ISA

from Fancyclopedia 2

The International Scientific Association. Apparently there was an early organization of the same name, with RAP among its head men, but the ISA of history was originally the International Cosmos Science Club, a group which sought to combine amateur scientists and faaans only to find the latter becoming dominant. It was scarcely "international", the chief branches being the NYBISA and the PSFS. Will Sykora was the chief leader, but numerous later Futurians and other fans were prominent members. The ISA backed its members who were among the young authors taking legal action against Wonder Stories for non-payment, and when some were expelled from the SFL it warred against the SFL -- and also against the Fantasy Magazine group who leaned toward the pros.

The ISA put on the first two conventions, and was the outstanding organization of the First Transition. In consequence of that transition, President Sykora resigned in 1937, protesting the increasing neglect of science; repercussions were so grave that Donald A Wollheim (the only active officer left) got informal permission from the Philly and New York members to wind up the affairs of the ISA and dissolve it. This was done in good order except for trouble with the library, which was stored at Sykora's. In 1938 Sykora, returning to activity, claimed that the ISA had never been legally dissolved and formed the ISA Committee for Reorganization, to which the Wollheimists opposed the Friends of the ISA; the Committee for Reorganization was one of the organizations in whose name the Newark Convention was called. But Sykora failed to get support for his movement there, and presently dropped the notion.