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Home , Highland games, The Gathering 2009

September 2009 SEASIDE the histle OCT. 9–11 VENTURA ’ s S o c i e t y t n d r e w o f L o s t . A A n COUNTY e S g e l T h e s FAIRGROUNDS a message from John Benton, M.D., President Springtime he year, believe it or castle. in China Seaside Highland Tnot, is approaching Many of you will have Games its close. By the time attended our Ceilidh on September The Rev. Dr. Charles (Chuck) October 9–11 you read this, summer will 12, the first we have organized for Robertson is a member of SASLA. officially be over and Fall will be many years. You will find a He visited China, his fourth visit, upon us. This year has been a photographic review on page 5 of for two weeks in May 2009. Here Oh! I do like to be beside the tumultuous and memorable one for this newsletter. I want to thank all are some highlights of his seaside Scots all over the world, including of you who supported this event. fascinating trip. I do like to be beside the sea! us in Los Angeles. Our own society We can provide functions like this I do like to stroll upon the has increased in membership and because a lot of folks volunteer visited China for a Prom, Prom, Prom! added new events to its calendar. their time and skills to organize Ifortnight in May Where the brass bands play: But what has made 2009 different and plan – they don’t just with a delegation "Tiddely-om-pom-pom!" for Scots worldwide is the happen! I hope you enjoyed the under the auspices of So just let me be beside the celebrations for Robert Burn’s 250 results of their efforts, I certainly Educational Resources & seaside anniversary, marked in his country did! Referrals-China (ERRC) of I'll be beside myself with glee of birth by Homecoming Our next event is the annual Berkeley, California. And there's lots of girls and The Gathering in Edinburgh. Kirkin’ O’ The at the ERRC places people with a beside, The gathering of clans in Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church master’s degree or more and life I should like to be beside Edinburgh was an event that, if you – let’s make it a record turn-out. experience in their field in Beside the seaside! were fortunate enough to attend, Work is also well advanced for our Chinese universities to teach — Beside the sea! you are not like to forget for a very 2010 Burn’s Supper which will be agriculture, business, long time. Scots from southern held at The Thursday Club in La engineering, the sciences, etc.— f any of you remember Jill California attended, including Canada, January 30 – mark your in English to Chinese doctoral and IDaniels (I don’t) you will Cindi McIntosh, who many of you calendar! post-doctoral students to enable remember that familiar will remember as the piper from them to present, write, and refrain, usually wafting our Day celebration in April, publish in English, and to give from the Marconi steam and our own Annie and Rod occasional lectures or seminars in John Benton radio that adorned the Schreckengost. They walked in the their field. The trip provided me Contact John Benton via email dining room sideboard in clan parade up the from at: taverman hotmail.com homes throughout Britain to the esplanade of 1@ Please see CHINA, page 6 during WWII. What’s that got to do with large men throwing heavy In Gear – If my body were a Car objects? Not much, except they do it beside the seaside! f my body were a car, this is as it once was. I slip and slide my exhaust Got it? Ithe time I would be thinking and skid and bump into things backfires. The Saint Andrew’s about trading it in for a newer even in the best of weather. My CASH FOR CLUNKERS Society of Los Angeles is, as model. I've got bumps and dents whitewalls are stained with you know, a contributing and scratches in my finish, and my varicose veins. It takes me hours I QUALIFY sponsor of Seaside and, as paint job is getting a little dull. But to reach my maximum speed. My How about such, these games hold a that's not the worst of it. My fuel rate burns inefficiently. But You? special place in our calendar. headlights are out of focus, and it's here's the worst of it – Almost especially hard to see things up every time I sneeze, cough or Please see SEASIDE, page 5 close. My traction is not as graceful laugh, either my radiator leaks or Anonymous. 2 the thistle september 2009 Letter from Edinburgh Saint Andrew’s Society Los Angeles , Holyrood Park, 25/26 July Calendar of Events

attended the I heard the lovely Gaelic singing IHighland Games of Julie Fowlis, while I waited for October 9, 2009 President Whisky Tasting/Scottish Evening John Benton, M.D. and Scottish Festival the famous Red Hot Chilli Pipers. Four Points Sheraton, Ventura Vice President opened by the Duke I passed the Talisker whisky John Lowry of Rothesay, as Prince Charles tasting tent (entry at £5 a ticket) October 10 & 11, 2009 Treasurer David Moffett is known in Scotland. because I have my own supply at Seaside Highland Games Secretary It was sunny and pleasantly home! At one point I had to move Seaside Park Ventura Margaret Steiner warm and joining the crowds quickly to avoid (being trampled October 25, 2009 entering the grass surfaced on by) the Lonach Highlanders a Board of Trustees Annual Kirkin O’ The Tartan Mary Corcoran, Ph.D parade ground I headed for the band of men from the clan village of over 100 square area (North of Ballater) Jack Dawson January 30, 2010 pagoda tents many with their Aberdeenshire. Burn’s Supper Alan MacDonald own clan chiefs, some of J. David MacPherson For more information visit whom wore eagle feathers in www.saintandrewsla.org Victoria Pushee their bonnets. I visited my Ian J. Skone-Rees own clans of Stewart and then useful!), and afterwards to my Sinclair where I purchased a bus, walking about the same copy scroll of the Genealogy distance and more than half the of Prince Henry St. Clair, or route later taken that evening by Sinclair, the ‘Discoverer’ of the Parade of the Clans. America in 1398, and then Thousands of participants The Thistle is the official called in at some others not including many from outwith publication of the Saint Andrew’s Lonach Highlanders. Society of Los Angeles. It is forgetting Clan Currie, and Scotland and the UK, led by pipe published four times a year. the only St Andrew Society Many families sitting on rugs bands, marched up the very Deadline for each issue is the represented – Singapore! had quite sensibly supplied their steep cobbled roadway of the first day of March, June, I was too late to get a seat own picnic lunch while others Royal Mile to September & December. Submit articles, photographs, for the Deuchars World Highland were forming long queues at the Esplanade where a pageant and address changes to the Games Heavy Events food outlets, but as it was too hot entitled Aisling’s Children editor at: [email protected]. or Championship but could watch for me to do that, and having celebrating Scotland’s history The Editor them on an enormous screen enjoyed my visit (well worth my was performed, thereby Saint Andrew’s Society, Los Angeles 12240 Ventura Blvd., Suite 101 erected for the purpose. £18 ticket money even though I completing the City of Studio City, CA 91604 I was amused to see that could not attend on the second Edinburgh’s contribution to the www.saintandrewsla.org hundreds of people had climbed day), I reckoned that I had been almost year-long Homecoming The publisher accepts no responsibility for the opinions various hilly parts of Arthur’s on my feet for nearly six hours Scotland 2009. expressed, accuracy of information, Seat (Edinburgh’s ‘Mountain’) and seen all I wanted to see, I or similarity of names submitted by authors. which overlooks the parade left the Gathering area around Kenneth Sinclair Stewart CONTRIBUTORS ground some distance away, 4:30 to go home. John Benton presumably in the hope of Passing the controversial Secretary of the World Federation of David Cargill Rev. Dr. Charles Robertson seeing the event for free! Scottish Societies Kenneth Sinclair Stewart Later I saw youngsters take building opposite Ian Skone-Rees part in the Highland Dancing Holyrood Palace on PUBLISHER EDITOR AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Competition, and in time I joined my way, I walked Ian Skone-Rees a crowd of folk in front of the up the Canongate

PHOTOGRAPHY Wee Stage for an hour long (the Royal Mile) for Margi Kent Susie Mieras demonstration of Scottish country a welcome hot Ian Skone-Rees dancing including audience Turkish meal in my Kenneth Sinclair Stewart participation which was great fun favourite Café PRINTING and enjoyed by all. Truva owned and Coronet Printing As I approached the immense run by a friend’s crowd in front of the main stage son-in-law, (very Clan tents in the grounds of Holyrood Palace. 3 St. Andrew’s Society of Los Angeles Scotland’s Influence in the United States A series of articles prepared by David Cargill

The Scots were a valuable addition to a developing world. society, and these Scots played a crucial role in the early Their past experience of working in the harsh conditions of rural development of the New World. Most headmasters of the schools Scotland, combined with their hard-working Presbyterian in the new colonies south of New York were Scottish or of upbringing, made them an ideal people to help build America in Scottish ancestry. These establishments were fundamental in the its formative years. education of America's future leaders; both Thomas Jefferson's The Scottish emigrants of the 18th Century were an educated and John Rutledge's tutors were Scottish immigrants. group due to the , which had stressed the In this continuing series of articles we will introduce Scots or need for education, so every Scot could read the bible. persons of Scottish descent who have left their indelible mark on Education has always played an important part in Scottish the American landscape – Ed. James Porteous 1848–1922

he American Society of a controlled depth and scoop the TMechanical Engineers earth up rather than push aside, rarely bestows a finer thereby dramatically speeding-up accolade than the construction of irrigation canals and International Historic ditches. Engineering Landmark. The horse drawn device was an In 1991 Scottish Inventor, instant success with farmers in James Porteous central California. The Fresno Courtesy of Fresno Historical Society posthumously received the Expositor of April 9th 1884 reported Jenny Porteous with five of her award for his innovative that Porteous had made over 350 children. Fresno Scraper an 1883 scrapers in the previous 18 months and had shipped them to all agricultural and civil parts of the state. Soon the device was shipped to South America, engineering earth moving India, Australia and Europe. blade designed to construct The Fresno Scraper was sold across America initially for canals and ditches in sandy farming and then progressing to road and railroad construction Courtesy of Fresno Historical Society soil. and dam projects. The scraper played a critical role in the Porteous was born in Haddington, East Lothian and in 1873, construction of the Panama Canal. The advent of the tractor aged 25 he left Scotland for a new life in America. The Scotsman replaced the horse, and by 1941 the Fresno Scraper was attached to settled in California and formed his own company in Fresno the caterpillar tractor and became known as the bulldozer. producing wagons, but it all could have been so different! Back James Porteous married Jenny and the couple had six children, at the British ticket office, Porteous did not know where he should three boys and three girls. He died on March 29th 1922 leaving travel and the station master suggested traveling with the behind an impressive body of work covering over 50 patented Shield’s family, who were going to Santa Barbara. Porteous inventions. eagerly agreed and after initially spending time in Santa Barbara, he travelled to Fresno where he spent the rest of his life working and bringing up his family. Using the basic skills of a wheelwright and a blacksmith learned back in Scotland while working for his father’s business, Porteous provided the most modern equipment for local farmers. Initially, he produced buggies and wagons capable of carrying five to eight tons. From his own designs and synthesizing elements of scraper models from other Valley inventors, Porteous carefully created an earth moving scraper transforming the way earth could be scraped, moved, dumped and leveled. Existing devices could scrape and gather soil, but the Fresno could also discharge soil at Courtesy of Fresno Historical Society 4 ARMISTICE DAY NOVEMBER 11 At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month we remember the end of the First World War and all who gave their lives then and since. The Poppy is the symbol of Remembrance. Wear a poppy with pride. www.saintandrewsla.org

Committee News Scotch Corner “Always carry a flagon How to taste single malt … of whisky in case of The Board of Trustees met The Membership chair has as if you didn’t know! snakebite, July 11 at the home of Jack reported no new members since 1. Remember, it can ONLY be furthermore, always Dawson. Minutes will be posted June 2009. called scotch if it is distilled in carry a small snake.” on the website. W. C. Fields The Finance Committee Scotland. The Communications meets regularly under the 2. Use a good glass. The tulip water. Avoid tap water, because Committee coordinates chairmanship of treasurer Dave glass is the preferred style the chlorine and/or dissolved production of The Thistle and Moffett. because it focuses the aromas minerals will interfere with the other related outreach projects. All members are welcome to and splashes the spirit onto the taste. The committee coordinated attend committee meetings and tongue in a wide fashion. Riedel editorial content for the Fall 2009 7. Gently agitate the whisky. Nose Board of Trustee meetings. Dates make this style. issue via email. the whisky again. Change the are posted on the website. 3. Pour yourself a dram, anywhere angle and distance of the glass from half an ounce to two. to pick up all of the subtle aromas. Continue this for a few 144th 4. Tilt and turn the glass. Let the minutes while the water marries whisky coat the glass. This Scottish Highland with the whisky and releases increases the surface area, additional aromas you may not enhancing the aroma. Gathering & Games have noticed at first. Pleasanton . 5 & 6, 2009 5. Nose the whisky. Place your 8. Take a sip. Take just enough to nose a few inches away from the coat your mouth and begin to glass. What do you smell? One word describes the slowly swirl it around your Keeping your mouth slightly Pleasanton Games, BIG! Over tongue. Try and coat your open as you nose the whiskey the course of two days the tongue so that the whisky will help you to better discern organizers expected 60,000 touches all of your taste buds. people to pass through the and 'taste' the different aromas. 9. Taste the whisky. Try to hold the turnstiles. The main 6. Add water, as much as half- whisky in your mouth as long as grandstand, that accommodates and-half or as little as a few it takes to notice all of the 8,000, was the best vantage drops. Adding water depends different flavors. point from which to watch the on the strength and style of the heavy athletics and the whisky and the taster's 10. Swallow. Try not to open your marching bands. This year the preference. Regular bottles mouth or close your throat. Let main attraction was the contain 40% to 46% alcohol by in a tiny amount of air through appearance of the 1st Battalion volume (ABV) and are diluted your mouth and breathe Scots Guards who played using the distillery's water through your nose slowly as the separately and in a unique source. "Cask strength" fumes rise up into your sinuses. combined performance with the whiskies are stronger (generally Marine Band, . 46% to 60%) and require more Slainte mhath! Seventy-seven clans and family societies were represented, www.clancurrie.com including our sister St. Andrew’s CLAN CURRIE Society of San Francisco. For the first time in its history opening ceremonies and throughout , Clydesdales, Clan Currie will be represented on the weekend. Please come and visit. A and of course the Border Collies clan row at the Seaside Highland real Scottish welcome awaits you! were there too. A wonderful two Games October 10–11. To help celebrate its fiftieth Ceud mìle fàilte days, but too short to see The Editor with James Beatty, Chaplain and anniversary year the clan commander, everything! Ed. Membership Chair of St. Andrew’s Society Contact Ian Skone-Rees of San Francisco. Robert Currie will be present at the via email at: [email protected] 5

September 12, 2009 pronounced kay-lee – gaelic for party or gathering

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China, from page 1 Seaside, from page 1

For those of you who University in Tianjin; ventured south to the Costa Mesa Shandong University in Ji’nan; Games in May you will have seen Wuhan University in Wuhan; a new tent on clan row – ours. Yes and Fudan University in for the first time the Saint Shanghai. Andrew’s Society of Los Angeles One of the great joys of the was represented at a highland trip was in Tai’an. Two of us games with their very own tent, went up Mt. Tai Shan — over staffed by member volunteers. 5000 feet and the holiest of The presence of our tent was such five holy mountains in China a success that it was decided to — where new emperors would purchase (rather than rent) our make a pilgrimage to ensure own tent for the Seaside Games in the success of their reign. We October. We learned quite a lot at hiked half-way up with a Costa Mesa and we hope we have Chuck Robertson (center) with fellow scholars rest on their climb up Mt. Taishan. group of young scholars and learned lessons that will allow us took a cable car from there, to improve our showing and be with an opportunity to explore Shanghai, and I met with the gliding up over beautiful more useful and informative to placement possibilities in heads of departments and views of the mountain, valleys, prospective members when they Chinese universities for a scholars from among the most and the plains below. On top stop by. Volunteers are needed to semester or an academic year prestigious academic there were several temples, staff the tent, normally a two hour in the religious studies section, institutions in China: Peking, hotels and restaurants. We shift, so please contact the editor, a philosophy department, Renmin (People’s), and then flew by cable car back Dave Moffett, or Dave Macpherson where the academic study of Tsinghua Universities, and the down to the midway point and for information on how you can religion is taught in China. Institute of World Religions at took a bus the rest of the way. help. There’s single malt in the We visited Beijing, Tianjin, the Chinese Academy of Social It was a wonderful day! Tai’an, Ji’nan, Wuhan, and Sciences in Beijing; Nankai tent for those of you who require additional incentive! See you This brief article is a there! Ed. synopsis of a much more Contact Ian Skone-Rees via email detailed report prepared by at: rees mac.com Chuck on his return from 1@ China. The full version is full of interesting detail that makes fascinating reading which I am sure he would be happy to share with anyone who asks. Ed. Thank you Coronet Printing for your generous support of Chuck with a group of Chinese scholars at the top of Mt. Taishan. The St. Andrew Society of Los Angeles. Highland Games New Members Quality Service Since 1946 Calendar – 2009 Pre-press • Printing • Bindery

We are dependent on the growth of our membership. Please Please refer to the SASLA website 9260 Owensmouth Avenue spread the word about your Saint Andrew’s Society and encourage www.saintandrewsla,org for a Chatsworth, CA 91311 comprehensive calendar of Highland your friends to join us in preserving Scottish identity and culture. 818-775-9733 • fax: 818-775-9368 Games and Scottish celebrations. www.coronetprinting.com