ansteorra newcomer troubles

[dennis grace]

Greetings, Cosyns,

Lyonel ici.

Britta queries:

<snip>At the risk of being flamed by hospitalers and the
>type, what's all the fuss?
>We have hospitalers to serve as the "welcome wagon" and I have used that
>term when introducing newcomers to a hospitaler. If some groups seem to
>have too many newcomers (I kill for that privilege) then perhaps the
>hospitaler needs a break, or some deputies.

The problem is multifarious.  

First, the hospitaller has enough to do with maintaining newcomer support
materials and coordinating demos and so forth, without trying to be a one
person welcome wagon.  Besides, no matter how many deputies you assign,
there'll always be more available recruits than recruiters--Murphy's Law.

Second, designating official greeters sends some pretty unpleasant messages:
that the rest of us are too preoccupied to talk to newcomers; that newcomers
aren't terribly important; that we have some sort of insider mentality; that
we're all snobs, prigs, paranoid, elitist, cliquish, arrogant, rude, [fill
in appropriate foul-smelling adjective].  In many SCA groups, the biggest
selling point has always been the idea that we're recreating such concepts
as courtoisie and chivalry, ideas best exampled in--well, all situations.
You can't convince newcomers that gentlemen kiss ladies' hands unless, uh,
the gentlemen kiss ladies' hands.  In other words, what's the point of
having a cheery, extroverted hospitaller saying, "And we recreate these
ideas like chivalry and courtoisie," when everyone else at the fighter
practice snubs the listener?

>Why do we need to find a new badge to introduce newcomers? 

We don't.  If we simply practice friendly, courteous behavior--with
particular emphasis on strangers--the newcomers will be surfeited with
information.

>Couldn't
>there be a simple sign written in english, located at the troll booth
>stating when and who to contact if you are new and uncertain what to do?

Good idea. Of course, you're assuming the newcomers will feel welcome enough
to want to attend an event.

>I've been to many events where the autocrats and such, simply by virtue
>of not wanting to be misunderstood because of persona and language
>barriers, write modern, or speak modern. 

Well, yeah, sure.

>Let loose the flames now.

No, let's not.  The lady makes some valid points.  Why flame?  Until this
list begins to catch up to real time, je reste,

Yours in Virtual Service,

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace


_____________________________
Dennis Grace
University of Texas at Austin
English Department
Recovering Medievalist
amazing at mail.utexas.edu

Things are more like they are today than they have ever been before.
                                                  --Dwight D. Eisenhower

(Don't Republicans say just the cutest things?)