Re: Demo Question

[dan.mackison@pobox.com (Dan Mackison)]

Poster: dan.mackison@pobox.com (Dan Mackison)

>     I went to a demo recently and began explaining to the people, coming 
>     by the booth, the weapons, armor, style and form in which the Society 
>     recreates Rapier combat.  Concernedly, most of the interested folk 
>     were young children of elementary school age...  (much deleted)
>     
>     My Questions are:
>     
>     When is teaching, giving too much Knowledge to those, possibly, not 
>     ready for it?

I'll leave the legalities and the "should have beens" to others. I would
have to say for my own opinion that this one is a judgement call. Different
children, especially young children, vary radically in what they understand
even at the same age.

>     Did I go too far?  How far is too far?

The only thing I would add is keep one hand on your blade. The chance of
accidents drops dramatically when your hand is on the blade or the child's
hand at all times.
     
>     How is what I did, different from what the heavys have done?

        For the most part, it doesn't. However, a rapier blade moves much
faster than a heavy sword and you will have less time to react if the child
chooses to strike someone else in his enthusiasm (thus my comment about a
hand on the blade). Also it is possible that mundane parents would consider
a metal epee (foil, whatever) more "real" and thus more damaging than the
"sticks" the heavy's use.

        In either case, heavy or light, it is a good idea to have the
parent's approval before you do anything with their children. Some parent's
don't want people "giving their kids ideas" and any of them would likely
blame you if their little boy poked his sister's eye out with a wire hanger. 

        My own eight year old son has brought other children over to play
with his boffer swords many times. Even if the children say they have
parental permission I call the other child's parent. Not counting parents
also in the SCA, not one parent has allowed their child to play with the
swords after I have spoken with them and explained what the children were
planning.

Dan

PS. For those who don't know, a boffer sword is a PVC pipe covered in soft
foam and then loosely wrapped in duct tape. 
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| Dan Mackison                   | Argent, a fox's head cabossed per pale   |
| dan.mackison@pobox.com         | sable and gules (usually drawn with      |
| www.geocities.com/Athens/1824/ | only a sinister eye) within an orle gules|
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