CHAPTER NEWS AND HAPPENINGS

The old Sulphur Springs, Fl Seaboard Railway depot, now in Pinellas County's Heritage Park in Largo, saw a lot of activity during the annual Folk Festival event. Chapter member Don Andrus did the honors, and reports an excellent turnout. Between tapping out kids names on the printing register and giving the adults the 'everything you'd like to know about the telegraph' - the 3 minute version -, hooping up train orders, and encouraging kids to try to send a few letters in Morse, there was little time for anything else. All in all, a great day for Morse and a sure invitation for the Chapter to come again.

Florida Chapter member Warren McFarland was the guest speaker at the Deland, FL Rotary Club, January 19, 3012, using the opportunity to demonstrate both American and International Morse code, along with the appropriate instruments, and to impress upon those in attendance the important role that American Morse telegraphy played in the development of the United States and the rest of the world. There was considerable interest displayed, with several Rotarians staying beyond the end of the meeting to ask questions. In appreciation for Warren's appearance, the Rotary Club made a donation, in the name of Florida Chapter, MTC, to the Rotary Foundation, to be used to further its goal of eradicating polio worldwide.

The old Atlantic Coast Line RR Pierson depot, abandoned, then moved to the grounds of the Pioneer Arts Settlement in Barberville, once again came alive with the sound of American Morse as chapter members Don Andrus and Warren McFarland displayed and demonstrated antique and replica telegraph instruments and equipment during the annual Florida Christmas Remembered event. After a slow, weather delayed start, there was a steady stream of visitors throughout the day, who were exposed to the delightful sound of American Morse in holiday mode.

Inclement weather limited attendance during the weekend of December 10 & 11, 2011 at this annual event. Fortunately, the weather was good for the Friday School Day and Chapter members Robert and John Feeney took advantage of that and were able to demonstrate antique and replica telegraph instruments and discuss the role of telegraphy in the Civil War with the students in attendance.

This was the first time that Florida Chapter has participated in this annual event, but the reception by event visitors was so great that the chapter has already been extended an invitation to participate next year.  The purpose of the event is to celebrate and perpetuate the history of the town and its development, which was based on citrus and, later, the phosphate industry.  When the first railroad was built through the area, it bypassed the town, but the town moved itself to the railroad so not to miss out on the economic boost that it brought.  Two telegraph stations were set up, but unfortunately a wire could not be strung between the two locations so that souvenir telegrams could be sent for event visitors.  Chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Don Andrus, L. A. Bailey, Catelyn Chamblin, Clyde Francis and Warren McFarland staffed the two offices.

Chapter members Robert, John & Cathy Feeney, attired in turn of the century garb, set-up their telegraph and railroad memorabilia display at this event. Working wet cell batteries, telegraph key, sounder, and bug provided much interest to the visitors. A kid's key was also set up so that children could experience sending Morse code. All who stopped by enjoyed the display.

Ocali Country Days, sponsored by the Marion County School District, is centered around a “Cracker” farmhouse, complete with animals, surrounded by various other old buildings from the 19th Century un Marion County. During this annual event, 1800s crafts and trades, such as weavers, candle makers, barrel makers, blacksmiths, and telegraphers are demonstrated to visitors. Elementary school children are bused in from all over the county during the week. In addition, private schools and home schoolers are invited to attend. An estimated 4,000 students attended. On the weekend, the event is open to the general public, with an estimated 3,000 visitors on those two days. Several school children remembered the telegraph demonstration from last year and one boy even remembered how to send Morse code, although he could not remember the code. On Sunday, a documentary film maker filmed and interviewed the telegraphers at work. The documentary will be shown on Cox Cable network at a date yet to be determined. Chapter members Don Andrus, Tom Bjorkman and Warren McFarland staffed the telegraph instruments

Chapter members Robert and John Feeney had their World War I Signal Corps display set up for this show. Robert and John were dressed as WW I soldiers for the event. Along with the telegraph key & sounder, wireless transmitter & receiver, period batteries and field/trench phones they also exhibited the equipment and knapsack carried by a typical World War I "doughboy." Much interest was shown in the display and the communication technology of "The War to End All Wars." The Stuart Air Show is one of the largest air shows on Florida's East coast and draws thousands of spectators.

Chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Don Andrus and Warren McFarland had the old Pierson depot open for business during this annual two day event. A telegraph wire was strung to the old Huntington, FL Post Office, which is also on the grounds of the Settlement, and souvenir telegrams for visitors were sent between the two locations. There were large crowds of visitors on both days, many of whom had never seen telegraphy in action before this event.

Chapter members L.A.Bailey and Warren McFarland occupied the old Seaboard Airline Railway Sulphur Springs, FL depot during this annual event, demonstrating original telegraph instruments for the edification of the thousands of visitors who passed through the depot during the day. Heritage Village has numerous historical buildings which have been moved into the village from the surrounding area. This was the first time that the Chapter has participated in this event, but they have been invited to be a part of several future events at this location.

The event was held at Vista View County Park on October 15, 2011. Civil War reenactors set-up their displays and exhibits for the Cub Scouts. Chapter members Robert, John & Cathy Feeney and Bethany Waricka set up the Civil War telegraph display with working equipment and information about the history of the telegraph. The scouts, as well as their parents, appreciated the information and were interested in seeing actual telegraph equipment in action, especially the pocket relay (wire tapping). It was a well attended event, enjoyed by everyone.

Students at Immanuel Lutheran Church school had the opportunity of hearing both American and International Morse Code for the first time in their rather short lives as Florida Chapter member Warren McFarland demonstrated telegraph equipment and talked about the history of the electric telegraph. Before the session ended, every student had an opportunity to use a telegraph key to send their names in American Morse Code to test Warren's ability at receiving code. The students enjoyed the activity, with several students expressing considerable interest. These students were furnished additional material to aid them in learning more about telegraphy and, perhaps, to even learn to send and receive either American or International Morse Code.

The old Trilby Depot, located on the grounds of the Florida Pioneer Museum, Dade City, FL was open for business on Saturday and Sunday of the Labor Day weekend, staffed by Florida Chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Clyde Francis and Warren McFarland. A telegraph wire was strung between a telegraph desk near the entrance to the museum and the depot so that souvenir telegrams could be sent and received for museum visitors on both days. There was a steady stream of visitors to the depot all day long, on both days. Florida Chapter is assisting the Museum in restoring the depot to its approximate 1950s appearance, but financial problems are slowing the process.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding, the City of Auburndale, FL held a four day affair, May 25-29, with many different events over the four days. Florida Chapter members Tom Bjorkman and Warren McFarland were set up in conjunction with three separate model train layouts to demonstrate the role that Morse telegraphy would have played at the time of the city’s founding. Approximately 2200 school children were bused in over the first three days of the event, most of whom knew nothing about Morse telegraphy, but were well informed by the time they left. In addition to the the school children, there were many adult visitors over the course of the event.

The Tampa, FL observance of National Train Day took place May 7 in and around Tampa Union Station. There were attractions such as an Amtrak train on display, model train layouts, a computerized locomotive simulator, a working telegraph office staffed by Florida Chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Don Andrus and Warren McFarland, Operation Lifesaver, and much more. Large crowds of visitors were in attendance all day, with the simulator and the telegraph office drawing the most interest. Many of the visitors had neither seen nor heard telegraph instruments before and expressed amazement at the technology. Florida Chapter has been invited to participate again next year and will most likely do so.

FX Chapter members gathered at the Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden to celebrate Morse Day, April 30 this year. Chapter members brought their most unusual telegraph instruments and equipment for display and demonstration and took advantage of the gathering to trade “war” stories with their fellow members. Internet access was provided, courtesy of the museum, and the Morse KOB computer program was activated, turning the Internet into multiple telegraph wires. The museum recently installed a 55 inch flat screen television in order to show railroad videos to museum visitors, but on this day it was converted into an oversize computer monitor, displaying the Morse KOB screen so that non-telegrapher museum visitors could follow along as chapter members from all over the U.S. and Canada exchanged telegraphic greetings. This proved to be the most popular event of the day, as visitors basically ignored the display of telegraph instruments and equipment to watch the exchanges on the screen. From time to time the display was changed over to the wire transmitting Civil War news stories, which also proved to be very popular. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, chapter members returned to the museum for a short business meeting and a Samuel Morse birthday cake and coffee, prepared by John and Cathy Feeney. During the business meeting, chapter officers – Tom Bjorkman, president; Rob Feeney, vice-president; and Don Andrus, Secretary-Treasurer, were re-elected for another term.

Lakeville Elementary School in Apopka, FL, located between two sets of railroad tracks and with a caboose on the school grounds, has used railroad themes for many of its activities, one of which is an annual Casey Jones Safety event. The event, which most likely is a break for students after the period of state mandated annual testing, nevertheless serves an important purpose. Operation Lifesaver, and other railroad representatives are on campus to remind students of the importance of safety around railroad tracks and, at the same time, educate them about the various aspects of railroading. This year, The Morse Telegraph Club was also invited to participate in the event, held April 26th. Chapter member Warren McFarland was set up in a classroom and over the day, individual classes from grades three through five were brought to the classroom where Morse code and telegraph instruments were demonstrated, the history of telegraphy was discussed, questions were answered, and every student was given the opportunity to operate a telegraph key to send their name in American Morse code. It is hoped that the students will remember their exposure to Morse telegraphy. (See the Albums section for evidence of student appreciation.)

The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Pierson, FL depot, now located on the grounds of the Pioneer Arts Settlement in Barberville, FL was once again alive with the sound of trains and telegraph instruments during the annual Spring Music Festival, held April 16, 2011. Although the train sounds came from a model train layout in the freight warehouse, the telegraph sounds were the real deal as chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Don Andrus and Warren McFarland had a telegraph wire strung between the depot and the historical Huntington, FL post office, which has also been moved onto the Arts Settlement grounds. Many of the approximately 2000 visitors took advantage of the opportunity to send souvenir telegrams to themselves. Among the many visitors was one Leah Morse, a young lady who said that she was the five-times great niece of Samuel F. B. Morse. She said that her grandfather had attempted to teach her Morse Code, but was not successful. Chapter members also installed a permanent telegraph display in the Pierson depot, which includes a Morse code generator, activated by a motion sensor; a KOB which visitors may use to try their hand at sending Morse code; and a display of the chapter’s handout with information about landline and wireless telegraphy and the chapter’s website. The display was constructed by member Don Andrus. Unfortunately, the day’s activities were cut short when a large brush fire several miles north of the Pioneer Arts Settlement burned poles carrying electricity to the Settlement and also succeeded in shutting down the main line of the CSX when cross ties caught fire.

This annual event, produced by the city and held this year on April 2nd, had a train show, a car show, a model train layout, telegraph demonstrations and BBQ, capped by a country music show in the evening. All of these activities drew large crowds which streamed through the lobby of city hall all day, where chapter member Warren McFarland had telegraph instruments set up for demonstrations of the art and practice of telegraphy. The sound of American Morse code attracted the attention of many visitors, intrigued by the early technology. Among those attracted was a potential new member for the Morse Telegraph Club.

The Southern Telegraph Company Office was set up on the porch of the Wagner House, the oldest structure (1857) in Miami-Dade County, during this annual event, held this year on April 2nd, in Lummus Park on the Miami River in downtown Miami, to highlight the history of the river and the area. A wire was strung to the Ft. Dallas (original name of Miami) building across from the Wagner House and a KOB was connected. There was a steady of stream of visitors all day with considerable interest as Chapter members John and Robert Feeney and Bethany Waricka demonstrated how telegraph messages were sent and received. Cathy Feeney and Bethany also demonstrated quilting and weaving to visitors. Good weather and a good crowd made it a successful day for all.

Chapter members Don Andrus and L.A. Bailey demonstrated Morse instruments and equipment and the use of Morse telegraphy in the Trilby Depot during the annual Hernando County Model Train Show, held March 26th on the grounds of the Pioneer Florida Museum, Dade City, FL. A good turn out was experienced, highlighted by an attentive Brownie Troop, full of questions. The Brownies were delighted and fascinated as each had their name spelled out slowly, then fast, in Morse code. The museum is beginning renovation and restoration of the old depot and has asked for the Chapter's help in identifying any needs which might further improve the telegraph setup, and the depot. When they learned that member L.A Bailey had worked at the depot for six years beginning in 1949, they pounced upon him with a deluge of questions as to how everything looked at that time. They plan to restore the Trilby Depot to as near its 1950s appearance as possible.

Chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Clyde Francis and Warren McFarland provided Morse telegraph demonstrations at the Depot Museum during the annual two-day Springtime On The Mall Festival at Avon Park, FL, March 25-26, 2011. There was a steady stream of visitors for most of the two days, with many of them spending considerable time watching and asking questions. A potential new member was given an application blank and one child was able to learn the code for her name during several repeat visits and by the end of the day could send her name in Morse code without referring to a chart.

Levy County (FL) Railroad Day, March 19th, was in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Florida Railroad across Levy County to Cedar Key, FL. Various activities took place in the communities of Bronson, Otter Creek and two locations in Cedar Key. FX Chapter members Tom Bjorkman and Warren McFarland were located in Bronson and Cedar Key, respectively, 35 miles apart, with antique and replica telegraph instruments and equipment for demonstrations, and with access to a toll-free telephone line between the two sites. Modems were connected at both sites and souvenir telegrams transmitted for interested visitors. There was a high level of interest in the telegraph demonstrations, with many visitors spending considerable time, watching and asking questions. See photos of various activities at www.levycountyhistoricalsociety.com

Approximately 4000 people attended this annual event during the weekend. The Southern Telegraph Company Field Office was in action and had high interest both days. Chapter members John, Cathy & Robert Feeney and Bethany Waricka participated. Working telegraph equipment, along with explanations of the history of the telegraph, provided the enthusiastic crowd with plenty of information. A potential new member, Buck Buckley also assisted with the Field Office There were actually three separate displays: the telegraph office, an 1800's surgeon tent staffed by Robert Feeney, and a demonstration of weaving and crocheting by Cathy and Bethany, who were dressed in 1800s style clothing.

The annual Plant City Model Railroad Show had an exceptionally large turnout of both vendors and visitors this year. Chapter members Clyde Francis and Don Andrus, using the chapter’s mini-telegraph office, were occupied full time all day demonstrating the Morse Code to a steady stream of interested visitors. Clyde and Don both felt this was one of the most successful years for this event.

The Southern Telegraph Company Field office was in full operation for this new venue, giving visitors an opportunity to learn about 1860s telegraphy. A high level of interest began to show itself on Friday afternoon as the Field Office was being set up, resulting in the demonstrations actually stretching over two and a half days. Contact was made with a potential new member during the event. Chapter members Don Andrus, John and Cathy Feeney, Rob Feeney and Bethany Waricka were all on hand to partipate in the demonstrations.

Chapter Members Tom Bjorkman, L. A. Bailey, Clyde Francis and Warren McFarland had the telegraph office at the old Trilby Depot in operation for this annual event.  A telegraph wire was strung between a point near the entrance to the museum and the depot, enabling visitors to send souvenir telegrams to themselves, which they could have delivered when they visited the depot.  Visitors who retrieved their telegrams were also given demonstrations of the telegraph instruments and equipment in the depot. There were good crowds on Saturday, but inclement weather and Super Bowl Sunday combined to reduce attendance on the second day.

The Southern Telegraph Company field office was in operation at The Battle of Townsend's Plantation at Renningers in Mt. Dora Feb 5-6,2011. Members Robert Feeney, Bethany Waricka and John Feeney (and Mrs. Feeney) were in attendance. School day was Friday, Feb 4th, and about 100 school children learned about the Civil War and the history of the telegraph, along with its use in the Civil War. Saturday & Sunday were the general public days and the telegraph tent was busy both days with a good amount of interest.

FX Chapter members Don Andrus, Robert Feeney and Bethany Waricka manned the Southern Telegraph Co's field office for the 31st annual Brooksville raid, January 15-16, 2011, one of the largest Civil War reenactments in Florida. Good weather brought a good turnout and demonstrations of Civil War era telegraph instruments and equipment continued, non-stop, on both days to an appreciative audience of all ages.

The old Pierson, FL depot, as well as the other preserved buildings on the grounds of the Pioneer Arts Settlement, Barberville, FL, were decorated for the holiday season during this annual event. Chapter member Warren McFarland was kept busy demonstrating the telegraph equipment which had been in the depot when it was an active railroad depot. The afternoon brought large crowds, including Santa Claus who stopped by to send a telegram to his elves.

At the request of the Pioneer Florida Museum, Dade City, FL, chapter members had the old Trilby depot open and operating during this two day reenactment of a Civil War raid on Fort Dade, which was located not far from the museum grounds. Although the event had been held in previous years, this was the first time for it to be held at this time of the year. Unfortunately, the general public did not respond well to the new dates. Attendance was sparse on both days, but many of the visitors to the depot were quite interested in learning more about Morse telegraphy.

Ocali Country Days is produced annually by the Marion County (FL) School District as a learning experience for elementary school children throughout the county by exposing them to demonstrations and exhibits of occupations, activities and crafts which were common in that area during the 1800s. There is an excellent museum on the site, near Silver Springs, which contains historical and archaeological artifacts from Marion County. Numerous buildings from the surrounding area have been moved onto the museum grounds for preservation and exhibition, including a pre-Civil War "Cracker" farmhouse, with its outbuildings and live animals in the barn and pens; a one-room schoolhouse; a building which was used as a church, a school and a community center; a country store and several other structures. Participants were on hand in those buildings and in other locations to demonstrate activites and crafts which were common in the 1800s, such as sugar cane syrup making, coopering (barrel making), log cabin building, blacksmithing, and, of course, Morse telegraphy. In addition, members from the Florida Seminole Indian tribe were on hand to demonstrate their activities and crafts. During the four School Days, approximately 4300 students were in attendance, while on the weekend,which was open to the general public, there were about 3500 additional visitors. One student returned on the weekend and his mother told a Chapter member that he had insisted on returning so that he could learn more about the telegraph and to bring a friend who had missed the school days demonstration. For the weekend, a second telegraph office, in the form of the FX Chapter Southern Telegraph Field Office, was set up and a telegraph line was strung between the two offices so that visitors could send and receive souvenir telegrams. There was a steady stream of visitors on both days who took advantage of that rare, to them, opportunity. Chapter members Tom Bjorkman, Don Andrus, Clyde Francis and Warren McFarland staffed the telegraph offices and kept the wires humming. This is the first year that FX Chapter has participated in this event, but the Chapter has already been invited to return next year. Dates and other information will be published on the FX Chapter website as soon as it becomes available.

Approximately 7000 visitors streamed through the grounds of the Pioneer Arts Settlement in Barberville, FL during this annual Fall Jamboree event, held November 6th and 7th, 2010. Most of these visitors also came through the old Pierson Depot, located on the Settlement grounds, where Chapter member Warren McFarland on Saturday and Chapter President, Tom Bjorkman on Sunday, demonstrated and explained the antique telegraph instruments and equipment on hand in the depot.

Chapter president Tom Bjorkman and member Warren McFarland had the old Trilby railroad depot open and operating over the Labor Day weekend, the occasion of Pioneer Florida Days at the Pioneer Florida Museum, Dade City, FL. They were joined on Saturday by members Clyde Francis and Max Strotz. There were good crowds on Saturday and Monday, with many visitors showing more than casual interest. Souvenir telegrams were sent from a location near the museum entrance to an operator in the depot, thus ensuring more foot traffic to the depot.

As part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts in America, the historic Signaling Merit Badge was revived for one year only. At the request of Troop 507 of Lake Mary, FL, chapter member Warren McFarland held several International Morse Code training sessions for those Scouts interested in obtaining the Signaling Merit Badge. There was a lot of interest and many of the Scouts displayed an aptitude for sending and receiving International Morse code. Twenty-three Scouts passed the test, administered by the Merit Badge Counselor, and will receive their merit badge in Signaling.

FX Chapter members gathered at the Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden, FL for the annual Morse Day celebration on Saturday, April 24, 2010. The attendance was excellent and included three of our new members and other members who had not attended in a while. All members enjoyed the camaraderie and the opportunity to see the latest instruments and equipment of other members as well as the opportunity to exchange telegraphic greetings with members of other chapters who were on one of the two hubs. It was also the first opportunity for many members to see the permanent exhibit at the museum in memory of former chapter president Paul English. The English family had donated all of his telegraph equipment to the chapter to be used for the memorial and for the benefit of the chapter. The equipment not used for the exhibit was sold to other chapter members, at fair market prices, with the proceeds from the sales going to the chapter treasury. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, the group returned to the museum for coffee and cake, the cake being baked, as always, by Cathy Feeney, wife and mother of members John and Robert Feeney. A business meeting was then held, at which Tom Bjorkman was elected President, Robert Feeney was elected Vice-President and Don Andrus was elected Secretary-Treasurer.

The following story appeared in the December 1, 2009 issue of the West Orange Times, accompanied by a photograph, not reproduced here: REMEMBERING A DYING ART: Don Andrus of Largo (left) and Warren McFarland of Winter Springs demonstrate the new hands-on telegraph display installed recently at the Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden. Andrus and McFarland are members of the Florida Association of Telegraphers (sic) and frequently visit the Railroad Museum to demonstrate the nearly lost art of railroad telegraphy. West Orange Times, Dec 1, 2009. The display is dedicated to the memory of former Florida Chapter President Paul H. English and was constructed by chapter members, using equipment donated by the English family.

By RONNIE BLAIR rblair@tampatrib.com Tampa (FL) Tribune, Published: Sep 5, 2005

DADE CITY - The tapping sounds emanating from the telegraph instruments in the old Trilby Depot provide a time-machine experience for Tom Bjorkman and Warren McFarland. The two men worked - long, long ago, they say - as telegraphers for railroad companies. Bjorkman, 67, of Brooksville, was with the Erie Railroad. McFarland, 82, of Orlando, was with the Atlantic Coastline Railroad. Once upon a time, they were go-to guys when it came to sending and receiving messages. For these two, Morse code is a second language, as simple as A, B, C. Or in this case, as simple as dot-dash, dash-dot- dot-dot, dash-dot-dash-dot. Where others hear meaningless noise, Bjorkman and McFarland hear an insistent tapping that lifts away the years and hearkens back to a time when the telegraph played a crucial role in the nation's development.

These days, though, the message Bjorkman, McFarland and others like them send is mainly one of remembrance. As members of the Morse Telegraph Club of Florida, they keep the torch lit for a means of communication that serves little purpose in an age of cellular telephones and e-mail. ``We just like to keep it alive a little bit longer,'' Bjorkman said. On Sunday, at the 31st annual Pioneer Days Festival, Bjorkman and McFarland demonstrated telegraph equipment to visitors who strolled through the Trilby Depot, which sits on the grounds of the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village. Morse Telegraph Club members also demonstrated the equipment Saturday, but they won't be back today as the festival concludes.

Bjorkman said the club is restoring the telegraph table at the depot. Work remains to be done, but progress has been made. ``We have a good working display,'' Bjorkman said. The club members, no fans of the hands-off approach, encouraged children to tap out their names in Morse code. The youngsters might as well do it for fun. None of them is likely to do it for pay, as Bjorkman and McFarland once did. ``I last did it for real in 1962,'' Bjorkman said.

The telegraph had a good ride, though. Samuel Morse invented the telegraph in the 1840s and by the 1850s its use was widespread in the United States. McFarland and Bjorkman said that during the Civil War, the telegraph was used to keep generals updated about events on the battlefields. The military also made use of the telegraph in World War I and, to a lesser extent, in World War II, Bjorkman said. By the mid-20th century, though, as other means of communications developed, the telegraph's importance began to wane. In most places, it was phased out in the 1960s, Bjorkman said. The last land line in the United States was discontinued in 1982 at Whitehall, Mont., he said.

Telegraphers had seen that coming 40 years earlier. In 1942, some of them formed the Morse Telegraph Club to keep the traditions of their vocation alive. Now there are club chapters in nearly every state, including the chapter in Florida, which has 34 members. Once a year, the members pay homage to the man who made their old profession possible. On the last Saturday of each April, each chapter celebrates Morse's birthday, which was April 27, 1791. The Florida group holds its Morse birthday gala at the Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden.

Railroads and the telegraph were linked almost from the beginning, McFarland said. Since the railroad tracks were already there, it made sense to put in telegraph lines along the tracks. ``Then it became natural for railroad employees to become telegraph operators,'' he said.

One piece of equipment Bjorkman and McFarland demonstrated Sunday was an Instructograph, a device used to teach Morse code. The lessons were on yellow paper tape that was threaded through a machine. Holes punched in the paper represented the dots and dashes. The machine read those, then sent a message to a telegraph sounder and the student would try to write down the message as it was tapped out. McFarland said he never had an Instructograph. Instead, his father served the machine's role, helping him to learn Morse code. ``I learned this,'' McFarland said. ``I've never forgotten it.''     Reprinted from The Tampa (FL) Tribune.  Used by permission.

Morse Telegraph Club International President Lavina Shaw has announced that the Florida and Saskatoon Chapters are  recipients of the 2006 President's Award for the United States and Canada, respectively.  This award is given annually to recognize the activities of those chapters who are outstanding in forwarding the mission of the Morse Telegraph Club, which is to preserve the history and knowledge of Morse telegraphy.  Both chapters have been very active in presenting demonstrations in many different venues and in participating in various reenactments which highlight the importance of Morse telegraphy in the national history of both countries.