[Namron] Namron's new Hospitaler

Kelandra Carmichael Kelandra_C at sbcglobal.net
Fri Feb 23 15:07:17 PST 2007


Greetings Namron,
I should probably stay out of what is going on but...here I go. I know I am an outsider to Namron but I hope some of you think of me as a friend and as such this is why I am sending this email. 

I think Master Athelstan, Adena, and others have the best idea regarding the current issue with the Hospitaller. Personally I can not help to think there is some misunderstanding in what was said, implied, and intended. I know Lady Elodie very well as she is a member of the populace in Northkeep and I can assure you that she did not intentionally imply that Namron is old, run down, or any such condition, or that you should change your group to be like any other. Elodie is a very nice person and may have done a poor job of explaining her decision or the reasons behind them. She has apologized, and that already says a lot. If you take another look at the letter you can see Elodie was trying to be nice and considerate of the people who had applied for your Hospitaller's position she just did not make the best choice of wording to convey her thoughts. How ever you feel bout how Elodie's email was written my suggestion is that you take a very deep breath, let that one out, then take another one, think about it for a little bit then if you still feel you need to do or say something about this write an email to Lady Elodie or give her a call and talk with her person to person. The prescribed method of conflict resolution with in the SCA does say to first try to work out your issue with the party involved, if that does not work then seek your local Seneschal, or the individuals direct superior for assistance as an arbitrator. How ever you proceed I imagine you will see that Elodie did not mean to cause the strife that is stirring in your Barony, nor did she intend to imply that Namron is "old and busted".

Writing letters up and down the chain of command with out first talking to Lady Elodie is going to frustrate more people and make this issue more difficult than it really needs to be. Also writing letters to the Kingdom and Crown with out using the proper process can cause grief and possibly get you considered as a pot stirrer, which I am sure is not anyone's intention.

If you have been to a Seneschal or Hospitaller meeting at King's Round Table\Red Tape in the last couple of years you know that the Kingdom and the SCA as a whole is looking for new growth. Administrators have said multiple times that they would love to see more demos aimed at adults, especially at Colleges. Why would this be done other than an attempt to get people at a younger age. Why younger? Because the fact of the matter is that the average age of people playing right now is higher than it has been in decades past, and most of us that continue to play are not getting any younger..I keep hoping that I will get younger but age only runs in one direction :) Right now the SCA has a low retention for younger adult players all across the known world.  The excitement and enthusiasm of youth is something that Hopsitallers are encouraged to seek out for recruitment. Moonshadowe a group founded at a university decades ago, has great success in recruiting and retaining college age adults. I believe that Lady Elodie's idea was to try to inspire Namron, a group with an even bigger university, to try and mimic some of the ideas that Moonschadowe uses for recruitment and retention. I think new ideas for recruitment and retention may have been Elodie's only other intent besides naming your new Hospitaller.

With all that said please forgive my long email and taking up so much space on your list. I replied simply because I have come to care about Namron and many of the people there. I have seen all the progress made in the last three years in your fine Barony. I would hate to see something as simple as this misunderstanding over a choice of words regarding the Hopsitallers position cause a black mark in other peoples opinions of how well Namron is doing. I know that by involving myself I am likely to draw some fire but I have been thru a lot with folks in your fair Barony already and I know that I can take it and still remain a friend...if you do not like what I have said please feel free to seek me out at an event some time soon and let me know. Regarding this Hospitaller issue I encourage you to do not make more of this than there really needs to be, please take the time to collect your thoughts and then talk to Lady Elodie before you do anything else. 

Kindly,
Ian 
(posting from Kelandra's account)
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