Fantasy and Science Fiction Society of Columbia University
When Fred Lerner returned to Columbia Univeristy in 1968 to enter the School of Library Service, and saw that the Columbia University Science Fantasy Society had dissolved, he helped to start a new club, the FSFSCU (pronounced "fiss-fiss-cue"). The founding officers of FSFSCU were Fred Lerner, Grand Marshal; Eli Cohen, Petit Marshall; and Joseph Gerver, Acting Seneschal.
Other members included Janet Megson, Ricky Kagan, Elizabeth Rosenblum.
It published three issues of a fanzine called Akos. Akos was co-edited by Eli Cohen and Janet Megson (later known as Janet Kagan). Cohen also published the clubzine Prospectus with 36 issues from March 1969 to April 1973.
Upon Lerner's graduation from library school in June 1969 Cohen took over leadership of the club.
Until the end of the 1970-71 academic year, FSFSCU held weekly meetings in the Postcrypt (a student-run coffeehouse in the basement of Columbia's St. Paul's Chapel). The following year the meetings moved to the Avocado Pit (an apartment near Columbia that Eli Cohen shared with David Emerson, Jerry Kaufman, and Suzanne Tompkins). Meetings were frequently followed by a march down Broadway to the local Baskin-Robbins, where ice cream was consumed and people sang "Baskin-Robbins!" to the tune of the Hallelujah Chorus.
During the club's last year, 1972-73, meetings were held in Fayerweather Hall, a Columbia building. The officers for Spring 1973 were Eli Cohen, Grand Marshal; Elizabeth Rosenblum, Petit Marshal; Fred Lerner, Acting Seneschal (under protest). The club subsequently dissolved, and the fourth issue of Akos was never completed.
It was followed by Columbia University Science Fiction Society.
See Fandom at Columbia for a history of fandom at Columbia University.
| Club |
| This is a club page. Please extend it by adding information about when and where the club met, when and by whom it was founded, how long it was active, notable accomplishments, well-known members, clubzines, any conventions it ran, external links to the club's website, other club pages, etc.
When there's a floreat (Fl.), this indicates the time or times for which we have found evidence that the club existed. This is probably not going to represent the club's full lifetime, so please update it if you can! |
