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Renascence, v. 1, issue 1, August 1950

Page 10

FAN!
By Stewart Metchette*

"The Craters on the Moon" (Redd Boggs: Dream Quest No. 5) is one of the surviving records of pre-C-Day fandom. Historian Beggs has described very aptly the general reaction of fans of that era to the return of the first successful moon rocket. His account is used as a preface to this, the future history of fandom, from the days following C-Day to the present time of restricted illegal activity.

After the initial rocket to the moon returned, and the organized sections of fandom consequently collapsed only retained their interest in fan activity. This elite group continued the contact between themselves. despite the fact that they were the only captive fans in the world. Hopeless as the scene appeared, these fans refused to accept the death verdict which the disinterest in fandom and the discontinuance of the professional magazines brought to bear.
This period, almost half a decade, left no surviving records, with exception of scattered amateur journals, somehow rescued from the confusion of the following years, and the memories of the group themselves. It is known that personal letters were circulated in round robin fashion from member to member, and that this was the strongest link which bound the remaining fans together. As the more moderate fans began to find other activities most of the present, and more expanding than fantasy fandom, the numbers of the group diminished. But throughout the whole five years at least four were continually active: they were the core of the movement, recruiting where they could, recontacting old fans when possible, and most important, keeping up the correspondence within the group—this last activity managing to forestall the complete desertion of the Last Fans. Even then, their numbers shrank; the recruits and the old fans who had joined the movement finally and utterly got away from it all.
When it became apparent that the Last Fans had been deserted by all, they formed a covenant. Underhill and Morrison, who acted jointly and two other independents, Marchand and Connally, agreed to carry on the movement and refer to themselves as the Last Fans. Furthermore, they were to move about the scene and try to reinterest people in active fanning. Underhill was the hermit of the Four, and his southwestern ranch was used as a central terminal by the other three? All information to the others, and planned ahead to the day when their first survey was over and the Four could go into council on the subject.
These three ambassadors spread out over the country, dividing the country into segments with Underhill as chief and Pacific-Mountain  operator, and Morrison in the North Midwest, Marchand in the East of TransMississippi, and Connally in the South (this last was the largest segment, but Marchand's the most fertile. At first they set conference two years ahead, but it was nearly three times that duration before Underhill could even approximate a date for a council meeting.
When the ten years mark  had passed since Crater Day, these four fans met in Morrison's capital in the mid west, where thirty years before a convention, dubbed a "World Convention", had firmly established the practice of annual conferences on a national scale. The last half of the decade had been mostly a recruiting task, and around each of the Four had gathered a small band of fans. At the conference, fourteen people attended, varying in age, but all masculine. (No explanation of this has ever been put forward, but the opinion in general is that female fans are not as enduring in fan activities as their male counterparts).
The minutes of the meeting were recorded on tape, and in order to avoid their possible loss  a transcription of the tapes was buried on Underhill's land. (This tape, battered by the wear it subsequently experienced, still remains in the archives at Fan Centre.) Underhill was voted in chairman, and called the meeting to order:
"This meeting of the Last Fans is now in order, and I undertake the action as the chair-man voted into office under democratic ballot.
"We, the Four, know each other quite well, but the groups which have since assembled around the nucleus of the Quadrumvirate is strange to all here attending."
(Here, Underhill introduced his group, and the others of the Four did likewise).
"Thirty years ago," he continued, "the second national convention was held, which definitely established the practice. Since the time that we refer to as C-Day, there has been no succession to South Gate and New Orleans, no organized leagues, no APA's . . . nothing but this group.
"The past years have been one of absolute loneliness for the Last Fans. Only the small group which had gathered around us knew of the past history of fandom, of the individuals who made that history, of the professional magazines (ah!  how common they were in our day; every month saw an odd dozen new issues, from the English speaking world mostly, but also from the Spanish and other Continental countries.)
Five years ago, this elite was collapsing, and by mutual consent we allowed the complete fall to go on until the four of us were left—The Last Fans. The next years were concentrated on reviving fandom as it grew originally: on a local basis, centered about an established fan. We of the Four now see the culmination of that plan, and we now consider the time ripe for a re-uniting of these local fans into a loose federation, so that the new objective of a national fandom will be presented to you fans. That level of activity will entail hard work, and that is the purpose of this meeting: to decide the course of action after our Reuniting. The choices are many, but from the past we can judge whether to operate on local or state levels."
The remainder of the time was devoted to integrating the activities of the individual groups into a master plan. Also, taking note of the disastrous loss of historical material which followed the collapse of general fanning. The Four left notes for a history of fandom. A four member, inter group committee was entrusted with the 
(Continued on next page)

*An historical document from the Archives at Fan Centre, by one of the Historians of the V-Day period.

QUEST — (Continued from preceding page)

For how can they decipher what they've had
'Til they have tested both the good and bad?
A Paradise is but a breath of air
'Til man has that with which he can compare."

The eyes were fading; soon the voice was gone.
I rose from sleep and soon, the curtains were drawn,
Beheld the dawn caress the distant peak
And knew whereof the cosmic voice did speak.

What first I thought the tinkling of a bell
Developed into people laughing well
I find I too can laugh, no longer worn
And lift my head and cry "At last I'm born!"

[second column] [Miss]issippi, and Connally in the South (this last was the largest segment, bt Marchand's the most fertile. At first, they set the conference for two years ahead, but it was nearly three times that duration before Underhill could even approximate a date for a council meeting.
When the ten years mark had passed since Crater Day, these four fans met in Morrison's capital in the mid west where thirty years before a convention, dubbed a "World Convention", had firmly established the practice of annual conferences on a national scale. The last half of the decade had been mostly a recruiting task, and around each of the Four had gathered a small band of fans. At the conference, fourteen people attended, varying in age, but all masculine. (No explanation of this has ever been put forward, but the opinion in general is that female fans are not as enduring in fan activities as their male counterparts).
The minutes of the meeting were recorded on tape, and in order to avoid their possible loss a transcription of the tapes is buried on Underhill's land. (This tape, battered by the wear it subsequently experienced, still remains in the archives at Fan Centre.) Underhill was voted in chairman, and called the meeting to order:
"This meeting of the Last Fans is now in order, and I undertake the action as the chair-man voted into office under democratic ballot.
We, the Four, know each other quite well, but the groups which have since assembled around the nucleus of the Quadrumvirate is strange to all here attending."
(Here, Underhill introduced his group, an the others of the Four did likewise). 
"Thirty years ago," he continued, "the second national convention was held, which definitely established the practice. Since the time that we refer to as C-Day, there has been no succession to South Gate and New Orleans, no organized leagues, no APA's . . . nothing but this group.
"The past years have been one of absolute loneliness for the Last Fans. Only the small group which had gathered around us knew of the past history of fandom, of the individuals who made that history, of the professional magazines (ah! how common they were in our day: every month saw an odd dozen new issues, from the English speaking world mostly, but also from the Spanish and other Continental countries.)
Five years ago, this elite was collapsing, and by mutual consent we allowed the complete fall to go on until the four of us were left--The Last Fans. The next years were concentrated on reviving fandom as it grew originally: on a local basis, centered about an established fan. We of the Four now see the culmination of that plan, and we now consider the time ripe for a re-uniting of these local fans into a loose federation, so that the new objective of a national fandom will be presented to you fans. That level of activity will entail hard work, and that is the purpose of this meeting: to decide the course of action after our Reuniting. The choices are many, but from the past we can judge whether to operate on local or state levels."
The remainder of the time was devoted to integrating the activities of the individual groups into a master plan. Also, taking note of the disastrous loss of historical material which followed the collapse of general fanning. The Four left notes for a history of fandom. A four member, inter group committee was entrusted with the 
(Continued on next page)

Saving...

FAN! By Stewart Metchette* "The Craters on the Moon" (Redd Boggs: Dream Quest No. 5) is one of the surviving records of pre-C-Day fandom. Historian Beggs has described very aptly the general reaction of fans of that era to the return of the first successful moon rocket. His account is used as a preface to this, the future history of fandom, from the days following C-Day to the present time of restricted illegal activity. After the initial rocket to the moon returned, and the organized sections of fandom consequently collapsed only retained their interest in fan activity. This elite group continued the contact between themselves. despite the fact that they were the only captive fans in the world. Hopeless as the scene appeared, these fans refused to accept the death verdict which the disinterest in fandom and the discontinuance of the professional magazines brought to bear. This period, almost half a decade, left no surviving records, with exception of scattered amateur journals, somehow rescued from the confusion of the following years, and the memories of the group themselves. It is known that personal letters were circulated in round robin fashion from member to member, and that this was the strongest link which bound the remaining fans together. As the more moderate fans began to find other activities most of the present, and more expanding than fantasy fandom, the numbers of the group diminished. But throughout the whole five years at least four were continually active: they were the core of the movement, recruiting where they could, recontacting old fans when possible, and most important, keeping up the correspondence within the group—this last activity managing to forestall the complete desertion of the Last Fans. Even then, their numbers shrank; the recruits and the old fans who had joined the movement finally and utterly got away from it all. When it became apparent that the Last Fans had been deserted by all, they formed a covenant. Underhill and Morrison, who acted jointly and two other independents, Marchand and Connally, agreed to carry on the movement and refer to themselves as the Last Fans. Furthermore, they were to move about the scene and try to reinterest people in active fanning. Underhill was the hermit of the Four, and his southwestern ranch was used as a central terminal by the other three? All information to the others, and planned ahead to the day when their first survey was over and the Four could go into council on the subject. These three ambassadors spread out over the country, dividing the country into segments with Underhill as chief and Pacific-Mountain operator, and Morrison in the North Midwest, Marchand in the East of TransMississippi, and Connally in the South (this last was the largest segment, but Marchand's the most fertile. At first they set conference two years ahead, but it was nearly three times that duration before Underhill could even approximate a date for a council meeting. When the ten years mark had passed since Crater Day, these four fans met in Morrison's capital in the mid west, where thirty years before a convention, dubbed a "World Convention", had firmly established the practice of annual conferences on a national scale. The last half of the decade had been mostly a recruiting task, and around each of the Four had gathered a small band of fans. At the conference, fourteen people attended, varying in age, but all masculine. (No explanation of this has ever been put forward, but the opinion in general is that female fans are not as enduring in fan activities as their male counterparts). The minutes of the meeting were recorded on tape, and in order to avoid their possible loss a transcription of the tapes was buried on Underhill's land. (This tape, battered by the wear it subsequently experienced, still remains in the archives at Fan Centre.) Underhill was voted in chairman, and called the meeting to order: "This meeting of the Last Fans is now in order, and I undertake the action as the chair-man voted into office under democratic ballot. "We, the Four, know each other quite well, but the groups which have since assembled around the nucleus of the Quadrumvirate is strange to all here attending." (Here, Underhill introduced his group, and the others of the Four did likewise). "Thirty years ago," he continued, "the second national convention was held, which definitely established the practice. Since the time that we refer to as C-Day, there has been no succession to South Gate and New Orleans, no organized leagues, no APA's . . . nothing but this group. "The past years have been one of absolute loneliness for the Last Fans. Only the small group which had gathered around us knew of the past history of fandom, of the individuals who made that history, of the professional magazines (ah! how common they were in our day; every month saw an odd dozen new issues, from the English speaking world mostly, but also from the Spanish and other Continental countries.) Five years ago, this elite was collapsing, and by mutual consent we allowed the complete fall to go on until the four of us were left—The Last Fans. The next years were concentrated on reviving fandom as it grew originally: on a local basis, centered about an established fan. We of the Four now see the culmination of that plan, and we now consider the time ripe for a re-uniting of these local fans into a loose federation, so that the new objective of a national fandom will be presented to you fans. That level of activity will entail hard work, and that is the purpose of this meeting: to decide the course of action after our Reuniting. The choices are many, but from the past we can judge whether to operate on local or state levels." The remainder of the time was devoted to integrating the activities of the individual groups into a master plan. Also, taking note of the disastrous loss of historical material which followed the collapse of general fanning. The Four left notes for a history of fandom. A four member, inter group committee was entrusted with the (Continued on next page) *An historical document from the Archives at Fan Centre, by one of the Historians of the V-Day period. QUEST — (Continued from preceding page) For how can they decipher what they've had 'Til they have tested both the good and bad? A Paradise is but a breath of air 'Til man has that with which he can compare." The eyes were fading; soon the voice was gone. I rose from sleep and soon, the curtains were drawn, Beheld the dawn caress the distant peak And knew whereof the cosmic voice did speak. What first I thought the tinkling of a bell Developed into people laughing well I find I too can laugh, no longer worn And lift my head and cry "At last I'm born!" [second column] [Miss]issippi, and Connally in the South (this last was the largest segment, bt Marchand's the most fertile. At first, they set the conference for two years ahead, but it was nearly three times that duration before Underhill could even approximate a date for a council meeting. When the ten years mark had passed since Crater Day, these four fans met in Morrison's capital in the mid west where thirty years before a convention, dubbed a "World Convention", had firmly established the practice of annual conferences on a national scale. The last half of the decade had been mostly a recruiting task, and around each of the Four had gathered a small band of fans. At the conference, fourteen people attended, varying in age, but all masculine. (No explanation of this has ever been put forward, but the opinion in general is that female fans are not as enduring in fan activities as their male counterparts). The minutes of the meeting were recorded on tape, and in order to avoid their possible loss a transcription of the tapes is buried on Underhill's land. (This tape, battered by the wear it subsequently experienced, still remains in the archives at Fan Centre.) Underhill was voted in chairman, and called the meeting to order: "This meeting of the Last Fans is now in order, and I undertake the action as the chair-man voted into office under democratic ballot. We, the Four, know each other quite well, but the groups which have since assembled around the nucleus of the Quadrumvirate is strange to all here attending." (Here, Underhill introduced his group, an the others of the Four did likewise). "Thirty years ago," he continued, "the second national convention was held, which definitely established the practice. Since the time that we refer to as C-Day, there has been no succession to South Gate and New Orleans, no organized leagues, no APA's . . . nothing but this group. "The past years have been one of absolute loneliness for the Last Fans. Only the small group which had gathered around us knew of the past history of fandom, of the individuals who made that history, of the professional magazines (ah! how common they were in our day: every month saw an odd dozen new issues, from the English speaking world mostly, but also from the Spanish and other Continental countries.) Five years ago, this elite was collapsing, and by mutual consent we allowed the complete fall to go on until the four of us were left--The Last Fans. The next years were concentrated on reviving fandom as it grew originally: on a local basis, centered about an established fan. We of the Four now see the culmination of that plan, and we now consider the time ripe for a re-uniting of these local fans into a loose federation, so that the new objective of a national fandom will be presented to you fans. That level of activity will entail hard work, and that is the purpose of this meeting: to decide the course of action after our Reuniting. The choices are many, but from the past we can judge whether to operate on local or state levels." The remainder of the time was devoted to integrating the activities of the individual groups into a master plan. Also, taking note of the disastrous loss of historical material which followed the collapse of general fanning. The Four left notes for a history of fandom. A four member, inter group committee was entrusted with the (Continued on next page)