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Voice of the Imagination, whole no. 36, October 1944
Page 5
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IMAGI-NATION 5 William Boring-Gould of TIME: I really had two reasons for writing so many fan editors for copies of their publications. The first reason is that for more than 20 years I have been reading fantasy fiction in a big way -- and collecting it in a small way. Yet I don't believe in all that time I have ever written a letter to an editor, a letter to another fan or read a copy of one of the science fiction fan magazines. So I decided that I was missing something -- and after looking through the collection sent me, I decided I certainly was. But I had another reason for collecting this material and that is that I am very definitely thinking of it as a background for an upcoming literary project. I would like to make it very clear that this has nothing to do with a story in TIME, although I do work for TIME (but on the business side and business people don't get their name on TIME's masthead unless they happen to be H.H.S. Phillips, Jr., Advertising Manager). I'm sorry that I have to be mysterious about this literary project for the time being at least but I would like you to know that I believe it is one that will very much interest every science fiction fan -- and one that every science fiction fan can approve of. I got an interesting letter from Andy Anderson, editor of Centauri. He says, "In ordinary times, we have a yearly world convention. Occassionally these have disturbances of a sort from those who take their hobby too seriously." After reading through a good many of the magazines I have received, I would guess that there are a few fans who do take their hobby too seriously. But I think it speaks tremendously well for science fiction that it has gathered about it such an active, articulate, enthusiastic and sincere group of fans ( I know of no other literary field which can say the same) and I think this says a lot too for the fans themselves. WBG: ok # FRED BAKER, Box 234, Boykins, Va, Va, postcards: Am glad to see that fandoms mirror is no longer in danger of being broken by the post office department. Mite have brot fandom seven years bad luck in the form of a general fmz. ban. Now I can stop locking Vom up in my fen closet and read it in presence of my parents without fear of discovery of the uncovery. Am glad to see there is less controversial punography too. Also let religion quit getting kicked around. That is one subject that no two people will exactly agree on and all have prefomulated opinionson. I too would like to see a little more of the so called "illusions' and grandiose plans started up again but would rather see a conservative practical plan to get a little of the minor dreams within reach done than plans to reshape the world to fandoms ideals. # Harry WARNER JR, 303 Bryan Pl, Hagerstown, Maryland, relates: By now, the news is probably all over fandom that the Hermit of Hagerstown emerged one August Sunday and spent the day in both Baltimore and Philadelphia. I was unable to visit personally any fans in either place, and for that matter, didn't even get to a telephone in Baltimore until very late in the evening, too late to risk a call to Kummer or Sykora. Trustingly, though, I acted upon S. Mason's VOM suggestion and phoned this Jean Bogert, who is apparently the only Philly fan rich enough to have a telephone. The conversation was either ludicrous or tragic; I can't be quite sure which. Answering my ring was what sounded like a young voice. I asked for Miss Jean Bogert, and was told to wait a minute. On came a very deep but unmistakably feminine voice. "Miss Jean Bogert?" Wait a minute, was the response. The third time, I hit the jackpot, and got Miss Jean Bogert. But it turned out not to be worth the effort. Her share of the two-minute conversation was devoted to alternating "I think so" and "I don't think so" as replies to my desperate attempts to speak as one fan to the other. I finally gave up when she replied to my desperate question on whether she was connected with the Philly Futurians, "I think so." After that experience, I gave up all intentions of actually visiting anyone, though i would have like to see Ossie Train. To Milty, I'd like to express my doubts that the returning soldier will have altered in character sufficiently to make him instantly recognizable as such, once he gets back in civilian life, though military experience will have changed him. I've become acquainted with two or three fellows locally recently, and learned only after several weeks that they had been discharged from the service; not having known them before they went into uniform. I can't say whether they're different now, but they aren't recognizably different from the all-out civilian. I suspect that the majority of men to go back to civilian life after the war are going to be more extraverted than when they entered the service, unsatisfied with their jobs, and in the habit of raising hell at every opportunity. The average soldier will have had about twice the length of service that his father had in the first world war, so the fact that the Legionnaire isn't particularly different from those who dodged the first world war draft doesn't mean too much. Wonder whether Evans was really serious when he wrote his "anecdote"? It sounds like a page from Elmer Gantry. Charley McNutt is in the doghouse because of the way he tried to bluff out of the charge of plagiarism against "Intolerance", yet I like his paragraph on Laney's habit of getting all worked up over an entirely trivial point. I can't quite figure out why you should stop publishing nudes when the voting on the matter didn't goagainst them, but am most happy to see the thing accomplished, through whatever cause. My next campaign, I suppose, must be leveled against the legal-size
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IMAGI-NATION 5 William Boring-Gould of TIME: I really had two reasons for writing so many fan editors for copies of their publications. The first reason is that for more than 20 years I have been reading fantasy fiction in a big way -- and collecting it in a small way. Yet I don't believe in all that time I have ever written a letter to an editor, a letter to another fan or read a copy of one of the science fiction fan magazines. So I decided that I was missing something -- and after looking through the collection sent me, I decided I certainly was. But I had another reason for collecting this material and that is that I am very definitely thinking of it as a background for an upcoming literary project. I would like to make it very clear that this has nothing to do with a story in TIME, although I do work for TIME (but on the business side and business people don't get their name on TIME's masthead unless they happen to be H.H.S. Phillips, Jr., Advertising Manager). I'm sorry that I have to be mysterious about this literary project for the time being at least but I would like you to know that I believe it is one that will very much interest every science fiction fan -- and one that every science fiction fan can approve of. I got an interesting letter from Andy Anderson, editor of Centauri. He says, "In ordinary times, we have a yearly world convention. Occassionally these have disturbances of a sort from those who take their hobby too seriously." After reading through a good many of the magazines I have received, I would guess that there are a few fans who do take their hobby too seriously. But I think it speaks tremendously well for science fiction that it has gathered about it such an active, articulate, enthusiastic and sincere group of fans ( I know of no other literary field which can say the same) and I think this says a lot too for the fans themselves. WBG: ok # FRED BAKER, Box 234, Boykins, Va, Va, postcards: Am glad to see that fandoms mirror is no longer in danger of being broken by the post office department. Mite have brot fandom seven years bad luck in the form of a general fmz. ban. Now I can stop locking Vom up in my fen closet and read it in presence of my parents without fear of discovery of the uncovery. Am glad to see there is less controversial punography too. Also let religion quit getting kicked around. That is one subject that no two people will exactly agree on and all have prefomulated opinionson. I too would like to see a little more of the so called "illusions' and grandiose plans started up again but would rather see a conservative practical plan to get a little of the minor dreams within reach done than plans to reshape the world to fandoms ideals. # Harry WARNER JR, 303 Bryan Pl, Hagerstown, Maryland, relates: By now, the news is probably all over fandom that the Hermit of Hagerstown emerged one August Sunday and spent the day in both Baltimore and Philadelphia. I was unable to visit personally any fans in either place, and for that matter, didn't even get to a telephone in Baltimore until very late in the evening, too late to risk a call to Kummer or Sykora. Trustingly, though, I acted upon S. Mason's VOM suggestion and phoned this Jean Bogert, who is apparently the only Philly fan rich enough to have a telephone. The conversation was either ludicrous or tragic; I can't be quite sure which. Answering my ring was what sounded like a young voice. I asked for Miss Jean Bogert, and was told to wait a minute. On came a very deep but unmistakably feminine voice. "Miss Jean Bogert?" Wait a minute, was the response. The third time, I hit the jackpot, and got Miss Jean Bogert. But it turned out not to be worth the effort. Her share of the two-minute conversation was devoted to alternating "I think so" and "I don't think so" as replies to my desperate attempts to speak as one fan to the other. I finally gave up when she replied to my desperate question on whether she was connected with the Philly Futurians, "I think so." After that experience, I gave up all intentions of actually visiting anyone, though i would have like to see Ossie Train. To Milty, I'd like to express my doubts that the returning soldier will have altered in character sufficiently to make him instantly recognizable as such, once he gets back in civilian life, though military experience will have changed him. I've become acquainted with two or three fellows locally recently, and learned only after several weeks that they had been discharged from the service; not having known them before they went into uniform. I can't say whether they're different now, but they aren't recognizably different from the all-out civilian. I suspect that the majority of men to go back to civilian life after the war are going to be more extraverted than when they entered the service, unsatisfied with their jobs, and in the habit of raising hell at every opportunity. The average soldier will have had about twice the length of service that his father had in the first world war, so the fact that the Legionnaire isn't particularly different from those who dodged the first world war draft doesn't mean too much. Wonder whether Evans was really serious when he wrote his "anecdote"? It sounds like a page from Elmer Gantry. Charley McNutt is in the doghouse because of the way he tried to bluff out of the charge of plagiarism against "Intolerance", yet I like his paragraph on Laney's habit of getting all worked up over an entirely trivial point. I can't quite figure out why you should stop publishing nudes when the voting on the matter didn't goagainst them, but am most happy to see the thing accomplished, through whatever cause. My next campaign, I suppose, must be leveled against the legal-size
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