THE CHAPTER GAVEL:

Tradition among many organizations has it that a gavel is passed to an incoming President. Sometimes gavels are perpetual and become a part of an organization's regalia, sometimes they become gifts to the Presidents as they complete their terms.  The Los Angeles Chapter ASSE has a perpetual gavel which is passed from President to President.

T. D. "Lynn" Masters, Los Angeles Chapter President for the 1955-1956 fiscal year was a woodworker.  At the close of his term, he presented a unique gift, that he had designed and built, to the Chapter.  This took the form of a perpetual gavel for the Chapter President.

The gavel is a marvelous creation that exemplifies ASSELA concerns with safety.  It also reminds us to relax a bit and never take ourselves too seriously.  Lynn's gift is identified by a brass plate which reads as follows:

THE MASTERS

SAFETY-ENGINEERED

TWO-HAND CONTROL

SAFETY GAVEL

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS

1956

The gavel is cleverly designed so that Chapter Presidents need not fear having their fingers under the point of operation as they gavel a meeting to order.