RE: North and South: The Statistical Truth

[John Strauss <jstrauss@gmu.edu>]

Poster: John Strauss <jstrauss@gmu.edu>


Dafydd said:
> 
> And DON'T GET ME STARTED on holding Universities in the South.  I like
> University, and I love teaching -- I've taught more than 30 classes, more
> than 100 hours, at University.  I also travel.  But the last University
> held in the South had very poor attendance from the South.  Only about 25%
> of the attendees were from the region.  Yes, I can prove this--Elizabeth
> can run off University attendance statistics.
> 
> I consider this a major problem.  University is one of our best events.
> There are some strong supporters of University in the South: Baron Corwyn
> and Baroness Deirdre have taken more courses than just about anyone.  But
> there seems to be a significant lack of interest in University in the
> general populace down South, and I find that distressing.
> 
> If anyone has any ideas on how to increase the interest in the University
> of Atlantia in the South, I (and, I'm sure, the Chancellor, Mistress
> Deirdre) would love to hear them.
> 
> 

I have some ideas on that. You can be sure it is a matter I have invested
some thought in.

University is the greatest thing I have ever seen in the SCA. It is like
this bloody big snowball, rolling down a hill. Like a snowball, growth and
accumulated momentum happen over time. The first session had maybe a dozen
people. Gyrth broke a hundred. I broke 200 the first try and could have
broke 300 near the end just by sending out the catalog on time. Deirdre
broke 300 the first try and has a darn good shot at 400.

Think about what that means: 300+ people at a daytrip event with no
tournament, usually no court unless there are over-riding reasons why, and
no feast. All people do, all day long,is teach each other A&S. Incredible.

That momentum is regional in nature, tho. It consists of enthusiastic
people who have attended UA, told their friends about it, and come back
again.

How do we raise participation in the South? Do we have to accumulate info
on what classes they want etc? Nope. 

All we have to do is hold UA down there on a regular basis. Everything
else will take care of itself. 

I held a UA down in Misty Marsh. I forget the headcount. 175? 180? I
dunno. Sure, the bulk of participation was from central and north. But the
south was there, and they liked it. We garnered a few very solid repeat
teachers too. Phillip Bell is the one I remember most clearly. 

If I had held a second one in SC the next winter, the southern
participation would have doubled. If I had done it agan the NEXT winter,
it would have almost doubled again. 

That was the plan. I didn't succeed; but that was my fault, not the
South's.  I didn't do the legwork it would have take to get another
southern site. As it happens, Misty Marsh offered to let us use their
excellent site again just last year; but I had already contracted
somewhere else. 

It is my understanding that Deirdre plans to do a southern UA every
winter. If she does that, she will succeed, and this problem will vanish
away to nothingness. All the south has to do is give her good sites and
come teach. The south already has a couple of excellent annual collegiums.
The two phenomena will feed off each other and both will grow.

-Henry

      John Strauss             |    Henry Best, OP       
      Lexington, KY            |    Dragonsmark, Midrealm      
-------------------------------+------------------------------
      jstrauss@gmu.edu         |    "Jugate Potentum Gaudii"


=======================================================================
List Archives, FAQ, FTP:  http://sca.wayfarer.org/merryrose/
            Submissions:  atlantia@atlantia.sca.org
        Admin. requests:  majordomo@atlantia.sca.org