Portable Sanitation Association International

ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT Portable Sanitation Association International News BIWEEKLY EDITION APRIL 28, 2021 Page 12 The Chartering Congress and First Annual Meeting of the PSA…continued from page 11 Robert LaGrasse, Alfred's son, when contacted about this article, sent his "congratulations and admiration for our Association celebrating 50 years of service to our Membership and to our industry." He said that he also recalled a joke that was apparently made early in the ECI partnership with the PSA where it was suggested that the Board of Directors be named the "Privy Council." Final Thoughts From the Chartering Congress and First Annual Meeting of the PSA in 1971 to the 50th Anniversary of the PSAI in 2021, many of the same goals, priorities, structure, and purposes of our Association remain the same. As we can see from this chapter in our history, hard work, dedication, and professionalism have remained the keys to success since day one. In some instances, it is almost impossible to distinguish verbiage from 1971 with that of today in terms of the basic principles as stated in the Bylaws and in the Code of Ethics. With the only difference being the name, "Bonus Clinics" in 1971 introduced the important learning and sharing activity among the membership known today as roundtables. In 2021 they remain a staple activity for the PSAI, both at events and now virtually. The PSAI's core values have not changed in a half-century and, for that, we should be immensely proud. While, at the same time, we have literally changed the world's view of our industry. v A Few Interesting Facts about 1971… The PSAI's and OSHA's beginnings were notable in 1971. Other significant milestones that year included the following: • Amtrak began as the nation's "trainline" on May 1, 1971. • The 26th Amendment gave 18-year-olds the right to vote. • Disney World Theme Park opened in Florida October 1, 1971. • Apollo 14 landed on the moon, instilling confidence in NASA once again after the near disaster of Apollo 13. Later, Apollo 15 landed on the moon and implemented the Lunar Rover, showing us a wider area of the moon's surface than ever. • Texas Instruments released the first pocket calculator. • Ray Tomlinson created and sent an "electronic mail message"— today's email. Apollo 14's crew: Stuart Roosa, Alan Shepard, and Ed Mitchell (Image credit: NASA) Paul Levine, Chairman of the early PSA Membership Committee, set a goal of signing up 200 members within six months. Early discussions were also beginning as to the date and location for a trade show later in 1971. (Ultimately, New Orleans was chosen for this first full-fledged Convention and Trade Show on November 18, 1971. We'll cover that more fully in Association Insight later in the year.) One last note from this first newsletter is this snippet: "A minimum wage increase by January 1972 looks likely as Congress has been asked for an increase to $1.80 per hour by 1972 and a second boost to $2.00 an hour in January 1974." The $1.80 per hour in 1972 is worth $11.41 today. Although some states have higher minimum wages, the current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, well behind the pace of inflation. Special Request If you have any biographical information about any of the amazing individuals mentioned in this article, please forward the details to Jeff Wigley since he would like to add it to this article before its final inclusion in the 50th Anniversary Booklet at year-end. In addition, please share any and all stories, pictures, or remembrances of your fellow members. Email your thoughts and memories to Jeff Wigley. He will include them in future articles and use information to update "PSAI Through the Decades." Pictures are especially appreciated and sending those to the PSAI Office will ensure that they are stored and shared with future members.

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