1960 - Then and Now - 2002

In searching the CRG archives for material to use for an article in this Newsletter issue, I decided to look in the 1960 file folder partly because the date label had still adhered to the folder after 42 years and it was one of the thicker file folders. Thickness is usually a good measure of activity for any given year. I was looking for some interesting topic at a past Winter Technical Meeting. Upon opening the folder, I discovered a brochure (8 1/2” x 11”) with CRG boldly displayed the full size of the cover page. Symposium was written in red script across the middle of the cover. POLYMERS OF THE 60’s appeared in bold black print at the bottom of the page. This copy was Tom Zimmerman’s because his signature is on the cover. Tom served as historian (1961to 1988).

The published brochure contained the complete transcripts and transactions of the panel session along with photographs of the guest speakers and participants. Full-page supplier advertisements were prominently displayed throughout the brochure. The advertisement rates were $200.00 per inside page and $300.00 for inside cover and back cover page. This price is for black and white advertisements. The brochure was made available to all registrants at the meeting. Chemists (then called Compounders), Engineers, Buyers, and production people from the rubber industry, as well as supplier representatives participated in this event.

Professor Mark, the guest speaker of the Symposium, focused on the chemistry and technology of the relatively new polymers of the time such as cis-polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene-propylene coplymers and others.

The panel discussion brought together nationally recognized authorities from each of the rubber product lines. Following the presentations, written questions submitted to the panel were discussed. Over 320 attended the Symposium at the Waverly Inn. The membership of the Group in 1960 was 650.


The Symposium attracted national attention in addition to the rubber journals of the time. In a Connecticut Rubber Group press release, a summary of the meeting by V. P. Chadwick, of Armstrong Rubber Company, Chairman of the Connecticut Rubber Group said, “ The Symposium discussion indicates that the rubber industry is moving rapidly away from its former narrow base of natural rubber, and is emerging into a polymeric complex in which the line dividing rubber from plastics may be completely erased.” Technical meetings were held in February, May and November. The November technical meeting featured an annual “Sports Night” with guess speaker Ralph Houk, Manager of the New York Yankees. The Fifteenth Annual Golf Outing (Green Fee: $5.00) was held Friday, September 9th at the Yale Golf Course, followed by a Saturday Outing, September 10th at Grassy Hill Park in Derby, CT.

Should any member have a photo or an interesting story to tell about a past meeting or social activity, please feel free to send it to me for consideration in the next CRG Newsletter.