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| 5/27/1962 - 7/15/1965 (31 affiliated clubs at its height) |
ANA
is the new, controversial American Nudist Association. This writer was
sent to Florida to gather together a report on just who and what is the
organization, what are its aims and purposes, its similarities to and
differences from the existing nudist organizations.
Nudism, as many other social institutions needs planning and organization for steady growth and progress. Here, then is the need for political operations within the order. There must be an organization. This organization then must have officers and government. To be democratic (which seems to be about the best arrangement we have found for this sort of thing) the officers are elected by vote. This brings in many of the so-called evils of democracy, power groups, behind the scenes deals, trading of favors, even the old “spoils to the victor” idea.
Due to dissatisfaction with existing associations and politics many clubs have either dropped their affiliation with various nudist associations rolls, or just plain haven’t joined any association.
My first stop was the Floritans Society, Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida, center of the American Nudist Association, I talked with several people including John E, Dawson, resident manager of Floritans and one of the fires of the ANA.
Dawson explained that several of these unaffiliated clubs, while visiting among themselves had talked of the type association they would like to have. Somewhere along a vague line back in middle 1962 some of the clubs realized they had a group, and that group shared very similar ideas as to their desires in an “association”.
A meeting of this group netted a set of officers and some working committees. Later came a constitution and bylaws. Future meetings began to work out difficulties and differences between member clubs. Also new clubs began joining the new ASA. Baskets of mail were stacking up as inquiries started coming from all over the country. I saw letters to ANA from three different countries come in with one day’s mail.
I asked Dawson the difference between the American Nudist Association and other existing nudist organizations. He explained that ANA has a more loose and flexible alliance. There is less central authority with ANA. The clubs are allowed more freedom in the handling of their internal problems such as finances and membership.
Nudism, as many other social institutions needs planning and organization for steady growth and progress. Here, then is the need for political operations within the order. There must be an organization. This organization then must have officers and government. To be democratic (which seems to be about the best arrangement we have found for this sort of thing) the officers are elected by vote. This brings in many of the so-called evils of democracy, power groups, behind the scenes deals, trading of favors, even the old “spoils to the victor” idea.
Due to dissatisfaction with existing associations and politics many clubs have either dropped their affiliation with various nudist associations rolls, or just plain haven’t joined any association.
My first stop was the Floritans Society, Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida, center of the American Nudist Association, I talked with several people including John E, Dawson, resident manager of Floritans and one of the fires of the ANA.
Dawson explained that several of these unaffiliated clubs, while visiting among themselves had talked of the type association they would like to have. Somewhere along a vague line back in middle 1962 some of the clubs realized they had a group, and that group shared very similar ideas as to their desires in an “association”.
A meeting of this group netted a set of officers and some working committees. Later came a constitution and bylaws. Future meetings began to work out difficulties and differences between member clubs. Also new clubs began joining the new ASA. Baskets of mail were stacking up as inquiries started coming from all over the country. I saw letters to ANA from three different countries come in with one day’s mail.
I asked Dawson the difference between the American Nudist Association and other existing nudist organizations. He explained that ANA has a more loose and flexible alliance. There is less central authority with ANA. The clubs are allowed more freedom in the handling of their internal problems such as finances and membership.
At
this point I asked if this might not encourage the entrance of
undesirables in some member clubs who might be more interested in
revenue than in the principles of wholesome nudism.
Dawson says that this happens anyway, but that ANA feels that that is the problem of the individual club. No one should tell the club owner that he can have this member in his club and not that one.
The American Nudist Association boasts a membership of the following 14 clubs:
Floritans Society, Sunny Acres Lodge, Tan Tans, Sunny Sands Resort, Coral Lake Health Resort, Ceder Crest Ranch, Laurel Acres, Paradise Acres, Sunnyana, Club Alfa, Caribares, Associates, Sun Valley Gardens, Braden Palms.
The ANA functions through a Board of Directors made up of ANA officers and one member from each club. All basic policy is set down by this Board and theoretically represents the general consensus of opinion of all its member clubs. Since each club can cast only one vote regardless of size, there is no way for one giant among the clubs unduely influence the decisions of the other clubs.
The ANA Board of Directors runs as follows: President: Hugh C. Lester. Vice Pres.: Richard Deckert. Sec.Treas.: John E. Dawson. Recording Sec.: John Hensey. Editor: Mary Dawson.
In interviews with Tee Latimer, existing president of ASA and Rose Holroyd, Executive Director of ASA, I asked if they felt that ASA carried too much central authority or was being too strict for the general good of nudism. They both emphatically expressed the belief that a parent watchdog is necessary at this point. Nudism as a healthy social practice can advance and be accepted only if we keep it clean and healthy. One rotten apple can easily cause the general public to think that we have a bad brand of fruit, and we need to be able to remove that apple quickly and efficiently once it is detected. Rose Holroyd said, “We want it definitely understood that we of the American Sunbathing Association are in no way associated with ANA or with any of the clubs who are tied to the ANA!”
I talked with Alois Knapp, big gun of NNC and CSA and owner of Zoro Nature Club in Indiana. Knapp who is spending the winter at Tropical Gardens was asked to comment on the report that ANA and NNC were enjoying a steadily improving relationship and were coming to better understanding. Knapp quipped, ‘This is all news to me!”
I returned to Floritans Society to attend the first annual ANA Convention held there February 6 thru 10th, 1963. Despite bad weather early in the week there was a pretty good turnout (approximately 200 people on the grounds the last day). On the last day John Dawson made the public announcement that this was the first annual ANA convention and that it was probably the last. This was due to the fact that he had talked with Mervin Mounce and Norval Packwood this week, he said, and that ANA would almost certainly merge with the American Health Alliance.
So here you have it. The American Nudist Association born in mid “62” of clubs not affiliated and wanting a loose alliance with less central control. The American Sunbathing Association officially wanting no associations with this new group. Conflicts in reports of NNC’s reaction to the new association, and now John Dawson’s report that ANA is to merge with the American Health Alliance.
Dawson says that this happens anyway, but that ANA feels that that is the problem of the individual club. No one should tell the club owner that he can have this member in his club and not that one.
The American Nudist Association boasts a membership of the following 14 clubs:
Floritans Society, Sunny Acres Lodge, Tan Tans, Sunny Sands Resort, Coral Lake Health Resort, Ceder Crest Ranch, Laurel Acres, Paradise Acres, Sunnyana, Club Alfa, Caribares, Associates, Sun Valley Gardens, Braden Palms.
The ANA functions through a Board of Directors made up of ANA officers and one member from each club. All basic policy is set down by this Board and theoretically represents the general consensus of opinion of all its member clubs. Since each club can cast only one vote regardless of size, there is no way for one giant among the clubs unduely influence the decisions of the other clubs.
The ANA Board of Directors runs as follows: President: Hugh C. Lester. Vice Pres.: Richard Deckert. Sec.Treas.: John E. Dawson. Recording Sec.: John Hensey. Editor: Mary Dawson.
In interviews with Tee Latimer, existing president of ASA and Rose Holroyd, Executive Director of ASA, I asked if they felt that ASA carried too much central authority or was being too strict for the general good of nudism. They both emphatically expressed the belief that a parent watchdog is necessary at this point. Nudism as a healthy social practice can advance and be accepted only if we keep it clean and healthy. One rotten apple can easily cause the general public to think that we have a bad brand of fruit, and we need to be able to remove that apple quickly and efficiently once it is detected. Rose Holroyd said, “We want it definitely understood that we of the American Sunbathing Association are in no way associated with ANA or with any of the clubs who are tied to the ANA!”
I talked with Alois Knapp, big gun of NNC and CSA and owner of Zoro Nature Club in Indiana. Knapp who is spending the winter at Tropical Gardens was asked to comment on the report that ANA and NNC were enjoying a steadily improving relationship and were coming to better understanding. Knapp quipped, ‘This is all news to me!”
I returned to Floritans Society to attend the first annual ANA Convention held there February 6 thru 10th, 1963. Despite bad weather early in the week there was a pretty good turnout (approximately 200 people on the grounds the last day). On the last day John Dawson made the public announcement that this was the first annual ANA convention and that it was probably the last. This was due to the fact that he had talked with Mervin Mounce and Norval Packwood this week, he said, and that ANA would almost certainly merge with the American Health Alliance.
So here you have it. The American Nudist Association born in mid “62” of clubs not affiliated and wanting a loose alliance with less central control. The American Sunbathing Association officially wanting no associations with this new group. Conflicts in reports of NNC’s reaction to the new association, and now John Dawson’s report that ANA is to merge with the American Health Alliance.
John Dawson
(Source: Sun and Health International Edition, Vol. 27 No. 12, 1963, 27-28pp.)
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