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"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives." William A. Foster
The term "Trapper Keeper," brings back memories that are both priceless and meaningless at the same time. For those who were teens or pre-teens, or the parents of one in the late 70s or early 80s, just hearing the term "Trapper Keeper" in a conversation, or seeing it written down, brings back a vision from the past. Those visions are often bitter-sweet.

What ever happened to the trapper keepers anyway? When they first appeared on the scene, every teenager, and pre-teen wanted, and even demanded one. The designs and graphics on them were "cool," and colorful. The idea of being one of the first to have one was like a magnetic pull. The concept of having a folder that would help you organize your school materials, and at the same time protect them from the elements, was very attractive. With other binders, papers would fall out if they were not connected to the three rings. The good old Trapper Keeper was made to hold everything safely in one place.

These binders were made of hard plastic, and it would seem like they would last for a long time. However, that is where the bitter memories came in. Teens and pre-teens, as most people know, are rarely very careful with their belongings. The rough ride that these Trapper Keepers had to endure in the hands of these kids would soon uncover the biggest weakness that the Trapper Keeper had. They soon fell apart. The plastic began to crack because the child would pack the Trapper Keepers to their limit, and beyond. Velcro, as Velcro does, soon became so fuzzy that the fuzziness prevented the sealing that would hold the flap tightly closed. The pencil holder developed holes, and soon the presumed most awesome product ever became a big disappointment. One wonders what might have been the fate of the Trapper Keeper if they had been made to last longer.

While there were attempts to improve these products by replacing the Velcro with snaps, nothing seemed to keep these teens from stuffing them as full as possible. It is doubtful that many people returned for a second one after this unpleasant experience.

From the very beginning, the parents were not sold on the Trapper Keeper. Somehow parents seemed to be able to see a short life for this new product. The price, if on sale was Okay, but never really a bargain. Nevertheless, the

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