More than 300 American and Canadian planetarium educators assemble in East Lansing, Michigan for the first North American gathering (CAPE) of planetarians (a new word has been born). Once again, Von Del Chamberlain is the principal guiding light in bringing the growing number of planetarium professionals together to exchange ideas and hear leading speakers. And what a parade of speakers: Harold Urey; Alan Bean, the fourth man on the moon; and Henry King. The 4th Spitz lecture is delivered by famous astronomer George Abell, who started on his brilliant career as a guide and later a lecturer at the Griffith Planetarium in Los Angeles. The evening includes a short tape recording from Armand Spitz. There is a concerted effort at this meeting to initiate a national journal and the International Society of Planetarium Educators is born. A committee is established to develop a constitution. Paul Engle of Texas becomes the organization’s first president. Bob Elliott of Eau Claire, Wisconsin takes over as 3rd president of GLPA.

The meeting this year takes place in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. This is the first in the association’s existence to be hosted entirely by several smaller school planetariums, principally the one operated by Jim Pike. It is at this meeting that I meet Ken Perkins for the first time and my life will never be the same again. We are introduced to Project Viking and its exciting mission proposed for 1976. We also hear an unforgettable school program in which Jim Pike has a group of second graders learning unbelievable things. (Who says that they can’t do it?) One of the most appropriate of Armand Spitz lecturers is Dr. J. Allen Hynek, who worked closely with Spitz during the early days of “Project Moonwatch” in the 1950s. It is an evening of reminiscing and looking to the future.

It is time for GLPA to return to its birthplace. The Grand Rapids convention features a field trip to the recently completed James C. Veen Observatory, just a hole in the ground at the time of the 1965 meeting. The observatory is a labor of love on the part of the local astronomical association and planetarium. This meeting features our first introduction to “Smell Effects in the Planetarium” and I don’t have to tell you who delivered that paper. [Ed: Does anyone know who this is?] Workshop sessions are initiated as pre-conference options. George Pitluga is the 7th Spitz lecturer, his booming voice somehow managing to overcome the rock concert that has been scheduled in the adjoining room. Dr. Freeman Miller, in his closing address on comets, proves to be all too prophetical when he warns us not to get involved in too much hype about the “Great Comet of 1973,” which was on its way at that time. “It could fizzle,” he said.

This was the CRAPpiest of all conventions, with even a song and graphic pictures portraying the infamous “Cleveland Regional Association of Planetariums.” This was also the meeting where delegates were transported to and from the airport via funeral coach supplied by one of Lloyd Bodie’s students. This meeting is also notable as the second to be centered at a primarily school planetarium. It is fitting that our founding father, the person who has played perhaps the leading role in bringing planetariums from throughout the country—and now from throughout the world—together, is the 8th Spitz lecturer. I am speaking of course of Von Del Chamberlain. His presentation, in his usual down to earth and the sincere style, inspires us all. John Soroka takes over as the 5th GLPA president.