SCIENTIFICTION New Series #55 SCIENTIFICTION A publication of First Fandom - New Series #55, 1st Quarter 2018 William N. Beard (1935 - 2017) Ursula K. Le Guin (1929 - 2018) WILLIAM N. BEARD IN THIS ISSUE (1935 - 2017) P. 2: President’s Message re: Members P. 3: Birthdays; William N. Beard P. 4: Remembering Ursula K. Le Guin P. 5: Obituary Notices for Several Friends P. 6: News; First Fandom Fund-Raising P. 7: The Gods of Rushmore (by Es Cole) P. 9: First Fandom Archive and SF Library P. 10: Windy City Pulp & Paper Convention P. 10: Science Fiction Exhibit (Pasadena) P. 11: Correspondence; Seeking Material William N. Beard P. 12: Photograph Gallery; STF Masthead (Photograph courtesy of Ann L. Beard) In Memoriam: Science Fiction enthusiast, veteran, musician, long-time associate member of First Fandom and our friend, Bill Beard passed away on June 27, 2017. Date: August 16-20, 2018 San José, CA URSULA K. LE GUIN Guests of Honor: Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, (1929 - 2018) Spider Robinson, John Picacio, Frank Hayes, and Pierre & Sandy Pettinger. For Information: www.worldcon76.org/. FIRST FANDOM AWARDS, 2018 A ballot is enclosed for members to cast their votes for the annual First Fandom Awards. Please return ballots by May 15th. CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE Ursula K. Le Guin Arlan K. Andrews, Ann L. Beard, Es & Les (Photograph by Eileen Gunn) Cole, Mary Ellen Daugherty, Vincent Docherty, Ron Fortier, Mike Glyer, Eileen In Memoriam: Award-winning author, Gunn, Mandy Jones, David Langford, Bob inspirational teacher, acclaimed scholar, Madle, Charles Meyer, Christopher M. distinguished poet, editor, honored guest O’Brien, Andrew I. Porter, The San Gabriel and SF Grand Master, Ursula K. Le Guin Valley Tribune, Steven H. Silver, Keith W. passed away on January 22, 2018. Stokes, The Star Press and Jon D. Swartz. SCIENTIFICTION New Series #55, page 2 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE INACTIVE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS William N. Beard’s wife Ann informed me Earlier this year I wrote to twenty associate that Bill passed away last year after he was members who had not paid dues for years, injured in an accidental fall. She said that while at the same time they continued to Bill enjoyed reading and collecting science receive paper copies of SCIENTIFICTION. fiction and attended “a lot of conventions.” I asked them if they were still interested in I met Ursula K. Le Guin at the 1989 World belonging to First Fandom, and if they were Fantasy Convention. In 2007, I was the able to do so, to send their current dues. moderator for a teleconference with Le Guin We have not heard from these members: (I-Con 26, Long Island, NY) and had the opportunity to present her with the Raymond Robert O. Adair, Robert Beerbohm, William Z. Gallun Award for Lifetime Achievement. C. Bohle, Elliot Broderik, John Brudy, Bill We sadly acknowledge the recent passing Cavin, Jerry G. Corder, Betty Fleishel-Lewis, of several special friends and colleagues Jay Holmes, Katherine A. MacLean, Bob & whose lives and work will be remembered: Sue McCormack, Dale Moeller, Jon Stopa, Sandra Sundstrum, Elliot Weinstein, and Karen Anderson (author and SF costumer) Joann Wood. Steven Lopata (teacher and photographer) It may be that our records are inaccurate. Peter Nicholls (editor, writer and academic) Or, these members may have simply lost Kate Wilhelm (writer, editor and teacher) interest over the years, or they have (We thank Steven H. Silver for allowing us to relocated or are no longer among the living. reprint several notices that he prepared.) I ask anyone who can provide information about them to contact me. As of this time, LATEST ASSOCIATE MEMBER they are not going to be dropped from our membership rolls. But, unless we hear from I am pleased to announce that Ted Krulik them soon, they will no longer be receiving has joined First Fandom as an associate paper copies of SCIENTIFICTION, due to member (referred to us by Mr. Jack Lange). the unjustifiable cost of printing and postage. Ted Krulik We also have another group of associate 29-10 137 Street, Apt. 5G members who receive digital copies of the Flushing, NY 11354 newsletter, but have not paid annual dues [email protected] for quite a while. There are no direct costs Ted is a scholar with a strong interest in the to our organization for sending digital copies writings of Roger Zelazny. He has been an of the newsletter to our members. However, active member of SFWA since 1985, and annual dues help to fund all of our activities the Science Fiction Research Association and are a way for people to demonstrate since 1981 (where he edited a long-running real interest in being an associate member. column about SF films for their newsletter). Ted has been a regular participant for years MEMBER DONATES PROGRAM BOOKS at regional conventions, including Lunacon, Philcon and Readercon, and I met him and We thank Mary Lu Lockhart for supporting his wife Roberta 20+ years ago at an I-Con. the First Fandom Archive. She sent copies of program books for Rivercon XIII, Pulpcon Please welcome Ted as our latest member! 17, Archon 20, and a Luna Monthly No. 15. SCIENTIFICTION New Series #55, page 3 BIRTHDAYS OBITUARIES (From a list originally compiled by Andrew I. Porter) April William Nelson Beard (b.1935) 1 – Anne McCaffrey, Samuel R. Delany “William "Bill" Nelson Beard, 82, of New 3 – Donald M. Grant Castle, Indiana passed away June 27, 2017. 5 – Robert Bloch, Boris Strugatsky 7 – Henry Kuttner, James White He was born March 7, 1935, in Muncie, 8 – Ralph Milne Farley, Ted Carnell Indiana, to the late Claudine D. and Varnell 12 – Emil Petaja, Carol Emshwiller (Cramer) Beard. 14 – Morris Scott Dollens He was a 1953 graduate of Muncie Central 17 – T. Bruce Yerke, Lloyd Biggle, Jr. High School. Bill served in the U.S. Army 18 – Frank R. Paul, G.M. Carr from 1956 - 1958, where he was stationed in 20 – June Moffatt Colorado and Milwaukee then served in the 25 – Fletcher Pratt Army Reserves until 1962. He had been 26 – H.L. Gold, A.E. Van Vogt employed by Ball Corporation and retired 27 – Frank Belknap Long 29 – Elmer Perdue, Jack Williamson from Delco Remy in 1994 where he worked as a statistical process control operator. May 2 – E.E. “Doc” Smith Bill was an avid fan of science fiction and 4 – Erwin “Filthy Pierre” Strauss enjoyed reading and collecting books, as 7 – Walt Liebscher, Gene Wolfe well as attending conventions. He was also 8 – Roy Tackett a musician, and for many years he played 9 – Philip Klass (aka William Tenn) keyboards with a band in the Muncie area. 10 – Olaf Stapledon, Alex Schomburg 18 – R-Laurraine Tutihasi Bill was a long-time associate member of 20 – Gardner Fox First Fandom. His name appears in an early 21 – Manly Wade Wellman membership list issued in 1961, just a few 22 – Arthur Conan Doyle, Ed Earl Repp years after the organization was founded. 23 – James Blish He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Ann 25 – Charles D. Hornig Beard of New Castle; children, Lisa Beard of 26 – Robert W. Chambers, Howard De Vore San Francisco; Kris Beard of Muncie; 27 – Rudolph Belarski, Harlan Ellison Jennifer Steely of Fishers, Barbara Beard of 30 – Harry C. Stubbs (aka Hal Clement) Muncie; grandchildren; Luke and Josh June Steely of Fishers, Dorian and Aaron Beard 2 – Lester del Rey, Robert A. Madle of Muncie; brother in law, Jim (LaRayne) 3 – Marion Zimmer Bradley, Jack Lange Siegmann of Goshen; beloved cat, Maddy; 6 – Noreen Shaw several nieces, nephews and cousins. He 8 – John W. Campbell, Jr., Roger Sims was preceded in death by his parents, 9 – Lin Carter, Joe Haldeman several aunts, uncles and cousins. 14 – William L. Hamling 16 – Murray Leinster, Ted Dikty Services were held on July 1, 2017 in New 19 – Julius Schwartz Castle. William N. Beard was buried in Elm 20 – Lloyd Arthur Eshbach Ridge Cemetery in Muncie. Military Honors 22 – H. Rider Haggard, Leo P. Margulies were conducted by U.S. Army contingents.” 26 – Elsie Wollheim, Hal Shapiro (This notice appeared in The Star Press of New 29 – Ray Harryhausen, Michael Whelan Castle, IN, and was provided to us by Ann Beard.) 30 – Sam Moskowitz SCIENTIFICTION New Series #55, page 4 Ursula K. Le Guin (b.1929) Le Guin wrote dozens of short stories that were gathered into several highly acclaimed Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (October 21, 1929 – collections, including The Wind’s Twelve January 22, 2018) was born in Berkeley, Quarters, The Compass Rose and Buffalo California. Her father is regarded as one of Gals and Other Animal Presences. Some of the founders of modern anthropology, and the author’s most beloved stories – including her mother was a noted author. Le Guin the enchanting Catwings series – were grew up in a scholarly environment where written and illustrated for the imagination of she developed a love for books, art and children and young adults. music. Her interest in romance literature of the Renaissance led to a B.A. from Radcliffe Scholar Elizabeth Cummins notes in (1951, Phi Beta Kappa) and an M.A. from Science Fiction Writers (1999) that the Columbia University (1953). themes in Le Guin’s work are “visions of humankind’s potential for unity and balance While studying in France on a Fulbright in the individual, in society, and perhaps in scholarship, Ursula met Charles Le Guin the galaxy.” and they married. After moving to Portland, Oregon, he began teaching history and she Le Guin produced verse, essays, criticism, became a full-time writer. edited several anthologies, and authored screenplays and adaptations for film and Le Guin’s roots in academia can be seen in television, including a version of The Lathe her early critical works of non-fiction, which of Heaven for PBS (1980).