MIAMI – A picture of Helen Muir standing outside the house a little cottage is a shade snapshot of an outgoing, determined, and as Historian Paul George describes Helen Muir, “a ton of enjoyment and…a bundle of electrical power and creativeness.”
Miami law firm “Toby” Muir is Helen Muir’s son. He will get a gleam in his eye when he talks about his mother. He instructed CBSNews Miami, “She was a incredibly outgoing unique, she beloved people today, she beloved interviewing people, she never fulfilled strangers.”
Helen Muir was an author, newspaper columnist, radio identity, and is usually credited for bringing Miami-Dade’s library process into the modern-day period.
George reminds us about “Miami, United states,” Muir’s massive-structure espresso table reserve about the heritage of Miami.
Helen Muir initial wrote it in 1953 and is a remarkably readable historical past of Miami, which is even now a steady vendor that she current about the decades. The e-book is nonetheless obtainable.
Toby Muir claims, “But the newspaper was her, her massive love.” Pre-World War II Miami, Helen worked in community relations.
She arrived to Miami right after newspaper get the job done in New York condition and a marriage was on the rocks. In Miami, she labored publicizing the Roney Plaza Resort along the way interviewing Eddie Rickenbacker, Doris Duke, Clair Boothe Luce, Errol Flynn, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Frost.
Helen planned to stay in Miami for a 12 months, but she stepped back again into the newspaper business enterprise at the Miami News, where by she served as an editor and afterwards a columnist for equally the Miami Information and Miami Herald.
Her daily column “Extremely Genuinely Yours” ran in the Miami Information. Helen also used time driving the microphone at Miami radio station WIOD.
It was not quick for women of all ages to function in newspapers and radio in those days. Helen did all of that.
The year 1936 noticed Helen conference and marrying, “the love of her lifestyle” William “Monthly bill” Muir.
For Helen and her spouse Monthly bill tragedy struck in 1944. A daughter, Toby Muir’s minimal sister, died in an accident.
Toby Muir remembers, “Her Good friend, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas persuaded her that she necessary to do anything and it may well be a superior detail to memorialize her lost daughter by setting up a guide assortment at the Coconut Grove Library.” And that she did. George suggests: “She arranged good friends of the library.”
Helen making use of her newspaper capabilities bought the ball rolling to arrange, to consolidate the cluster of community libraries 1st composing a The Miami News column entitled, “Why it truly is Time for a County Library Technique.”
“The libraries in Miami Dade were only municipal libraries. They have been underfunded, under-outfitted and, she promoted that politically and in just about every possible way,” Toby Muir instructed us.
Taking Majorie Stoneman Douglas’ guidance to heart from that working day forward, Helen Muir was a consistent advocate for libraries serving on various area and condition boards and commissions working with libraries.
Her initiatives resulted in modern 50 libraries of the consolidated Miami-Dade General public Library System.
Thank you, Helen Muir!
