Seigneur Jehan du Lac

All of our guilds and activities have cycles. They grow when there is a core of enthusiastic individuals willing to teach others, they shrink when there aren't as many. I don't know to what extent the baron can directly influence this, but I believe one of the most important roles of a baron is encouragement -- being open to people with ideas and encouraging them to act on them.

I would like to encourage more opportunities for people to share knowledge that doesn't fall into a specific guild role. The History Seminars are a step in that direction, and some of the good ideas people have come up with recently for a series of garb workshops.

I also like to encourage authenticity, but I believe that this is something that is best done by example and not by lecture. Carolingia has a reputation as a land of A&S snobs, and I would work hard at trying to dispel that. One of the ways to do that is to show people that authenticity can be fun :), and by not forgetting the basic rules of courtesy that we all should live by. Courtesy does not include judging others and discouraging their efforts. And "authenticity" covers a huge amount of ground, in terms of time, space, culture, and range of studies. It doesn't come as a complete package (e.g. "now I am a completely authentic 9th c. Viking,"), but in very little things where we can show a slightly more historical thing that is fun and ends up raising people's expectations and standards. For example, the Coeur du Flamme has done a great job of making a more authentic style of tournament combat more fun for everyone, and thereby increasing efforts in heraldry, banner-making, and just all-around style. We've had an increase in interest in period table serving, too, which adds to our feast experience. I recently had a request from someone in Bridge to train squires to serve at Twelfth Night -- a sign of a trend spreading beyond our borders.

One of the things I think we could address is how our neighbors in the East Kingdom perceive us. I think we're actually very welcoming to people, but outsiders think we are cold and stuffy and don't like to travel. I think that attitude has softened a lot under Johanna and Aquel, who are excellent ambassadors for Carolingia. But I would still want to keep working on our image and diplomacy. One of the ways a baron can help (besides being gracious and welcoming to anyone who visits us), is to visit them. We have a rich baronial schedule, but visits to our neighbors for more of their events might help to dispel some of the Carolingian stereotype.

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From time to time, people have felt that Carolingia had an image problem outside our borders. Do you think Carolingia currently has an image problem outside the barony? If so, do you have any particular ideas how you might remedy that? If not, what do you think is the Baron/ess' most important role, if any, in inter-baronial relations? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I think that Carolingia's image problem has been much improved under Johanna and Aquel, because they are very affable and approachable people and make excellent ambassadors for Carolingia. I would make a conscientious attempt to visit our neighbors and attend their events when I could. I have a long-standing commitment to work in the kitchen at Simplefaire in BBM, and I don't see why Jack the kitchen boy will stop doing that :). That at least secures our reputation in along one of our borders.

As we all know, the baron/ess doesn't actually have all that much real power. Their power is all that of example, persuasion, and interpersonal skills. Being easy-to-find and easy-to-talk-to makes a huge difference.

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If you could change three things about Carolingia (or Carolingians as a whole) what would they be? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I'm assuming I'm allowed to daydream here...

1. If I were Emperor, I would make everyone wear hats.

2. I would encourage Carolingians to get out more. I know that we have so many great events here than one doesn't need to travel in order to have a rich and happy civic life, but we deprive others of learning what nice people we are :).

3. I wish we had a dojo where fighters and fencers could practice (and if this was a first rate fantasy, thrown weapons and even archery). I know Vis was trying to organize something like this, but affordable real estate in central Carolingia is very hard to find.

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For a long time in Carolingia, there was a very strong ethic of "everybody works, everybody pays". In the last 5 or so years, that has shifted, and it has become more socially acceptable for autocrats and head-cooks to decide to "comp" volunteers (e.g. feed the kitchen staff without requiring them to pay on-board). Do you have an opinion about this practice? Do you think it good, bad, in between, neither, both? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

On events that I have run, I have taken a middle path. The exchequer collected the on-board fees of servants I engaged, but I paid them. Not everyone can afford to do that, but it seemed like the proper master/servant relationship at the time.

I believe that autocrats should have some discretion in this matter. Of course, the bottom line is that they have to cover their expenses and hopefully return a small profit to the barony. Although we are an educational organization, we are not a charity and cannot let ourselves go broke over bad money management (as if the exchequer would allow it!) Within these limits, however, autocrats and head cooks should be able to make some decisions. If the discretion is abused, then we will deal with correcting it.

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As Baron/ess, you would become a bestower of awards. What do you feel about the SCA Award System, especially as it exists here in the East and in Carolingia? Do you have any criticisms of it, and if so how will that be reflected in how you deal with giving awards? Do you prefer to "err early" or "err late" in giving awards? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

The SCA award system is what it is, an irrevocable part of our culture, and I do not see it changing in my lifetime. If I could do it over again, I would strive to recreate more historical models, but given what we have I believe in making the best of it. That being said, it isn't so far off. Some historical orders voted in new members, many represented "awards" in that they were honors that gave people incentive to serve the king/pope/whoever, and most had few responsiblities besides dressing up in their ceremonial outfits and having dinner once a year.

I know that awards are unevenly distributed. Some people labor long in relative obscurity, and for some reason the recognition passes them by. Others have a few enthusiastic friends in high places, and they are recognized for what some would consider small achievements. The system can't be made perfect. We can only try to be paying attention and notice the quiet ones. It won't always happen -- sadly, I don't think they award omniscience with the coronet.

As for which way to err, I can only strive for balance. If we "err early" too often, it cheapens the award. To "err late" too often discourages people. I don't have a policy that could be applied in all situations, each case would have to be considered individually. I do believe that an individual's comportment and courtesy are important factors in any award, whether they are part of the official requirements or not.

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In AS28, the Board of Directors passed a rule requiring membership for attending all SCA events. It was later repealled. How do you feel about this kind of "pay to play" rule? What do you feel membership in the SCA, Inc should be required for, if anything? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I autocrated a large event during that time, and my feelings on the policy were so strong that I did not charge any site fee, so as not to have to collect the "non-member tax." It gave the cook nightmares not to have any reservations. I do not believe in a "pay to play" policy. I believe that membership should be required of the corpora-mandateed offices (which have legal existence in the real world) and that is all. Certainly not for participants, including fighters. If you sign your waiver, it is enough.

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In your opinion, what is best thing about the Society? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

Probably the best thing about the Society is it's inclusiveness, the low bar to entry that means that anyone can play. And of course, the worst thing about the Society is the low bar to entry that means that anyone can play. It means that you can have bunny fur barbarians right next to the person who sheared their own sheep, spun, wove, dyed, and hand-stitched their tunic. That can sometimes be frustrating for both of them. But one of the wonders of the Society is that sometimes the bunny fur barbarian can become that Bocksten tunic authenticist. The SCA gives people a place to create themselves in the process of re-creating the past. For a group focused on a very unegalitarian past, it is the most egalitarian organization I know. Anyone willing to work hard can become an honored member of the community. Anyone willing to learn will find many willing to teach. Anyone with a good idea can find people willing to try to create a little magic. People's willingness to volunteer to create an experience for others is a truly wonderful thing in a world that is often greedy, small, and selfish.

This is followed as a very close second by the kindness and generosity of its members. Complete strangers are assumed to be members of the same tribe. You can travel across the country and find a welcome, crash space, a helping hand anywhere.

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What do you personally think constitutes "politics"? Are all "politics" evil? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

well, if you believe Aristotle the polis is the great creation of mankind, the whole point of civilization. At its best, politics is the art of compromise and negotiation necessary to get things done in a civil society. It has a bad rap because people associate it with factionalism, favoritism, and an old-cronyism that preclude merit as the basis of success. Certainly it can be that, but the skill it takes to work with others who are very different from oneself in order to accomplish a shared goal is also politics. There is not one effective ruler in history who was not also good at politics. That said, I believe in rewarding merit, in avoiding factions, in setting an example that is free of favoritism or partiality. I do believe strongly in principles, that there are lines that cannot be crossed no matter what the political pressure (see the "pay for play" question). However, ideologues are not usually helpful to building the consensus necessary to getting things done for the common good, and I generally avoid extremist positions.

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Favorite "Magic Moment"? (More than one if you can't choose. :) :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I would say a major high point was at the Twelfth Night Poulet Gauche that Prince Bjorn attended. Inspired by someone else's example, I had decided to offer him an antique sword of mine to carry for his reign, and he accepted it. Although princes rarely frequent a place like the Poulet Gauche, that evening, in the dark hall with its candle light and the murmur of people at their cups, and a gracious prince, I was reminded of the great king Henri and I felt quite overcome.

[There was] another Magic Moment I wanted to record. That was throwing my dead body over my beloved Master, so that he emerged alive and well from the charge that ran us down on the bridge at Pennsic. What a great way to go!

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What is the kindest thing you have ever seen in the Society? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

That's hard to say, because one of the great things about our Society is the kindness and generosity of our members. One that comes to mind is the way that Carolingians pitched in generously to replace the truck and tools of an ex-Carolingian who lost his livelihood to theft.

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What will you keep the same? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

One of the things I most admire about Johanna & Aquel is their extremely welcoming attitude towards newcomers, and I would hope to live up to their standard. I also like the way that they recognize people with their gifts of silver rings. I would probably want to continue a similar custom.

another thing they have done is lead the barony at Pennsic. For years we didn't have that, and it has been nice to see them organizing a Carolingian presence there with nice pagentry. I would continue that tradition, and would pull myself together to fight with the troops, although no one will ever mistake me for William Marshall :).

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What will you do differently? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I think Johanna & Aquel have done a wonderful job and I admire them enormously. Due to the history of old Carolingian Rapier Company, they chose not to have a baronial guard, emphasizing the baronial champions instead. I would probably have a guard again (in addition to the champions), but do it differently than we did under Patri. I would like it to have 2 people from each of the martial arts (rattan, fencing, archery, thrown weapons), who would be nominated by the marshalls of those activities. These people would not be the most experienced or best fighters, but the "up and coming" types who showed a lot of promise. They would serve for a year or two, and then new people would replace them. That way the guard wouldn't get to be a stuffy organization. It would add some nice pagentry to our events, and hopefully be a learning opportunity for the people in it. I was also thinking of having a couple of baronial "pages" who would be A&S or service people, which would work the same way. It would be a chance for a little mentoring.

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How much do you think the baron/ess should be involved in the running of the barony? just the "medieval bits" or other stuff as well? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

well, corpora makes a sharp distinction between the two roles. The one thing a baron isn't allowed to do is be seneschal at the same time, to avoid conflict of interest between the ceremonial role and the business role. I still have a lot of interests, tho', and would have to find a balance between the baron job and all those other things I like to do (autocrat events, organize classes, etc.).

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What type of structure do you envision to support our general marshal activities? Seeing as I personally am involved in Archery, Throw Weapons, Heavy List and Fencing, I would appreciate if you could give all of us a view of the "big picture". As Baron/Baroness, what would you try to put in place to encourage the growth of each of these activities? Or do you envision a single structure that could support all of them at the same time? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

The baron/baroness's primary role in the barony is encouragement. One of my suggestions for encouraging a little more visibility for the martial arts is to have a baronial guard again, but along slightly different lines than the CRC. I was a member of the CRC and I greatly enjoyed the opportunity not only to fence, but to serve the baron. That feeling of a personal tie was a good one. My proposal for a Guard is to have one composed of 2-3 members from each of the martial arts (heavy list, fencing, archery, thrown weapons). When we have enough equestrians, we could add that, too :). The members would be nominated by the marshalls of the various arts, and would be taken from the "up-and-coming" people with a few years experience who show a lot of promise. They would serve for a year or two, and then others would take their place. It would hopefully serve as a setting for recognizing their efforts, encouraging them, and getting them more involved in the larger activities of the barony, rather like the Queen's Guard does on a kingdom level. There would be a captain, drawn in a rotation from from the different martial arts, who would be a more experienced person. I love pagentry, which I think really enriches our SCA experience, and the more period the better. I think that the guard could be fun for the people in it and watching it and would encourage pride in our martial skills.

One of the great things that has emerged recently has been more venues for beginners to learn martial arts. The "newbie practice" for heavy list is a great idea, as are the fencing classes. It's important to make it easy for people, so that they don't feel intimidated. Not everyone feels comfortable learning a new skill by serving as a pell. So I would do all I could to encourage these kinds of things. I don't know if the "class" approach applies to archery and TW, I would need to consult with those communities. Even running a short class once a year might help motivate people to say to themselves, "hey, I've always wanted to learn , why don't I do it now?"

The baron/baroness can't really change anything by fiat. All the good stuff in the barony has come from people with bright ideas and enthusiasm. The baron can watch out for those people, encourage them, and be visibly supportive of these kinds of efforts. And when someone comes up with a good idea that works, make sure everyone else knows about it too :).

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Aquel and Johanna have started getting into having an entourage (for court, processionals) which is quite different from how Patri and Barbara did things. Do you think you would want to "do entourage" in some fashion? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

oh yes.

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What part of being Baron/ess do you expect to be, for you, the most distasteful part(s) of the job? What tactics have you thought of to deal with them? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

Long courts that are not your own! No squirming in the chair or passing out from exhaustion. The only tactic I can think of is to keep baronial courts concise, and to practice meditation in order to cultivate calmness of mind and detachment from pain...

Having to taste everyone's home brew. I would probably take a little sip for politeness sake, and then explain that I have to limit alcohol for medical reasons (which is true).

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What do you expect to have to give up to accept this position? How will your participation in other Baronial activities change? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

It would not be realistic to autocrat events (although mon sien compagnon may do so). I do not expect my involvement in fencing or the history seminars to change particularly.

I would probably have to give up keeping a tavern. However, it is impossible for me to stay out of the hospitality business, and I would fill that void in my life by trying to keep the estate proper to the lord of a great household of my time period, which includes providing hospitality. This means that at most events I attended I would set up a corner where people could expect to find a cold drink, a place to sit, and perhaps a nibble. And of course, there would be musicians; what is court, however provincial, without musicians? :). At outdoor events, a nice fly would do, at indoor events, a few oriental rugs, a table, perhaps one of those "indoor tents" I saw a nice pattern for...

I would have to give up more weekends. A baron/ess must attend all baronial events, all kingdom events if humanly possible (not necessarily driving to Canada in a blizzard, for example), major events held by our neighbors when possible, and Pennsic. Luckily, although I am a singleton (no co-baron/ess), I do have a fabulous support system at home (who is a very long-term SCAdian) and can bring formidable forces to bear in meeting these obligations.

I guess I wouldn't be able to serve myself at table. But it wouldn't stop me from serving the King & Queen.

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Do you see anything preventing you from holding the post at least 4 years? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I expect to make a commitment for at least five years. As much as baronial elections are a pain, I think it is good to get new blood in periodically. Like George Washington's voluntary stepping down after 2 terms, Johanna & Aquel are giving us the opportunity to strengthen and have confidence in our process. I think they are setting a good precedent.

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What responsibilities do you feel the Baron/ess has to whom? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

The baron/ess owes all the people of the barony a good show. By this I mean giving them a ceremonial focus for our group identity and inspiring them with the ideals of our Society.

The baron/ess is also responsible for encouraging everyone in the projects that make our barony so rich in skills, ideas, and experience. This means welcoming new people, recognizing people's contributions, listening to people's complaints, and fostering a positive attitude. By this I mean one that is constantly striving for improvement, but is non-elitest and welcoming. This may be a hard balance, but it is the baron/ess's duty to strive for it.

The baron/ess also has the responsibility to represent our barony outside its borders, and to be a gracious emissary for us. At the kingdom level, the baron/ess should advocate for our citizens and their interests in curias and by petitioning the kingdom orders on their behalf. In some ways, the baron/ess is like an old-fashioned Congressman, looking out for his constituency and getting the potholes filled for his hometown.

The baron/ess also has the responsibility to lead the barony at Pennsic. This is one of many great things Johanna & Aquel have done for us, creating a strong and colorful presence at our big national convention. In addition to the processions to the field, the hospitality tents, and the like, I would feel obligated to take the field. No one will ever mistake me for William Marshall, but I feel it is important to be there.

The baron/ess of Carolingia IS Carolingia in the historic sense, and because of this his/her responsibilities are to all the people, not to any particular individual or group.

The baron/ess obviously has the duties of fealty to the crowns of the East, and the responsibility of presenting the rose to receive confirmation of our charter. The baron/ess should zealously guard our ancient privileges, rights, and liberties.

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Many of you, over the length of your SCA careers, have not been shy about sharing your opinions in public. If elected, would you change your participation in public discussions, including (but not limited to) e-mail lists and Great Council meetings? If so, how? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

The Baron/ess has to be moderate about how they speak in public. They don't have any real power, but they do have influence. The tone that they set by their speech and actions has an impact on the barony. I do not feel that the B/B has the liberty to express private opinions in quite the same way as other citizens. They should try to be a moderating force whenever possible and shouldn't engage in inflammatory behavior. On the other hand, by expressing our ideals, encouraging people, and educating in their fields of knowledge, they can add a lot. I like to think I'm reasonably moderate now, but I would have to give myself that extra moment of self-reflection before communicating an opinion in a public forum.

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Why do you think you'll be good? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I have a good understanding of the historical time period, and I think that I can combine the "authenticity factor" with the SCA "fun factor" pretty well. I like to think that I can encourage "periodness" without intimidating people, and I've gotten along very well with new people. I also think I have some flair for pagentry, which is an important feature in a ceremonial leader :). A little while ago I wrote a post to the Carolingia list tha sums up my feelings about why the Society is worthwhile (during the "teffan's Dilemma" debate). If you want me to, I can try to dig around in email to find it again.

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Do you think you will be able to be in tune with all the different aspects of the barony? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I sure would try. It's a big place. I'm active in fencing, I have been active in fighting in the past. I'm pulling my armor back together so that I can do that again. The dance community is a big one here, and I would make the effort to go to dance practices more often. In the past I've gone to borough meetings to talk about persona stuff and that kind of thing, and I would probably do that more. Johanna & Aquel have been very good at circulating to meetings & activities and I would try to keep that up.

One of the things I'd like to do would be to have an occasional "open house" at my home, where people could come, eat snacks, look at costume & history books, work on litlte projects, chat and the like. Patri used to do this once in a while, and I like the idea.

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Do you belong to a household, formal or informal? Are you in fealty, or have fiefs of your own? Do you anticipate your household or feudal relationships changing if you become Baron/ess, and if so how? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I do not belong to a household. I am in fealty to Master Kobiyashi. I do not see that changing. I do expect to try to create a kind of baronial "household," in emulation of the great medieval household rather than the SCA-specific institution. Historically, a great household was a very fluid structure where vassals, retainers, fosterlings, servants, and guests all passed thru, spent part of their time, got a little mentoring and social polish in exchange for their service of helping the household run and making the lord look good by the size of his entourage. (I feel a seminar coming on.) I do not view this as an "exclusive" kind of thing, but a way of nurturing people and giving the barony more pagentry. Part of it would be composed of the baronial guard, pages, champions, and of course, musicians (can't have a court without music!). Elsewhere I have mentioned my ideas about a baronial guard, to be made up of 2-3 people from each martial art who would be selected from the most promising up-and-coming fighters to serve for a year or two, and also baronial pages, which would be promising A&S or service-oriented people who would serve a similar term. And since we French are always trying to emulate the Italians, I would want to be a patron of the arts, encouraging poets and scholars and the like. It is perfectly period to have a number of significant relationships, multiple fealties, patrons and clients, so none of this would preclude people from developing other attachments.

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What part(s) of history interests you most (right now)? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I do have my particular focus in the 16th century, particularly France, although I do have other pockets of interest, like the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. I'm interested in everything about the time my persona lives in: politics, religion, military history, economics, families and household life, food, cooking, dining, food service, manners and customs, clothing, pottery, material culture generally and what the French historians call "l'histoire de mentalite" (or, "what were they thinking??"). Particular projects I'm working on now include translating a period French cookbook, putting together a web site on manners (including putting various primary sources like the "Havamal" and "The Babees Book" online), putting my collection of historic military prints on-line (Braun & Hogenberg engravings of 16th c. battles and such), and various clothing projects involving dorky Elizabethan fashions.

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What do you think your duties of a Baron/Baroness are to the boroughs and how would you fulfill them? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I consider the boroughs extremely important to Carolingia. They are a continual source of new people and fresh ideas and enthusasiasm. They are one of the main reasons that this barony is one of the largest and richest in the East Kingdom. I believe the Baron/Baroness's role is to offer encouragement and to be a resource to the boroughs. Because the role is so visible, new people can easily find someone that can answer a question, hook them up with a mentor in their fields of interest, or otherwisely be a patron to them. I would make it a custom to welcome the new borough folk by attending one of their borough meetings every year and giving them the opportunity to ask questions "off-line," where they might feel less intimidated by the formality of an event setting.

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Do you feel the Baron/Baroness has any particular duties to newcomers? If so, what? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

Yes, and this is one of the many ways that I feel that Johanna and Aquel will be a tough act for anyone to follow. They have done a wonderful job of making new people feel welcome. I would hope to follow in their footsteps in that regard. I believe that the baron/baroness is in a unique position to seek out new people at events, make them feel welcome, and be a resource to them.

One of the ideas I have which would probably affect the boroughs particularly is the concept of having baronial "pages." These would be chosen from the talented and promising newer people, perhaps with one or two years experience, who would be interested in getting involved in more baronial level projects. They would serve for a year or two. I like to use period models for things (one of the ways that the study of history pays off is that you can steal lots of good ideas :)). And one of the models that I think is useful is that of the lordly household. One of its many useful characteristics is that of patronage. People would serve in such a household (usually only for part of a year), learning skills, making connections, and being groomed for future positions in return for helping the household to run and increasing the lord's magnificence by the size of his following :). I think this is an idea that could be adapted for modern use, and that would give A&S and service-oriented people a chance to participate in the pagentry. The purpose would not be to have an elite or exclusive group, but to have a rather fluid and open "household" to encourage and mentor people as they grow.

I would apply the same concept to a baronial guard, which would be drawn from the "up-and-coming" people in all the martial arts (heavy list, fencing, archery, thrown weapons). They would serve for a year or two as well. They would add to the pagentry of courts and the like, and also get the opportunity to expand their focus in the Society a little beyond their martial activity.

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How have you interacted with the boroughs in the past year? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I teach fencing at the Sunday night practice and have met some borough folk through the newbie class that we run. Unfortunately I haven't visted a borough recently, although I have plans of taking the "Manners" course on the road after the baronial election process is over. I do have a history of being more involved with them in the past. I was deeply honored at Legends when one of the clan heads of the new Lochleven household thanked me for a Falling Leaves a few years ago when I took more Fenmereians than my car would legally allow to that event, gave them feast gear, cloaks, food and made them feel at home.

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If you saw a someone you took to be new at their third event wearing t-shirt & jeans (for the third time), what would you do if anything? Would what you do change if you were Baron/ess? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I would hope that by their third event I would have introduced myself and would therefore know them and they would know me. I do believe that one of the most important functions of a baron is to make new people welcome. I think I can be diplomatic enough to tell this person that we are delighted s/he has returned to join us again, but that our Society does have some minimum guidelines about attempting to wear clothing from our time period. We have many solutions the problem: our baronial Gold Key is ready with loaner garb for the short term, and there are many people who would be willing to help that person put together some clothing even if they have little money or skill. How I would behave after that point is a function of how they react. If they are sincere and willing to play, but hampered by poverty or other constraints, I would try hard to find them cheap solutions, including passing on old cast-off garments. If they aren't particularly cooperative, then I would be less inclined to go far out of my way to help. If they were uncooperative and showed up again the same way, I would have to be sterner.

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Do you feel the Barony is ready for a Baronial TW Champion now? If not, how would you judge when we have reached that point? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

I feel that TW is a pretty well established activity in this barony and that is deserves more recognition. Gwendolyn mentioned to me that she has already told you about my idea of a baronial guard. The basic concept is that it would consist of a couple of members of each of the martial arts, which I consider to be heavy list (tournament), fencing, archery, and TW. They would be nominated by the marshalls who run those activities, who would pick them from the ranks of the more promising, up-and-coming people with a few years experience. They would serve for a year or two and then be replaced. This way it wouldn't get to be a stuffy organization. It would be a setting where people with a strong martial interest could expand their activities and add to the pagentry of the barony, and also get a little recognition and encouragement for their efforts.

As for the champion, I wouldn't presume to dictate to the TW community on that issue. Since it takes effort to organize a championship, it would have to be something on which the TW folks at least had a majority opinion :). Perhaps the guard concept would be a first step. I do think Carolingia should be very proud of how TW has taken root and flourished here.

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What can you provide to the Baronial Fencing community? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

More footwork! :) I've gone into more detail below about some of my ideas for encouraging fencing (and all martial arts) in the barony.

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What can the Baronial Fencing community provide for you? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

see [the marshal support structure question] for my ideas about a Guard...

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As the fencing community grows and matures in the Barony, what role to you see it playing? :

Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

Fencing contributes to the barony in lots of ways. One of the most vital is training new people, which is something the current Marshall has done wonderfully :). It has made a big difference in bringing new people into the barony as a whole. Fencing events give those new people something to strive for, and I think a tradition of having the fencing community put on an event is a good one for getting people to participate more fully in the SCA. I'm also hoping that my Guard proposal (below) would help with increasing the visibility of fencing.

As the community matures, I think it would be excellent if it could support more than one track. Besides training for newbies, we are already developing a venue for more advanced work that helps experienced people keep growing. I also think it would be a great thing if we could revive the historical fencing Accademia that we have had off and on in the past. Studying and redacting old manuals would give people an deeper appreciation of the historical process in general, as well as the development of fencing. I would encourage doing this the same way cooks do recipes -- read about it and experiment.

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