Clan Members and Robert Burns Book

Sherwin ("Solly") Kader and his wife, Priscilla ("Pete") Kucik, are the Wisconsin Commissioners for Clan MacLeod.  But their love of Scottish culture also includes the publication of a book, MITHER WIT AND NATIVE FIRE: THE GENIUS OF ROBERT BURNS by the Robert Burns Club of Milwaukee (www.milwburnsclub.org) in 1991.  Pete edited the book and wrote an article on Robert Burns and Clarinda (Agnes MacLehose). Shevie wrote an article on the Robert Burns and the Masons and this book includes a portrait, rare even in Masonic books, of Robert Burns in the Masonic apron.

The Robert Burns Club of Milwaukee was founded on July 31, 1986, on the 200th anniversary of the publication of the Kilmarnock edition, Burns' first book of poetry.  Pete and Shevie were two of several founders and charter members of the club. In keeping with the tradition of the Kilmarnock edition, where Robert Burns had to raise money to cover the cost of the paper before the publisher would print the book, people who donated $50 appeared on the Subscriber page.

The club did not have professors, just simple people who loved Robert Burns. Solly and Pete discovered that two clubs HAD published a book with members contributing articles.  0ne was THE SCOTTISH TONGUE: A SERIES OF LECTURES ON THE VERNACULAR LANGUAGE OF LOWLAND SCOTLAND published by the Burns Club of London in 1924. The other was more local.  The Phantom Club in Milwaukee published a three series of papers. The second series in 1910 included an extensive article on the then-new Burns monument at the corner of Knapp and Prospect Streets. The idea that a local club could publish a book took off and members contributed either an article, drawing or photograph.  The articles ranged from the history of the club to Russian translations of Robert Burns works.  The book was a "vanity book", which means it was self-published, but also means there was no editing and changing of the text.  The club had total control of the process.

The club meets at Pete and Solly's house on Murray Avenue each month.  In the process of doing the history of the club, it was discovered that it was the SECOND Robert Burns Club in Milwaukee. The first one met at Ben Belden's Home Saloon and in 1859 became the St. Andrew's Society of Milwaukee. It was also discovered that Murray Avenue was named after the founder of the first club, James Murray, Milwaukee's first Scottish born permanent resident. The sense of history and continuity was eerie.

     Pete and Solly encourage Scots, and particularly MacLeods, not to be intimidated by the prospect of publishing a book on their heritage.  The written word will last longer than the person and gives your descendants an important piece of their heritage.

     The book can be ordered from Pete and Solly for $10 + $3 postage and handling by mailing checks to:  P. Kucik & Sherwin Kader, P.O. Box 11780, Shorewood, WI  53211-0780. Checks should be made out to "The Robert Burns Club of Milwaukee".