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<TITLE>Wordfame, and Some Thoughts on the College</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Rodger of York and I knew each other from high school. We met again a few years later at a Loch Soilleir fighter practice. We both fell in love with the SCA, and wanted to go to an event. Quest for the Clover was coming up in three weeks, so we made plans to carpool. We got *very* lost, and what should have been a one and a half hour trip lasted over six hours. All those FM roads and cow pastures sure do start to look alike in the dark!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">We arrived well after 2:00 am. We were tired, lost, didn't know anyone else at the event, couldn't figure out the site map indicating where we were supposed to set up camp, and between the two of us we only had one beat up tent that neither of us knew how to put up. (I think it was his mother's.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">We inadvertently set up the (very ugly) tent in what I think was going to be the gathering area of a household's campsite. (We saw an open space, and I took it.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The next morning, no one from the household said one word about our tent. Rather, they welcomed us and invited us to share their pavilion by the list field.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The head of the household was a great fighter, and that day he was victorious in both the rapier and chivalric lists.</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">That evening, at my first bardic circle, I performed "Today." (I thought it would be appropriate - I mean - it's an old song, right?) Then Duchess Sieglinde gave me a string of beads as largess, and she performed "Come Share the Dream." I was completely blown away. I remember thinking, "Wow! I want to do THAT!" I also started thinking that maybe the song I did really wasn't appropriate, and how *could* I ever do "that?"</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I was not asked to perform again that night, and I didn't volunteer. To tell you the truth, I was a little embarrassed.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">The circle went on for awhile longer. I sat in the back. A bit later, the head of the household whose camp I'd crashed - the winner of both lists that day, approached me. I was amazed. He'd been called into court three times - he must be very important! He wanted to know why I wasn't performing anymore, and I told him because I didn't know anything appropriate. So he taught me. We did some simple sing-alongs that night!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I started attending the weekly fighter practice held at his home. Every week, after practice, we would sit in the living room and sing. He and his lady-wife gave me the use of books, cassette tapes, and a network of people who love music. His wife was the researcher - she enjoyed period Scottish ballads. He also enjoyed period songs, he loved anything about Ansteorra, and he even composed a few songs, but his true passion was for Irish songs.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">At events, if there wasn't already a bardic circle, you could count on one at their tent. Their circles were warm, welcoming, and open to everyone - newcomers, kings, and laurels all found a place there.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">When I moved to Ravensfort about 6 months later, I stopped going to the weekly fighter practices in Stargate on a regular basis. But I always went to the bardic circles in front of the tent!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Years later, even after that fighter became the king, he continued to host some of the finest bardic circles I have ever attended. And still, everyone was welcome - from newcomers to royalty. One of the best I remember was, again outside his tent, at Pennsic. Finnacan, I think you were there that night.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I later learned that there were at least four members of the College of Bards at the circle at my first event. But none of them offered to teach, or to help me become "one of them." Instead, it was a fighter who first took me under his wing.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">That fighter, William "the Bear," was - and is - a supporter of the bardic arts.</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I know of at least 4 other people Bear took "under his wing" who did not feel welcome in the bardic college - some of them had been flat out told that their kind of performances were not welcome. One of them was left in tears by the criticism of a member of the college. It doesn't matter which members of the college were involved, and it is likely that these individuals were really trying to help the new bards improve their performance and simply lacked tact. I'm sure these individuals were not actually "officially" representing the college - but how would a newcomer know any of that? Would they have given the same criticism if the college hadn't existed? Probably. But because they presented themselves as "Members of the College of Bards," their words were given more weight by the newcomer.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I was never a part of the original Bardic College. I hadn't even heard of it until I'd been playing for almost a year, and only then when I asked Baroness Alix about all the hash marks on her sash. I was never invited to join, and I never felt like I was a part of it. I don't think I was excluded on purpose, it just never occurred to anyone to include me - or maybe the members of the college in my area were simply overwhelmed with their own commitments, and didn't have time. When Simone revised the charter, I must have been under a rock, because I don't recall hearing anything about it then, either - and I certainly would have wanted to get involved. (It sounds like that happened in 1999, though, which is when I got married. My thoughts were elsewhere!) When I was the Kingdom Bard, there was no information passed on to me about the college or its history. I don't know where it was lost, but it's not with the pass-down regalia. (I actually started asking a few questions then, but decided not to pursue this particular can of worms just yet. I'm glad it's been opened now.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">It seems to me that several factors contributed to the dormancy of the Bardic College. One of them - perhaps the most important to me - was that some members of the college were not helping everyone feel welcome. In fact, some members of the college came across as snobbish or unapproachable. I'm not saying they *were* snobbish or unapproachable, just that some gave that impression from the outside. If something is broken, you do need to "fix it." It seems to me that we as a community are now on that path.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">We do need to know our history, which is why I have shared my personal story about Bear, but let's not dwell on the mistakes and misunderstandings of the past. At some point we simply have to trust that all of us - bards, kings, queens, peers, royalty and newcomers - all of us try to do the best we can for our kingdom. Our opinions of what's "best" may certainly vary, but no one is out to deliberately sabotage the bardic community.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">With all that said, know that I am in favor of a new college. I agree that an organized group can help us grow both individually and as a community. But, as we grow, we need to ensure that we don't grow full of ourselves, and that there is always a welcoming place in our circle for both newcomers and peers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I think we need to actively look for new performers and "fringe" bards and invite them to join us. It's very easy to get caught up in the "magic" that happens with a good circle, and before you know it you've got an unapproachable-looking group of bards that appears to be "hogging" the limelight … I like the "play pass or pick" circles for that reason.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">If you want a "show" instead of a "circle," that's fine, but let folks know ahead of time. In fact, it might be kind of fun to organize a "show" with a couple of good performers for an hour or so before the "circle" to help draw a crowd. Hmmmm … I may have to play with that idea ...</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I also prefer using either the term "college" or "guild," as they seem to link us to the known world bardic community through the bardic colleges and guilds of other kingdoms. Just out of curiosity, does anyone have a copy of another kingdom's bardic college/guild charter? I'd like to know what has worked (and what hasn't) for others.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">My two pence worth, (now you know why I'm not a storyteller!)</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Kat</FONT>
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