[MR] SCA Census..

[Patty]

 Takeda wrote:
<<<<<<<<<<
Ask yourself this, "When was the last time I gave a newcomer/retainer the cloth to 

make their garb?"  It is a period practice, it happens in other 
organizations... why is it so infrequent in the SCA (unless it is that 
piece you found out was poly cotton)?

>>>>>>>>>>

 
Actually, my lord, several of the competition prizes at the most recent Storvik Novice Tourney were several yards of white linen, enough to make at least one chemise. This was the idea of the autocrat, Baroness Elizabeth.

I also agree with Duke Logan about the differences in child raising between "then" and "now" and the prevalence of electronic distractions. Indeed, last month I was one of the chaperones on a non-SCA youth group trip to NYC. The 15-year-olds never had their smartphones and iPods far from view.

Has anyone read "Bowling Alone" or heard of author Robert D. Putnam's theory of "social capital"? (See http://bowlingalone.com.) All of American society is experiencing this kind of social disconnection -- fewer people join clubs or teams of any type, never mind the SCA. I don't know the answer to this. No one does.

I certainly agree with efforts to improve our recruitment and retention, our openness to newcomers and our welcoming characteristics. But our Society exists within a larger society, and at some point we're going to run up against trends that aren't our fault.

In service,
Patricia of Trakai