<div>A question or several...</div>
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<div>I've seen several times in reading the various posts here that people don't want to discuss the "structure of the college" without talking to a lot more bards than seem to be on this list.</div>
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<div>Does anybody have any idea of the possible numbers of persons in the kingdom who consider themselves to be a bard, minstrel, storyteller or whatever performer type they consider themselves? And who these people might be?
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<div>Also, can someone please post...hopefully concisely...exactly what the "old" or "former" College of Bards was like...as in how *it* was structured etc. I've gathered there was a sash...blue with gold fringe..that some wore and some didn't. I've gathered that there was a sort of leader that was the Kingdom Bard ??? (maybe) and a sort of secretary person (maybe)...I remember hearing (years ago) that the "college" had a ranking system and there were bars or some sort of other markings that went on this sash that some wore and some didn't which showed your "rank" in the "College" .
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<div>I also remember being told (again years ago) that if you weren;t wearing said sash you weren't a "real" bard and was given the impression that you couldn't or wouldn't be permitted to perform or compete. ....this was way, WAY, long ago but was one of the initial reasons I thought I couldn't compete as a relative newcomer to the SCA because I didn't have the "sash" and therefore couldn't call myself a "bard"...but could never seem to find anyone who could tell me anything else about it.
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<div>Annes</div>