmons), James Fowler, Stanley Hruska, Maxine Haarstick, Jack Spoehr, and Martha Schaefer. At this meeting also, Dr. John Rosemergy, who today is still the head of the very first school planetarium in the country, and also a participant at that first symposium, gave the Armand Spitz lecture on the subject "Roots and Routes: Ptolemy, Copernicus, Sputnik and G.L.P.A." It was one of the most memorable of all Spitz lectures. Lloyd Bodie becomes the 7th G.L.P.A. president.

1979 - Now it's back to Minneapolis after a ten year absence. It's like going back in a time machine in some respects. Maxine hasn't changed a bit, and as usual, we don't know what to expect next. There is a lot of talk about the "Great Solar Eclipse of February, 1979" at this meeting, particularly on the part of the Minnesota people, who lucked out and saw the event. Dr. Harold Purdy Ney tells us about Fritz Zwicky, super condensed matter, and neutron stars. Astronaut "Deke" Slayton tells us about plans for the space shuttle, and Maxine Haarstick, a most appropriate Spitz lecturer, reads "A Letter to Armand Spitz." We are treated to the latest in spectacular audio-visual programming with a trip to the magnificent McKnight Omnitheater of the new Science Museum of Minnesota.

1980 - Here we are back in Lansing, site of the very first meeting of planetarium personnel that led to the formation of G.L.P.A., on that blustery day back in November, 1964, 16 years ago. It was 10 years ago that I.S.P.E. which is now the very vital and ever growing International Planetarium Society, was also born here. So this city, and this institution, which incidentally, has one of the first Spitz STP projectors, and was one of the first to introduce unidirectional seating, have a significant place in the history of this fascinating profession in which we are all so fortunate to find ourselves.

ADDENDUM - October, 1985

After proudly standing up at the 1980 convention and chortling about how I was among the very few (perhaps the only one) among the distinguished membership to attend all 16 conventions, as well as the 1964 preliminary meeting, I promptly missed the next three gatherings.

1981 - A hastily put together meeting in Columbus, Ohio turned out to be quite successful despite some organizational problems and a last minute change in locality. The turnout was small by G.L.P.A. standards, but enthusiastic. It was hosted by Sandy Hallock and his friends at the Columbus Center of Science and Industry. I don't quite remember what my excuse was but it had to be substantial and awfully important for a founding father to bring an end to his perfect attendance.

1982 - This was the Peoria Convention, hosted by incoming president, the inimitable Sheldon Schafer. This is where the world was introduced for the first time to Suluna, and it has never been the same since. I'm sure that the delegates must have been greatly impressed by the marvelous astronomical facilities in the area, and with the City of Peoria itself, as I was when I attended the ALCON convention there earlier in the year. Oh yes, my excuse that year. The convention conflicted with a rare opportunity to attend a World Series game in Milwaukee. You now see where my priorities are. That's right, it has all been a ruse, lo these many years.

1983 - That was the second combined MAPS-GLPA meeting, the first having been at the same location (Rochester N.Y.) almost 15 years earlier. Host Don Hall and his highly creative staff did not disappoint. It was nice to see that Don had not lost much more hair between the two meetings. I had a good excuse that year. This was the first time in its history that G.L.P.A. had had a spring meeting . Judging from the below par participation on the part of our membership, it might well be the last.

1984 - MILWAUKEE, the city of suds, and all is well again. The last of the beloved founding fathers has returned to the fold, amidst much applause, back slapping, and general jubilation. (No, I am not really that vain, but it was a nice feeling-knowing that I had been missed.) It seems that somewhere between 1981 and 82, I had failed to get my dues in on time (Just an oversight, I assure you) and was promptly dropped from the membership. How quickly they forget! Oh yes, the meeting was quite good, with a nice variety of activities and an emphasis on the problems of school planetariums. Milwaukee has no major facility, but is blessed with several excellent though smaller planetariums at surrounding schools and colleges. It seems we were forever on buses, including a memorable trip to the famed Yerkes Observatory.

UPDATE - April, 1995

1985 - CHICAGO, the windy city, and the season of Halley's Comet, with a tail shaped by the solar wind. Steve Bishop and Bart Benjamin were our congenial hosts in the new Cernan Space Center. Amidst trips to Fermilab and Adler, between invited talks and paper sessions, we were treated to planetarium shows in the tilted dome and enjoyed a Halley's roundtable as we described our various plans for pleasing the impending crowds of comet-seekers in the months ahead.

1986 - CLEVELAND. Eleven years (one solar cycle) later, we were back again to Cleveland, guests of the infamous CRAP (Cleveland Regional Association of Planetariums). With a variety of bus rides and an inflight meal, aka sack lunch on the bus, we saw many of the school planetariums that give Cleveland its rich cluster of educational domes. At the Natural History Museum, long before Jurassic Park, we had dinner near the dinosaurs and rollicked to a Halley retrospective slide show by Wes Orloff and Dan Francetic, as we bade the comet goodbye. We saw a sampler of NASA's work at the Lewis Research Center and sampled apples courtesy of Leona Helmsley at her hotel years before the law caught up with her.

1987 - MERRILLVILLE. The first of three consecutive years of staying at a Holiday Inn. Our hosts were the dynamic duo of Gregg and Barbara Williams, who proved that a single small school planetarium can stage a first-class conference, though for the next decade only museum and college facilities would host a conference. Workshops made their debut at this conference and have been a staple ever since. Jack Spoehr inspired us with a memorable Spitz Lecture emphasizing the human value of our work.

1988 - BOWLING GREEN. A tough conference to describe since the writer was conference host. President Reagan was in town the first day of the conference, but didn't attend. No bus ride exceeded five minutes, except the van to the Thursday evening campfire. We saw a couple live school programs and the heard the first annual astronomy update lecture. Many of us met Mark Littmann for the first time as he gave the Spitz Lecture. This conference had the most cramped vendor area (an observatory lobby) and most memorable invited speaker: 82-year-old Clyde Tombaugh recounting his discovery of Pluto to a hushed audience.

1989 - CHAMPAIGN. Dave Linton, a Bowling Green alum, welcomed us to Parkland College, and set a tradition in motion: Jim Kaler as the astronomy update speaker. We managed to negotiate the labyrinth of the campus hallways, and heard a record number of invited speakers -- seven, including IPS President Terence Murtagh and future IPS president Bill Gutsch. The nature of December shows was a topic again and Tom Wujec wowed us as he turned the dome square with his computed-scaled All-Skies.

1990 - INDIANAPOLIS. The adults who teach children came home to the Children's Museum for this conference orchestrated by Sharon Parker. Larry Cat took us to the "meeoon" in the planetarium and the Digistar's graphics took us into a black hole, but we escaped to attend the only Saturday night Spitz Banquet, at which Sharon continued the three-year tradition of the host wearing a weird costume and at which Jeanne Bishop shared her wisdom of participatory teaching.. This was also the only conference in which the Executive Committee meetings almost lasted longer than the conference.

1991 - YOUNGSTOWN. A saros cycle after the last time, GLPA returned to Youngstown, and Warren Young and Ted Pedas took another turn at hosting. We heard shuttle astronaut Ron Parise, a YSU alum, describe his work in orbit and we were treated to a live school program by the inimitable Ken Perkins. It was just before Halloween and we reverberated to Rick Pirko's sound and light show. This writer's car was not towed away despite threats by the host, who also arranged delivery of a kiwi pizza. Will Warren and Ted host again in 2010?

1992 - ST. LOUIS. GLPA crossed the border into GPPA-land for a joint conference. Overwhelmed by our size and organization, GPPA bore with us. We heard about the exploration of other worlds: the Magellan mission to Venus described by Ray Arvidson and a trek to Tunguska described by Roy Gallant. The Digistar took us on hunt for a stolen star, we enjoyed a dinner cruise on a Mississippi riverboat, and we were treated to a tour of the Seiler Instruments building. Host John Wharton also arranged a sunrise through the Arch.

1993 - DAYTON. Back to Ohio and dinosaurs and to another Digistar and Holiday Inn. Our own Jon Marshall inspired us with the wisdom of a lifetime at the Spitz Banquet, but only after a prologue roasting the leaders who invited him. Host Art Goss unfurled many creative uses of a Digistar in his program commemorating his museum's centennial. What he didn't tell us then was that a month later he would be married in the planetarium to the accompaniment of a show recounting his and Danae's lives. The ranks of GLPA Fellows swelled after a mystery line-up at the Banquet.

1994 - WHEELING. The eastward migration of the meeting site continued as we convened a few miles across the border into MAPS country. Steve Mitch hosted us at the rustic Oglebay Park and we enjoyed the autumn foliage, relaxed setting, and model trains. We heard about recovering meteorites in Antarctica and the triumphs of the rejuvenated Hubble. CRAP honored Wes Orloff for his creation of the Mobile Observatory. April Whitt and Dale Smith shared their excellent adventures of trips to the South and North Poles, proving that GLPA will go to the ends of the Earth.