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Report of the Grand Council – Fourth Quarter 2006

Report from the Grand Council: January 2006


A. COMMITTEE ACTIVITY


The committee was assigned the task of developing and prioritizing a list of topics for possible inclusion in the next edition of the Known World Handbook. Before this topic was presented to the committee, it also briefly addressed two additional topics:


- The position description as announced for the position of Liaison for International Affairs


- The proposed change to SCA By-Laws VI.L requiring that only members of SCA, Inc or its affiliates be allowed to serve on committees of the Board of Directors.


These early topics resulted in two proposed motions. Those motions, and the outcome of the votes, were:


MOTION: In light of our collective experience in and exposure to international issues and circumstances within the Society, we of the Grand Council strongly believe that a working time of 10 hours per week is insufficient to address the needs of the Liaison Office


This motion received a total of 12 votes in favor (6 strongly in favor) against 24 negatives (15 strongly negative) with 3 abstentions for a weighted score of -21. While some on the Council believed that the office as proposed would take substantially more time than was indicated, perhaps even requiring a full-time paid staffer, the majority felt that it was impossible to determine how much time this position would need as that would depend greatly on the way the office was structured, and also that the stated time requirement was in line with similar time estimates given for other Society-level offices.


MOTION: The Grand Council recommends against the proposed change to By-Laws VI.L that would require membership to serve on committees designated by the

Board.


This motion passed, with 23 in favor (18 strongly in favor) and 15 opposed (14 strongly opposed), for a weighted total score of +12. Most of those supporting this motion believed the Grand Council in particular would suffer from such a rule, as many of the topics discussed by this committee touch on issues surrounding membership and non-member participants. The majority of those opposed to this motion tended to believe that it was the Board’s duty to seek advice only from those who were members, and to make decisions that were to the advantage of paying members of the SCA.


General Approach to Known World Handbook Topic


After much discussion about the intended audience of the Known World Handbook (KWH), possible formats and distribution methods, and general editorial direction and guidance, the committee generated a list of current and potential additional articles and topics. The rest of this report will present a summary of the Committee’s discussions and an ordered list of topics, followed by the results of the actual votes and a more detailed presentation of the Committee’s discussions.



B. COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR KNOWN WORLD HANDBOOK


The Committee strongly believes that the goal of this proposed revision of the Known World Handbook should be to serve as both a guide for those new to the SCA and a reference for current SCA participants who wish to expand their knowledge of, and participation in, SCA practices and activities. As one Committee member put it, the KWH should be a book that can be given to a newly forming group in a remote area and the SCA branch that formed and grew using its advice would not embarrass us.


To that end, the Committee recommends most strongly that all articles from previous editions, or other SCA publications, included in a new KWH be thoroughly revised and updated to reflect current practices. This includes keeping in mind the multinational aspect of the current SCA, as well as reflecting, where appropriate, the differences among the cultures of the many Kingdoms.


The Committee also recommends that the Corporation investigate print-on-demand publication as well as making the new KWH available in an electronic form, such as a PDF file. This was felt to be particularly important for areas outside North America due to the opportunity to avoid high international shipping costs.


The list of topics, in order from most desired to least desired:



The order was determined by the total score each article received on a ballot taken using the Committee’s standard 5-point scoring system, where a YES (strong yes) = 2 points, yes = 1 point, neutral or no opinion = 0, no = -1 point, and NO (strong no) = -2 points


C. COMMITTEE STATUS AND COMMENDATIONS


No changes

D. PUBLISHABLE SUMMARY


The Grand Council examined a number of topics during the fourth quarter of 2006, with the bulk of its time spent discussing a proposed new edition of the Known World Handbook. The council advised that this new edition continue to focus on serving both new and established SCA participants by acting as an introduction to the SCA and a concise reference on a wide variety of SCA topics and activities.


The council also determined that it is very important to make sure that all material in a new Handbook has been updated to reflect changes in SCA structure, knowledge, and practices. Particular importance should be paid to differences in Kingdom cultures and international considerations, as the number of Kingdoms has expanded greatly since the previous edition, and the SCA is now a more international organization than ever before, complete with international affiliate corporations,


The Council produced a list of article titles and topics for inclusion in a new edition of the Known World Handbook, and further sorted this list in order by how important it is to include each article in a new edition. The full list is available for viewing at the Grand Council web site – grandcouncil.sca.org – as part of the Grand Council’s fourth quarter report to the Board of Directors.


E. CONFIDENTIAL


Nothing to report.


F. DETAILS OF MOTIONS REGARDING THE KNOWN WORLD HANDBOOK


Motion: The target audience for a new Known World Handbook is, and should be, a combination of: current SCA participants who wish to expand their knowledge of SCA practice and participate in new areas of the SCA; new SCA participants in established branches; and new SCA participants in new or newly forming SCA branches.


YES – 28 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 60


Motion: The Grand Council believes SCA participants are best served by a publications strategy that includes both online and conventional print publication. Therefore, we advise the Corporation to make any future Known World Handbook available both as a printed volume and in electronic form, such as a PDF file.


YES – 23 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 57


Motion: The Corporation should investigate using print-on-demand publication, and in particular using print-on-demand to provide non-US local printing, for the KWH.


YES – 26 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 60


Motion: All articles in the new KWH should be written with the multi-kingdom and international aspects of the modern SCA in mind. Contributors should be encouraged to include references to the differences among Kingdoms as well as point out potential difficulties or differences that may impact SCA participants outside the US.


YES – 24 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 57


Motion: When articles from previous editions of the KWH are included in a new edition, those articles should be revised to make them reflect current SCA practices and knowledge. In other words, all articles should be updated.


YES – 27 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 60


Motion: Vote on the acceptability and desirability of each topic below for inclusion in the new KWH (topics were grouped by general subject, indicated by bold italic type):


THE SCA


Welcome to the Current Middle Ages (What the SCA does; what we’re all about)

YES – 29 yes – 2 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 60


Brief overview of range of activities (What can I do?)

YES – 28 yes – 3 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 1 weighted score: 57


Structure of the SCA (Corporate, affiliate Corporations, Kingdoms, Branches, BOD and officers at each level)

YES – 26 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 57


Growth of the Known World (has maps showing evolution of Known World)

YES – 22 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 49


A revised map of the current Known World

YES – 26 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 57


History of the SCA (include timeline from: Anno Societatis-The Years of the Society)

YES – 23 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 52


Who's Who-and What's What (Basic SCA terminology)

YES – 25 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 56


Inter-kingdom customs (common differences among Kingdoms)

YES – 18 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 46


The Last Tournament

YES – 22 yes – 6 no opinion – 1 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 50


A Brief Look at the Past

YES – 17 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 3 NO – 0 weighted score: 41


Differences in offices from Kingdom to Kingdom

YES – 9 yes – 14 no opinion – 0 no – 7 NO – 1 weighted score: 23


Difference between SCA and reenactment groups

YES – 10 yes – 14 no opinion – 0 no – 5 NO – 2 weighted score: 25


The “Pennsic Pilgrimage”

YES – 6 yes – 11 no opinion – 1 no – 9 NO – 3 weighted score: 8


InterKingdom Wars

YES – 14 yes – 16 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 43


A Survey of the Major Wars

YES – 10 yes – 12 no opinion – 1 no – 6 NO – 1 weighted score: 24


GETTING STARTED IN THE SCA


Courtesy and Etiquette in the Current Middle Ages (incl. Chivalry & courtly Love)

YES – 26 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 57


Forms of address/Protocol and Courtesy

YES – 23 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 50


When You're Called in Court

YES – 21 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 52


How to recognize Peers/Pointy hats - what and why

YES – 22 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 50


Respect - How to Get What You Want out of the SCA

YES – 17 yes – 9 no opinion – 1 no – 1 NO – 1 weighted score: 40


How to attend a first/early event (how to approach others, introduce yourself, general behavior, etc.)

YES – 24 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 55


Translating Mundane Necessities into Medieval Graces

YES – 10 yes – 18 no opinion – 1 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 46


Shortcut to the Groaning Board

YES – 8 yes – 11 no opinion – 3 no – 7 NO – 0 weighted score: 20


A Beginner's Feast Manual

YES – 19 yes – 10 no opinion – 1 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 47


The Pleasures of Cloven Fruit

YES – 8 yes – 2 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 17 weighted score: -20


Eating Medievally in the Mundane World

YES – 11 yes – 12 no opinion – 3 no – 4 NO – 1 weighted score: 28


Feasting Etiquette

YES – 21 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 1 weighted score: 45


Authenticity (What is it, different standards for different occasions)

YES – 17 yes – 13 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 46


Personas (what, why, why not, how to)

YES – 20 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


The Art of Writing Forsoothly

YES – 11 yes – 9 no opinion – 1 no – 7 NO – 2 weighted score: 20


Speaking Forsoothly

YES – 9 yes – 7 no opinion – 2 no – 8 NO – 5 weighted score: 7


COSTUMING


Simple and/or basic costuming

YES – 26 yes – 4 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 56


Garb for various weather conditions

YES – 23 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 52


Costuming from Mundane Patterns

YES – 15 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 1 weighted score: 34


Making Ribbon Trim lie Flat on a Round Neckline

YES – 10 yes – 9 no opinion – 3 no – 7 NO – 2 weighted score: 18


Geometry of the Circle Cloak

YES – 11 yes – 15 no opinion – 1 no – 4 NO – 0 weighted score: 33


Costumes from Constructed Patterns

YES – 12 yes – 12 no opinion – 1 no – 6 NO – 0 weighted score: 30


A Survey of Fabric and Color

YES – 16 yes – 14 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 45


The Five-Hour Viking

YES – 10 yes – 13 no opinion – 1 no – 7 NO – 0 weighted score: 26


CAMPING IN THE SCA


The Tourney Dog and Other Creatures

YES – 14 yes – 12 no opinion – 2 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 38


SCA Camping for the Indoor-Outdoor Modern

YES – 23 yes – 7 no opinion – 01 no – 7 NO – 0 weighted score: 53


Period Food for SCA Camping

YES – 18 yes – 12 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 47


Waggonloading for the Complete Idiot

YES – 16 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 0 weighted score: 38


Medieval Verisimilitude

YES – 16 yes – 7 no opinion – 1 no – 3 NO – 0 weighted score: 36


A Viking Pavilion

YES – 13 yes – 10 no opinion – 1 no – 6 NO – 0 weighted score: 30


Tourney Table

YES – 13 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 6 NO – 1 weighted score: 29


The Arming Pavilion

YES – 11 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 8 NO – 1 weighted score: 22


YOUTH ACTIVITIES


How to Have Current Middle Ages Children (Without Being a Prematurely Middle-Aged Parent)

YES – 23 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 54


Helping Your Kids Grow Up in the SCA-An Insiders View

YES – 20 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 3 NO – 0 weighted score: 45


Youth activities in the SCA (incl. MoC office, youth activities, Youth combat, etc.)

YES – 24 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 54


How to Survive a Tourney (If you're Too Young to Fight)

YES – 16 yes – 12 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 42


ARTS AND SCIENCES


The Arts and the Sciences (Overview, with listing of A&S subjects)

YES – 25 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 54


Cooking from Primary Sources

YES – 18 yes – 13 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 49


Dancing for the Current Middle Ages (Basic/Common Dances)

YES – 19 yes – 12 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 50


Medieval and Renaissance Music and Instruments

YES – 15 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 0 weighted score: 37


Period Vocal Music for the Multitudes

YES – 16 yes – 13 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 44


Basic SCA/Period songs, singing, poetry, storytelling, and performance

YES – 20 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 47


Listening to History

YES – 15 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 5 NO – 0 weighted score: 35


Jeu de Boules

YES – 10 yes – 8 no opinion – 3 no – 7 NO – 0 weighted score: 21


Gaming Medievally

YES – 16 yes – 17 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 47


On the Making of Mead

YES – 12 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 12 NO – 0 weighted score: 19


Aesthetics and Symmetry

YES – 11 yes – 13 no opinion – 2 no – 4 NO – 0 weighted score: 31


Practical Herbalism

YES – 10 yes – 8 no opinion – 1 no – 7 NO – 4 weighted score: 13


Designing for Canvas and Cross-Stitch

YES – 12 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 9 NO – 1 weighted score: 22


Cross-Stitch Charts for Laurel & Pelican Badges

YES - 11 yes - 7 no opinion - 0 no - 9 NO - 3 weighted score: 14


A Catalog of Medieval Embroidery Stitches

YES – 18 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 3 NO – 0 weighted score: 43


Calligraphy and Illumination: A Primer

YES – 22 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 53


Interlacing without Erasing

YES – 15 yes – 7 no opinion – 2 no – 5 NO – 0 weighted score: 32


The ABC's of Scroll-Making

YES – 20 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 3 NO – 0 weighted score: 45


Scribing from Scratch

YES – 16 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 1 weighted score: 34


HERALDRY


Documenting Your Name

YES – 23 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 52


Basic Heraldry/Heraldry for non-Heralds

YES – 24 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 55


Basic Field and Court Heraldry (either kingdom-neutral or with notes about different kingdom conventions and customs)

YES – 23 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 52


RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION


An article on how to evaluate online sources

YES – 21 yes – 6 no opinion – 1 no – 2 NO – 1 weighted score: 44


Surveys of good sources for common arts and crafts areas

YES – 24 yes – 3 no opinion – 1 no – 3 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


Starting a Library - An Anachronist's Basic Reading List

YES – 22 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 49


If You Really Need the Picture

YES – 15 yes – 11 no opinion – 1 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 39


The Problem of Ruritanian Purple Feathers (An Essay on Documentation)

YES – 15 yes – 12 no opinion – 2 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 41


Online resources – how to tell the good from the bad, suggestions for using search engines)

YES – 21 yes – 9 no opinion – 1 no – 0 NO – 1 weighted score: 47


Some good SCA-specific online sources (sca.org, Kingdom sites, etc.)

YES – 22 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 0 weighted score: 47


COMBAT ARTS


Fighting in the SCA

YES – 24 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 53


The Rules of the Lists

YES – 21 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 1 weighted score: 46


Policy and Interpretation (SCA Combat article)

YES – 17 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 1 weighted score: 36


Period Fencing Rules

YES – 13 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 3 NO – 2 weighted score: 30


Missile Combat Rules

YES – 13 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 3 weighted score: 25


Siege Weapon Rules

YES – 13 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 5 NO – 3 weighted score: 23


Intro to equestrian activities (incl. mounted combat, emprise, etc. with notes about differences among Kingdoms)

YES – 16 yes – 12 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 44


Animal activities in the SCA (coursing, personal pets, equestrian, animal husbandry, etc.)

YES – 18 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 45


Conventions of Combat

YES – 15 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 2 weighted score: 29


Armor and Weapons Standards

YES – 15 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 3 weighted score: 31


Building Rattan Swords

YES – 16 yes – 12 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 1 weighted score: 42


Shields - Design and Construction

YES – 15 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 2 NO – 1 weighted score: 37


A Few References for Further Reading

YES – 18 yes – 9 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 44


A Thirteenth-Century Barred Helm

YES – 12 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 5 NO – 2 weighted score: 25


An Open Faced Spangerhelm

YES – 12 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 5 NO – 2 weighted score: 25


A Fourteenth Century Coat of Plates

YES – 12 yes – 13 no opinion – 0 no – 3 NO – 1 weighted score: 32


Faster Mail making - Winding the Rings

YES – 11 yes – 16 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 1 weighted score: 35


Articulation Articulated

YES – 11 yes – 16 no opinion – 1 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 37


Gambesons, Cloth Armors, and Padding

YES – 15 yes – 14 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 44


Naming the Parts

YES – 15 yes – 14 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 44


An SCA Harness

YES – 12 yes – 10 no opinion – 1 no – 3 NO – 1 weighted score: 29


An Introduction to Arms

YES – 16 yes – 11 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 43


Etiquette on the Field of Honour

YES – 22 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


Safety and Courtesy on the Archery Range

YES – 18 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 45


Squiredom

YES – 10 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 6 NO – 3 weighted score: 18


Combat Archery

YES – 14 yes – 13 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 40


The Art of Sword and Shield

YES – 16 yes – 10 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 1 weighted score: 39


Fighting for the Crown. . . (one-half page for each Kingdom, as in the current KWH)

YES – 15 yes – 13 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 42


HOLDING OFFICE/EVENT PLANNING


Autocrating Can be Fun

YES – 22 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


God Rest Ye Frantic, Autocrat

YES – 17 yes – 8 no opinion – 0 no – 4 NO – 0 weighted score: 38


How to run an event (budgeting, scheduling, staffing, brief descriptions of different event styles

YES – 21 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


How to plan a feast (building a menu, budgeting, shopping, sources, does your event have other meals, etc.)

YES – 21 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 1 weighted score: 47


Overview of local offices – how to hold one, how to set up an office from scratch

YES – 21 yes – 7 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


Writing a Newsletter

YES – 22 yes – 5 no opinion – 0 no – 1 NO – 0 weighted score: 48


How to Run a Lists

YES – 23 yes – 6 no opinion – 0 no – 0 NO – 0 weighted score: 52



G. DISCUSSIONS/DELIBERATIONS REGARDING THE KWH


Initially, some Council members and other commenters expressed the belief that the most important thing was to solicit input from the Kingdom chatelaines, while others felt that developing a specific content list would infringe on the prerogatives of the Editorial staff of the new Known World Handbook. Others questioned the need for an updated “handbook” as such, and specifically proposed a “Known World Wikki” as an alternative. After some debate, a general consensus was reached that online tools such as a Wikki could be considered for content creation and that ‘print on demand,’ along with conventional print and online distribution, be considered as a means of distribution.


It was pointed out that delivery medium – specifically paper-oriented versus Web-oriented – impacted the actual content and structure of articles. It was agreed that articles for a KWH project should be structured assuming the final deliverable would be a printed document or printable PDF or similar paper-oriented electronic format.


Further discussions addressed topics, or in some cases debates over the contents of individual articles, and the overall tone and intended audience or mission of the KWH.


Discussions as to the target audience for the KWH identified three distinct views of whom the KWH most benefits – New SCAers in relatively isolated groups, new SCAers in established groups, and those who have been in the SCA two or more years and are “seeking to upgrade their game”. A few people also mentioned the KWH serving as a “here’s what we do” guide for recruiting new members. It was also described as “a new group survival guide” and something that if placed “in an SCA vacuum, we wouldn't be embarrassed by the resulting SCA group that formed”


Specifically, it was referred to as “the basic rules set on which we were formed” and a place to start for the basics on a wide variety of core SCA activities, such as garb, armor, basic heraldry, SCA geography and history, intro to common SCA customs, cooking, etc. There were also discussions about the mix of SCA Corporate info versus “game-side” info. There was a general consensus that the KWH should have overview articles with more in-depth content available either online or in supplemental “advanced” volumes.


A number of people referred to the “Complete Idiot’s” and “Dummies” book series as guides for style and overall approach. The emphasis here seemed to be on making it informative, interesting, and above all non-threatening.


One consistent desire relating to specific content is that every article in previous KWH editions be updated. Many pointed out that conditions have changed, and newcomers or those expanding into costuming need to be made aware of sources such as Medieval and Renaissance patterns commercially available at Wal-Mart and mass-market fabric stores. Another common request was including URLs for well-established relevant online sources, such as the various resource pages at sca.org.


A number of new article topics were suggested, and this list was merged with the list of articles in the third edition of the Known World Handbook to produce the massive list of 115 topics that were presented in order of desirability above.

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