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SCAphoneline-msg - 6/5/00

 

Comments on SCA chapters having phone listings.

 

NOTE: See also the files: newcomers-msg, recruitment-msg, fundraising-msg,

SCA-meetings-msg, SCA-land-msg, households-msg.

 

************************************************************************

NOTICE -

 

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that

I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some

messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

 

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium.

These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

 

I have done  a limited amount  of  editing. Messages having to do  with

seperate topics  were sometimes split into different files and sometimes

extraneous information was removed. For instance, the  message IDs  were

removed to save space and remove clutter.

 

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I

make no claims  as  to the accuracy  of  the information  given  by the

individual authors.

 

Please respect the time  and  efforts of  those who have written  these

messages. The  copyright status  of these messages  is  unclear  at this

time. If  information  is  published  from  these  messages, please give

credit to the orignator(s).

 

Thank you,

    Mark S. Harris                 AKA:  Lord Stefan li Rous

    RSVE60 at email.sps.mot.com             stefan at florilegium.org

************************************************************************

 

From: JCASE at TUFTS.BITNET

Date: 24 May 91 17:03:00 GMT

Organization: The Internet

 

Greetings unto the Rialto from Lord Taran of Windy Hill.

 

Let me introduce another of my hats in this fair Barony of Carolingia.  For

the last 8-10 years, I have been answering the Barony's telephone.  We here

call the job the Hotline (although I recently made a bid to be referred to as

the Oracle) and though the position is an unofficial one, it often gets treated

as official.  What I am is the supposed holder of all the most up-to-date info

on who is master of what guild, when fighter practice is or isn't, what the

list-mistress' NEW address and phone are, and even who just had what kind of

baby.  I imagine most groups have such a person, Carolingia just makes it more

official (unofficially).

 

What I also do a lot of is provide information to prospective members and to

transplanted members.  A phenomenon I have noted here in this city-of-

innumerable-colleges-and-universities, is that young folks come here to school,

find the SCA on their campuses, get interested, and when they go home for

vacations, tell their friends about us.  Since the one thing they definitely

remember about the SCA is my number, presto, more calls.  I have been called

from every kingdom in the Knowne Worlde, and have happily provided basic SCA

info to callers from both Berkeley and Milpitas, CA. (grin).  In this I work

as a deputy to the Baronial Chatelaine (which we call the Magistra, we have a

different office called the chatelaine, both offices predate the advent of

Kingdom Chatelaines) although for several years my lady wife and I shared that

office as well.

 

About three years ago, after listening to much discussion on the problems of

people not being able to find the SCA, I did some research into how to get the

SCA listed.  It was not possible to put an association's name as a second

listing on a residential account, and I was not willing to change my

residential service to accomodate such a listing.  I therefore investigated the

cost and advantages of a business line.  While I do not remember all the

startup costs, which included several one-time fees and a fairly sizable

deposit which has since been refunded, my fading memory hints at $50 in fees

and $200 deposit.  The monthly bill currently waiting transfer to the exchequer

is for $18.07.  Not a lot. For this Carolingia gets a white pages listing, a

yellow pages listing under 'Associations', and the ability of anyone to find

'The Society for Creative Anachronism' here in Boston through either those

publications or through directory assistance.  Also, the Barony has an

answering machine for exclusively SCA use, and I don't have to make the hard

choice of whether to make callers wonder whether they really have gotten the

SCA line when they hear my machine, or force my mundane friends and business

callers to listen to information on SCA events.  An extreme advantage to me, by

the way.

 

But has it worked, especially in attracting prospective members and transferees

from other SCA groups.  The answer is unequivocally yes.  I average about 20

calls a month from such people.  More and more are coming in from people who

are finding our listing in either the yellow pages or the white pages.  Two

examples come to mind.  The first, a man with a degree in medieval studies and

a ten year old daughter EXTREMELY interested in things medieval, had heard of

the SCA at a Renaissance demo in the Southwest, and had 'looked us up in the

book.'  Within three days, he and his daughter found me at a recent event here,

and I actually got to meet a caller.  The other example is a salesman in the

Chicago area who was doing some sort of canvassing in the Boston yellow pages,

became interested as a historical re-enactment buff, and called.  He will get

a copy of 'Forward into the Past' and a contact name and number in Chicago.

 

The idea DOES work.  It requires a long-term financial commitment on the part

of the sponsoring group (18.07 * 12 = $216.84/year), and the committment of the

person who volunteers his/her time to be the one to answer the phone.  It also

means an increase in junk mail, more calls from sellers of goods and services,

(who wishes this week to be the long-distance carrier for an office that

doesn't make long-distance calls), and other assorted annoyances that come

with a more establishes status.  The the availability and FINDABILITY of the

SCA is increased tremendously.  And the increase in service to the local group

is also enhanced.  Those who can't remember the number of the knight marshal,

or even the number of the newsletter editor, or who don't happen to have their

phone list (we call it the Liber Carolingiae, or just liber) can always

remember NO M'LORD.  I keep THREE! libers, and update them as well.  Also, if

for some reason down the road, I should tire of this (unofficial) office, the

line is easily transferred to the new holder (don't worry, Koby, I have no

such plans)

 

Indeed, having this line is so official that I frequently have to correct the

seeming impression that I am THE offices of the SCA.  It's quite clear that

this line is the SCA IN BOSTON.

 

I seriouly urge any group that can make the commitment to give this a try.

 

Verbosely yours,

-Taran

 

-TWH

******************************************************Lord Taran of Windy Hill, CDS                                 John  H. Case

Barony of Carolingia                                      87 Moreland St.

Kingdom of the East                             Somerville, MA  02145-1441

                             JCASE at tufts.bitnet

******************************************************

 

 

From: sbloch at euclid.ucsd.edu (Steve Bloch)

Date: 28 May 91 05:53:25 GMT

Organization: Mathematics at UCSD

 

JCASE at TUFTS.BITNET (Lord Taran of Windy Hill) writes:

>Let me introduce another of my hats in this fair Barony of Carolingia.  For

>the last 8-10 years, I have been answering the Barony's telephone.

>[goes on to describe the job, the phone line, etc.]

 

The Barony of Calafia has had a phone for some years, listed in the

White Pages as "Calafia Barony of".  It's connected to an answering

machine on a second line in Baron Talanque's house.  I don't know how

much traffic he gets on it, but enough that the Council keeps funding

it.  I'll ask him sometime whether perhaps they should use the some-

what more "accessible" listing "Society for Creative Anachronism".

--

Stephen Bloch

Joshua ibn-Eleazar ha-Shalib

>sca>Caid>Calafia>St.Artemas

sbloch at math.ucsd.edu

 

 

To: bryn-gwlad at Ansteorra.ORG

From: gerrod at msgroup.com (Liz Allen)

Subject: Re: BG - XL

Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 12:39:31 -0500

 

<Snip>

>One ongoing gripe, though ...

>

>How many folks do you suppose were intrigued by this article & unable to

>get in touch with us?

>Bet a few folks called the writer & asked, but I bet a few more tried

>something like, oh, looking in the PHONE BOOK (don't laugh, I've heard it

>almost a dozen times from new people).

>We should really think seriously about the barony funding an answering

>machine on a second line in someone's home, and then getting a basic

>listing in the phone directory. The recording could state basic info about

>the local group and then soak up messages from folks interested in a

>callback. The number could be printed on handouts and would remain fixed

>through officer changes, etc. Think of it as the baronial receptionist ...

>(Shoot, now that I live in Austin, I'll volunteer to host the number if

>necessary ...)

>Gnith

><swhite at cimedia.com>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

 

When I was in the Stargate area (10 some odd years agao) we had such a convenience.

It really works and all you need do is put a block on it for long distance #'s if that is a concern.

 

Gerrod

Liz Allen, ECA

gerrod at msgroup.com

 

 

From: Kathri at aol.com

Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 08:28:10 EDT

Subject: Re: ANST - Ad

To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

 

For a while, several years ago, Stargate had a phone number.  A member of our

barony worked for Southwestern Bell, so we experimented.  She arranged for

the number at employee rates, had it ring at her home, provided an answering

machine, and monitored the calls received.

 

We didn't get enough calls to justify the time and effort, much less the

expense.  

 

Kathri, Stargate

 

<the end>



Formatting copyright © Mark S. Harris (THLord Stefan li Rous).
All other copyrights are property of the original article and message authors.

Comments to the Editor: stefan at florilegium.org