1 WIERDS DID IT the Title Is Inspired By
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WIERDS DID IT The title is inspired by 'The Ruin', an 8th century Anglo-Saxon poem describing the ruined Roman/British city of Aquae-Sulis (Bath), in which, as was the common usage of the time, the term 'wierd' (also 'wyrd', 'werd', modern spelling 'weird') is a noun referring to a race of fates or supramundane beings that do odd things. "Well-wrought this wall: Wierds broke it. The stronghold burst...." -- 'The Earliest English Poems', Penguin Classics. Thus do Science Fiction fans assault the fortress of Mundania! 1968/1969 ACADEMIC YEAR: BEGINNINGS OF THAT WHICH SPAWNED BCSFA: In the fall of 1968 a bunch of University of British Columbia (UBC) students who worked part time in the University computer centre maintained a 'lending library' of SF books for members of their group. Two of these students, Maynard Hogg and Claire Toynbee, decided it would be neat and nifty to develop the group into an on-campus Science Fiction club. So Claire Toynbee put a notice in the student newspaper "The Ubyssey" to promote a meeting (at 12:40 pm, October 9th, 1968 in Math 104) to establish a club. Twelve 'members' (of the library group) and possibly as many as 12-13 newcomers, some of whom had been unaware that other fans -- let alone fandom -- existed on campus, answered the call. Among the students showing up for the first meeting were Mike Bailey (who later founded BCSFAzine), Daniel Say (who later got the ball rolling for the first V-Con -- I know, it wasn't called V- Con, something which will be explained at the appropriate time), as well as Brent Maclean, Ed Beauregard, Maynard Hogg, Claire Toynbee, Bill Webb, Vince Manis, and Don Marquardt. According to the minutes (a copy of which is miraculously preserved in the WCSFA archive -- donated by Ken Wong), Maynard Hogg acted as Chair, whereupon he appointed the following: UBC SFFEN EXECUTIVE (Temporary) - 1968/1969 ACADEMIC YEAR General Chairman -- Maynard Hogg Secretary/Treasurer -- Claire Toynbee Librarian -- Don Marquardt Information Officer & Public Relations Officer -- Mike Bailey Among business conducted: Maynard reported that 20 people had been signed up at Clubs Day (thus indicating this was merely the first 'formal' meeting of a club in active preparation); it was announced the lending library would now be housed in a locker within the Student Union building (S.U.B.); and it 1 was felt that it would be in the interests of the club to join the National Fan Fantasy Federation. After 40 minutes of discussion, the meeting was adjourned Ed Beauregard remembers the meeting as rather dull and that the only activity the new club offered was the lending library which was open just two afternoons a week. However, membership was but 2 dollars and 5 books. As Ed put it: "At the next meeting I coughed up the $2 plus the five worst books culled from my collection." The second meeting was held October 29th, 1968, in Buchanan 222. Formal elections resulted in: UBC SFFEN EXECUTIVE - 1968/1969 ACADEMIC YEAR Chairman -- Maynard Hogg Secretary/Treasurer -- Claire Toynbee Librarian -- Don Marquardt Public Relations Officer -- Vince Manis Information Officer -- Mike Bailey (because he actually knew something about fanzines) Among business conducted: it was reported that the lending library would be moved into locker 16 in the S.U.B.; carried that "all notices of general interest to the club would be posted on the club's locker;" suggested that 'discussion groups' be organized on an informal basis; and that next month's meeting outline a program for the club. In addition, there was a lengthy "discussion about organization of library files. It was decided to keep the file on IBM cards. Vince volunteered to lend his report generator for the IBM 1130 for library lists..." The club, already known as the UBC SFFEN by the second meeting, was neither large nor especially active in the 1968/1969 academic year. As Mike Bailey put it: "It neither received nor published any fanzines and had no contact with fandom at large. Most importantly, no personal bonds were welded among club members and consequently the club was weak." However, before the end of the academic year, the club did produce a constitution (in April of 1969), no doubt with the intention of laying the groundwork for the club's function and activities in the 1969/1970 academic year to come. Article I stated: "The name of the club shall be UBC Science Fiction Fan Club, abbreviated as SFFEN or UBC SFFEN." Other Articles of interest include: Article II: "Purpose of club. 1) To provide reading material to science fiction fans on the UBC campus. 2) To provide information about the field of science fiction to science fiction fans on campus." Article V: "All banking and financing shall be done through the Alma Mater Society subject to rule and regulations of the A.M.S." 2 And among the Bylaws, Bylaw IV (Duties of Officers) includes the following: That (among other duties) the Public Relations Officer "shall represent the club in all dealings with the UBC Alma Mater Society and the University Clubs Committee," And that the Information Officer "A) Shall be responsible for publication of a club newsletter at least bimonthly during the University year, B) Shall, through the newsletter, keep club informed of club activities and of current events in Science Fiction and fantasy fandom." In fact, No newsletter or fanzine was published (just the minutes and copies of the constitution) but the next academic year (1969/1970) would witness the birth of the UBC SFFEN Newsletter. To sum up the activities of the club in its first year, the group met infrequently (for one thing, they lacked an office on campus) but as they were a UBC club they could and did reserve on occasion rooms in the Student Union Building (SUB) for partying purposes, usually on Friday nights. Most parties were held in member's homes. Claire Toynbee, who was a member of MENSA (the organization of high IQ people) hosted several, sometimes combining UBC SFFEN meetings with MENSA meetings (which must have been interesting!). A small beginning, but a beginning. 1969/1970 ACADEMIC YEAR: The first meeting in the new academic year was held 16th September, 1969. It was decided to man a booth at the UBC Clubs Day and recruit like mad. Thanks primarily to the energetic efforts of Daniel Say, about 40 to 50 people left their names and addresses at the booth, some of whom did eventually join the club, including Norma Hele, whom Ed Beauregard later married. The legendary Daniel Say was a phenomenon in his own right. Ed Beauregard describes Mr. Say in Garth Spencer's history of BCSFA "On The Bonny, Bonny Banks Of The Fraser" as follows: "Dan Say was unquestionably the most energetic, the most vocal, and the most enthusiastic of our group. He seemed to have embraced the concept of fandom with almost religious fervour. His 'conversation' was essentially an ongoing monologue filled with humour, insult, sarcasm and just plain bullshit. His appearance today is unchanged from UBC days, and among callow students he was certainly a sight to behold. His perpetual air of superiority offered no offense, since it was coupled with the most incredible behavior, which could not fail to leave one laughing hysterically. I became one of his favourite targets, and the verbal jousting did much to sharpen my own skills." My own recollection of Daniel Say (based on my involvement with the club in 1971/1972) was that he would dominate a room as soon as he entered, bouncing up and down in one place, clapping his hands in glee as he fired off a torrent of ideas faster than the human mind could follow. Boredom was instantly vanquished. You couldn't help but be infected by his excitement. A most interesting character, and extremely useful to the club. On either 7th or 17th of October 1969 the club's second executive was elected: UBC SFFEN EXECUTIVE - 1969/1970 ACADEMIC YEAR 3 General Chairman -- Maynard Hogg Secretary/Treasurer -- Norma Hele Librarian -- Christina Moore Public Relations Officer -- Nadir Mirhardy Publications Officer -- Ed Beauregard Because of the increased membership, the University AMS decided to grant the club use of room SUB 216F in the Student Union Building for an office. This inspired Ed to publish Vol. 1, #1 of the UBC SFFEN Newsletter, dated October 1969, with a banner headline reading: "GLORIOUS NEWS FROM THE BUREAUCRATIC FRONT!" In it he announced the acquisition of the office and encouraged members to bring their friends. The office served as a permanent meeting place (discussion groups every monday night, for instance), as a drop-in centre, and as a secure base for their rapidly growing lending library of SF magazines and books. During November 1969, the office now available, club activity picked up. For one thing, members began coming up with ambitious proposals, such as inviting Isaac Asimov to come and lecture. The club contacted the AMS Speakers Committee and they wrote to Asimov. He wrote back: "I am the last person left in our jetset society who absolutely refuses to use airplanes. Consequently I don't travel long distances and will probably never see British Columbia." Vol. 1 #2 of the newsletter was published in November. Again Ed pleaded for members to encourage friends to join. He also advocated showing a film to raise funds sufficient to produce a fanzine, but what with the spectre of impending Christmas exams, this was put off till January of 1970. Meanwhile the club did find enough energy to apply to Canada Council for a grant paying the expenses of four people to travel to Heicon, the 1970 Worldcon (in Heidelberg, Germany).