The Mythopoeic Society

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The Mythopoeic Society

Glen Goodnight formed a Tolkien group on the campus of California State College Los Angeles (CSCLA) in 1966, but because CSCLA was "too much a commuter-college", the group did not survive. In September of 1967, Glen and others organized a "Bilbo-Frodo Birthday Picnic." Amongst the attendees were Dale Ziegler, Scott Smith, Doris Robin, Simone Wilson and Sue Chandler. Amongst them, some had wanted to start a TSA branch but high school regulations didn't permit on-campus organizations. Glen then invited whoever was interested to his house on Oct 12, 1967, when the Mythopoeic Society had its formational meeting, with seventeen people attending.

In 1969, the Society had outgrown the house, and subchapters were organized across the LA basin. Originally Glen tried to moderate every meeting, but this was no longer feasible. Mythcon I in 1970 was organized to help the different branches mingle. Glen was married at Mythcon II in 1971, when the membership had expanded to over 300 people.

In late 1971 Ed Meskys (of Tolkien Society of America) lost his sight in both eyes, and suggested to Glen a merger of the two organizations, which was finalized in late May of 1972. Overnight, the Mythopoeic Society had gone from a few hundred members to over a thousand, from an informal discussion group to a corporation with financial responsibilities.

(This description is summarized from the Mythcon III Program)