Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-27
"OLD SPECS" Dinner
Printers Recall Ancient Days
in the G. P. O..
BANQUET attended BY 100
Souvenir Program in Form of a
Patent Specification.
AMUSING LETTERS ARE READ
"Bwana Tu1nbo'' Writes That De-
spite Recent Events he Still
Is for the Uplift.
BANQUET ATTENDED BY 100
AMUSING LETTERS ARE READ

Living again in "Reminiscences the days
before the advent of the linotype ma
chine, alumni of odd Spec division, of
the government printing Office gathered
around the banquet board at Fritz Reu-
ter's 100 strong last night to "rehash''
| and reset the days when hand-set
piecework was the rule, and when luck
as to the amount of copy" in the pat
ent specifications box played a large part
in the amount contained in the weekly
envelope.
Some We're alumni of the G. P. O., who,
when the typesettng machine made its
appearance in the big print shop seven
years ago, sought other fields to con-
quer; some still hold allegiance to the
| printery of Uncle Sam. remembering the
days when the Office was bossed chiefly
by duly elected chairman, and when
the men could knock off from the hardest
grind to spend ten minutes or ST in song
| or Jest without having the pleasure de-
tract from the time slip.
| And, though the passing years had left
their mark on the faces and "thatches"
or some. 1t was happy and decidedly
| youthful gathering. Several spoke for
| the honor of being known as the Oldest
| In point or service, but no one desired
| on this earth We're taken into considera-
| ton.
BY way Of explanation to the uniniti
ated, 1T may be said that "Old Spec" or
the specification division. was that part
OF the government printing ONCE that
printed applications for patents. Because
or the lntricacy of the work and the dis
astrous results liable from mistake all
Who entered that division were picked
men. masters of their trade and prepared
by experience to assume the responsible
ity incumbent on work in that division.
Second Annual Reunion.
/ Last night was the second annual re-
| union. The session lasted from o'clock.
when the first course on the menu was
brought in, until we'll past o'clock this
morning.
The souvenir program was in the form
of an old patent specification. 1t was de-
cidedly personal as regarded the reading
matter. BY many who were no longer
with the G. P. o. it was received as an
old friend.
w. n. Brockwell was chairman and
master of ceremonies. He objected to
being designated postmaster. After in
Producing w. w. Maloney for a few
welcoming words Mr.. Brockwell read a
number Of letters from 'old specs" who
were unable to attend.
According to the chairman. Willis L.
Moore, chief of the Weather Bureau, had
to be in the country and Gen. George
H. Harries. unable to attend this reunion,
hoped to be remembered next year.
"Bwana Tumbo,' who, according to the
| reader, signed his name Theodore Roose-
welt, was unable to attend because re-
porters had ''pied' all his specifications
on November 8 and played, what Sher-
man called war in the general result.
However. the writer said he was still for
the uplift.
Mr.. Bells "reminiscences.
S. H.. Bell. who claimed to be the old
est member Of specifications division in
point Of service, inasmuch as he had
| made his entry in April, 1878, answered
| to the toast, "Reminiscences of Old Spec
Days. Mr.. Bell brought down the house
by relating his troubles explaining to
new recruits the manner Of punctuation.
August Donath, in a talk on 1.-THE Union
Printer" told of the days when a printer
joined the union, not because Of the bene-
fits accruing from such association. but
as matter of principle.
Other features of the program were vo-
cal solos by Maurice Fitzgerald, Thomas
L. Jones and. E. A. Lang, and q banjo
and guitar duet by Furbershaw and
Lowd: an original poem, II. V. Bisbee:
"A Few Specification Takes" by Fred L.
Davis: character approximations by
Charles F. Purdy, and g. specifica ton
'pome" by j. NJ. Montgomery. read by
Jason Waterman.