AS A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE FOR THE TRANSFANFUND ’54...
Fellows, behind this devil-may-care care smile I’m as embarrassed as all hell. It reminds me of a peculiarly vivid dream that I had once, in a dentist’s chair. In this dream, I was at school again, sitting in the classroom, leading a perfectly ordinary life... and suddenly the roof opened and a telegraph pole crashed through and pushed me gently but with irresistible force in the mouth....
I’ve almost the same sensation now, except that the force has been nearly applied to the seat of my pants. “Nearly” because, as you will see from the final TransFanFund figure* on the 8th. un-numbered page of this Hyphen, although reaching a total greater than most of us expected, it has not quite reached that minimum amount of £115 (See Hyphen #8) which would leave everything on the green.
If I were one of those happy Conan the Conqueror types I’d probably take a chance on it – our American friends seem to have gathered a number of offers of free transport and accommodation over there which, once again, demonstrates that wonderful and breathtaking hospitality and generosity of theirs – but I’m only a typical fan with a fan’s penchant for The Long View – which means looking to the future but not taking unplanned action. Also, I’ve two or three personal reasons why this is embarrassing at this particular time, the most pregnant of which is that I’m at present minus a job. In ordinary circumstances this would be a trifle light as air, but right now.... No, it’s no go.
However, I don’t think anybody really expected the Fund would be big enough this year; the total is a delightful surprise and means that, next year, the Atlantic crossing by someone in fandom is a certainty. Leaving aside my own personal feelings at the honour done to me, I’d like to say that this gesture by fans on both sides of the Pond is one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever encountered, and demonstrates far more than words our essential unity; unseparated by distance or time or differonce of personality, there’s a non-verbal, undefinable bond which links us and makes up this thing called Fandom. I don’t know what it is... but I’m glad I belong to it. Thank you, everyone. Vin¢
* THE TRANSFANFUND
State of the Fund at 8/6/54
Carried over £44: 0: 0 N. Shorrock 3: 0 Peter Hamilton 1: 1: 0 Stuart Mackenzie 10: 0 Fred Robinson 10: 0 Tony Thorne 10: 0 Mancon Ballot Winner 10: 0 Mancon auction 1:17: 6 Ted Tubb 1:12: 6 Paul Enever 1: 0: 0 Mancon collecting box 3: 5: 2 Mancon brantub 1: 4: 9 Liverpool femfans 5: 0 Ballot tickets 7: 0: 0 Total (sterling) £63: 8:11 By Don Ford £31: 7: 0 GRAND TOTAL £94:15:11 Grateful acknowledgements to Norman Shorrock for donations to auction and to unknown winner of Mancon 10/- raffle.
THE TRANSFANFUND
A letter from Don FordI’d appreciate it if you’d include my views in Hyphen 10.... The Transfanfund is an outgrowth of previous efforts to bring over a British fan. Norman Ashfield, to be exact. When he was unable to make the journey, I wrote to Ted Carnell offering to turn that money over to any other British fan who could make the trip. It was too late, then, for British fans to get going; so the money was held over until the following year. In the meantime Bea Mahaffey had taken over some of the raffle tickets and I had mailed some to Ted Carnell for sale at the London/Coroncon. Out of that Con grew the idea of the present TAFF and the idea of making it a two-way affair. An election was held and Vincent Clarke chosen to be England’s representative in 1954. He was unable to make the trip and now we approach the 3rd year, 1955.
Thus, with enough money on hand to insure the boat passage and the likelihood of the ’55 US Con being considerably closer to the East Coast, I think that a British fan should make the trip in ’55 rather than a US fan going to England. Let the US fan make the next trip. Let British fandom send over the 1st delegate as planned originally, and then let the US fans alternate... 1 year England; next year US etc.
State of the Fund at 15/9/54
Carried over £63: 8:11 Julian Parr 5: 0 Bill Morse 2: 6 Ballot tickets 9: 6 Ed Wood 1:15: 6 Sam Sackett 6: 0 Vernon McCain 2: 7: 2 Total in sterling 68:14: 7 By Don Ford 42: 0: 0 GRAND TOTAL £110:14: 7 (=about 305 dollars)