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Fantasy Commentator, v. 1, issue 9, Winter 1945-1946
Page 232
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232 FANTASY COMMENTATOR to the heads of every Science Fiction League chapter, and undoubtedly converted many fans to real activity in the field. The only other league organ of importance was Lincoln SFL Doings, published by the Lincoln, Illinois chapter, which was headed by P. H. Thompson. This group soon faded into inactivity, however, without having made any substantial contribution to the fan world. Two other locals are worthy of passing mention. In England Douglas F. Mayer headed the league's first foreign branch at Leeds, a chapter which was to include many of the most important science-fictionists in the area and proves a rallying-point for British fans generally. In Philadelphia the chapter of Milton A. Rothman was likewise destined to have a long and active life. A second SFL quiz had been published, and the organization presented a placid surface mirroring national cooperation. But beneath this calm were beginning to flow currents that were to wreck the league's efficient functioning completely. The sources of these were not only the Terrestial Fantascience Guild and the International Scientific Association, but the greater New York chapters of the Science Fiction League itself. Development and interdependence of the latter will now be considered in detail. William S. Sykora, who had entered fandom when he attended a few of the late Scienceer meetings, was director of the New York City chapter, whose roster also included Julius Schwartz, Conrad H. Ruppert, Donald A. Wollheim and John B. Michel. Here for the first time the first and second fandom groups were meeting on common ground, and the close contact only emphasized the rift dividing them. The younger members, justly or no, felt that the attitude of veterans toward them was patronizing and at times antagonistic, and these mutual differences were unquestionably involved in the genesis of the trouble into which the chapter quickly drifted. Meetings were held alternately at the homes of Sykora and Ruppert. From the first this was the group for which Hornig held the highest hopes. His dream of making it the SFL showpiece was doomed never to be realized, however. The membership never exceeded the original five, and since these five promptly split into two factions having little in common Hornig in desperation finally issued a plea for someone to take the job of reorganizing the chapter and putting it on its feet. But no offers were forthcoming. In Brooklyn, meanwhile, more trouble was afoot. At a well-attended meeting with Hornig himself present, member Harold Kirschenblit was voted out of the secretary's office on charges of gross inefficiency. Disgruntled by this, Kirschenblit later wrote to Hornig, saying that there was no reason why a borough the size of Brooklyn could not have two SFL chapters; Hornig consenting, a group of fans was rounded up and Kirschenblit applied for a charter. This was granted, and in June, 1935 he was appointed director of the Eastern New York SFL, subsidiary 1A of the Brooklyn chapter. By making it a subsidiary club Hornig hoped to maintain a greater measure of control over it, as Clark, head of the parent chapter, was quite friendly to him. Harold Kirschenblit had not shown any outstanding abilities at leadership prior to this time, but the new group he headed blossomed forth remarkably. This was due not only to his own native ability, but to a rapid decline of the parent Brooklyn chapter. There are several reasons for this decline. First of all, its activities fell off in interest. Aside from publication of The Brooklyn Reporter the only serious pursuit undertaken was a weak attempt to catalog fantasy cartoons; and in a day when the groundwork of fandom was in the process of being built this was idly luxury at best. More important, however, was Kirschenblit's favorable location; unlike Clark, he headed a chapter which met near members' homes. And with these factors in his favor, he soon had such active fans as Frederick Pohl, Irving Kosow, Herman Leventman and Marvin Miller attending meetings regularly; frequent visitors were Wollheim and Sykora, with Hornig, Schwartz, Michel and even Clark himself being present occasionally. The editor-
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232 FANTASY COMMENTATOR to the heads of every Science Fiction League chapter, and undoubtedly converted many fans to real activity in the field. The only other league organ of importance was Lincoln SFL Doings, published by the Lincoln, Illinois chapter, which was headed by P. H. Thompson. This group soon faded into inactivity, however, without having made any substantial contribution to the fan world. Two other locals are worthy of passing mention. In England Douglas F. Mayer headed the league's first foreign branch at Leeds, a chapter which was to include many of the most important science-fictionists in the area and proves a rallying-point for British fans generally. In Philadelphia the chapter of Milton A. Rothman was likewise destined to have a long and active life. A second SFL quiz had been published, and the organization presented a placid surface mirroring national cooperation. But beneath this calm were beginning to flow currents that were to wreck the league's efficient functioning completely. The sources of these were not only the Terrestial Fantascience Guild and the International Scientific Association, but the greater New York chapters of the Science Fiction League itself. Development and interdependence of the latter will now be considered in detail. William S. Sykora, who had entered fandom when he attended a few of the late Scienceer meetings, was director of the New York City chapter, whose roster also included Julius Schwartz, Conrad H. Ruppert, Donald A. Wollheim and John B. Michel. Here for the first time the first and second fandom groups were meeting on common ground, and the close contact only emphasized the rift dividing them. The younger members, justly or no, felt that the attitude of veterans toward them was patronizing and at times antagonistic, and these mutual differences were unquestionably involved in the genesis of the trouble into which the chapter quickly drifted. Meetings were held alternately at the homes of Sykora and Ruppert. From the first this was the group for which Hornig held the highest hopes. His dream of making it the SFL showpiece was doomed never to be realized, however. The membership never exceeded the original five, and since these five promptly split into two factions having little in common Hornig in desperation finally issued a plea for someone to take the job of reorganizing the chapter and putting it on its feet. But no offers were forthcoming. In Brooklyn, meanwhile, more trouble was afoot. At a well-attended meeting with Hornig himself present, member Harold Kirschenblit was voted out of the secretary's office on charges of gross inefficiency. Disgruntled by this, Kirschenblit later wrote to Hornig, saying that there was no reason why a borough the size of Brooklyn could not have two SFL chapters; Hornig consenting, a group of fans was rounded up and Kirschenblit applied for a charter. This was granted, and in June, 1935 he was appointed director of the Eastern New York SFL, subsidiary 1A of the Brooklyn chapter. By making it a subsidiary club Hornig hoped to maintain a greater measure of control over it, as Clark, head of the parent chapter, was quite friendly to him. Harold Kirschenblit had not shown any outstanding abilities at leadership prior to this time, but the new group he headed blossomed forth remarkably. This was due not only to his own native ability, but to a rapid decline of the parent Brooklyn chapter. There are several reasons for this decline. First of all, its activities fell off in interest. Aside from publication of The Brooklyn Reporter the only serious pursuit undertaken was a weak attempt to catalog fantasy cartoons; and in a day when the groundwork of fandom was in the process of being built this was idly luxury at best. More important, however, was Kirschenblit's favorable location; unlike Clark, he headed a chapter which met near members' homes. And with these factors in his favor, he soon had such active fans as Frederick Pohl, Irving Kosow, Herman Leventman and Marvin Miller attending meetings regularly; frequent visitors were Wollheim and Sykora, with Hornig, Schwartz, Michel and even Clark himself being present occasionally. The editor-
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