Newsletter No.

11, September 2009

Dear Friends,

In my June letter, I expressed the hope that the summer

weather would be a good one. Well, at least here in Scotland, it was
not to be. I trust it was better for you. Perhaps it was the weather but
visitor numbers at the Birthplace have been good with many taking
the time to give glowing and encouraging comments in the visitors’
book.

Autumn is now just about upon us and we are thinking about

the AGM and a calendar of events for the winter session. Susan, our
hard working secretary, has again come up with an excellent
programme and a card giving all the details is enclosed with this
newsletter. I am particularly intrigued wit the December event. For
it to work we need your co-operation. So, if you have a photograph
or an artefact or an experience you could share with us, contact
Susan at the Birthplace. And even if you, yourself, cannot be there,
share it with us and send whatever you have electronically or by
post to Susan (we will get it back to you).

By the way, Will Collin and I look after the Birthplace

reception desk each Thursday on a volunteer basis so please feel
free to look in and say hello.
Sincerely,

Jim Thompson
 Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends of John Muir’s Birthplace will be
held on

Wednesday 7th October, 2009 at 7.15pm for 7.30pm

John Muir’s Birthplace, 126 High Street, Dunbar

Agenda

(i) Report on year’s activities

(ii) Filling any vacancies on Council*
(iii) Other competent business*

Non-members will be warmly welcomed

Following the AGM there will be an illustrated talk

A Scotchman Comes Home

by Will Collin
* Please note that nominations for Council accompanied with the nominee’s agreement in
writing and items for consideration under other competent business should be lodged with
the Secretary, c/o 126 High Street, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1JJ before Monday 5th
October, 2009

Visitors at the Birthplace

There have been a large number of visitors to the Birthplace this summer,
particularly from England and North America. 24 counties of the former and
18 states of the later appear in the visitors' book during June and July.
Whether due to the weak pound, Homecoming publicity or whatever, numbers
have been up by 40% over 2008. The total for the calendar month to 13 August
was 1,696.

As well as those mentioned later in this newsletter, among the July visitors was
Penny Cole who commented “An excellent and fascinating exhibition.” Ms
Cole is environmental editor, critic and writer for A World to Win, a left-wing
environmental group formed in 2005. She was co-author of Running a
Temperature: An Action Plan for the Eco-Crisis.

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 Muir Quarter Designer Visits John Muir’s Birthplace
The designer of the Californian Quarter, Garrett Burke,
fulfilled a long-held ambition when he visited John Muir's
Birthplace in mid-July. Garret brought with him several
rolls of ‘Muir quarter’ coins that he donated to DJMA.
These coins will be used to replenish the rapidly
diminishing stock of the John Muir and the Californian
Quarter presentation packs produced by DJMA as a
fundraiser in support of John Muir’s Birthplace.

Garrett, his wife Michelle and daughter Katie were delighted with the people
and scenery of East Lothian. The family were treated to guided walks around
Dunbar and entertained by Friends throughout the weekend. Garret’s visit also
coincided with the Friends of John Muir's Birthplace annual Sand Sculpture
competition held on the East Beach, Dunbar and so it seemed only fitting that
Garret be asked to judge the competition! A ‘task’ that he readily agreed to.

The Garrett family are currently designing and writing a book about the
quarter dollar coins that have been produced by the US mint to commemorate
the 50 states joining the Union. [Editor’s note: for Friends that may not recall
the news about the release of the California State Quarter, here’s an extract
from DJMA Newsletter No. 27, April 2005]

Governor Celebrates the Release of the 2005 California State Quarter

On Monday, January 31 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated

the release the 2005 California State Quarter in to U.S. circulation.
Accompanied by First Lady Maria Shriver and U.S. Mint Director Henrietta
Holsman, the Governor reflected on John Muir’s contributions to California’s
conservation legacy displayed in the quarter’s design. “Muir lit the torch of
conservation in our state and he has inspired generations of Californians to
preserve our natural beauty. Yosemite would not be the cathedral it is today
and the California Condor would be extinct if John Muir’s ideas were not
embraced as central to the California experience,” the Governor said.
Recognizing two of John Muir’s grandsons, John and Ross Hanna, who were
attending the event, the Governor addressed them saying “Your grandfather
would be happy to know that our commitment to protecting our natural
heritage is stronger than ever.”

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To conclude the ceremony, the Governor spoke to students from the Los
Arboles Elementary School in San Jose, encouraging them to keep California’s
natural heritage alive. After presenting the students with their own
Commemorative California Quarters, the Governor proclaimed the day “State
Quarter Day in the Schools” and told the children he hoped that they would
not only spend the quarters, but would use them as a tool to learn more about
California’s conservation legacy.

The 2005 California State Quarter makes California the 31st U.S. state to
release a quarter as part of the United States Mint’s "50 State Quarters
Program." The quarter, designed by Los Angeles artist Garrett Burke, features
conservationist John Muir, the Yosemite Valley, and the California Condor. In
all, the US Mint will produce 450 million California quarters. [Editor’s note:
see also http://gov.ca.gov/photos/2409/]

Muir Quarter Designer Thanks DJMA

DJMA were delighted to receive three 'proof' Californian quarters in

presentation boxes in advance of the launch from the designer, Garret Burke.
The proof coins are struck on specially adapted coining presses and are
burnished to a high level. Garrett sent the coins as a thank you for our support
for his design in the competition to choose what would be depicted on the
Californian coin.

In his covering letter, Garrett said: “Generations of Americans and world

citizens will be touched by this lasting keepsake of John Muir's international
legacy of embracing nature and allowing nature to enrich one's soul. The
journey ended in California but his deep Scottish roots started Muir on a
proper path. Congratulations to Dunbar."

Of the three coins received, one has been given to the John Muir Birthplace
and one to Dunbar Community Council, a partner with DJMA in the
Birthplace Trust. The third coin, the presentation box of which was signed by
Garrett, his wife Michelle and daughter Katie, was sent personally to DJMA
convener Jim Thompson.

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 McGregor Family Backpack Around Scotland
Eric McGregor from Wisconsin had a long
held ambition to visit Scotland. This
summer, Eric, his wife Rebekah and their
three children Sarah, Kaitlyn and Alick, set
off on a mammoth walk across and around
Scotland.

Take a deep breath… the family started in

early June in Portpatrick and backpacked
811 miles through the Southern Upland
Way, the John Muir Way, most of the
Forth and Clyde Canal, the Rob Roy Way,
Glen Tilt, the Cairngorms, the Lairig Ghru,
most of the Speyside Way, the Moray
Coastal Trail, the Great Glen Way and the
West Highland Way. They also took a
train from Inverness to Thurso and walked
to Dunnet Head and John O’Groats! The
McGregors completed their ‘saunter’
arriving back in Milngavie at the end of
August.

Birthplace staff were delighted to welcome the McGregor family towards the
end of June when they visited John Muir’s Birthplace after completing the
Southern Upland Way. They kindly posed for a photograph outside the
building. The family are great admirers of John Muir and certainly know how
to follow in his footsteps! We wish the McGregors a good journey home to the
States and a well-earned rest. We hope to see more photographs and stories of
their travels soon.

New ‘Friends’ Logo

Eagle-eyed Friends will have noticed the new
logo used for the first time in the masthead of
the newsletter. It was chosen from a selection
of designs produced for FoJMB by Emma
Westwater of Source Design in Edinburgh.

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 More Muir Quarters Given
As mentioned earlier, Garret Burke
has donated several rolls of ‘Muir
quarters’ to DJMA. As it’s more than
4 years since they were struck, pristine
coins are now in short supply and this
donation will be used to restock the
John Muir and the Californian
Quarter presentation packs.
Photo: Garret Burke presents more
Muir Quarters to Jim Thompson

4th Annual Sand Sculpture Competition, 18th July

The rain cleared just in time for the start of the Friends’ Annual Sand
Sculpture Competition. Highlights were a beautiful mermaid sculpted by
Seona Mason, the Californian Quarter, a family castle, turtles and a sand
representation of the cartoon characters Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick!
As befits a good judge, Garret remained impartial and despite the blatant
attempt by Duncan Smeed and Jo Moulin to sway the decision in their favour
with their sand replica of the Muir quarter, Garret awarded first prize to Seona.

.
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[Editor’s note: you can judge for yourself whether Jo and I were robbed as
here are the some of the other entries in the competition ;-)]

No quarter given: Garret is struck by this sand sculpture

by Jo Moulin and Duncan Smeed!

Castelo de Panton!
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 “Your Bakery Kneads You”…
…is the rallying call of Dunbar
Community Bakery Limited. This
community owned cooperative is
raising the capital in a bid to re-
open the bakery next door to the
Birthplace. In fact, in 1841 the
Muir family moved from the
Birthplace into this very building
at 130 High Street.

As is often the case, the local

people who are amongst the most
active supporters of Friends have also invested their time, and money, in
helping Dunbar Community Bakery Limited get off the ground. The
photograph shows Friends Isobel Knox and Ute Penny fending off the June
‘sunshine’ under their black umbrellas as they help to raise awareness and
funds for the proposed bakery at their stall in front of the property.

Dunbar Community Bakery Limited has so far raised £44,000 - more than half
of the original target identified by their business plan as the sum needed to
lease the former Smiths Bakery in Dunbar High Street and reopen it as a
community bakery. It is hoped that the financing package will be completed by
the end of November and the bakery re-opened before Easter 2010.

More than 160 people have so far bought shares in the bakery, raising £18,000
in shareholder equity - half way towards the target of raising at least £35,000
through the share issue. Existing shareholders are being encouraged to "bring a
buddy" into the Dunbar Community Bakery project. Potential investors can
download and print the Invitation to Invest form from the Sustaining Dunbar
website at www.sustainingdunbar.org.uk

John Muir would undoubtedly have been be proud, and supportive, of this
community effort as bread - and tea - kept him sustained during his ‘saunters’
and about which he wrote: "I rolled up some bread and tea in a pair of
blankets with some sugar and a tin cup and set off.” and “Everybody needs
beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal
and give strength to body and soul.”

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 Fourth Generation in Yosemite
Among visitors to the Birthplace in August were Moira Donohoe and her
teenage kids Will and Sophie. They flew in to Edinburgh early on 23rd August
and were hosted by Val and Will Collin until the 26th when they left for
Inverness en route for Skye. Moira is an artist and art teacher whose great
grandparents John and Bridget Degnan established Degnan’s stores, the first
‘concession’ in Yosemite Valley, in 1884.

Moira’s great grandparents knew John Muir well and he frequently bought
soda bread from Mrs Degnan’s bakery before embarking on one of his
‘saunters’. Degnan’s still operates but now also boasts a café, a delicatessen
and a pizza restaurant.

John and Bridget had been born in Ireland. As John’s uncle owned a gold mine
in Coulterville, California, they lived there for a while before moving into the
Valley. The Degnans raised eight children including Moira’s grandfather.

Moira had family stories to tell of John Muir, Galen Clark, James and Elvira
Hutchings and their daughters Florence (‘Floy’) and Gertrude (‘Cosie’) and
other early Yosemite pioneers. Floy, whom Muir called ‘Squirrel’, was the
first white child born in the Valley, in 1864. A renowned tomboy, she was
killed at age 17 by a rock fall while climbing to Glacier Point. Her sister
Cosie, also considered a tomboy, became a teacher and lived to the good old
age of 89. She was still hiking in Yosemite when in her 80s.

Moira now lives with her husband, retired after 30 years as a National Parks
ranger, Will and Sophie at Alturas, in the extreme northeast of California. The
small town of 3,000 people has an elevation of 4,370 feet and 200 days with
lows of 0oC or colder! Will and Sophie arrived in Dunbar having just finished
two months vacation work in Yosemite.

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 John Muir – A Great Scot
STV wants to find out who the nation really thinks is our biggest hero. The
criterion for inclusion is: "anyone born in Scotland or anyone who lived or
lives in Scotland and who has played a significant and lasting contribution to
Scotland or humanity at large." John Muir has been included in the list of
nominations and will feature in a major new STV series in November. STV
viewers will then be able to vote for the person they think is the Greatest ever
Scot. The winner will be revealed on STV on St Andrew's Day and will be
commemorated forever in a major new work of art. The STV website -
http://scotland.stv.tv/greatest-scot - has details. [Editor’s note: details of Muir’s
nomination can be found using the http://tinyurl.com/stv-great-jm link.]

Long-time John Muir enthusiast Harold Wood from the USA first brought this
to the attention of Friends in August. Harold also wrote a compelling argument
why Muir should be in the running for the accolade of Greatest Scot [Editor’s
note: see http://tinyurl.com/jm-harold-comment]:

“Scotland certainly produced great literary figures, scientists, political leaders,

philanthropists, etc. But it is not enough to evaluate these persons by their
historical body of work alone, whether it is writing, poetry, art, or scientific
discovery. To me, the important criteria is which of their ideas or actions are
most relevant to our world today; how their ideas and actions are most
crucially needed today. Using that criteria, John Muir leads the list. In an era
where our world civilization's survival is threatened by global warming, where
technology threatens to overwhelm our daily lives so much that we spend more
time on computers and cell phones than enjoying the sunset or a walk in the
woods, John Muir's message is not only the most relevant, but the most
inspirational. His message and actions continue to inspire hugely needed
groups like the one he founded in America, the Sierra Club, and the John Muir
Trust in Scotland, as they try to tell the world how important it is, as Muir said,
to "climb the mountains" and to really understand the most fundamental
principle of ecology as Muir stated: "When we try to pick out anything by
itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." The entire green
movement owes everything to John Muir, and the National Parks that he
inspired as a system are now a global phenomenon that are increasingly
recognized as "America's Best Idea." Scotland's John Muir transcends
Scotland - he is the ultimate figure of importance in the world today, given
where our global civilization is at this crossroads in history.”

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 Walks and Talks Programme 2009 –10
The session begins on Wednesday 7th October with a talk on John Muir’s
‘Homecoming’ visit to Dunbar and his tour of Scotland. Will Collin carried
out research on John Muir’s travels including places John visited and people
he met for our most recent publication ‘A Scotchman Comes Home’. This
information was also used in our current temporary exhibition of the same
name. Come along and hear the whole travel story. Our AGM takes place on
the same evening. Meet at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start at JMB.

Well done to Friends member Alistair Mackie who has recently returned from
a grueling six week trek crossing the Pyrenees from the Atlantic to the
Mediterranean Sea; a journey of approximately 500 miles. Alistair will show
us photographs and talk us through his journey on Wed 4th November. Alistair
used the trek to raise money for Cancer Research UK and has already raised
well over £1000. There will be an opportunity to make a donation at the talk.
Meet at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start at JMB.

Then it’s over to you! At our Christmas Social on Wed 2nd December, along
with the mince pies and mulled wine, we hope to have a selection of members’
favourite photographs with a short story attached. Landscape, nature, people…
as long as you can make a John Muir link - however tenuous - we’d love to see
them! We are limiting entries to a maximum of 3 photos per person so that as
many people as possible can join in. Please let us know if you are interested in
sharing your photos. We plan to put them all on to one disc. If you would like
some slides or photographs scanned we can do that for you too. Please contact
Susan Panton by e-mailing susanpanton@yahoo.com or by phoning 01368
865899. Meet at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start at JMB.

Walks and Talks Programme Card

All of the events in Walks and Talks Programme have been summarised on the
Programme Card that has been included with this newsletter. Our Secretary,
Susan Panton, has pulled together a great series of events so please come along
to as many of these as possible to support the Friends of John Muir’s
Birthplace. Future newsletters will highlight the upcoming events and report
on the ones that have past. [Editor’s hint: the card is a handy size to stick to the
fridge door or pin to a noticeboard.]

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 John Muir’s Dunbar Walks
Friends members led a series of John Muir’s Dunbar Walks around the town
during the summer months as our contribution to the Year of Homecoming.
Many visitors and residents enjoyed finding out more about John Muir and
also Dunbar in Victorian times. Many thanks to Jim Thompson, Will Collin,
Robert Russel and Robert Blair for helping to organise and lead these walks.

If you have friends or relations visiting Dunbar, remember that there is often
an opportunity to go on a free guided walk led by John Muir’s Birthplace staff
or Friends volunteers. It is best to phone the Birthplace a few days ahead on
01368 865899 to make the necessary arrangements.

Incidentally, the Edinburgh, Fife and East Scotland section of the BBC website
features John Muir’s Dunbar <http://tinyurl.com/bbc-johnmuir-feature> and a
gallery of pictures <http://tinyurl.com/bbc-johnmuir-gallery>.

FRIENDS CONTACTS
Official address: Friends of John Muir’s Birthplace, John Muir’s Birthplace,
126 High Street, Dunbar EH42 1JJ: tel: 01368 865899
Friends Website: www.muirbirthplacefriends.org.uk
Birthplace Email: info@jmbt.org.uk Website: www.jmbt.org.uk
Convener: Jim Thompson, Secretary: Susan Panton, Membership Sec: Duncan
Smeed, Treasurer: Will Collin. All can be contacted through the Birthplace.

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