Chapter One: Historical Sketch

The Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association (commonly referred to as HRSFA, which is pronounced "hearse-fah") was founded by Alexander Crawford and Chaz English in the fall of 1987. The first general meeting of the Association was held in November of that year, coincident with the first episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It has grown considerably in the five years since then.

The speculative fiction genre is apparently well-liked, or at least tolerated, by most Harvard students, and the university has turned out several fine SF writers over the years: Hal Clement, Ursula K. Leguin, Anne McCaffrey, and Edgar Pangborn are the best-known examples. However, there were few attempts to form an official student SF organization at Harvard prior to 1987. The Harvard Science Fiction Society, dormant since 1984, is the only such group known to HRSFA's founders, and it left few traces of its presence on campus.

The founders of HRSFA ­ Crawford, English, John Abbe (the Association's first secretary), and others ­ sought to avoid a similar fate for their creation. So far, they have succeeded. The course which the Association has followed, however, has not always been a steady or sure one.

In its first year, the Association signed up more than two hundred and fifty prospective members; established a book swap (which was originally kept in cardboard boxes in John Abbe's dorm room) and acquired a 15% discount for members at the Science Fantasy Bookstore (8 JFK Street; replaced by Pandemonium in 1989); published two issues of a newsletter, Hydrogen Band, and the first issue of Fusion magazine; and (in December of 1987) showed the classic ­ or at least highly-profitable ­ animated film Heavy Metal, which became HRSFA's first annual tradition.

HRSFA also showed the movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in the spring of 1988; it is said that this was the most unsuccessful film ever shown (for profit) at the Harvard Science Center, and it certainly did not bring the Association any tangible benefits.

The following year was one of substantial growth. In September of 1988, HRSFA held its first introductory meeting for freshmen, which attracted fifty or more first-years. In December, secretary John Abbe acquired a small but serviceable office for HRSFA, in the basement of Harvard Hall. Following this important achievement, the Association and Dunster HAND showed the film The Accused, in February of 1989, and split $1,600 in profits. And, shortly thereafter, Editor-in-Chief Eric Hargan began putting together Volume Two of a highly-expanded Fusion magazine.

In the words of longtime HRSFAn Jennifer Donaldson, the Association now had "money, territory, and an agenda." Unfortunately, with all these things came administrative problems: HRSFA's constitution had no explicit provisions for budgeting or chain-of-command, and the conflict that ensued over the disposition of HRSFA's newfound wealth led to the resignation of one officer and the rewriting of the constitution (see Chapter IV for details).

This crisis was resolved, by and large, over the next few months, and by April of 1989 the Association was able to resume its former course, strengthened by the experience.

The Association was involved in several other events during its second year. Heavy Metal was shown again in October, and in the spring HRSFA screened the films Yellow Submarine, The Wall, and Star Trek II, the latter of which, unfortunately, lost a substantial amount of money (more than $200). A screenplay writer from Star Trek: The Next Generation was invited to speak at Harvard about that program and where it was going, and did so; the speech, held in the Lamont Forum Room in late November, was fairly well-attended. In May, the Association's first 24-hour Gameathon was organized by John Abbe to benefit Phillips Brooks House, and was held in the Greenhouse Cafe. And, finally, Volume II of Fusion magazine was completed over the course of the summer, and was released in time for the 1989 World Science Fiction Convention in Boston (which ten HRSFAns attended), and for distribution to the incoming Harvard Class of 1993.

HRSFA entered its third year at a relatively low ebb: while the Association signed up a large number of new members from the freshman class, continued to hold general meetings, and showed two more films, little of a substantial or innovative nature was accomplished. The causes of this malaise are uncertain ­ it may have been due to what sometime HRSFA co-chair Bryant Durrell called "post-founder-departure blues," or to lack of enthusiasm among HRSFA's officers, or perhaps to overall burnout following the numerous activities of the previous year. In any event, the downturn in Association morale only lasted a few months, and was probably only felt by a few people (officers and those close to them).

In January of 1990, the Association held its second annual Gameathon, which was forty-two hours in length and supplemented by video rentals from the new science fiction store, Pandemonium, in Harvard Square. In February, HRSFA elected a new group of officers, mostly freshmen and sophomores, and in March made a substantial profit from showings of Heavy Metal and The Princess Bride. The Association's gross take from the latter film, in particular, was in the neighborhood of $2,500. All these things helped revivify HRSFA and hasten its growth into a permanent campus organization.

HRSFA members also conducted two book-buying expeditions that year to acquire titles for the Association's lending library, and attended several more SF conventions (most notably Arisia '90 and Readercon 3) in force. Finally, in March the new Editor-in-Chief of Fusion ­ yours truly ­ began work on Volume Three of that magazine. The issue in question was not released until December of 1990, some seven months overdue, giving Association members cause to question both the competence of the magazine's leadership and whether HRSFA needed to publish a magazine in the first place. It was not a morale-building experience, either for those involved in production or for the Association as a whole. However, the experience gained by Fusion's officers, and the advertising base built by business manager (and then-SIG Coordinator) Lee Valentine, proved valuable to future Editors.

The 1990-1 academic year proved to be one of HRSFA's more innovative periods. In October, implementing an idea developed at a regular Writers' SIG meeting, HRSFAns held their first "adventus horæ" ceremony ­ a nighttime procession in Harvard Yard accompanied by candle-lighting and Latinate chants ­ to commemorate the end of Daylight Savings. This was complemented by a "Iservatus horæ" ceremony in April of 1991; together, the two ceremonies became a new annual tradition.

So too did the HRSFA Masquerade, the first of which was held on February 23, 1991 ­ prompting the U.S. Central Command to commence ground operations in Kuwait and Iraq. The event featured dancing, refreshments, and a short skit (as did the invasion, which, however, had more dancing and fewer refreshments); also, the Association only lost $6 in the process of putting together and holding the Masque, ensuring that it would be more than a one-shot affair.

Another HRSFA tradition, the screening of Heavy Metal, was put to rest indefinitely that year. This was chiefly due to lack of interest on the part of the Association's membership; in this regard, it is also useful to note that HRSFA showed no movies at all in the '90-91 school year.

In the spring, HRSFA organized a committee to rewrite the Association's constitution for the second (and hopefully final) time; time; the rewrite was undertaken to iron out several structural problems left over from the last constitutional convention (such as the definition of a quorum, or the fact that the only copy of the second HRSFA constitution had been lost). The new document was completed, amended, and ratified by mid-April, allowing HRSFAns to get on with other things ­ like reading the revived newsletter put together (by Lee Valentine and Ana Guzman) under the new title Share and Enjoy.

Finally, HRSFA invited local fantasy author Ellen Kushner to speak at Emerson Hall, and to give a reading from her work, which she did on February 28. The event was attended by 1520 people, and was enjoyed by all present.

HRSFA's fifth year has just ended at the time of this writing. It is therefore somewhat difficult to evaluate. In the opinion of this observer, the most important event of the year was a large flow of active and enthusiastic freshmen into the Association in September. One of these first-years, Sydney Freedberg, was elected Editor-in-Chief of Fusion magazine in early February and published Volume Four of that magazine by mid-April; his plans for the future of Fusion are, to say the least, ambitious.

The Association also showed the movie Aliens in early November, but despite extensive postering the film only made $25 in profits. (It was greatly enjoyed by HRSFAns, however.) The second annual HRSFA Masquerade, held on February 22, was somewhat more profitable in dollar terms and featured an elaborately-choreographed skit. In October and in April, HRSFA held its second annual "adventus horæ" and "servatus horæ" ceremonies, which drew the attention of the campus press (the Crimson and the Independent). Finally, the fourth annual Gameathon was organized and held in late April, following a scheduled, convention-style format that has drawn mixed reviews.

As the Harvard-Radcliffe Science Fiction Association approaches its fifth birthday (November, 1992), it follows a fairly steady course. HRSFA's current stability is something of which the Association's founders and members can be proud, though I suspect it will not be something with which they will be content. So much the better.