The Mad Scientists’ Club

The Mad Scientist’ Club was a fictional club that existed in a series of books written back in the 60s. As a kid I had two of the four books, and I remember being so inspired by the group’s science-related antics that I wanted to make my own Mad Scientists’ Club in real life.

I met Jeff Martin in the fall of 1985, and instantly knew that I had found a fellow Mad Scientist. In the spring of 1987 (at the age of thirteen), the two of us sat down in front of my Commodore 64 and wrote out the manifesto for our own Mad Scientists’ Club:

The Mad Scientists Club is a non-profitable orginization. To become a member, tell one of the Mad Scientists so, and we will take a vote, or use some other way of deciding whether or not you will be admitted to the Mad Scientists Club

If you are accepted, there is a $1 fee to join. All money recieved will go toward equipment for the Mad Scientists Club. All donations are welcome, but please, no small change. The minimum donation is $1. (Fifty cents may be acceptable once in a while.) Some of the money might also be used for rations. (Example: bag of candy, etc.)

Meetings will be held in one of two places. 1] Robbie O’Hara’s House, or 2] Jeff Martin’s Home. If we recieve enough money, a fort will be built in the back of Robbie’s Yard. We are counting on all of you to donate a little.

Supervisors- The two supervisors, or Presidents, and Jeff Martin, and myself, Robbie O’Hara. We are equal in status, or in other words, both of us have the same power. And, one does not make a vital decision without consulting the other one. You are to treat both of us with respect and you are to obey their commands. We wont hesitate to kick yo out onto the street.

What are we going to do? Well, we have no idea yet. Some ideas are still rolling around in our head. We might be building a boat and going to the Great American Raft race, we could also be going on expiditions, and teaching the basics of survival.

To be a member: Just tell one of us (Mad Scientists) and we will see what we can do. The requirements are that we like you, that you like us, that you have had previous experience with computers or like to work with computers, and that yo are willing to come to our meetings. We wont kick you out if you miss a meeting, but it had better be a good one. For example, I got grounded is a good excuse. I forgot, isn’t. and could result in loosing privledges, and/or addmittance to the club.

When and if you come to a meeting, be sure to bring your pass. It has your name, code name, rank, and also your user number. So far, as of 2-21-87, there are 2 users. Myself and Jeff Martin. Hurry up and be number 3.

If you would like some more information please give me a visit or a call. I would be glad to answer all of your questions and/or admit you to the club. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Sincerily,
Robbie O’Hara and Jeff Martin

Best I can remember, our club never officially got off the ground. Let’s put it this way: I don’t recall having to council anyone over making “fifty-cent donations instead of the minimum one-dollar ones or having to get on to anyone for skipping a meeting due to a bad excuse. (For that matter, I don’t remember ever having a meeting!) I don’t remember ever having passes or IDs or, fortunately, ever having to “kick anyone out onto the street.” No one ever took us up on that offer to be “member number 3” … so sad. The offer is still open. I take PayPal. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

One finds a lot of both interesting and off things while archiving/converting 20+ year old floppy disks …