[MR] A&S

[Martha Wallenhorst]

I have tried to stay out of this but... I guess good old Annejke just can't
keep her fingers quiet!  (I tried, really I did)  

The society and the A&S in the society have changed over the years.  In the
beginning it was more, 'gee that sure looks cool' to 'gee that sure looks
period' then 'gee that is great, you have documentation'.  A&S has grown as
the society has grown and we have become more interested and dedicated to
learning about the art and craft of the period.  That growing is part of why
judging is such a difficult job and why preparing to be judged is just as
hard or harder.  A judge's function is to 'score' how well a person has
accomplished the step they have taken in reproducing, and documenting the
item that has been entered in the competition.  One function of the society
is to mentor those people who attempt this reproduction process.  How well a
person has kept to period techniques, imagination, and humanity that has
been added to the piece is often judged.  Some judges like those qualities
and some don't.  The duty of judges is to score fairly and mentor the person
who has produced the piece by giving them fair and constructive comments on
the step or steps shown in the piece itself.  Remember that as a viewer of
the A&S you too make a judgment and have the right to leave a note as well,
although, when I do I make sure they know I am not judging. 

As for not knowing much as a judge, that can be remedied to some extent.  I
am a full time artist; I have knowledge in cooking, sewing, etc, etc.
However, if I was asked to judge something I knew nothing about, a sheet of
paper from an expert or laurel in the field as to what to look for and how
to judge it would be a great help.  The kingdom A&S could have these online
so each group could print them off and hand them to the judge who is a
novice in the field.  If I were doing lace I would be, Oooh pretty.
However, if I had a sheet I could read up on lace and what to look for,
before going into the judging I would feel more qualified to do at least a
novice judging job.  

I do agree with the adage; don't trust a word processor spell checker.  Have
someone else proof your documentation first.  I know several editors that
read with a red pen in hand.  (My children won't let me carry one anymore it
embarrasses them too much.)  There have been folks that come up, read the
documentation, are not judges, but pull out a red pen to correct the grammar
and spelling of the piece anyway.  I have one good friend I just won't let
near an A&S table alone because she is 70+ and an OCD English teacher.  If
someone wants to enter a piece and doesn't have anyone they trust to proof
their documentation, I know she would love to.  Just let me know and I will
send you her email.  Remember you don't have to know how to build a castle
to correct the spelling and grammar.  

I think these things may help the A&S.  I loved getting good comments.  I
loved getting tokens.  I hate being told nothing or nothing constructive.
The worst is being criticized and getting the feeling, you should just give
up.  

Annejke
If you see me at Crown, come wish me a happy anniversary.  I will have been
in the SCA 30 years that day.
(Who will go back to lurking quietly.)