The late appearance of the last Hummer concealed a behind-the-scenes drama. Our grant from the Minister of the Arts was axed. No doubt this is not front page news, in the same way that Dr Metherell’s outlandish attacks on public education are, but with print bills of $300 for each issue it threatened the viability of our society’s journal. Fortunately after some negotiation the Hummer remains alive and well. Hummer is now totally Campbelltown-based, typed, edited and now printed at Macarthur Institute. Thanks are due to Mr Des Crawley, Dean of the School of Arts and General Studies and to Jan Macauley and the friendly staff of the Macarthur Printery. Vivien Raine’s expertise now extends to operating a state of the art laser printer and Hummer now appears in this flash type face.
Hummer goes International
Just because Hummer is a home grown Campbell town product, the journal should not be accused of a parochial bias. As a result of the editor’s study leave last year, copies of both the Hummer and Labour History are now being sent to the Marx Memorial Library in London. Founded in 1933 the Marx Memorial Library contains an excellent reading room of journals from around the world and it is appropriate that Australian labour history should be represented there. Readers stranded in London will thus be able to keep up with Australian scholarship by visiting the library which is located at 37a Oerkenwell Green, London.