SC - [fwd] [Mid} sca becomes a general term

[Laura C Minnick]

On Sun, 21 Feb 1999, James Gilly / Alasdair mac Iain wrote:

> >That review quotes Rowland's book on the subject of the Roman Academy,
> >which she calls, apparently, "part institute for advanced study, part
> >guild for curial humanists, part society for creative anachronism."
> >
> >In other words, "society for creative anachronism" has become a
> >recognizable term and general concept in scholarly discourse.

It may well have become a recognizable term, but I daresay it is not used
in a positive manner and is most likely (and unfortunately) used with
some measure of contempt. The worst of what we recognize about ourselves
is all too frequently the best of what is seen by the academic community,
and if our name shows up in scholarly discourse, it is as an example of
bad 'living history'. Sorry to say so, but I have been victimized by both
sides.
	I had a bizarre little experience at the Medieval Congress at
Kalamazoo a couple of years ago- between sessions I was chatting with one
of the presenters in the textiles group, and we were discussing methods of
making bliauts, and then cotehardies, and suddenly she turned to the woman
next to her and said "SHe's one of us!" My mouth fell open and I wasn't
sure what to think till she turned back and looked at my tag and said
"From An Tir? Do you know Mark der Gaukler?" Once I could breathe again I
admitted that I did, and then she explained to me that they dare not
mention the SCA in sessions or as part of their research, and she made a
vague gesture towards the other side of the room and said "So-and-so
thinks we're all just a bunch of fantasy-play-actors who won't do real
reasearch because it might interfere with our 'play'." This from a woman
who had just delivered a wonderful paper on bliaut. Another SCAdian in the
room had an amazing paper and hands-on demo of spinning, how much yarn
you'd expect to produce in a particular length of time, how much cloth you
could weave with that amount of yarn, etc., and a third woman (Robyn
Netherton- didn't get her SCA name) had a very interesting talk/paper on
cotehardies. Three wonderful examples of research, writing, and hands-on
work, that would have been dismissed if their involvement in the SCA had
been known. 'Tis a shame, truly. And yet, how many times have I walked
into camp and seen more 'play' than 'period'? Sometimes I think our own
attitudes about academia are as much to blame as theirs about us. *SIGH*
	
I'll get off the soapbox now- I'm getting dizzy.

In Service to Griffin and Grail,

Elaine de Montgris
- -
Laura C. Minnick
University of Oregon
Department of English
- -
"Libraries have been the death of many great men, particularly the
Bodleian."
	Humfrey Wanley, c. 1731




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