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Fantascience Digest, v. 3, issue 1, whole no. 12, January-February 1940

Page 10

Page 10                              FANTASCIENCE DIGEST 

                      THE NEXT TREND
                       By Milton A. Rothman

   The history loving type of science fiction fan has reveled in the joy of analyzing science fiction history, and dividing it up into periods and trends, There was the period when fans did nothing but read the science fiction magazines. Then there came a period of the prehistoric fan magazines, led by the SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST. Then the period when fans forgot that the professional magazines existed, and concentrated on the fan magazines. This overlapped with the start of the fan feuds, which, curiously, was coincident with the beginning of the convention period. 

   And that last leads up to the new trend. Up to now, all of fan work has been done by correspondence. Ir was a marvelous thing when a fan from one city got to see the face of a fan in another city. Never will I forget that momentous day, long ago, when Mort Weisinger and Charlie Hornig popped in on me, one sweltering July afternoon, on their way to the Chicago World's Fair. That was the very first time an outside fan had ever shown himself in Philadelphia. And it was likewise a historic event when Donald A. Wollheim came to see me, some months afterwards for that was the first time there had ever been a prearranged visit between New York and Philadelphia.

   Gradually travel has increased. The ISA used to make a practice of going in mobs to visit fans of nearby villages. Then annual conventions started the influx to New York every year. While I lived in Philadelphia, I only had to make the trip to New York. Now that I am in Washington, I have two trips to make every year, solely because of fan activities. 

   In the meantime, fans have been touring the country, mostly by automobile. Charlie Hornig's record will probably never be exceeded in this respect, but Dick Wilson's crowd made a pretty nice trip, getting out to Chicago from New York. And the Chicago boys, Reinsberg, Korshak, etc., has come east twice in four months. Once to New York and once to Philadelphia.

   Texas came to New York in July, stopping in Oklahoma for Walter Sullivan. California was there. And next summer, from every corner of the compass, fandom will congregate for the convention there. 

   Everywhere, as fans are growing up and, either coming into more monetary means, or finding what a wonderful mode of transportation the thumb is, they are learning the ways of travel, and are beginning to get around to see each other, instead of being content with correspondence.

   It is obvious that this should happen, for science fiction fans must, bu their very nature, be more severely afflicted with the wanderlust that any other people. 

   So the thought came to me as I sat at the dinner table in Harry Warner's house, located among the lovely hills of Western Maryland. (They call them the mountains, but you can't fool us westerners. I hail from the wilds of West Philadelphia.) Harry Warner seems to be rather

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Page 10 FANTASCIENCE DIGEST THE NEXT TREND By Milton A. Rothman The history loving type of science fiction fan has reveled in the joy of analyzing science fiction history, and dividing it up into periods and trends, There was the period when fans did nothing but read the science fiction magazines. Then there came a period of the prehistoric fan magazines, led by the SCIENCE FICTION DIGEST. Then the period when fans forgot that the professional magazines existed, and concentrated on the fan magazines. This overlapped with the start of the fan feuds, which, curiously, was coincident with the beginning of the convention period. And that last leads up to the new trend. Up to now, all of fan work has been done by correspondence. Ir was a marvelous thing when a fan from one city got to see the face of a fan in another city. Never will I forget that momentous day, long ago, when Mort Weisinger and Charlie Hornig popped in on me, one sweltering July afternoon, on their way to the Chicago World's Fair. That was the very first time an outside fan had ever shown himself in Philadelphia. And it was likewise a historic event when Donald A. Wollheim came to see me, some months afterwards for that was the first time there had ever been a prearranged visit between New York and Philadelphia. Gradually travel has increased. The ISA used to make a practice of going in mobs to visit fans of nearby villages. Then annual conventions started the influx to New York every year. While I lived in Philadelphia, I only had to make the trip to New York. Now that I am in Washington, I have two trips to make every year, solely because of fan activities. In the meantime, fans have been touring the country, mostly by automobile. Charlie Hornig's record will probably never be exceeded in this respect, but Dick Wilson's crowd made a pretty nice trip, getting out to Chicago from New York. And the Chicago boys, Reinsberg, Korshak, etc., has come east twice in four months. Once to New York and once to Philadelphia. Texas came to New York in July, stopping in Oklahoma for Walter Sullivan. California was there. And next summer, from every corner of the compass, fandom will congregate for the convention there. Everywhere, as fans are growing up and, either coming into more monetary means, or finding what a wonderful mode of transportation the thumb is, they are learning the ways of travel, and are beginning to get around to see each other, instead of being content with correspondence. It is obvious that this should happen, for science fiction fans must, bu their very nature, be more severely afflicted with the wanderlust that any other people. So the thought came to me as I sat at the dinner table in Harry Warner's house, located among the lovely hills of Western Maryland. (They call them the mountains, but you can't fool us westerners. I hail from the wilds of West Philadelphia.) Harry Warner seems to be rather