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High Desert Branch of the California Writer's Club Who Are We? The High Desert branch of the California Writer's Club (founded by John Beyer and Ruth Theodos) will celebrate its twenty-third year late in 2008. As with most organizations, the High Desert branch of the CWC has experienced its share of heartaches, politicizing and triumphs over the years and has prevailed, surviving into the 21st century. With the support and friendship of our other seventeen branches, the High Desert branch continues to write its story as we approach the 100th anniversary of the California Writer's Club. We are proud of our Club's history and are looking forward to many more years of erudition and camaraderie. The High Desert branch of the California Writer's Club meets the second Saturday of every month and has done so every year since its beginning without fail! A Brief History of the California Writer's Club 2008 marks the 99th anniversary of the California Writer's Club whose origins date back to the San Francisco literary movement around the turn of the last century. For almost one hundred years, the California Writer's Club has fostered, supported and educated writers in their endeavors, beginning in essence when the then-Oakland librarian, poet Ina Coolbrith, befriended a grubby, little boy named Jack London and gave him his first books to read. In the early 1900's in the old Montgomery Block in San Francisco, a small but passionate group of literary artists met, at first informally, but then became The Press Club of Alameda. The coterie included Jack London, George Sterling and Herman Whitaker. Like the Algonquin Roundtable in New York City, these "meetings" usually ended in fiery debates and a small faction of The Press Club split and formed the California Writer's Club with English civil libertarian, Austin Lewis, as its first president in 1909. In 1912, under the leadership of Dr. William S. Morgan, a quarterly bulletin began, and in time, was published monthly. The Club incorporated in 1913, choosing the motto "Sail On!" from Joaquin Miller's poem, Columbus. California Writer's Club now had a clear focus: "The association and inspiration of men and women creating art and literature on the Pacific coast." By 1914, the membership had grown from 60 to 80 members, and early honorary membership status was awarded to Joaquin Miller, John Muir, California's first poet laureate (and the first official Oakland librarian), Ina Coolbrith, and Charles Fletcher Lummis. An occasional speaker at the Club, Jack London and his friend, George Sterling, were also awarded honorary memberships. Through the influence of Dr. Morgan, the Club began to publish members' works, and a hardcover collection of fiction, West Winds, went to print in 1914. Illustrated by California artists, Jack London and Rebecca Porter are among its contributors. The tome went to print eight times. Banquets and elegant soirees characterized the glamorous 1920's and 1930's for the Club. In the early 1920's, Berkeley poet, playwrite and naturalist Charles Keeler served as president, bringing an emphasis on poetry and the dramatic arts to the Club. California Writer's Club expanded in the north during these years, and Gertrude Atherton and Kathleen Norris were admitted as honorary members. A second version of the Club's collection of works, West Winds: A Book of Verse, went to print with the poetry of Ina Coolbrith, George Sterling, Edwin Markham, Charles and Ormeida Keeler. In addition, poems from seventy other members were included. Six years later, a third collection of works, West Winds: A Book of Fiction, was published with stories by Agnes Morley Cleveland and Charles Caldwell Dobie. Small paperback volumes of poetry followed in the 1930's. In 1930, a Club tradition established itself in the form of tree-planting in honor of California writers and poets with the first planting taking place in the "Writers Memorial Grove" at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland. This land originally belonged to Miller who had wanted to establish a memorial for artists, and on October 15, 1930 (eighteen years after Miller's death), the first solemn and formal ceremony marked the tradition he'd wanted with the planting of nine trees honoring Miller, Bret harte, Charley Stoddard, Edward Roland Sill, Ina Coolbrith, jack London, Mark Twain, Charles Fletcher Lummis and Edwin Markham. Taking the name "Woodminster", the site expanded to include an amphitheater in the 1940's. Every June, the Berkeley branch of the California Writer's Club honors writers with the planting of trees in the grove. In 1939, at the Golden Gate International Exposition, California Writer's Club gained recognition with weekly seminars and, as a direct outgrowth of these, sponsored its first Writer's Conference in 1941. With the first conference being a smashing success, another conference was held the following year, and by 1950, these erudite meetings became another tradition. Now with seventeen branches and over eight hundred members statewide, California Writer's Club carries on in the traditions of its founding members with monthly meetings, conferences, seminars and networking serving writers of all genres of writing. Every year, a member is selected from each branch to receive the jack London Service Award honoring this individual's contributions to the Club. Our members are stepping up to the challenges and carrying on the legacy of our motto: "Sail on!" 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