[Bards] no suger coating on this

[Michael Silverhands]

On Oct 31, 2006, at 1:06 PM, Jay Rudin wrote:
> I don't think anybody has been more devoted to Kingdom Eisteddfod  
> over the
> last twenty four years than I have, and I feel extremely conflicted  
> that
> day -- because Eisteddfod is full time, and Twelfth Night is full  
> time.  The
> people with less focus on Eisteddfod than I will not be able to  
> attend it.
>
> Lots of people watched Eisteddfod when we had an active college...

Empirically, yes, I accept that the two statements "we had an active  
college" and "more people watched {and competed in} Eisteddfod" are  
both true for that time frame. But I have yet to see demonstrated how  
they were connected then -- or more relevantly, how they might be  
connected today. (I'm not saying I can't be convinced; just that I'm  
not yet.) I find it easier to believe that both statements are true  
because of some other reason -- such as: we had an active, thriving  
bardic community -- which caused a college to be viable and caused  
more people to enter and attend Eisteddfod.

I guess the crux of the matter is this: what would an active college  
do for us today, that merely having an active bardic community would  
not?

For an example: do we need a college in order to wear a blue favor on  
our belt? (Of course not.) Would it help promote a sense of community  
among the bards, and presence among the non-bards, for bards to  
voluntarily wear a blue favor on their belt? (Of course.)

Am I opposed to having a bardic college? No, absolutely not. If it  
makes some folks happy to have one, then "it's a free country". But  
when you suggest or infer that a college would carry some benefit, I  
want to understand why that might be true.

Do we need a college in order to have an active bardic community?  
Would the mere fact of having a college promote having an active  
bardic community? Would the mere fact of having an active bardic  
community promote the existence of a college? (Is it a "chicken and  
egg" problem?)

> ...and Eisteddfod was its own event.
>
> Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin

Now *that* is something I can understand. :-)

Michael