[ANSTHRLD] Pursuivants/Heralds at Large

[Jay Rudin]

Star wrote:

>> Is there any real merit to keeping this system in place?

Actually, I think the real question is this: is there any real merit to 
putting it *back* into place?  This system may be in the rules, but it 
hasn't been used for years.

>> Can we make it more useful?  Should we remove it?
>>
>> I'd like to open the discussion on this list.

Throughout the history of Ansteorra, heraldic education has always been 
inconsistent.  Some excellent heralds have grown up in the College of 
Heralds, but there are huge gaps in the spread of knowledge.  [As an 
example of that, I will point out that the Ansteorran heralds form a 
College of Heralds (henceforth COH), as opposed to the known world heralds 
who form a College of Arms (CoA).  I have no idea what percentage of this 
list already knew that fact.]

When Adelicia became Star Principal Herald in 1987, the issue of heraldic 
training was acute.  There were a lot of people capable of doing the basics 
of the local office, but few good commentors or other kingdom heralds. 
Adelicia (with Da'ud, Tadhg, me and a few others) started a program to 
encourage heraldic training.  The first step was the Pursuivant 
Extraordinary test.  If you could do well enough on this test (with basic 
questions of heraldry, precedence, titles, insignia and court procedure, 
you were automatically a P.E.

And it worked.  Learning enough to pass the test and earn the merit badge 
became a goal for lots of people.  Pretty quickly, the CoH was filled with 
lots of new training and enthusiam (and not much experience.)  Some people 
treated it as a goal to reach and then ignore, and some became active with 
the CoH.  As a tool for generating interest in heraldry, it was very 
useful.  Our monthly commenting meetings at events drew 20+ people.

Not long after, several people (Alden, Serena, and others) had risen 
significantly above the level of P.E., and a Pursuivants warranting 
procedure was put into place, which required at least one specialization. 
I remember that Serena qualified in precedence, and was required to find 
the Day of the Laurel (March 11, 1979) and the Day of the Grant (Twelfth 
Night 1984).

In the years from 1987 to 1990 or 1991, there were *lots* of heraldic 
symposia and regional symposia (and heraldic classes at King's College), 
and it generated a significant amount of enthusiasm.

I believe that the five-part test was started in the early to mid 1990s, 
but I'm not sure.  Also, I think that it never really took hold -- at 
least, I have no memory of a time when it held a major place in the CoH's 
hearts or procedures.

So it is worth bringing back?  I don't know what good it did, but if it was 
ever a major factor, it was in the mid-to late 1990s when I was less 
active.

Certainly the P.E. test generated lots of interest in heraldry, and lots of 
new heralds.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin