Sioux Falls Camera Club History

The following is a reprint from the August 1982 Sioux Projector, by charter club member Ransel Chase who passed on January 12th, 2000, at the age of 91.

     The Sioux Falls Camera Club started in 1932 as the Sioux Falls Y.M.C.A. Camera Club.  We had a very strong supporter in Mr. Andy Anderson, who was the Y.M.C.A. director at that time.  The club was given a room for a darkroom, and it was well equipped with a 5x7 enlarger, but the room was too warm and not used a whole lot.  Most of the members soon acquired their own equipment and the room was abandoned.
     Through the first years we were very active in black and white and held International Salons here.  The Salons got to be a lot of work and were dropped.
     At first we tried to be a teaching club with more technical programs, but found that most of our members came for the fellowship, and we felt that this was the most important factor in keeping the club going.  I believe that one can learn more from association with other camera fans than they will by listening to lectures on subjects that don't appeal to everyone.  Over the years several clubs broke off from the original club to start a group who were more interested in the technical aspect, but where are they today?
     Personally, I am very proud to be a member of the present club and hope it will continue as it is.
     There are only two charter members today: "Nolty" Nolt and myself, Ransel Chase, but we remember all of those who have come and gone.  I would like to pay a special tribute to Curt Lugg who was one of the organizers of N4C and Mrs. Helen Zenner who kept us all aware of the value of PSA.  We owe a deep debt of gratitude to these people for the work they did to make our club what it is today.
     Let's all continue to support our Sioux Falls Camera Club so it may continue to be a joy to it's members.

PSA : Photographic Society of America

An International Salon is basically an international photo contest, designed to allow photographers from different counties share their work in a contest format.