By Maurice Forrester, KTA Life Member
It has been a good many years since George Spring of Williamsport, Lycoming County, was active in KTA affairs, but his leadership in the KTA’s early years was vital to keeping the fledgling hiking organization from falling apart as it struggled with its many growing pains. It’s likely that most of the KTA’s current members never knew George or even know his name. His death on March 10, 2015, at the age of 95 should nonetheless be cause for mourning by all.
In 1956, at the KTA’s first meeting, Ralph Kinter was elected president but served for only a year. For the next 10 years, it fell to George Spring to guide the KTA over the many hurdles it encountered. He succeeded masterfully. In 1966, George received the KTA’s Citation Award, an honor he shared that year with the Appalachian Trail Conference’s Dr. Jean Stephenson. He was in good company—as was she. In 1977, I moved with my family to the Williamsport area, where George Spring was still working as an optician for the Winchester Optical Company.
During the 10 years that George served as president of the KTA, Mel Brinton of Wilmington, Delaware, served as secretary. When Mel learned of our new address he promptly informed us that he still had a pair of eyeglasses that George made for him. Thereafter, whenever we ran into Mel, the eyeglass story would be repeated. People can be remembered for the strangest things.