Sharing My Story

Two major developments arose in my encounter with
micro-computers and dtp. First was becoming involved
with a local MUG or MacIntosh Users Group. This was
the San Gabriel Valley MacIntosh Users group. The MUG
provided both a general monthly meeting and several SIGs
(Special Interest Groups). The SIGs covered areas such as
Computer graphics, Excel, Filemaker Pro and several
other areas. The SIGs usually met monthly and provided
information, answered questions and training in
these specialized areas.

At first I thought these MUG groups were rather odd,
almost cultic in their devotion to computer technology.
I could understand the need for strong dedication to a
specific subject in school in order to master it but the
leaders of the MUGs were devoted to this on a purely
volunteer basis. Computer geeks are a very unique breed.
I attended many of their general meetings as well as
some of the SIGs. I found it overall fairly helpful in trying
to keep up with the constantly changing world of micro computers.

Perhaps a minor downside of the user groups is that most
of the presenters in the main meetings were software or
hardware marketing representatives who were often more
interested in selling their products that helping the users.
One needed to discern whether the products that were
promoted were vital your your use and goals in computing.

I also subscribed to magazines like MacUser, MacWorld and
MacAddict over the years in an effort to keep abreast of the
world of the MacIntosh. Not being overly mechanically or
technologically-minded this continuing education process
was far more labor (mostly mental) than pleasure.

In 1987 just after the arrival of the MacIntosh II in the NCF
office a long submerged interest resurfaced. In 1959 my
parents purchased a large burgundy color cover volume
called The Ensigns in America--better known as the
Ensign Book. Earlier my father had provided information
on his family to the compilers of this tome. I much later
learned that this was a second and greatly expanded and
revised edition of the original that came out in 1939. It cost
$10 which was a massive amount in those days for a
single book. It was a good investment. I recall many times
as a young child looking through that book and realizing
that all of these people were related to me. The genealogy
bug bit me but it was a very slow infection. Most people
consider investigating family history in their senior years.

However, I decided that I wanted to make some sort of
contribution to the family history. Using the new computer
technology that was available at work I began researching
the various family lines and developing family tree charts
showing the connections to my parents. Using the computer
in this way not only gave me more practice in computer skills
but also helped to clarify my family heritage. Each year for
about five year I sent out copies of my family history research
and diagrams to as many relatives who I thought might be
interested in them.

My years with Narramore vocationally were set into a
creative routine of layout and design for the magazine
and other printed literature that NCF produced
(booklets, brochures). It was read, layout, design and
paste up from month to month and year to year.

However the 1980s was a time of tremendous change
within the graphic design profession. The digital age was
dawning and it made a tremendous, transforming and
lasting impact on publication design. I had the privilege
of being in on the ground floor of this revolution. Within
a couple of years of arriving at NCF I took an UCLA
extension class (November-December 1983) on
computer graphics. While this was a lecture class
(with no hands on) it started me thinking about the
future of what I was doing.

For the first five years I was at NCF we had our own
in house typesetter, Rilla Hubbard. She performed her
work on a high end type setting equipment to the
specifications that were required for our publications.
In 1987 Rilla announced her resignation from NCF.
At that time the publication department were faced
with several challenges. We could either try to find a
replacement for Rilla and train her on our typesetting
equipment (a high learning curve) or farm our typesetting
needs out to an outside vendor. Another possibility that
was beginning to present itself was the rising
desk-top publishing (dtp) option.

The dtp option basically folded the typesetting job into
that of the designer. Prior to his time I gave the type
specifications to the typesetter who produced the gallies
of paste up ready copy. The new dtp methods allowed
the designer to determine the layout of the publication
on screen complete with in place type that could be
printed out as ready made layouts for editorial proofing.
Essentially it eliminated the typesetter's job. At first
I was somewhat leary about this not so much that
I was costing anyone their job (Rilla had already gone)
but that I was taking on added responsibilities.
I wasn't sure I wanted them. This was a very different
way of thinking than what I'd been use to for the past
10 or 15 years.

With our computer savvy young editor Bill Henderson
we started investigating this option. We first looked at
the the emerging MS Windows. Both Bill and I were
not overwhelming impressed. Bill, almost as an after
thought, suggested we also review the Apple MacIntosh
option. Even at that time Apple was making waves
with its MacIntosh Computer. The MacIntosh II Apple's
first desktop model (as opposed to their modular single
box—MAC SE, etc) had just arrived on the scene.
The salesman proclaimed this machine with its 1 mb of RAM
and 40 mb hard drive as having more computation power
than the giant Univac computers of the 1960s that took
up a whole room to house.

We liked what we saw with the Mac and were shown an
early version of Pagemaker, the leading dtp program of
the period. The more we looked and evaluated the more
we liked the MacIntosh option. Before we made out final
recommendation one salesmen showed us a new Mac-based
dtp program that was just being introduced called Quarkxpress.
My initial reaction is that it was better (easier to learn)
than Pagemaker. We ended up getting the MacIntosh II with
a Apple Laserwriter and a copy of Quarkxpress. We had now
entered the digital age.

I felt and feel privileged to have had many years of experience
with the traditional cut and paste layout techniques and
was able to make the transition the the electronic, digital design.
I came into this at age 39. I made me feel good that I was
still able to learn new technologies. However, I realize
that the younger generations who have been raised
on desk top (or laptop) computers and other electric
gadgets are far more adapt with these wonder machines
that I ever could be.

Coming into the San Gabriel Valley I visited at several
churches and eventually ended up going to the San
Gabriel Union Church (Lenox Palin, then pastor).
There I became acquainted with Randall & and his
brother Tim Van Meter. Randall, who lived in nearby
El Monte, was a public librarian and Sunday School
teacher for the singles group at San Gabriel Union
Church. Randall, a highly intelligent and articulate
man, presented his teaching in a erudite yet practical
manner. Randall was very well read and had a great
interest and knowledge of history. I became friends
with him and visited his home on a number of occasions.
He even visited with me the Campus Crusade book
discussion group that I was still attending on a fairly
regular basis after my move to the San Gabriel Valley.
Randall proposed starting a similar group locally.
This we did and several people already mentioned
including Dan Norris, Steve & Caroline Hatch, and
Sheryl (Black) Logan. Sheryl was a former Campus
Crusade staff member I'd been acquainted with during
my last few years with CCC. She had moved to the San
Gabriel Valley and later married Ron Logan. Several
years after the group began Randall moved to Minnesota
to pursue studies at Bethel College. The discussion group
continued on for some time after he left. For a time I was
busy reading books for both groups.

Also in the church group I met Kimla Brecht. Kimla
became a special friend during this period and we shared
many good times together. Kim was on the U.S. Olympic
Swim Team (1968 & 1972). We attended the 1984
Los Angeles Summer Olympics together.

Labels: Dan Norris, Debbie Bond, Kimla Brecht, Lenox Palin, Randall Van Meter, San Gabriel Union Church, Steve Hatch

There were other people that I enjoyed fellowship with
during the time I was working at NCF. Besides Roy Mathison
I worked with Debbie Bond. Debbie, originally from Chester,
Pennsylvania, was hired in 1983 to work with me on producing
the Psychology for Living magazine. Debbie was a cartoonist
and we had her do a number of illustrations for the magazine
as well as doing much of the paste up. Debbie was a delight
to work with and was one of the younger people in the
organization. She worked at NCF for two years
before leaving in 1985.

One special friend who worked in the print shop was
David Firenze. David worked as a print bindery assistant
and general gofer. David was a unique brother in the
Lord who was a strong ministering and witnessing Christian.
He had been active during the time of the Jesus movement
and taught home and church Bible studies. He worked at
NCF for well over 30 years. I went to a number of movies
with he and his wife, Linda and watched videos in their home.
David had a wonderful large library—actually a pastor's library.

Also in the print during the first years at Narramore was a
print work technician and negative "stripper" named Fred
Wachtman. Fred, who previously worked for Moody Films,
was an artist and he became an early contributor to
Alpha-Omega. He brought a unique perspective to the first
issues of the Apa with his auto-bio comics o his youth as a
worker on an Alaska fishing boat. John Davidson was the
head printer who had been with NCF for many years
and was a mechanical quiz who kept the printing presses
running with it seemed like bubble gum and bailing wire.

Dan Norris worked at NCF the first three years I was there.
Dan worked on the grounds crew while doing some post-graduate
(a graduate of Taylor College in Indiana) work in psychology.
Dan later moved to Illinois where he was involved in social work.
Dan was a natural athlete and he, Steve Hatch (also a grounds
worker) and I often played water volleyball at the NCF pool during
lunch breaks. Another water volley ball player was Dr. Lee Bendell
(VP of Administration). Dr Lee Bendell with his wife Gloria
(a concert vocal soloist) came to NCF after a distinguished
30-year career with the US Marine Corps (Lieut. Colonel)
with combat service in Korea and Vietnam (he was at
the battle of Kha Sanh). Dr. Bendell was with NCF from
1975 until his retirement in 1995.

Labels: Dan Norris, David Firenze, Debbie Bond, Fred Wachtman, Lee Bendell, Roy Mathison