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To All Active ALPA Members
-27-
January 26, 1948

Your chairman has a folder recently completed by Headquarters describing in detail all ALPA emblem jewelry, including descriptions, prices, and ordering instructions; or one of those descriptive folders can be obtained by writing to Headquarters, attention of Council Coordination and Administration Department. 

16. EXPANSION AND DEPARTMENTALIZING OF ALPA

During the formative years of ALPA, a common criticism was that it was a one-man organization. This has always been an over-statement, even at the beginning, because ALPA is one employee representing organization that has a democratic operating structure; in fact so much so that, at times, it appears almost frail because of so many diversified opinions being brought to bear in the formation of its policies and procedures. Be all that as it may, ALPA conventions laid down the departmentalized structure as it exists today, and approved Headquarters' departmentalization plan at the 1944 Convention. 

During ALPA's early years, from 10 to 14 persons were employed. Today, as a result of the enlarging and departmentalization of Headquarters, completed shortly before the 9th Convention in February, 1947, to meet its greatly added representing demands due to the doubling and tripling of its membership and representing activities, 62 persons are employed. They are allocated to departments as follows: 

[[4 columned table]]
|Department| Executive Personnel| Secretarial & Clerical| Total|
|---|---|---|---|

|President's Department| 4| 7| 11|
|Employment Agreement Dept.| 2| 2 |4|
|Bookkeeping & Accounting Dept.| 1| 7| 8|
|Engineering & Air Safety Dept.| 2| 3| 5|
|Grievance & Conciliation Dept.| 2 | 1| 3|
|Membership Department|   | 3| 3|
|Membership Records Dept.|   | 3| 3|
|Mimeograph Department|   | 2| 2|
|Publicity & Public Relations Dept. | 1| 2| 3|
|Education & Organization Dept.| 3| | 3| 6|
|Council Coordination & Administration Department| 1| 2| 3|
|Statistical & Research Dept.| 1| 1| 
 2|
|Washington Representation Dept.| 1| 1| 2|
|Aeromedical Department| 1 (part-time)|   | 1|
|Stenographic & Clerical Reserve Pool (fluctuating, dependent upon need)|   | 6| 6|
|   | 19| 43| 62|
[[\4 columned table]]

This will give you a quick picture of the completely departmentalized ALPA. To accomplish this, much time and effort was expended; first, acquiring the proper people to man all the departments; and secondly, carefully training them to do highly specialized work.

The fear of the membership under the former ALPA organization plan was that, if the top man died or suddenly became incapacitated, it would have a terrific paralyzing impact on the organization. Under the new organizational setup, the emergency carry-over features are provided for with specialty personnel carefully trained in each department.

When I started writing this first membership letter of 1948, I had in mind 25 subjects which I desired to discuss with the membership. This letter has already grown to 28 pages and two

Transcription Notes:
7/29 -- corrected/updated table