Ukiah Daily Journal from Ukiah, California • Page 5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1989 COMMUNITY THE UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL Raup Miller publishes book of poems By FAE WOODWARD Community News Editor THE PINES We are the pines. We speak; but are not understood. We mourn; but are not comforted. Thousands of years before man exercised his dominion over the earth, we bowed before the elements of the universe. We fought our battles alone.

We triumphed over the shapeless winds and the senseless snow to be destroyed by man Man, the intelligent; Man, the progressive; Man, the image of God. We Mourn! We are destined to extinction. This, man will realize when it is too late. Once we were many. Man came to us when in need And was sheltered by our bulk.

By our greatness we comforted him. We made him a home. He was hid from his enemies in our midst. From behind our trunks he projected the arrowy missile which secured his food. In us he found a solace That was when we sang now, we sigh.

Man, in a few moments destroys the temple which it has taken nature centuries to build. Man fells the monarch The survivor of the tempest. Our ranks are not' replaced. Is it necessary that we thus die? No! It is thoughtlessness. Our numbers ever diminish.

Our murmurs become a sigh. Our sighs become a wail. But man is deaf. This poem, written by Raup Miller when he was a high school student near Salona, in 1923, so impressed Gifford Pinchot, then governor of the state, he had it published. It is the first poem Miller recalls writing, perhaps because it was the first to be published.

Over the years this man, now 84, has jotted down what he refers to as "Musings and Meditations," and tucked them away in a folder. This past year, his wife, Rorence, gathered them up. With the help of a niece, she had Miller's "Musings and Meditations" published. Although Miller was born in Pennsylvania, he has been a Californian a long time, and served in this state's legislature during World War EL In the daily report of activities in Sacramento is another poem, written by Miller. However, it will not be found in his book, because he did not keep a copy.

The book does have copies of poems he wrote for a childhood friend, Charlotte Knapp. They appear in her book on the "History of Salona." One of these two is entitled "Ghosts;" the other, "To Salona." Reading the second of the two, one can almost feel the stubble of the wheat, smell the hyacinth and relive similar experiences of the seasons. TO SALONA This I promise: On the first pussy willow by the muddy creek; The trill of a robin pressing the retreating snow on the lea; Brave daffodils and purple hyacinths Of Spring and box kites On the sweet scent of haying with stubbles that hurt our tender feet; Hollyhocks by the summer kitchen; swarming bees in the garden; The cool stream and wooden tubs we floated in In Summer and fireflies Raup and Florence Miller, poet and partner. On the school bell in September; and hard desks again and new shoes; Wagons filled with apples waiting at the cider press Golden pumpkins and a harvest moon Of Autumn and box socials On the frozen pond; and skates flashing back the lights of bonfires; Star studded nights a searing meteor; sleigh bells and hay rides With the cold white breath Of Winter and your warm hand in mine. That we, who lived so long ago are glad because He willed it so.

Although Miller says he never spent much time learning to write poetry, he remembered his elementary school teacher requiring her students learn a new poem each week to be recited on Fridays. Thinking about this, he observes that teachers don't seem to do this with their students any more. Miller and Knapp grew up together and shared their poetry. Both wrote verse and both painted. The walls of Miller's home at Walnut Village hold his art work.

"There was a time in my life, I could recite poetry for four hours withqut a break," Miller recalls. He believes, although as youngsters they did not fully understand the verse they memorized, it has made life fuller for them as (hey grew older. School terms were seven months in Pennsylvania during the early part of the century. Vacation time was five months. This did not mean, however, that young people were idle during the months school was not in session.

Pennsylvania was an agriculture state, and there was plenty work for the young people when they were not in sphool. Miller worked for a truck gardener when he was 12 or 13. The students were kept busy he says. They planted, weeded and harvested produce. Miller's father was a painter and paper hanger.

When his son was years of age, he started training him in the same profession. "I worked for my father during the summertime and on holidays," he says. By the end of four years, he had learned all his parent could teach him about his profession and his lather signed a certificate stating he was a master qf his trade. This training came in handy when the young man finally worked his way to California to attend college, and found the woman he wanted to marry. He might never have made that change if it had not been for a music teacher.

Miller, who who sang in the choir, was the school's soloist. He knew if he wanted to go to college, he would have to work his way, because his family couldn afford to send him. His teacher told him it would be easier to work his way through college in California. He also had to work his way to California. He worked for the railroad in Wyoming and at the paper mill in Oregon City in order to reach the golden state.

He enrolled in the University of California at Berkeley. Florence Stinson, who had attended Indian Diggms Elementary School in El Dorado County, had moved to Oakland to live with an aunt, in order to attend high school. She was only 12 when she enrolled in high school, and entered the university at age 16. It wasn't love at first sight when the two met, but it didn't take them long to discover they wanted to spend their lives together. Once they decided to wed, they realized their limited finances meant they would have to put their educational plans on the back burner.

Miller had no trouble getting a job as a house painter. In fact, he went to work for a well-known decorator. But it was not long before Raup Miller realized he was at the top of a short ladder. He wanted to start again at the bottom of a tall ladder, and he got his chance. Visiting with the neighbor of her aunt, Florence told the woman how her husband felt.

The neighbor recommended he talk to George Morton, head of an insurance company. Raup got the job at what for the Millers was an astounding salary. He had made $1 an hour as a union painter, and had only part time work. He started as a trainee in the insurance business at $85 a month. He worked in the underwriting departmernt and.

soon became an outside representative visiting agents up and down the coast. After several years as a company representative, Raup Miller decided to go into business for himself. The decision was a joint one, because while Raup was out making sales, Florence worked in the office full time, doing the paper work and keeping in touch with the companies. "That is the way it has been all our lives," she says. When her husband went into the state legislature, Florence kept the business going, and at the same time brought the couple's daughter into the world.

She says when she was home with the baby, she had a clerk in the office who brought the papers by to her in the evening to complete. "I may not have made any sales," Florence says, "but I didn't lose any business." Raup served in the legislature from 1943 to 46. He looks with a dim view on the high salaries and expense accounts of the today's legislators. "We received $100 a month and recalls. He says they used the women in the secretarial pool to do their correspondence and paper work.

Although they were only suppose to convene for part of the year, they worked almost year around because there were so many special sessions during the war. When Raup and Florence decided to retire from the insurance business in 1954, they moved to the two homesteads where her parents and brother had lived. To young to be inactive, Raup became the first manager of the El Dorado Savings and Loan Association in Placerville. After three and a half years back in the business world, Raup Miller retired again and the Millers joined together in raising "choose and cut" Christmas trees. In the forward of the book "Musings and Meditations," the Millers reveal what was intended as a hobby, eventually became another full-time business.

At this point, the couple decided it was time they went back to school to complete their college degrees. They enrolled in Humboldt State University and enjoyed realizing this goal. Following this accomplishment, they did some traveling in the United States, Mexico and Europe. They spent two years in France completing courses in conversational French at L'Institut de Francais at Villefranche-Sur-Mer. Over the years, the Millers who were avid golfers, had visited Ukiah and played on its golf course.

Raup also was familiar with the community from his traveling days with the insurance company, and when he was district governor of a service club. When the couple moved here a few years ago, they were a regular sight on the course. In the last two years, health has prevented them from continuing this hobby. I hasn't, however, kept them from working together on the book of poetry. Close by is the Millers' daughter, Nicki Parsons, a resident of Anderson Valley.

The couple have three grandchildren and one great grandchild. CALENDAR About Friends TONIGHT LIVING WITH CANCER, a support group for men, women and family members. 4 to 5 p.m. For information contact Nancy Adams, 463-1305. AEROBICS FOR WOMEN, bv Body and Soul, 5:15 p.m., Evangelical Free Church, 750 Yosemite Ukiah.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS, 6 p.m., 741 S. Oak St in the rear Open to the public, no fees, no dues, no weigh- ins. Call 485-0889. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS, 6-7 p.m., 2193 S. State Ukiah.

TOPS (Take OH Pounds Sensibly) CLUB NO. 1758, 6 p.m., Autumn Leaves, 425 E. Gobbi Ukiah. WOMEN FOR SOBRIETY NEW LIFE GROUP, 6:30 p.m., Public Health 890 N. Bush St.

Phone 468-8256. TAI CHI CHIH, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., 741 S. Oak Ukiah. PARENTS UNITED, 7 p.m., a self-help group offering counseling for sexually abusive persons and adults abused as children. Phone 463-4919.

Sponsored by Mendocino County Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP, sponsored by Homemakers Hospice, 7 p.m., 101 W. Church Ukiah. BEGINNERS SQUARE DANCE, class for adults with partners 7 to 8:30 p.m., Frank Zeek School, 1060 N. Bush St.

Cost $2.50 per person. Call 485-8228, 462-3056 or 463-7996. BARBERSHOP HARMONY CHORUS, 7:30 p.m., Room 1 South Valley High School, 429 S. Dora Ukiah. (Exception: fourth Thursday, 8:15 p.m., after singing at hospitals.) Phone 462-2880 or 744-1336.

BIBLE STUDY GROUP, 7:30 p.m., 1348 S. State St, Apt. 5. Call 468-1647. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, Flotilla 8-7 of Ukiah, 7:30 p.m., Masonite Corporation conference room.

VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS AUXILIARY, 8 p.m., Veterans Memorial building, corner of Seminary Avenue and Oak Street, Ukiah. POST 1900, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, 8 p.m., Veterans Memorial building, comer of Seminary Avenue and Oak Street, Ukiah. CLEAN AND SOBER AA GROUP, gay and lesbian meeting at Lucky Deuce, Blue Bonnet Lane, Ukiah. Phone 463-1199 for information. SMOKELESS AA MEETING, 8 p.m., Senior Citizens Center, 497 Leslie St.

FRIDAY TOASTMASTERS, 6:30 a.m., American Savings and Loan community room, 700 S. State Ukiah. FELLOWSHIP GROUP AA MEETINGS, 8:30 a.m.. 12 noon, 8 p.m., 2205 S. State St.

Call 463-1199. TAX PREPARATION FOR SENIORS, 9 to 11:30 p.m., Ukiah Senior Center, 495 Leslie St. Carolyn McCarn Fifty years ago, Carolyn "Topsy" McCarn was Qn display at Treasure Island in an incubator that sustained her life. Sunday, in celebration of the anniversary of her birth, McCam was given the VIP treatment at Treasure Island. Shq will be a special guest during the? San Francisco fair, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the world's fair.

McCarn, a premature baby, was born two days before the World's Fair opened in 1939. Her doctor placed her one of the brand new incubators then on display at the fair. An article in Treasure Island Progress, printed during the world's fair, described the new incubators and their contribution. "Babies bom prematurely face an almost 50 percpnt cliance of death at thepr only chance is to have the careful attention they receive in the model incubator." The article said the record of sustaining the premature babies had been perfect in spite of the odds against it. The incubators were arranged in a model hospital and theater set up at the fairgrounds.

Various moving pictures, including "Birth of Twins," were shown. However, according to the Treasure Island Progress, the little folks in the incubators attracted the largest crowds. McCarn weighed about 32 ounces at birth. She was one of almost 100 babies successfully cared for at the fair during 1939 and 40. McCarn's family moved to Hopland in 1940 and remained there.

McCarn was joined at Treasure Island by about 20 friends and relatives. The whole event was a total surprise. Her sister Rose Lucchetti made arrangements with authorities on the island and they made it a very special occasion. Lucchetti and a cousin took McCam to San Francisco, where they told her they were taking her out to dinner. When they arrived at the Casa de la Vista Restaurant there was the rest of the family and the island representatives.

A special cake had been baked and decorated. It showed the island, fair and a baby floating in a boat. The boat was substituted for the incubator, Lucchetti said, because no one knew how to draw an incubator. Joining the honored guest the special birthday party were her husband, Bill McCarn, Rose's husband, Arithony Lucchetti, and her father-in-law and mother-jn- law, J.B. and Lucile McCarn, pf Hopland; a daughter, Rhonda King; mother and stepfather, Orlin arid Tom Hoff; and brother, Jim Brown; all of Ukiah.

Other relatives and friends attending included Jerry and Sharon McCarn and Elva Moore of Ukiah; Lily and Charleen McCarn of Livermore; George and Pearl Brown and Violet and Phil Pacheco of Castro Valley; Muriel Whittaker and Don and Betty Miller of Hopland..