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New Fandom, v. 1, issue 6, 1939

Page 4

4  NEW FANDOM

T̲H̲E̲ ̲W̲O̲R̲L̲D̲ ̲S̲C̲I̲E̲N̲C̲E̲ ̲F̲I̲C̲T̲I̲O̲N̲ ̲C̲O̲N̲V̲E̲N̲T̲I̲O̲N̲!̲
̲T̲H̲E̲ ̲F̲I̲R̲S̲T̲ ̲D̲A̲Y̲,̲ ̲J̲u̲l̲y̲ ̲2̲,̲ ̲1̲9̲3̲9̲

We will do away with the self -glorification and launch ourselves directly into an account of the greatest convention of all time; "The First World Science Fiction Convention".

July 2, 1939 fans began arriving early. At 10:00 A.M. there were quite a large number of editors, authors and fans already at the hall. As you probably know, if you received a copy of the superlative convention program, the opening session was a get-together affair from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon. Fans were able to meet, be introduced (as if any fan took the trouble to be introduced), and really get to know those famous scientifiction personalities that they had heard so very much about. Everyone who was anybody in the science-fiction world was at the World Convention. And hardly a one that did not come away with the remark that it was the greatest event they had ever witnessed. They were in veritible ecstacy [sic] throughout the entire affair, Your editor knows that when he gets tired all the fun drops out of things, but I did not get a decent night's rest for a week straight and was on the 
go at least 18 hours a day, yet the only emotion I seemed to register was one of delirious joy.
     There was a little trouble at first when some communists attempted to break in with a stack of communistic and anti-convention booklets. It was finally necessary to call the   police to keep them out, but luckily.their attempts to ruin the day for the scientifictionists who had sacrificed so much to make this event a grand success were frustrated.   This was virtually the only bit of shoddiness at the Convention.   From then on, for the very first   time, the fans were shown how a science fiction convention s̲h̲o̲u̲l̲d̲ be run.  And was it a success? Well just look at page 32 in the "convention issue" of "Time" magazine. It was a success from many standpoints. It gave visiting fans the time of   their   lives. It introduced many new readers to fandom. It was a sound financial investment. It got new readers and valuable publicity for professional magazines through the write-up in "Time" and through the paid advertisements in the printed program. And no doubt you could pick out many more examples of success-value.
     The Convention was called to order at about 8:30 P.M. Chairman Moskowitz mounted the platform and waited for order. He then officially declared "The World Science Fiction Convention" in session.
He asked for a volunteer to keep the minutes of the  Convention. Raymond Van Houten volunteered and was accepted. Then Moskowitz launched into the welcome address which is reprinted in full elsewhere in this issue.   First called upon was William S. Sykora who spoke on "Scienoe Fiction and New Fandom". Sykora emphasized, indirectly, the spirit behind New Fandom which was simply to boost science fiotion to greater heights than it had previously done. He exemplified better than we can repeat here, that if fandom wanted things done right, there was one organization which could do it —- NEW FANDOM!
     "Science Fiction and the Spirit of Youth" was the subject of the famous fantasy artist's, Frank R. Paul*s, speech, but due to the fact

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4 NEW FANDOM T̲H̲E̲ ̲W̲O̲R̲L̲D̲ ̲S̲C̲I̲E̲N̲C̲E̲ ̲F̲I̲C̲T̲I̲O̲N̲ ̲C̲O̲N̲V̲E̲N̲T̲I̲O̲N̲!̲ ̲T̲H̲E̲ ̲F̲I̲R̲S̲T̲ ̲D̲A̲Y̲,̲ ̲J̲u̲l̲y̲ ̲2̲,̲ ̲1̲9̲3̲9̲ We will do away with the self -glorification and launch ourselves directly into an account of the greatest convention of all time; "The First World Science Fiction Convention". July 2, 1939 fans began arriving early. At 10:00 A.M. there were quite a large number of editors, authors and fans already at the hall. As you probably know, if you received a copy of the superlative convention program, the opening session was a get-together affair from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon. Fans were able to meet, be introduced (as if any fan took the trouble to be introduced), and really get to know those famous scientifiction personalities that they had heard so very much about. Everyone who was anybody in the science-fiction world was at the World Convention. And hardly a one that did not come away with the remark that it was the greatest event they had ever witnessed. They were in veritible ecstacy [sic] throughout the entire affair, Your editor knows that when he gets tired all the fun drops out of things, but I did not get a decent night's rest for a week straight and was on the go at least 18 hours a day, yet the only emotion I seemed to register was one of delirious joy. There was a little trouble at first when some communists attempted to break in with a stack of communistic and anti-convention booklets. It was finally necessary to call the police to keep them out, but luckily.their attempts to ruin the day for the scientifictionists who had sacrificed so much to make this event a grand success were frustrated. This was virtually the only bit of shoddiness at the Convention. From then on, for the very first time, the fans were shown how a science fiction convention s̲h̲o̲u̲l̲d̲ be run. And was it a success? Well just look at page 32 in the "convention issue" of "Time" magazine. It was a success from many standpoints. It gave visiting fans the time of their lives. It introduced many new readers to fandom. It was a sound financial investment. It got new readers and valuable publicity for professional magazines through the write-up in "Time" and through the paid advertisements in the printed program. And no doubt you could pick out many more examples of success-value. The Convention was called to order at about 8:30 P.M. Chairman Moskowitz mounted the platform and waited for order. He then officially declared "The World Science Fiction Convention" in session. He asked for a volunteer to keep the minutes of the Convention. Raymond Van Houten volunteered and was accepted. Then Moskowitz launched into the welcome address which is reprinted in full elsewhere in this issue. First called upon was William S. Sykora who spoke on "Scienoe Fiction and New Fandom". Sykora emphasized, indirectly, the spirit behind New Fandom which was simply to boost science fiotion to greater heights than it had previously done. He exemplified better than we can repeat here, that if fandom wanted things done right, there was one organization which could do it —- NEW FANDOM! "Science Fiction and the Spirit of Youth" was the subject of the famous fantasy artist's, Frank R. Paul*s, speech, but due to the fact