Some Forteans seem mostly to have been members in name only. An example is BJS Cahill. Cahill is most famous for inventing a butterfly map, a map that allowed all of earth’s continents to be shown continuously, and without distorted size.
Cahill’s name appears in the first issue of Doubt as a regional correspondent for San Francisco. He was in this third issue, too, credited as sending in material. Thayer never did credit anything to him, though, and likely what he sent was information about his maps.
But Cahill did a great deal of coverage. Thayer printed his map. And Cahill became an honorary founder, replacing Harry Leon Wilson when he died. (Thayer wanted there always to be twelve living founders.) And in the late 1940s, when Thayer was noodling around with the idea of a Fortean university, he suggested one area of study be called “Cahill,” based on the map and the material that had been donated to the Fortean Society by Laura Cahill.
In the 11th issue of the Fortean Society Magazine, he was elevated to honorary founder, in place of Harry Leon Wilson, who had died. He was still listed there in the 1944 pamphlet The Fortean Society is the Red Cross of the Human Mind.
Cahill didn’t enjoy the honor very long, though, and never saw a university department based on his cartographic concepts, even if only in the imagination. He died in 1944, before the Fortean Society really hit its stride. He was replaced as an honorary founder by Don Bloch.
Cahill’s name appears in the first issue of Doubt as a regional correspondent for San Francisco. He was in this third issue, too, credited as sending in material. Thayer never did credit anything to him, though, and likely what he sent was information about his maps.
But Cahill did a great deal of coverage. Thayer printed his map. And Cahill became an honorary founder, replacing Harry Leon Wilson when he died. (Thayer wanted there always to be twelve living founders.) And in the late 1940s, when Thayer was noodling around with the idea of a Fortean university, he suggested one area of study be called “Cahill,” based on the map and the material that had been donated to the Fortean Society by Laura Cahill.
In the 11th issue of the Fortean Society Magazine, he was elevated to honorary founder, in place of Harry Leon Wilson, who had died. He was still listed there in the 1944 pamphlet The Fortean Society is the Red Cross of the Human Mind.
Cahill didn’t enjoy the honor very long, though, and never saw a university department based on his cartographic concepts, even if only in the imagination. He died in 1944, before the Fortean Society really hit its stride. He was replaced as an honorary founder by Don Bloch.
