Dallas has always been a fine TOR but Ron Aldridge and Dave Thomas have taken it up several notches. It is clearly the best national annual show. It starts with their focus on helping people have a good time. The’ve locked in on a great facility that’s easy to fly into. Actually its an international show with a vistor from England.

Attendance reads like a who’s who in the hobby – Terry Grove, Craig Leighty, Doug Bearce, John Pleasants, Chris Jensen, Bob Hannah (great display of his 1947 WJ collection), Sam Fairchild, Herb McCoggins, Jef Heckinger, Bruce Dordick, Dave Pede, Bob Cylkowski, John Williams, Blake Keasey, Steve Austin, Tom Jones … I know I’ve slighted many just because I can’t remember them all. I’ve got to remember to take a digital camera to share some pictures. There’s more Scouting memorabilia on display at this show, and more knowledge, than there is at the BSA National Museum.

There were also many first time attendees from our mailing list that came up and thanked me for telling them about this. They never knew about it nor had been to a TOR. It was like kids in a candy shop. Wonderful!

We helped with the placement of a pair of significant historical items. We’ll see if we can get a picture posted. One was a hand written letter from Baden-Powell to James West when BP was touring the US in 1912 explaining the Scouting program. The second was Ernest Thompson Seton’s resignation letter to the Boy Scouts of America Executive Board. Very trick.

This was also an ISCA Conference. There were educational sessions throughout Saturday. Although sparsely attended, it gave collectors access to some of the most experienced enthusiasts in the hobby.

Prepare for next year – it will always be the weekend prior to Martin Luther King day.

• » Comments (0)