R,ecord Turnour of Deolers

Now Registering for SCRLA Gonference in Polm Springs

Executive Vice-President Orrie W. Hamilton was completing plans late last month for the annual Fall Conference of yard owners and principals of the Southern California Retail Lumber Association at Palm Springs. The event will be held at El Mirador hotel, November 14-16. Hamilton reported that his dealer members are exhibiting more enthusiasm and ready acceptance for the 1956 Conference than any ever held before, and a sensational attendance is expected from the retailers and their wives.

SCRLA President Wayne Mullin will open the Conference with a welcome, his second, since he was also head of the association for the 1955 Conference, and will play a large part in the general activities. Many officers and members are expecting to arrive on Tuesday evening, Nov. 13, as the Conference will start with a board of directors breakfast meeting early the 14th, after which the Conference officially opens with a dealer session at9:fi a.m. that Wednesday. It is expected that business sessions will occupy both Wednesday and Thursday, with Friday, Nov. 16, being given over to golfing and fun in the Springs sun.

The dealer speakers so far lined up by Hamilton for the program, and their topics for discu5sion, include Bob Sutton, Airline Lumber Co., San Diego-"Catering to the Doft-Yourself Trade;" Bill Cooper, W. E. Cooper Lumber Co., Los Angeles-"Making the $2 Sale Pay;" Herschell Larrick, Jr., Lumber & Builders Supply Co., Solana

Beaeh-subject rmdnnou"qged; Paul Snyder, Mullin Lumber Co., Studio .Cfty-"Merchandising;" Carvel Brown, Orban Lumber Co., Pasadena "Carloading." In addition, Ben W. Bartels, Peoples Lumber Co., Ventura, will tell about the SCRLA's Group Workmens Compensation insurance program, and Clifford Gorce, of the llammond Lumber Co. retail yards, will spotlight Safety in retail yard operation.

A special dealer panel on "Cost of Doing Business" will include Homer Burnaby, Sun Lumber Co., San Pedro, as moderator; John D. Sullivan, Western Lumber Co., San Diego; Ralph Baker, Barr Lumber Co., Santa Ana; Ralph Russell, Consolidated Lumber Co., Wilmington, and others.

Still in the planning stage was the Question-and-Answer Forum but already lined up wete Hal Brown, Woodhead Lumber Co., Los Angeles, to handle the questions on Operations, and Phil Stillwell, Hammond-Lumber Co., Los Angeles, to keep the kettle stirred on Credits and Collections.

Norton Hathaway of the Oceanside (Calif.) Lumber Co. will have charge of the annual golf tourney. Especially for the dealers' wives will be the fashion show on the hotel terrace and a card party and tea. Swimming will be available as usual in the beautiful pool.

The annual Fall banquet will be held on Wednesday evening and a dinner dance will occupy the retail lumber couples the second night.

With the keen anticipation for the Fall Conference that Manager Hamilton already feels in the air, there seemed to be no question three weeks before the event that the 1955 attendance figure of more than 200 would be easily beaten this year.