Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 12:12:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: Lisa Gay <gay@husc.harvard.edu>
Subject: When I was a newbie...
To: Carolingia List <carolingia@bloom-beacon.mit.edu>
Message-Id: <Pine.3.87.9510111252.A14601-0100000@scws2.harvard.edu>
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About four years ago, I learned about the SCA from a magazine article.  I 
wrote to the folks in Milpitas and received three documents: Forward into 
the Past (good for stimulating my interest, but otherwise of little use), 
a (regrettably outdated) guild list for Carolingia (very useful), and a 
one-page introductory letter (incredibly useful!).  This last item told 
me how to use the information on the guild list and also gave me a few 
ideas on how to get started (e.g., go to a guild meeting, call the 
Magister/Chatelaine person, show up at an event, etc.)  It gave me the 
neccessary vocabulary to find someone particularly suited to answer my 
initial questions.  It did *not* address any of the finer points of SCA 
tradition.  But all in all, this manageable group of documents got me 
interested, did not overwhelm, and directed me into my first Jongleurs' 
meeting.  Months later, I used it to get involved in archery.

This format also address a problem I've encountered when meeting 
newcomers.  ME: So, what sort of activity do you want to try?  THEM: Gee, 
I don't really know.  What's available?  ME: Music, fighting, archery, 
theater, brewing,...  THEM: Aaagghhhh overload! Run away!
If I could hand them a sheet of paper to answer "what's available?" then 
I could continue the discussion in broader terms: "There's lots of 
activities run by people who are experienced in these areas, and they 
have meetings to teach other people -- like you -- how to do them."  For 
details, they can read the guild list in the comfort of their own brain.

In Bridge I encountered another newbie-outreach approach: the scavenger 
hunt.  It was useful to newcomers because it got them talking to lots of 
people at the event and learning about SCA, kingdom, and local 
traditions -- all under the guise of an innocent game.  Old fogies played 
it as a trivia game.  A scavenger hunt at an autumn event (e.g., Falling 
Leaves) could help get newcomers using the information network before 
they even realized it.  I do not think it is feasable to get this 
assembled for this year, but I could probably be convinced to arrange it 
next year.

I propose the following format: 
About thirty questions, as many as possible written by the various 
guilds.  Along with the questions would be a hint about how to get the 
info (e.g., What's a cubeb? HINT: Ask a cook.  or, Blazon the arms of 
Carolingia. HINT: Ask Lord Pall, Lady Azure, or Mistress Heraldia.)  This 
would require knowing ahead of time that Pall, Azure, and Heraldia would 
be at the event, willing and able to answer the question.  The scavenger 
would then get the answer (and probably a good bit of instruction in SCA 
cooking and heraldry), and write the name of their informant on the 
question sheet.  Other possible types of questions:
Find out the birthday of someone who has been in the SCA for less than 
three months.
Find out the birthday of someone who has been in the SCA for more than 
three years.
Find out one secret to speaking "forsoothly."
Name one difference between historical tournements and SCA tournements.
etc.
Bridge included an interesting twist: you could not write an informant's 
name next to more than one question.

One other suggestion: as was apparent at Bridge Birthday, it helps if the 
informants are not immersed in a brewing competition at the time.:-)

Permutations of the suggestion welcome.

Aurylia the Bandwidth Devourer
gay@fas.harvard.edu