DIY History | Transcribe | Hevelin Fanzines | Le Zombie, v. 4, issue 1, whole no. 36, January 1941

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Le Zombie, v. 4, issue 1, whole no. 36, January 1941

Page 6

SOCIETY 

William h. Grovemen
Society Editor

A DAY WITH THE QUEENS
SCIENCE FICTION LEAGUE

It was a bitterly cold day, the first day of December 1940. And I was half-frozen, for i had left Hempstead while the sun was shining and hadn't thought it necessary to wear an overcoat. As I neared the hall where the Queensies meet I discovered three fellows waiting outside, and upon coming closer found them to be Bob Thompson, Bob Studley and Abe Oshinsky. Studley had broken his glasses; he said no one else had arrived before them. Oshinsky said nothing. Thompson became very excited. I had mimeographed an FAPA paper for him and for some reason he was afraid something had happened to it in the mails. (P.S.- nothing did, and the paper safely reached its destination.) As I was hungry, Thompson and I walked into a candy store and while we were partaking of their wares in came Mrs Sykora. Of course I said "hello" but I couldn't imagine why Thompson kept so quiet. He told me later he didn't think it good manners to speak to a woman before she spoke to you.

We walked back to the hall and a couple other fellows arrived. It was at least another hour before the meeting was to start, everyone gabbed and milled about. There was a contest scheduled and some of us examined the drawings, magazines and fanmags that were the prizes. Some fellows were chatting with Sykora about borrowing books from QSFL library. Studley exhibited copies of his new-FAPA magazine. Some wiseguy had scribbled the legend "Futurians Meet Upstairs" on the first floor black board. i wonder who?
People kept arriving. L. Sprague de Camp was spotted telling things about the names in his family. His is 'Lyon', his father's 'Lymon', (( editors note: See May issue, 1939 Astounding)). Leo Morey walked in for a few minutes to see Scott Feldman, but as Feldman wasn't there yet Morey left. Isaac Asimov and sister entered. And then Arthur K Barnes, Malcolm Jameson and others. John Giunta was late.
The meeting began. Hyman Tiger is Director, and Feldman, Secretary - Treasurer. Minutes were read and Stan Bachrach began to quibble over some purely academic error therein. Then, the guests were introduced . Asimove arose; but first Feldman read a letter received from Asimov that said he (Asimov) hoped Moskowitz would attend the meeting, so he could argue with him, and further stated the fact that he wasn't going to be classed as a Futurian. With a bit of competition, Isaac talked on and on (the competition being the nearby elevated.)/ He was very indignant because of Planet Stories misspelling his name as 'Asinian' . Then De Camp got up. (It was too bad Moskowitz failed to show up -- this being a bad day for him indeed.) De Camp pulled out a copy of Comet Stories #1 and read from it some statements contained in a letter by Moskowitz, which he tried to show just weren't true. Particularly the statement that Sam knew an editor who is alleged to have said he would accept anything from certain "name" sciencefiction writers, sight unseen, after it had been rejected by every other editor.

Barnes arose to give some writing tips and told osme interesting things about the pro magazines; also giving his views on science fiction literature. Some questions were asked by Feldman about the writing game. Malcolm Jameson, when his turn came, was able only to say a few words of appreciation and that he was happy to be present. --- Sore throat.
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SOCIETY William h. Grovemen Society Editor A DAY WITH THE QUEENS SCIENCE FICTION LEAGUE It was a bitterly cold day, the first day of December 1940. And I was half-frozen, for i had left Hempstead while the sun was shining and hadn't thought it necessary to wear an overcoat. As I neared the hall where the Queensies meet I discovered three fellows waiting outside, and upon coming closer found them to be Bob Thompson, Bob Studley and Abe Oshinsky. Studley had broken his glasses; he said no one else had arrived before them. Oshinsky said nothing. Thompson became very excited. I had mimeographed an FAPA paper for him and for some reason he was afraid something had happened to it in the mails. (P.S.- nothing did, and the paper safely reached its destination.) As I was hungry, Thompson and I walked into a candy store and while we were partaking of their wares in came Mrs Sykora. Of course I said "hello" but I couldn't imagine why Thompson kept so quiet. He told me later he didn't think it good manners to speak to a woman before she spoke to you. We walked back to the hall and a couple other fellows arrived. It was at least another hour before the meeting was to start, everyone gabbed and milled about. There was a contest scheduled and some of us examined the drawings, magazines and fanmags that were the prizes. Some fellows were chatting with Sykora about borrowing books from QSFL library. Studley exhibited copies of his new-FAPA magazine. Some wiseguy had scribbled the legend "Futurians Meet Upstairs" on the first floor black board. i wonder who? People kept arriving. L. Sprague de Camp was spotted telling things about the names in his family. His is 'Lyon', his father's 'Lymon', (( editors note: See May issue, 1939 Astounding)). Leo Morey walked in for a few minutes to see Scott Feldman, but as Feldman wasn't there yet Morey left. Isaac Asimov and sister entered. And then Arthur K Barnes, Malcolm Jameson and others. John Giunta was late. The meeting began. Hyman Tiger is Director, and Feldman, Secretary - Treasurer. Minutes were read and Stan Bachrach began to quibble over some purely academic error therein. Then, the guests were introduced . Asimove arose; but first Feldman read a letter received from Asimov that said he (Asimov) hoped Moskowitz would attend the meeting, so he could argue with him, and further stated the fact that he wasn't going to be classed as a Futurian. With a bit of competition, Isaac talked on and on (the competition being the nearby elevated.)/ He was very indignant because of Planet Stories misspelling his name as 'Asinian' . Then De Camp got up. (It was too bad Moskowitz failed to show up -- this being a bad day for him indeed.) De Camp pulled out a copy of Comet Stories #1 and read from it some statements contained in a letter by Moskowitz, which he tried to show just weren't true. Particularly the statement that Sam knew an editor who is alleged to have said he would accept anything from certain "name" sciencefiction writers, sight unseen, after it had been rejected by every other editor. Barnes arose to give some writing tips and told osme interesting things about the pro magazines; also giving his views on science fiction literature. Some questions were asked by Feldman about the writing game. Malcolm Jameson, when his turn came, was able only to say a few words of appreciation and that he was happy to be present. --- Sore throat. (next page)