THE HISTORY OF "BEA LINES"

"Bea Lines" comes of age with my next collector interview (it will be the 21st), so I though I'd write an article about the history of the column and also give a few statistics. Crown Jewels of the Wire is one of the very few collector-oriented magazines that includes profiles on collectors. From what we hear, it is popular with the readers; many look forward to it and wonder who will be next.

"Bea Lines" was 8 years old in June of 1993, and we have averaged 2.5 interviews a year. But how did the idea originate? Actually, it took a year for this concept to crystallize in my brain. It began with a visit to Mrs. Evelyn Milholland in Spanaway, Washington. We were in the area for the Tacoma national in August of 1984, at which time many collectors visited Evelyn and got a wonderful guided tour of the Milholland museum by Evelyn herself. It was an unforgettable experience seeing the many visitors in the museum, and being with Evelyn, who was a terrific hostess with a marvelous sense of humor. 

As Mr. Hyve and I toured and visited, I got the idea that she should have some type of a brochure to give out on the museum, perhaps containing a few photos and a small biography on the Milhollands, including information on how the museum got its start. She agreed, so I took several photos of the museum, inside and out, and interviewed Evelyn. Well, she was such a generous lady with her knowledge and personal history, that I gathered way too much material for just a brochure. Since I didn't want to cut out anything, I just didn't know what to do. 

A few months went by as I slowly worked on organizing he material. My photos came back, and all the while I was thinking what a waste it would be not to ever get this information to the public somehow. So with Evelyn's permission I approached Dora Harned, then editor of Crown Jewels of the Wire, with the idea of publishing it in her magazine. She was of course delighted with the idea. As I was typing the final draft of this first interview, the idea came to me about making it a semi-regular column. Dora agreed, but this all came just as the time that she was having to give up the magazine due to health problems. 

However, she was about to announce the coming of "Bea Lines" in her last issue (CJ 5-85-6) along with a nice "Editors Note". The new editor, Carol McDougald, was equally enthusiastic about it, and we were on our way. The Milholland interview appeared in two parts (the only one to do so up to now), and it appeared in Crown Jewels of the Wire in the June and July 1985 issues. It was a big success with the readers, so we felt more confident about continuing the column.

As for the title "Bea Lines", that idea didn't come easily. I wanted something cute, appropriate, and easy to remember, and also something that all readers would like. Believe it or not. it took several weeks to think up the final name, and looking back it's a wonder that it didn't pop into my head immediately. I can't recall all of the names I considered, but a few were, "The Talking Wire", "Off the Wire", "Crosstalk" (that was already taken), "News Flashes", and "Collector's Corner". But none of those titles seemed to be just right.

Then I looked at my pen name (which also had taken weeks to develop.). I had written articles for Crown Jewels of the Wire under my "nom de plume" since the October 1975 issue. It was a game to try and keep my true identity a secret, and for a very long time only I, Mr. Hyve, the Harneds, and one local collector knew who H.G. "Bea" Hyve really was. Dora had some inquiries about it, but she wouldn't tell. (see CJ 12-75-31.) After a while a few people guessed, but it took years for the word to get out about the true identity of this mysterious H.G. "Bea" Hyve. (incidentally, I understand that there are still a few out there in Insulatorland and elsewhere who don't know. So this is a good time and place in which to reveal for the first time publicly and in print who I am.. .none other than Clarice Gordon, and Mr. Hyve is my husband Wes.) My pseudonym is a play-on-words for the insulators in which I specialize; H.G. beehives. 

Getting back to the subject, I decided to incorporate my open name in the title of my column. That generated several more titles: "Bea Stings", "From the Hyve", '''Bea' Talk", and "From the Busy 'Bea'''. But none of them fit. Finally, after more thought, I chose "Bea Lines", a play-on-words for my nickname "Bea", and the beeline in which bees reportedly fly. Also, "lines" went along with printed material, as well as with communication, railroad, and power lines. It was perfect. But now I needed a headline logo, which had to include a bee. A few ideas came, but then I took a better look at a little plastic coin bank given to me by Steve Watkins at the Tacoma national, and my logo was set. (For more details on the creation of the logo, see CJ 5-85-6.) By the way, the little twist in my bee's beeline is a joke; beelines are supposed to be straight!

Have you ever wondered how interviewees are chosen for "Bea Lines"? Well, they are chosen by either Carol or myself. One of the perks of this job is that I can choose friends of mine to be interviewed. I send out a notice along with a questionnaire containing 30 questions; all answers are optional. Over the years I have contacted 70 people, 9 of whom have had second chance by having another questionnaire sent to them a few years after receiving the first one. Of the 70 original ones asked, 20 have been published, Surprisingly, 7 have replied that they weren't interested. Following is a list of the last names of those who have appeared in "Bea Lines" since its inception (not necessarily in their order of appearance in CJ): Harned, Adams, McCurty, Guthrie, Hedges, Young, Albers, Miller, Roseberger, Milholland, Bridges, Weber, Kammerer, Allmon, Lowe, Halpin, Warren, Milek, Gish, and Anthony. Interviews have covered territory from California to New York, Washington to Florida, Alaska to Texas, and two from Canada.

Although they've all been special, the most memorable so far was interviewing Dora Harned (and Don) in person in Chico. Their "Bea Lines" appeared in the March 1989 issue, which was the 20th anniversary of Crown Jewels of the Wire magazine. We spent several pleasant hours in their home doing the interview and heard wonderful stories about collecting in the early years of the hobby. Not only was that "Bea Lines" my favorite, but it was an honor to be chosen to profile the Harneds. Running a close second was my interview with Evelyn Milholland, who is also a great lady and a sweet person.

I consider myself to be a small-time Barbara Walters, who is also an interviewer. Although she has profiled many people, she has yet to realize her goal and longtime desire, that being to interview Jackie O. I too have such a goal, but my (so far) unattainable subject is a certain gentleman in Houston, Texas. Just as "getting" Jackie O. would be a feather in Barbara's cap and fulfill a dream, so would my interview with this person. My second "Jackie O." is a certain couple in St. Charles, Illinois.

As for the future of "Bea Lines" ...I will probably continue until the 10th year, June of 1995, and then who knows? It might be time to pass it on to another budding Barbara Walters. If you would like the job, please contact Carol or myself. In the meantime, I have a few more interviews in the works, and I have thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of insulator collecting.

H. G. "Bea" Hyve and Mr. Hyve on
our 20th wedding anniversary 
March 21, 1989
(Our marriage is the same age as 
Crown Jewels of the Wire magazine)