From: 00030929@ysub.ysu.edu
Subject: Pennsic, Some Thoughts
Organization: Youngstown State University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 15:25:00 GMT

Greetings to all, from Vajk!
 
Did anyone else get the same feeling I did about Pennsic this year, that it
was rather subdued?  I have come away feeling as if it were not quite the
usual this year.  It might be PPD, but I don't think so.  It is true that
I commuted quite a bit, much of it with SCA business as well as mundane, so
was not on-site for the whole time, and that may have influenced it.  Still,
something seemed to be missing.
 
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On another matter, it has come to my attention that perhaps half a dozen
persons, so far as I am aware, have independently arrived at similar ideas
regarding Pennsic arts and sciences.  What follows is a distillation of those
ideas.
 
There seems to be a desire to have more in-depth arts and sciences at Pennsic.
More specifically, I have heard of a desire to have a separate and more or less
permanent setup at Pennsic for the practice of the A&S.  A large tent or
pavilion, or perhaps an encampment of artisans dedicated to teaching/
demonstrating their skills was one suggestion.  Things like looms and forges
could be set up permanently.  As opposed to the "classes" now offered, which
usually are shorter and use only materials which can be easily transported to
and from the location of the class, this encampment would have such things
set up for the entire duration.
 
A few suggestions as to what kind of arts/sciences could well use this
situation were:
                 weaving        looms could be set up permanently, and rather
                                large projects could be undertaken
                 metalwork      forges and the like could be left in place
                 tentmaking     the area needed for this project would be
                                large, as would the time
                 bowmaking      such things as vises needed to properly bend
                                the intended bow into the proper shape could
                                be left in place for as long as needed
                 papermaking    proper paper presses are large, and require
                                time to squeeze the water out of the paper
                 sewing         problems of individuals using the barn
                                point out the need for a place where such
                                activity could be carried on throughout the
                                day, maybe into the night
 
Any activity requiring long periods of time or equipment not easily moved
would set up in such an area.  Of course, we would need to arrange for
security, electricity if needed (like for sewing machines), and schedule
classes in such a way that the available space was efficiently used.
 
The list above is only of those I heard.  I'll bet you all could find other
projects which would fit the situation.
 
Comments?
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Information needed:
 
    I spoke to someone this year who claimed to have gone to an encampment
which was clothing optional.  This was NOT near the classic swimming hole.
His opinion was rather bad of the idea, and I suspect that he does not live
a clothing-optional lifestyle mundanely, because he complained that the
people were very ordinary, and not just physically attractive folks.
 
Does anyone know of this encampment.  Is it a household, or just a bunch of
folks who wanted this style of camp?  I am interested, as several years ago
I thought of doing this, but was unsure how to find others of the same
interest.  It seems I was not alone.
 
Please contact me by e-mail on this subject, as there are some on the Net that
I'm sure would rather avoid the subject.
===============================================================================
 
Vajk
From: Dave.Aronson@f120.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Aronson)
Sender: Uucp@blkcat.UUCP