[Bards] old way vs new ways charter

[Michael Silverhands]

On Oct 28, 2006, at 10:24 PM, willowjonbardc at juno.com wrote:
> Four This is the big difference. In the new Charter the Premier Bard
> is in charge of everything. In the Old Queens Bard we had a Principal
> Bard that worked like the senechal and called meetings and gathered
> people together to address the needs of the community. When I was
> Principal Bard I had assistants in the North, South and Central. It
> was our job to organize educational and performing venues. They were
> organizers not bureaucrats. Am I explaining the difference. The
> Principal Bard's staff would call a meeting of Bard/performers , find
> out the people's need and try to work the problems out. We started a
> newsletter, We gather scholars together to provide research for the
> Bards/performers. We started an archive of Ansteorra history stories.
> We arranged bardic circles and classes on Bardcraft.
>
> When we had problems with the Kings and nobility we condense
> everything into the Premier Bard. This puts too much strain on the
> position. Either people feel it is too much work or they refuse to do
> any. In today's world we need about 18 months to get things organized.
> the Premier bard is in office for too short of a time and often the
> following PB isn't interested in keeping the programs going or working
> with the previous Bards people. We need long term officers that work
> for the college for at least 2 years to keep the teaching and
> performing things going. In Ansteorra the Crown has a lot of tradition
> to explain to new individuals what their job is, but the Premier Bard
> doesn't have the same folk knowledge.
> Willow

With all respect, Your Grace, when you describe regional "officers"  
with terms of "2 years" and a chain of command and a newsletter, you  
*are* describing bureaucrats. That isn't necessarily a negative term;  
it just is what it is.

However, I have to wonder: isn't the function you described  
(promoting bardic events, helping to organize them, etc.) the  
function of the Deputy Kingdom Minister of A&S? Don't we already have  
Kingdom officers to do this?

Regarding "long term" bards to provide continuity to the newer bards  
of the kingdom... how would that be different from what, for example,  
you and Robin and Kat and Ulf and Finnacan... (etc.)... are currently  
doing?

Clearly, I'm missing something. If that's the purpose of the officers  
of the College... then it seems to me there's no need for it. But,  
obviously, you and Robin *do* see a clear need... so, equally  
obviously, you are seeing something that I am not. Can you please  
clear up this confusion?

Thanks,
Michael