Chapter 3: The Seventies
The seventies opened with a Regional meeting held in Runnemede, New Jersey
at the Monticello Motor Lodge with the Commander Arthur Johnson presiding. There
were seven Middle Atlantic teams in attendance. There were enough teams for a
quorum, and voting could take place. With $322.17 in the treasury, the topic of
discussion was money. It appeared that there was not enough money in the treasury
to cover expenses. The discussion centered on the possibility of using surplus money
from host teams' treasury if they were successful after hosting a Regional or Invitational
skirmish. Except for first time "host" teams, it was moved and seconded for the host
team to donate $30.00 dollars from their treasury to the Regional treasury to help defray
costs on a Regional level. The Commander reminded everyone in attendance that
Regional skirmishes could not be held during weekends that the N-SSA Board had its
meeting. It was at this meeting that a Regional Championship Award was established to
be given annually on the basis of competitive shooting. Partly by design, the "Award"
would extend the Regional Skirmish season past the Fall National into November.
A committee was formed and asked to report at the next meeting. Beyond the formal
meeting, Commander Johnson asked the team Commanders and Ordinance Officers of
each team to continue to inspect the weapons to make sure that the weapons were legal
and within limits.
1971 was not a calm year for the Middle Atlantic Region. Like warring factions
one hundred and ten years before, North and South ideologies did not always mesh.
At the January 17, 1971, meeting held in Runnemede, New Jersey at the Monticello
Motor Lodge, the idea of Regional championship awards was proposed and sent to
committee. The idea of Handicapping lower scoring teams was proposed. A committee
was formed to contact the Northeast Region to determine how they conducted the
handicapping system. J. Maxson asked for a discussion on the subject of a Regional
identification patch, but there was little interest. The matter was dropped. The 72nd
Pennsylvania lost a piece of their camp site at Fort Shenandoah at the 42nd National.
Someone at the National level forgot to put the 72nd PVI on the camping map. The
status of the range at Turnersville was uncertain because the ground was sold.
C. Harrington resigned as Deputy Commander because he was moving out of the region
Chris Johnson was elected Deputy Commander in his place. In a summary of the minutes
for January 17, 1971, section XII and the legal problems raised their ugly heads. It
appeared that Chris Johnson fired a cannon owned by the 4th Michigan at the fall
Regional Skirmish held at Meshoppen, Pennsylvania. This was a violation of some
N-SSA rule or in violation of the insurance carrier. In any event Chris Johnson says
"In opening discussion, C. Johnson stated he felt he had been deprived of his
constitutional rights under the laws of both the Commonwealth of Virginia and the
United States in that he was never notified in advance of the charges nor allowed to
testify in his own behalf, and that he was suspended before the hearing was held."
The charges were filed by P. Marziale. A member of the cannon team must have
been a National Board member or ran for an elected office in the Fall of 1970.