RANSVESTIA

looked for a time as though I was going to lose both assistants at once. But I promised her that Bob was out for good and for all at that moment and persuaded her to continue with her work for Chevalier which she agreed to do. She also took over the editorship of the Femme Mirror.

Earlier in the fall we had gotten the word that a person named Susanna in New York, who had a fair sized ranch-resort in the Cat- skills about 150 miles north of New York City, was going to have a big TV bash in October of that year-1962. My wife and I decided to go. One of the New York readers who had come to town and had met Joyce and learned about Bob's defection, etc., and who was rather well off financially offered to pay Joyce's way also. So although we didn't go to New York together we were all together at the resort. This was a classic affair that was the first time in history that as many as 60 heterosexual males spent a whole week end together dressed as girls and women. It was unprecedented and was the forerunner although by about ten years of the later event on the Oregon coast called DREAM presided over by Marilyn of Seattle. Marilyn had been at the New York affair and doubtless it provided the inspiration for her. In turn, after DREAM had occurred about three times on the West Coast, Ariadne, Barbara, and Linda put together Fantasia Fair which has operated for the past four years in Provincetown, MA. Then several years ago a group began to meet in Biloxi, Miss. for a get- together. First put together by Alice, it is now operated by Nancy. All of the principals in all three groups are present or past members of either FPE or Tri Sigma with the exception of Ariadne who hadn't yet appeared on the scene in those days. So all such groups are kind of philosophical grandchildren of Susanna and myself. Susanna pro- vided that actual proof that such a thing could be done and I had provided the group of leaders in various areas that would be able to put them together and at least the initial populations which would make them possible through the gathering-in effect of Transvestia and of FPE. But back to the first one, Susanna's, gathering at the Chevalier d'Eon Resort as she named it.

As the resort was 150 miles up in the Catskills, a lot of cars were required to transport everyone there. But once arrived it was one of the most fascinating experiences any of us that were there have ever had. Susanna was a gracious hostess for the whole affair and her wife Marie was a "mother" to all of us. Additionally several of Marie's family were present to help with meals, etc. The resort consisted of a

36