The Wizard of Oz Fan Club was founded in January 1957 with sixteen members by 14-year-old Justin Schiller. To identify potential members, Martin Gardner and Fred Meyer had given him names and addresses of Oz fans they knew. Schiller’s first letter generated responses from nine students -- eight in high school and one in college -- four professional writers, a lawyer, a school teacher, a rare book dealer and a housewife. Dues were $1 per year.
The original members’ roster is:
Frank J. Baum (Honorary President)
Ruth Berman
John A. Croghan
Nancy C. Dorian
Mrs. Robert G. (Alla Tchikoff) Ford
Martin Gardner (Chairman, Board of Directors)
David Greene
Douglas Greene
Russell P. MacFall
Mary McClain
Fred M. Meyer (Royal Historian)
Robert R. Pattrick
Justin Schiller (Royal Secretary)
Gertrude Whittum
Steven Yaffe
Hyman Zelkowitz
Left: The very first issue of The Baum Bugle