Donations are starting to come in for The John Updike Childhood Home in Shillington, Pa.

In 2012, the Society received significant monetary donations from the Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation and the PECO Foundation, the latter of which came as a result of the generosity of Constance and H. Roemer McPhee.

In 2012 we also received a folder of Updike-related newspaper and magazine clippings from Mrs. Grace Hunter, who lived in the house after the Updikes, and a 1969 Playboy featuring an Updike story and a photo of Updike from his senior year in high school from Miss Shirley Kachel, of Mohnton, Pa.

This year, thus far we have received a donation of 34 Updike first editions and five Updike-related books from Richard Nielsen, of Bloomington, Ill., along with a folder of Updike-related clippings.

We are grateful for their help as we continue the process of converting the house into a literary landmark that will have exhibits and items to help tell the story of Updike’s life and works, so that future generations can appreciate him as we do.

When the Updikes moved to the Plowville farm, they sold the Shillington house at 117 Philadelphia Avenue to Dr. John and Mrs. Grace Hunter, who lived there with their family for nearly 45 years. The doctor added a single-story attached annex to use as his office, so his practice and his family life were both connected to the site. In fact, a lighted screen for reading x-rays is still on the wall in one of his former examination rooms. The John Updike Society hopes to preserve that as a reminder of the building’s rich heritage, and also to preserve the doctor’s office, with its built-in bookshelves, to be used as a gift shop.

Today Bruce R. Posten posted a story at the Reading Eagle about Mrs. Hunter:  “Updike’s Home in Shillington was also hers.”

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An editorial published today (September 3) in the Reading Eagle, “Sale of Updike home a promising development for Berks,” touts the purchase as “a first step toward encouraging literary tourism in our area” and calls for people who knew Updike to consider donating objects to the museum and other institutions to consider ways they can use their ties to Updike to help attract visitors to the area.

Updike Society president James Plath will be a featured speaker at the Alvernia Literary Festival on October 8, and he will use that visit to Reading to meet with various parties to ensure that the Society continues to move forward on this project in ways that are beneficial to the community.

Here’s the full editorial.

News that The John Updike Society had finalized the purchase of the childhood home at 117 Philadelphia Ave. in Shillington, Pa., was met with a quick and generous response from Habitat Humanity of Berks County. Executive Director Tim Daley said that the project was just the sort of thing that his group could align with. It’s a community museum, it’s significant to Berks County, and Habitat for Humanity has been looking to contribute to the community in additional ways beside their traditional single-family constructions, he said. Daley offered their resource of volunteers and “some expertise” to assist the society in repairing and restoring the house and grounds, and that offer was happily and gratefully accepted.

News of the sale also spread quickly. When anyone asks if John Updike is still “relevant,” just point to the media attention that followed the society’s purchase of the childhood home. In the Reading area it was front-page news and covered on television as well. But it was also picked up elsewhere. Here are some of the links:

“Updike childhood home sold, paving way for museum; Society pays $180,000 for childhood home of author” — Reading Eagle 

“John Updike Society finalizes purchase of home” —WFMZ 69 News

“Updike’s Pa. childhood home bought, museum planned” — The Inquirer

“Group buys John Updike’s childhood home in Shillington, Pa.; restoration and museum planned — The Washington Post

 “John Updike’s Pennsylvania Childhood House Bought, Museum Planned” —The Huffington Post

Now the work . . . and the fun . . . begins.