No subject

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If not mistaken=2C an award is the SCA's way of saying 'thank you' for a jo=
b well done=2C or 'Way to go' for a level of achievement acquired and it pr=
obably was for basically the same thing in the middle ages.=20

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There are times when an award is given out in court=2C minus the scroll and=
 sometimes=20

even minus the do-dad... while other times one or the other are provided...=
 and yet again=2C both. We are very inconsistent=2C and I'm sure there are =
reasons for it.=20

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While being called forward in court can for many be an awesome thing all by=
 itself for others it can be terrifying. It is possible that the receipient=
 is so overwhelmed by the awesomeness of it all that they can 'forget' what=
 was even said in court as well as what award they received.  Unless this p=
erson keeps a 'personal' written file of all the awards they received and w=
ho gave them to them... they can also overtime forget which awards they hav=
e or why they got them.  Going to the 'official' (?) online order of preced=
ence doesn't help because in most cases=2C it is not current=2C or has larg=
e 'gaps' in information.=20

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When it comes time to give 'correction' to the person or persons in charge =
of the online order of precedence=2C the first thing they ask for is 'proof=
' that said award was received along with the name of the award=2C the date=
 it was given and by whom. I suspect this is because there is also a large =
gap in court records at both the kingdom and lower levels. If there is no s=
croll or promisory note=2C as well as no court records produced during that=
 time period=2C you have no proof.=20

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When you look back at your own 'accomplishments' over time... if you did no=
t receive the scroll or some sort of promisory document... you can forget w=
hat your accomplishment was or what it was for. If you see others receive s=
uch documents=2C it may cause you to ask yourself... 'what is wrong with me=
 that I wasn't worth some piece of paper'.  If there is no reference to tha=
t 'award' on-line either=2C yet there are references for others in the same=
 time period=2C you have to ask yourself if you were not worthy enough for =
someone to even bother to document it in 'official' records. This would dis=
turb me far more than whether my scroll was painted using 'official' materi=
als.=20

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As far as the actual scroll and the materials used.....I have colored pages=
 from my children and grandchildren that are 30+ years old.  they are on pa=
per that is not acid free and done in crayons=2C markers and colored pencil=
. Over time=2C I take them off the wall or the fridge and put them in a scr=
apbook or someplace where they are not in direct sunlight=2C which helps to=
 minimize the 'damage' to them.  Yes the colors fade=2C yes=2C sometimes th=
e paper deteriorates... however=2C they have yet to disappear completely=2C=
 and I still know and appreciate the effort they took to do that work of ar=
t for me. And every once in a while=2C we even go back and look at those 'w=
orks of art' and it brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.=20

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Would I appreciate a scroll that was colored in markers or even crayon... a=
bsolutely.  Would I appreciate the artist who took the time to make that sc=
roll... absolutely. Would I hang the scroll in my home... if there was spac=
e on the wall in which to hang it and a frame to fit it=2C absolutely.. and=
 just like my other pictures and awards received from my place of employmen=
t... I would over time=2C take it down and put it in a safe place to treasu=
re over time. Would I appreciate even a computerized print out of something=
 that acknowledges my accomplishment (i.e. a promisory).. definitely. It al=
l helps helps me prove that it was received and more importantly=2C helps m=
e 'remember' that wonderful/awesome/terrifying time in which someone bother=
ed to take the time to acknowledge a job well done.=20

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I can appreciate the Crown's desire to distribute ONLY period pieces=2C I a=
pplaud your efforts in doing so. =20

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However if that is your decision=2C the reality is that said works of art a=
re not always going to be available.  So=2C at the same time=2C I would req=
uest that in the absence of a scroll=2C the recipient=2C at a minimum recei=
ves some sort of written 'proof' that they received it=2C including the dat=
e it was received and who gave it to them. A computer generated document ca=
n serve this purpose very well.  It is even possible to have a bunch of 'bl=
anks' on hand in the event you decide to do some last minute award giving. =
Some of us=2C including myself=2C have some very nifty software that can re=
plicate 'period looking' documents including  'artwork' at the touch of a b=
utton. Some of us may even have specialized 'paper' that makes it look even=
 more 'period'. Again=2C to be clear=2C this type of document would serve a=
s a promisory=2C I'm not suggesting it's use to 'replace' a handpainted scr=
oll.  Since I have no real artistic talent=2C but do have said computer sof=
tware I would be happy to assist in this type of an endeavor if you see it =
as something you wish to consider and persue.=20

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My two pence

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Bethoc

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