The Spaceviewer - Vol 1 No 12

Magazine Overview

Title: THE SPACE VIEWER
Issue: Vol. 1, No. 12
Date: June, 1959
Publisher: U.F.O. Study Club, Kansas City, Mo.
Editor: Dwight Bockman

This issue of The Space Viewer, a publication of the U.F.O. Study Club of Kansas City, Mo., covers club activities, UFO sightings, and related news from May and early June 1959. The magazine aims to inform its members and the public about unexplained aerial phenomena and foster a community of interest.

Kansas City UFO Study Club Meeting Announcement

The lead item announces the upcoming June meeting of the Kansas City UFO Study Club, scheduled for Sunday, June 14, at 2:30 PM at the Kansas City Museum, located at 3218 Gladstone Blvd. The meeting will feature an election of officers, emphasizing the importance of member participation in guiding the club's future. A special presentation will be given by Dellaverne Owen, a well-known member. President Paul Wheeler will also present a review of the club's past year's accomplishments and look into the future. Attendance is free, and members are reminded that memberships are due and can be paid at the meeting.

Report: Seeing Especially Bright Star

This section reprints an article from the Muskegon Chronicle dated May 14, 1959. A witness, Jessie M. Davis of Muskegon, Michigan, describes seeing a very large, bright object in the western sky around 9 PM in early May. She likens it to a Christmas star, with six points, and notes that the bottom three points were about twice as long as the top three. She watched it for nearly an hour before it made a "hasty departure" over Lake Michigan and did not return. Davis recalls a similar object seen five years prior and believes these phenomena indicate "strange things in the sky" as prophesied in the Bible, expressing excitement about witnessing these events.

New Club for Topeka

This article reports on the formation of a new UFO club in Topeka, Kansas. On the afternoon of May 17, a group met at the home of Mrs. Deloris M. Trapp at 3315 Clare, Topeka, and organized a "saucer club." Temporary officers were chosen, with a formal election to be held later. Mrs. Trapp was named president, and Mr. Harry Fleenor was appointed secretary-treasurer. Other charter members listed include Harold Wiseman, Dr. Albert Whiting, Mrs. Howard S. Searle, Melva Workman, Margaret Hersh, Harry Hardin, and Mrs. Berneice Riley. The article requests that other UFO clubs add the Topeka UFO Club to their mailing lists for publications and releases. The Kansas City club extends its wishes for success to the new Topeka group.

Flaming Ball Near Topeka

This section details an incident near Topeka, Kansas, reported in The Topeka Daily Capital and The Topeka Journal on May 2. The Topeka Daily Capital headline read "Flaming Ball Seen Falling Near Topeka," while The Topeka Journal reported "Mystery Blaze Was Haystack." The haystack report originated from Forbes Air Force, which found a burning haystack at 1:00 AM. However, at least five people reported seeing a "flaming ball" in the sky at 10:10 PM the previous night. These witnesses included Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Pennington, Mr. and Mrs. David Carreno, and Miss Mary Passman. They described the object as being in the sky about three hours before the haystack was discovered burning. Mr. Walter Pennington described the object as a "big ball of fire," approximately 20 to 30 feet across, moving at an even speed and descending at an 85-degree angle. He estimated it was not moving over 200 miles an hour and was about 10 to 12 miles east of Hoyte, or about 20 miles north of Topeka. The haystack was found six miles north of Holton, leading the witnesses to believe they were "way off course between what we saw and where they found their fire." Mr. and Mrs. David Carreno, who live on the opposite side of town from the Penningtons, also saw the object. They described it as high above the ground, appearing larger than the moon, and moving slowly with red streaks, like flames. They also reported it moving in a northerly direction, not near the haystack location.

Looking Back

This brief section reflects on recent lectures hosted by the club. It mentions lectures by George Payton on the 12th and Miss Dana Howard on the 26th of April, followed by Dr. D. Roy-Persons in May. The author, identified only as L. W., states that these speakers provided "much food for thought and action." The experiences shared by these three individuals are described as different but conveying a message of "light, truth and advancement" to help prepare for a "new age."

Contact Information and Library

Ken Priest is noted as being in charge of the club's tape recording library. His phone number is CLifton 4-5178, and his address is 3001 Norton, Independence, Mo.

A return address label indicates that Paul M. Wheeler, President of the U.F.O. Study Club, is located at 1117 W. Truman Rd., Independence, Mo. Another address, likely for correspondence or research, is listed as "Bureau of U.F.O. Research, G. W. Woods, Old Chelora Sta., Box 175, New York 11, N.Y."

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently reports on UFO sightings and the activities of UFO study groups. There is a clear interest in eyewitness accounts, often presented with detailed descriptions of the objects and their behavior. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into these phenomena, with a leaning towards the possibility of extraterrestrial or advanced technological origins, as suggested by the "intelligent control" comment and the biblical references. The publication also fosters a sense of community among UFO enthusiasts, encouraging communication and the sharing of information between different clubs. The "Looking Back" section suggests an underlying belief in spiritual or new-age progression, linking UFO phenomena to broader themes of enlightenment and advancement.