HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT

Vol . 16, No.7 September 2001

LIGHTBURN TO SPEAK ON "LIFE AND TIMES OF SHADY MYRICK"

Our first program of the year will feature "The Life and Times of Shady Myrick," as presented by his grandnephew, John Lightburn. The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 18, in the Sylvia Winslow Gallery of the Maturango Museum.

One of the most colorful and prolific of the Mojave Desert's many colorful characters, Francis Marion "Shady" Myrick was a Randsburg Wash prospector whose superb gemstone-mining skills earned him the nickname "the Godfather of American Rockhounds."

With "Uncle Shady" in the family, Lightburn couldn't help growing up a rockhound. The entire family ­ influenced by visits to Shady's camps in Randsburg Wash ­ had a keen interest in rocks and gemstones. "For at least 100 years, our family has been involved in all aspects of rockhounding ­ from prospecting to mining to lapidary work to selling minerals," Lightburn said.

Our speaker's 50-year career in San Bernardino County included work in the Probation Department, as a district coordinator for the board of supervisors, and as a labor representative for the public employees association. Retirement freed him up to focus on a long-held commitment to do something about showing off Myrick's possessions and the hundreds of high-quality photographs documenting the bygone era in which he lived and worked.

In 1996 Lightburn and his brother George established the Shady Myrick Research Project.
"Our grandmother had always told us, 'Boys, you've got to do something with all this." We feel a special stewardship responsibility," Lightburn said.

Since then, the project has established a Myrick collection at Kapa'au High School in North Kohola on the Big Island of Hawaii. Now Lightburn is setting up a collection closer to the Upper Mojave Desert territory where Shady Myrick staked numerous claims in the early part of the last century.

Lightburn's talk will not only give us a chance to learn more about a fascinating part of our history but also offer us information on the new museum the Shady Myrick Research Project is establishing in Atolia. Our society will have a presence in that museum; the HSUMD board has voted unanimously to donate our Shady Myrick exhibit to the new museum once we've removed the exhibit from the vestibule of the Maturango Museum in January.

And speaking of our exhibit, why not visit the museum soon and take a look at the fascinating items on display? The exhibit ­ which features Myrick's spyglass, desert gems including a rare specimen of myrickite (named for Shady), and dozens of 1920s photographs of the area ­ should offer a nice appetizer for the talk to follow. Liz Babcock

PAST, PRESENT, PROLEPSIS

If you are curious about the above title, read on. The statement "The Past is Prologue" is often associated with the word 'History' as is the word 'Past.' Reference to a dictionary says the principal meaning of 'prologue' is related to that which is said before a dramatic performance. The 'prolepsis' part of the preceding title is appropriate as this word means 'the anticipation of an event.' In short what I am saying is: Goodbye to Summer and Welcome back to your Society's resumption of newsletters, monthly programs and other activities. Lou Pracchia

CONDOLENCES

We wish to express condolences to the families and friends of Historical Society members who have passed away since our last newsletter in June. These include Helen Weals, John Cox and Dan Butler.

Wen Houtkooper, executive director of United Way of Indian Wells Valley, notified us last month that HSUMD is now a United Way member agency. That means that local folks contributing to United Way will have the opportunity to send some money our way.

To become eligible to join, we had to fill out a series of forms proving that we accomplish worthwhile programs in the community. The paperwork must be renewed each year, but keeping it up to date will undoubtedly be a lot easier than was getting it together in the first place!

Probably as important as the potential additional funding is the opportunity we now have for more visibility. Wen has explained to us that now that we are in the United Way "family," we can expect to see information about HSUMD included in materials the agency distributes to the local media.

Now that we've joined United Way, we have the obligation to publicize that fact in various ways, such as including that information in our newsletter and on our letterhead. We have also been invited to join the United Way Campaign Cabinet, a group that visits local businesses to encourage them to set up United Way campaigns among their employees. Fred Weals will be our representative on the Campaign Cabinet. Liz Babcock

COMMUNITY DINNER, SEPT. 22

You may have seen publicity about the upcoming Community Dinner at the Desert Empire Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 22. The Historical Society will be participating in two ways. First, we will have a booth there which will feature our publications, including our latest one: Indian Wells Valley and How it Grew, which includes the origin of many street names. We also will have membership applications available. Secondly, our board members will be selling tickets to the dinner which will be served from 1 to 8 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Nine dollars of the adult ticket will go to the benefit of the Historical Society. The tickets also have coupons on them for special prices on items at 8 local businesses.

Run, don't walk, to your nearest HSUMD board member and buy lots of tickets! It might be easier to phone a board member (phone numbers on the back page) to make arrangements for purchasing ticket(s).

Liz Babcock recently received this e-mail message from former HSUMD board member, John Faron:

"Hi Liz, Just wondering how things are going up there in the land of milk and honey. Hope all is well. We are fine down here and enjoying life to the fullest! Just celebrated my one year anniversary of my heart transplant a few weeks ago and am feeling really good. Just had my first annual checkup and all's well. Am back to a routine life which is super good. I stay in shape by going to the gym three times each week, play golf twice, and walk as many miles as we can get in in the meantime. I'm so healthy it's boring! Drop us a line and let us know what is going on up there. Please give our regards to everyone including the Historical Society. John"

NEW MEMBERS

Welcome to new members Gary and Marijo Miller. We hope to meet up with you at one of our monthly meetings.

HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT TOUR PLANNED

A tour of the "House That Jack Built" is planned for Saturday, October 27. Owner/Host Bill Reed is again offering our members and the community another opportunity to view the inside and gardens of this unique structure. Full details on hours, etc. will be in our October newsletter. Because space is limited, tour access will be by prior reservation only.

FIELD TRIP PHOTOS

The upcoming field trip to the "House That Jack Built" reminds us that we are starting a photo album on the topic of our field trips. We would appreciate it if you could spare copies of some of the photos you have taken on the Historical Society trips during the past several years to Randsburg, the House That Jack Built, the stage trails along the west side of the valley, etc. Bring them to our upcoming meeting and give them to Lou or other director of the Society. Thank you.

MATURANGO JUNCTION

The HSUMD will be participating the the Maturango Junction again this year. Our plans were not finalized as of press time for this newsletter, but it is suspected that a cookie committee may be in the offing. In addition, we plan to offer liquid refreshments and have our publications for sale. The date is Saturday, October 27.

CONSTITUTION DAY CEREMONY

The Historical Society bell at the Maturango Museum will be rung as part of the Constitution Day ceremony on September 17. The Daughters of the American Revolution are organizing a short program which will be held on the Museum grounds at 1:00 p.m. Come join in on the celebration. Our president, Lou Pracchia, will participate by giving a short history of the bell.

SCHOOL MEMORIES FROM 1949

The beginning of the school year seems to be a particularly appropriate time for the following article from former HS board member Charlotte Goodson. Ed.

Mixed Emotions About Pens & Ink

There was a universality of classrooms of the 1940's, at least in the experience of one young lady. A summer's visit to my aunt and grandmother in Houston was extended into the fall semester of fourth grade. One less child about the place at home perhaps smoothed my family's process of moving from the small Illinois town of Glen Ellyn to Elmhurst. Images that linger from both River Oaks and Hawthorne Elementaries--schools separated by the many miles between South and North--are hardwood floors that creaked, bolted-down old fashioned desks of iron and wood with flip-up seats, pictures of Abe and George, the American flag, hanging maps on rollers, vast-seeming blackboards, and the teacher's wooden desk set squarely in the middle front of the classroom.

Prompting these reminiscences was the recent purchase of a nibbed pen and a bottle of brown ink. The first encounter with a similar curvy-shaped
black holder and fitted-in nib was in that Houston classroom. Learning to write a still fledgling form of cursive with pen and ink represented a rite of passage in the world of letters. It was an exciting prospect being introduced into the mysteries of ink usage!
Mysteries there were, or hazards to be more accurate. How to make the pen glide smoothly over the paper without scratching too deeply and leaving roughened edges for ink to blur into, like a river finding new courses through delta country, was the challenge. One was not home free with that hurdle overcome. Those school-issue pens embodied their own consciousness and could and frequently did perversely defy the writer's intent by depositing unsightly blobs of ink on otherwise "beautiful" samples of penmanship. Fingers grasping the nib-holder did not escape that instrument's mocking intelligence. The very desire to attain mastery produced ink on the fingers, dents and bumps in the flesh, and cramps in the hand. How could that kind, well-intentioned Miss Duffy inflict such penances for ignorance of technique upon the tender psyches of nine year olds??

Well, of course, we survived. Fourth graders can be resilient, can find ways to relieve the trials and tensions of new learning. Carved initials and names of past "scholars" were embellished with those same ink-dropping pens. Ink wells--bottles recessed into the desktops--proved to be handily placed for dipping the long ends of braids which just happened to be hanging temptingly near. It was from my head that a not-so-sweet boy grasped a braid and saturated its tail in blue ink!

It is a long way from pen and ink writing to tapping out words on a computer. Perhaps it was the missing of the time for taking thought, which the frequent replenishing of ink allowed, that led to my revisiting that earlier world of penmanship. Both the renewed efforts and recollections of initial learning have brought a sense of tranquility unequaled by our modern writing machines.
Charlotte H. Watson Goodson

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Mon., Sept. 17 - Constit. Day, 1:00 p.m., MatMus.
Tues., Sept. 18 - Lightburn, Shady Myrick, 7:30 p
Sat., Sept. 22 - Community Dinner, DEF. 1-8 p.m.
Sat., October 20 - Maturango Junction, J. Park
Sat., October 27 - House That Jack Built Tour 9-4 p

DIRECTORS

Lou Pracchia, President, 375-7385 e-mail: ldpracc@ridgecrest.ca.us

Liz Babcock, Dir. Exhibits & Public Relations 375-7900 e-mail: lizbab@ridgenet.net
George G. Silberberg, Vice President, Dir. Mbrship 377-5241 e-mail: ggs@ridgenet.net

Bill Burns, Director at Large 375-8566 e-mail: bburns@ridgenet.net
Bruce Wertenberger, Secretary, Newsletter Editor 375-2369 e-mail: brucew@ridgenet.net

Fred Kletka, Director for Programs446-2683
Fred Weals, Treasurer, Co-Dir. Programs & Mbrshp.375-5249 e-mail: weals@ridgenet.net

Pat Rogers, Director at Large 375-9277, e-mail: rogers@iwvisp.com Don Lane, Director at Large 375-8146 e-mail: lane@iwvisp.com

HSUMD Web site: http://www.Maturango.org/Hist.html
PHONE NO. (760) 375-8456