Karl J., OH

When my older son was six, the family was sitting in the living room and I was smoking a cigarette. With worry on his face and in his voice, my son said, "...Dad, don't you know that if you smoke you will catch cancer?" I agreed with him and I could not be the kind of father that said, "...do as I tell you not do as I do". I quit. It was 1964. Dr. Joseph Stocklen of Nelsonville, OH was president of ALA of OH when I stood up in a meeting and complained that there were people in the room smoking. Joe replied, "The chair is willing to accept your motion." I was caught flat footed, because I has been ready to complain, but I had not thought beyond voicing my concern. Standing in place I hurriedly fashioned a motion that smoking in ALA of OH meetings and offices be banned. It passed! When his term on the ALA Board expired, Joe Stocklen nominated me to replace him. I am proud to have been a member of a joint committee of ALA that created the then most effective self-help smoking cessation protocol in history. I served on the ALA Board for 21 years.