Masonry Magazine April 1988 Page. 13
Letters
Editor:
I am enclosing a bit of poetry about a mason which I penned a while back. I wondered if it might be of any value to you in any of your publications. In all of our attempts to promote and sell masonry, we sometimes forget to reward the individual mason who makes this all possible.
Eldred G. Heidschmidt
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Young Boy and the Masons
I remember the day in my early life
When the bulldozer came my way
With belching smoke and spewing track
A hole was dug that day.
I watched amazed as a boy will do
And early the following morn.
Found me right there with open eyes
To watch a new building born.
Masons they were, as I was told
Marched down the muddy ramp.
To bring to life a new building fair
From the mud and the earth and the damp.
They worked and they strained and by the sweat of their brow
The walls began to rise,
Their cries of "mud" and "line up now"
Brought walls toward the skies.
As they toiled they gave this part of their life
And I wondered in my mind.
Is the world really aware of their strife
Or is mankind really blind.
These beautiful men with their sunbaked skin
And their trowel and level and bob,
Stand high and mighty in the world's din
To create is their only job.
As I watched and wondered and studied their ways
I came to greatly admire them all,
And I wondered if in my future days
I would be able to stand as tall.
True men they were with a will to win
With the strength of a craftsman's mind.
Determined to share and do their part
To build shelter for all mankind.
And I made up my mind as I watched this sight
Which way my life would go.
I knew that I liked the mason's fight
To help make the world grow.
I knew that when a man I'd be
To construct would be my life.
To build for all the world to see
To give all men the reward of my strife.
For when I'm old and my prime is past
It will be very important to me,
That some of what I've done will last
For my children's children to see.
Eldred G. Heidschmidt
Bennett ACI President
W. Burr Bennett, principal of W. Burr Bennett, Ltd., was installed as president during the Institute's March 20-25, 1988, convention in Orlando, Fla. The firm headed by Bennett specializes in consulting and management services to the concrete industry.
Bennett, a Fellow of ACI, will serve a one-year term ending at the February 1989 Convention in Atlanta, Ga. Prior to being elected president, Bennett served a two-year term as an ACI vice president.
Enough Is Enough
The new Gradall 532 Material Handler has an impressive 8,000 lb. capacity and a lifting height of 30. That's enough to handle tough, demanding jobs. The 532 sells or rents for a price that's easy to handle as well...and you get outstanding versatility in the bargain. You know you have enough when you have features such as Gradall Quick-Switch attachments, including tilt carriage forks, truss boom, light material buckets and instant hook. You know you have enough when you have other standard Gradall features like 90° pivot steering for a turning radius that's less than the length of the machine, or the stability that comes from a low 77" profile and sway control. Enough said. Send for the details. Write The Gradall Company, 406 Mill I Ave. SW, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663. Or phone (216) 339-2211.