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Fanfare, v. 1, issue 4, October 1940
Page 17
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FANFARE - R.D. SWISHER - 17 an informal sketch, being composed of extracts from letters written by Earl Singleton (3-10-40: to DVS) ...You will perhaps recall that I mentioned in a previous letter about having visited Campbell when in New York on my way back up to Boston last month. Anyway, Campbell told me that Dr. Swisher (cf. What Are Positrons?--Yeah, what?--, Astounding for August, 1937) lives in Winchester, which just happens to be a part of greater Boston. And since I showed signs of becoming a fan, Campbell said that I might be interested in getting in touch with Dr. Swisher, who, he explained, was pretty much of a fan himself. I have been meaning to call Swisher ever since I got back, but you know how one delays...Well, the thing that brings it all up at this present writing is a card I received from one Art Widner, Jr. (the fellow who wrote that atrocious comic poem in Spaceways--I think he is also conducting a poll or something), and he says that a group of fans will get together at Swisher's on the 16th for the purpose of organizing an Eastern Massachusetts Scientifiction Society. Of course I shall be there... Wonder what Swisher is like... (3-20-40: to DVS) ...We had the meeting, all right. I found the house--a lovely, two story red brick structure, with lawn, trees, and ten Elevated System They had already started things... Swisher has a pretty wife, who is as talkative as any woman (in an argumentative sort of way), and wittier than most. She strings along with the scientifiction crowd, undoubtedly not through any native interest in the stuff, but simply because the Doc is in it. They seem an admirably matched couple... He is under thirty, I'd say; five-elevenish, two-hundredish; dark curly hair, and dark eyes, maybe--as you know, I never remember colors--; an unusually quiet person, when he does say something, it's usually much to the point. Perhaps he feels he has to maintain a dignified front before the more evident exuberance of the younger members; and then again, perhaps he's just naturally inclined to be a little laconic--I suspect the latter. Lots of westerners are that way. Yes, he comes from out west, too; was born in your favorite city of Denver (Plug--Ed.), and has lived in several western and mid-western states. He and Mrs. Swisher have been in Boston only for the last four or five years... Upon adjournment of an exceedingly interesting and highly successful meeting, we had ice cream. That was the new—born club's idea of a real conclusion! I carried away the impression that Swisher, Widner, and Chauvenet are the nucleus around which the club will finally shape itself... (5-1-40: to BDB) ...Was out at Swisher's the other day--to be exact, on Easter. Received, on entering the living room, a terrific surprise to behold John Campbell stretched out in an easy chair, house-slippered feet propped up on a foot stool After we were introduced--for the second time--, he remembered liking To Don A. Stuart when I showed it to him in New York. His wife was there, too. It seems that the Swishers and the Campbells have been great friends ever since the former arrived in Boston, and Dr. Swisher looked up Campbell here in Cambridge; and that now they exchange visits back and forth between Bosto n and New York. Accordingly, the Swishers know many of Campbell's friends, such as L. Sprague (WHERTH*) de Camp, L. Ron Hubbard, John D. Clark, Fletcher Pratt, Willey Ley, and so on...in fact, the last named spent several days in Winchester as a guest of the Swichers. Campbell talks astoundingly well, but unlike Swisher, he does so much of it that I found plenty of time, while pretending to listen, to get a better look at the living room that I had gotten before. The place is full of books: I noticed Cabell's Jurgen, James Joyce's Ully- ------------------------------------------------------------- *WHERTH: Will He Ever Replace The Horse?
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FANFARE - R.D. SWISHER - 17 an informal sketch, being composed of extracts from letters written by Earl Singleton (3-10-40: to DVS) ...You will perhaps recall that I mentioned in a previous letter about having visited Campbell when in New York on my way back up to Boston last month. Anyway, Campbell told me that Dr. Swisher (cf. What Are Positrons?--Yeah, what?--, Astounding for August, 1937) lives in Winchester, which just happens to be a part of greater Boston. And since I showed signs of becoming a fan, Campbell said that I might be interested in getting in touch with Dr. Swisher, who, he explained, was pretty much of a fan himself. I have been meaning to call Swisher ever since I got back, but you know how one delays...Well, the thing that brings it all up at this present writing is a card I received from one Art Widner, Jr. (the fellow who wrote that atrocious comic poem in Spaceways--I think he is also conducting a poll or something), and he says that a group of fans will get together at Swisher's on the 16th for the purpose of organizing an Eastern Massachusetts Scientifiction Society. Of course I shall be there... Wonder what Swisher is like... (3-20-40: to DVS) ...We had the meeting, all right. I found the house--a lovely, two story red brick structure, with lawn, trees, and ten Elevated System They had already started things... Swisher has a pretty wife, who is as talkative as any woman (in an argumentative sort of way), and wittier than most. She strings along with the scientifiction crowd, undoubtedly not through any native interest in the stuff, but simply because the Doc is in it. They seem an admirably matched couple... He is under thirty, I'd say; five-elevenish, two-hundredish; dark curly hair, and dark eyes, maybe--as you know, I never remember colors--; an unusually quiet person, when he does say something, it's usually much to the point. Perhaps he feels he has to maintain a dignified front before the more evident exuberance of the younger members; and then again, perhaps he's just naturally inclined to be a little laconic--I suspect the latter. Lots of westerners are that way. Yes, he comes from out west, too; was born in your favorite city of Denver (Plug--Ed.), and has lived in several western and mid-western states. He and Mrs. Swisher have been in Boston only for the last four or five years... Upon adjournment of an exceedingly interesting and highly successful meeting, we had ice cream. That was the new—born club's idea of a real conclusion! I carried away the impression that Swisher, Widner, and Chauvenet are the nucleus around which the club will finally shape itself... (5-1-40: to BDB) ...Was out at Swisher's the other day--to be exact, on Easter. Received, on entering the living room, a terrific surprise to behold John Campbell stretched out in an easy chair, house-slippered feet propped up on a foot stool After we were introduced--for the second time--, he remembered liking To Don A. Stuart when I showed it to him in New York. His wife was there, too. It seems that the Swishers and the Campbells have been great friends ever since the former arrived in Boston, and Dr. Swisher looked up Campbell here in Cambridge; and that now they exchange visits back and forth between Bosto n and New York. Accordingly, the Swishers know many of Campbell's friends, such as L. Sprague (WHERTH*) de Camp, L. Ron Hubbard, John D. Clark, Fletcher Pratt, Willey Ley, and so on...in fact, the last named spent several days in Winchester as a guest of the Swichers. Campbell talks astoundingly well, but unlike Swisher, he does so much of it that I found plenty of time, while pretending to listen, to get a better look at the living room that I had gotten before. The place is full of books: I noticed Cabell's Jurgen, James Joyce's Ully- ------------------------------------------------------------- *WHERTH: Will He Ever Replace The Horse?
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