Thoughts on TSA and the Texas Caver
The Texas Caver and the Texas Speleological Association (TSA) are linked in
many ways. They should be discussed as a unit in most cases.
First a perspective on the Texas Caver:
The Caver started in October 1955 as a joint venture of the cavers in Austin
who were members of the Balcones grotto and the University Of Texas Grotto. It
was informal. There was no TSA at that time. Later in the year, Texas cavers
would organize and affiliate with the NSS through a tenuous arrangement known
as "regions." This gave them a small voice in the NSS.
The Caver was available to anyone, regardless of affiliation or the lack
thereof. It was not supported by any organization.
When the NSS ended the "region" structure in 1960, Texas cavers organized
themselves as the TSA, the organization that endures today with but minor
changes. Still, there was no official support for the Caver. It was
designated as "the official voice of TSA" but received no financial support or
direction from TSA.
For the first four years (1961-1964), James Estes as editor, and others of the
original Abilene Grotto produced a Texas Caver monthly and on time. This was
in the days when it was all done with a typewriter, scissors, film negatives,
layout guides, etc.
The Caver went to Pete Lindsley and the Dallas-Ft. Worth Grotto members for
1965-1966 and was still produced monthly and mostly on time.
In 1967, the Caver returned to Abilene with George Gray as editor. All was
well for a year and then in 1968, production lagged and by 1969 had stalled and
was several months behind. This ended a seven or eight year run of regular,
on-time Texas Cavers during which the TSA had flourished.
After some ill-humored negotiation, the Caver resumed production in San Angelo
with Carl Kunath as editor and the missing issues for 1969 were by-passed. The
Caver was again monthly and on time. The missing issues for 1969 were
eventually produced during 1970 by ad-hoc editor James Estes.
The Caver was then passed to a new editor each year for the next five years and
all went well for the most part. Mike Moody had a few late issues in 1972 but
the Caver was still timely enough to serve as a newsletter. Ronnie Fieseler
(1971), Mike Moody (1972), Glenn Darilek (1973), Ken Griffin (1974), and James
Jasek (1975) all served well and took their responsibilities seriously.
In 1976 Gil Ediger took over the Caver and did alright for a year despite some
rather extreme editorial license. The September, October, November, and
December issues totaled only 73 pages including a marvelous eight-page index
compiled by Carmen Soileau. Ediger promised to do better in 1977 but by
mid-year, James Jasek stepped in to edit the July issue and the last five
issues for 1977 were not completed until 1980 with Chuck Stuehm as "guest"
editor. There were a total of eight issues produced for the year (only seven
somewhat timely) and this, in many ways, marks the beginning of the end for the
Texas Caver as it was originally conceived and the start of nearly 30 years of
late, combined, and leap-froging issues. From this time forward, the Caver
ceased to function as a newsletter for no more than six issues were produced in
any single calendar year. Take note: All these years, the Caver was still not
directly supported by TSA. You could be a member of TSA without a Caver
subscription, or be a Caver subscriber and not a member of TSA-a curious
situation indeed.
In 1981, TSA finally voted to make the Caver an integral part of the
organization and to mingle the finances. That's nice but it probably came 20
years too late.
And TSA? In February 1977, TSA had cash assets of $154.66.
And how did the TSA members view the situation? Here are a few comments:
"On 7 Nov. 1984 I mailed my check for $10.00 for dues to TSA; the check has
long sinced [sic] cleared the bank. But alas I have yet to hear any word from
the Texas Speleological Ass'n [sic], a copy of the Texas Caver, etc. etc.
Hopefully, TSA is still a viable organization - if so let me hear some signs of
life"
- W.R.B., 25 January 1985
"I have a problem with TSA. I haven't received one damn issue of the Texas
Caver since I joined the TSA. And it's not because I stayed mum on the
subject. I told the Editor of my plight. He said he'd fix it up. NOTHING. I
called the TSA Chairman weeks later and told him the story. He assured me he
would do what it would take. AGAIN, NOTHING. Then I decided to write you.
Here is what I want, no, demand! I either want a full refund of the TSA dues I
paid in September and let's forget the Texas Caver, or the following:
1) Copies of the Texas Caver beginning in August 1984, and an accounting of
where I stand in receiving it; in other words, when I owe again. What exactly
is the term of a subscription?
2) A TSA membership roster.
3) Notice of when TSA meetings are to be and reasonably before-hand so plans
can be made. I'm a dues paid TSA member and I learned of the January Center
Point TSA meeting on the Monday following it.
Enclosed is my membership card. Keep it if I am getting a refund. If I am to
get a Texas Caver and anything else for TSA membership, then send it back (with
my back issues).
I suggest you all get it together or resign, Once years ago I remember voting
for all TSA money to be given over to the AMCS because something happens with
that organization. It didn't pass at the time. Perhaps it should be made a
motion again.
- W.S. in a letter to Johanna Reese, Treasurer of the TSA, March 5, 1985
"I paid dues for the TSA at the '87 OTR and also at the '88 OTR, yet have not
received any 1988 issues of The Texas Caver. My last issue received was the
Dec. '87 copy of Vol. 32, No. 6. Please send me the 1988 issues so I can catch
up on all the recent scoop."
- B.S. in a letter to the Caver dated November 2, 1988
Wow! No wonder TSA and the Caver have problems. There is a very real
correlation between the health of the Caver and the health of TSA. Yet, TSA
seems powerless to stabilize the situation and continues in a very saw-tooth
fashion, occasionally teetering on the brink of extinction. On more than one
occasion it has been suggested that TSA be dissolved and its assets disbursed
to organizations deemed more worthy.
In the 1990s, the situation became so bad that the TSA Activities Newsletter
was started. This simple two-sided mailing was an attempt to do what the Caver
was not: Inform the membership of the TSA. In time, this was also made
available "on-line" as Internet connections became common in the caving world.
This served to inform and communicate with Texas cavers until 2001 when it was
dropped in favor of a seemingly rejuvenated Caver with Mike Moore as editor.
After Mike's untimely death, the old pattern returned and just recently has
forced the reappearance of the ANL in November 2005.
That's how we got here.
Now, where can we go?
First, realize that that production of the Caver is not particularly a money
issue. TSA has lots of money and subscribers are willing to pay any reasonable
fee for a timely publication. As Bill Mixon has pointed out, editors of the
'60s, '70s, and '80s could produce appropriately with "primitive tools," it's
even easier today. Further, it has been admitted that material is available
for publication. What, then, is lacking? I believe it is a question of
dedication.
Barring some miraculous change, it is obvious that we must abandon the fond
notion of a monthly newsletter. We have not had that for nearly 30 years and
it is unlikely we are going to get it back. What can we manage? Some suggest
that it is time to go completely electronic. They say let's abandon the Caver
altogether and rely entirely on electronically distributed newsletters such as
the ANL. I don't think that is a good idea. Any organization worthy of
respect in this world is producing a printed journal at some interval. Much as
some might want a "paperless" world, it is not here yet and probably never will
be. Recently, some suggest that everything be posted on the Internet as HTML
or PDF files but we have not yet heard from those without Internet connections
because they are not able to follow this discussion. The answer is probably to
have both paper and electronic versions available. It may well be that those
who desire a printed copy will have to pay a premium to receive it. That would
soon provide a real handle on the desirability of a paper Caver.
I would like to see a Texas Caver published quarterly. It would serve as a
forum for more substantive items and a permanent record of the caving
activities in Texas. Then, the Caver need not be so punctual because the
issuance of a monthly ANL will serve for the more transient items such as
grotto meetings, coming events, obituaries, etc. It is certainly within our
capabilities and budget to do these things. The ANL costs almost nothing to
produce electronically and for those who want or need a paper copy, some
arrangement can be made for a B/W version to be produced and mailed on a cost
basis. The proposed quarterly publication can be any reasonable size-whatever
the situation calls for-and could include a bit of color, perhaps a wrap-around
cover, without becoming too expensive. I see the ANL as being posted for any
and all to access freely and the past issues to be archived and available on
the TSA web site. Those quarterly issues of the Texas Caver should be by
subscription or by some, as yet unperfected, password scheme.
Now, what about the TSA? Why should a person join and what should they expect
in return?
Fundamentally, you should be a member of TSA if you believe that its
activities, in whatever form and however tenuous, benefit caves and caving. If
your world is better with TSA than without, you should be a supportive member.
You should expect something in return beyond a warm, fuzzy feeling. How about
this:
1. Each new member receives a welcome package either handed to them or sent in
the mail. In the package:
A membership card (perhaps with a number assigned as does the NSS).
A TSA window decal or other emblem of identification for their
vehicle.
A receipt for their dues.
A copy of the most recent ANL, Caver, or both.
A concise history of the TSA and a statement of its goals.
A copy of the current Constitution and By-Laws.
A list of current TSA officers and contact data for them and for each
affiliated organization.
Moreover:
2. Membership in the TSA should admit you to the TSA Convention or any other
TSA function at a lesser rate than those not members. I am unaware of any
organization that admits members and non-members at the same price.
The general idea is to create a sense of belonging. Human nature being as it
is, there is always room for a little "feel good," especially toward new and
prospective members. In recent years, there has been little enough returned to
the membership. There should be tangible as well as intangible benefits to TSA
membership.
It seems that TSA and its official publication(s) are now at something of a
crossroad. I was glad to see Michael Cicherski's positive comments about TSA.
Although TSA is far from perfection and although it has achieved far less than
it might, it is still the best and only thing that we Texas cavers have working
for us. Given that it is an all-volunteer organization, it is remarkable that
it has survived and accomplished anything at all through 45 years of
personalities, social change and occasional famine and pestilence.
===Carl Kunath (I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they
make as they go flying by.)
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