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Jeddara, v. 1, issue 3, June 1943
Page 5
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JEDDARA PAGE 5 ------------------ THE GREATER NEW YORK CHAPTER OF THE SCIENCE FICTION LEAGUE (Compiled, by Jeddara's staff, from the cub archives.) It all began less than a year ago, when James V. Taurasi wrote to Thrilling Wonder Stories, saying that he would like to form a chapter of the Science Fiction League in his community: Flushing, N. Y. The note appeared, twisted to say that a Flushing Chapter had already been formed. The December issue stated that the first meeting had been held, in July, attended by Taurasi, Robert G. Thompson, Abraham Cehinsky and Richard Wilson, Jr. This was also a gross untruth, since the "meeting" was nothing more than a visit of Thompson's to the home of Taurasi, at which nothing in particular was done. The first actual meeting was held in October, 1937. Since Taurasi was the only one living in Flushing, it was decided to call the club the Queens Chapter, all members residing in the borough of Queens, New York City. Charter members were Mario Racic, Jr., William S. Sykora, Taurasi, Thompson and Wilson. The first issue of Jeddara, the Chapter organ, was issued about this time, bound with Cosmic Tales Quarterly and containing a reiew of the Third Eastern Science Fiction Convention, movie reviews and fantastic (which word covers a multitude of evils) limericks. The name of the magazine puzzled a number of subscribers. Those who wrote Chapter Director Taurasi for illumination were curtly advised by postal to look more closely into their Burroughs-Mars books. The second issue appeared in February, including correspondence with Edgar Rice Burroughs and revealing that "jeddara" was Barsoomian for "queen." This fitted in nicely with the name of the Chapter. A news column in the same issue, "To The Queen's Taste," also capitalized on the borough's (not Burroughs') name. From December to March the QSFL gained slowly in members, their actual number being six. Publicity was given the fact that Frederik Pohl, who had been director of the Greater New York Chapter, joined, resigning his directorship in favor of Elton V. Andrews, poetic contributor to Amazing Stories. Few know that Pohl and Andrews are one, and that the old GNYSFL was a mere shell, attended, for the most part, only by the Director and his many pseudonyms. The members now numbered eleven. The Chapter became the most active east of Los Angeles. (Perhaps the only one active, E. of L. A., Philadelphia to the contrary.) By the end of April a lucky thirteen were loyal QSFLers. The month of June saw the most important change in the Chapter. The roster was enlarged by five new members, three of them the leading lights of the (now ex-) Washington Heights, N. Y., SFL: David H. Charney, Chester Fein and Cyril Kornbluth. Most important, however, was the authorization of TWS's Editorial Director, Leo Margulies, for the change of title from Queens to Greater New York Chapter, and the issuance of anew charter. Saga!: Twelve months . . . July to June Members . . . two to eighteen Flushing . . . to Queens . . . to Greater New York Vivat! . . . But this had better stop before it gets to sound too much like a Tremaine editorial.
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JEDDARA PAGE 5 ------------------ THE GREATER NEW YORK CHAPTER OF THE SCIENCE FICTION LEAGUE (Compiled, by Jeddara's staff, from the cub archives.) It all began less than a year ago, when James V. Taurasi wrote to Thrilling Wonder Stories, saying that he would like to form a chapter of the Science Fiction League in his community: Flushing, N. Y. The note appeared, twisted to say that a Flushing Chapter had already been formed. The December issue stated that the first meeting had been held, in July, attended by Taurasi, Robert G. Thompson, Abraham Cehinsky and Richard Wilson, Jr. This was also a gross untruth, since the "meeting" was nothing more than a visit of Thompson's to the home of Taurasi, at which nothing in particular was done. The first actual meeting was held in October, 1937. Since Taurasi was the only one living in Flushing, it was decided to call the club the Queens Chapter, all members residing in the borough of Queens, New York City. Charter members were Mario Racic, Jr., William S. Sykora, Taurasi, Thompson and Wilson. The first issue of Jeddara, the Chapter organ, was issued about this time, bound with Cosmic Tales Quarterly and containing a reiew of the Third Eastern Science Fiction Convention, movie reviews and fantastic (which word covers a multitude of evils) limericks. The name of the magazine puzzled a number of subscribers. Those who wrote Chapter Director Taurasi for illumination were curtly advised by postal to look more closely into their Burroughs-Mars books. The second issue appeared in February, including correspondence with Edgar Rice Burroughs and revealing that "jeddara" was Barsoomian for "queen." This fitted in nicely with the name of the Chapter. A news column in the same issue, "To The Queen's Taste," also capitalized on the borough's (not Burroughs') name. From December to March the QSFL gained slowly in members, their actual number being six. Publicity was given the fact that Frederik Pohl, who had been director of the Greater New York Chapter, joined, resigning his directorship in favor of Elton V. Andrews, poetic contributor to Amazing Stories. Few know that Pohl and Andrews are one, and that the old GNYSFL was a mere shell, attended, for the most part, only by the Director and his many pseudonyms. The members now numbered eleven. The Chapter became the most active east of Los Angeles. (Perhaps the only one active, E. of L. A., Philadelphia to the contrary.) By the end of April a lucky thirteen were loyal QSFLers. The month of June saw the most important change in the Chapter. The roster was enlarged by five new members, three of them the leading lights of the (now ex-) Washington Heights, N. Y., SFL: David H. Charney, Chester Fein and Cyril Kornbluth. Most important, however, was the authorization of TWS's Editorial Director, Leo Margulies, for the change of title from Queens to Greater New York Chapter, and the issuance of anew charter. Saga!: Twelve months . . . July to June Members . . . two to eighteen Flushing . . . to Queens . . . to Greater New York Vivat! . . . But this had better stop before it gets to sound too much like a Tremaine editorial.
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