Society for Creative Anachronism
College of Arms
15910 Val Verde Drive
Houston TX, 77083-4921
713-918-2947
herald@sca.org
For the July 2002 meetings, printed September 19, 2002
To all the College of Arms and all others who may read this missive, from François Laurel, Zenobia Wreath, and Mari Pelican, greetings.
NOTE: With an early meeting, the response-to-commentary deadline is advanced for one month: the September deadline for responses to commentary will be Wednesday, September 25.
The following is a table showing the status of Letters of Intent, Laurel Letters of Pend and Discussion, and Letters of Intent to Protect. The header rows are the dates of the meetings that will consider them, the dates when primary commentary is due, and the dates when responses to primary commentary are due. The key follows.
Wreath meeting	Jul 13	Aug 10	Sep 07	Oct 05	Nov 09 or 16?	Dec 14 or 21?	
Pelican meeting	Jul 20	Aug 03 & 15	Sep 07	Oct 19	Nov 16 or 23?	Dec 28?	
	
Comment by				too  late	Sep 30	Oct 31	
Reply/Respond by				Sep 25	Oct 31	Nov 30	
	
LoIs being considered:							
Æthelmearc	-	Apr 23	-	Jun 27	Jul 17	Aug 17	
An Tir	Mar 28	Apr 29	May 29	Jun 28	Jul 30	(Aug 30)	
Ansteorra	Mar 17	-	May 19
[P May 28]	Jun 17	Jul 14
[P Jul 22]	(Aug 17)	
Artemisia	-	Apr 29	-	Jun 18	(Jul 30)	-	
Atenveldt	Mar 01	Apr 01
[P Apr 16]	May 01
[P May 23]	Jun 15
[P Jun 25]	Jul 15
[P Jul 25]	(Aug 20)	
Atlantia	Mar 21	Apr 25	May 28	Jun 27	Jul 18	(Aug 20)	
Caid	-	-	Apr 05
[P May 01] &
May 10 &
May 15	-	-	-	
Calontir	Mar 23	Apr 26	May 25	-	-	-	
Drachenwald	Mar 15	Apr 23	May 23	Jun 18	Jul 16	Aug 22	
Ealdormere	-	-	-	-	-	Aug 19	
East	-	Apr 28	May 12	Jun 09 &
Jun 23	-	-	
Lochac	Mar 18	Apr 20
[P Apr 29]	May 17
[P May 28]	Jun 16	-	(Aug 20)	
Meridies	Mar 31	Apr 30	May 31	Jun 30	Jul 31	Aug 31	
Middle	Mar 12	Apr 09
[P Apr 27]	May 12	Jun 17	Jul 12	Aug 19	
Outlands	Mar 17	Apr 17
[P Apr 29]	May 17
[P May 28] &
May 20
[P May 28]	(Jun 17)	(Jul 17)	(Aug 23)	
Trimaris	Mar 30	-	-	(Apr 29)
(Jun 28)	(Jul 30)	-	
West	Mar 10	Apr 24	May 30	Jun 25	-	(Jul 24
[P Aug 01])	
Kraken LoItP	-	-	-	-	Jul 16	-	
Laurel LoPaD
[LoAR date]	-	Apr 15
[Feb LoAR]	May 21
[Mar LoAR]	Jun 21
[Apr LoAR] &
Jul 20
[Apr LoAR]	Jul 20
[May LoItP]	Aug 31
[June LoAR]	
Month day: the date on the Letter of Intent, Letter of Pend and Discussion, or Letter of Intent to Protect. The Trimaris March letter had no date, so the postmark date of March 30 is being used.
(Month day): for administrative reasons, this LoI has not yet been scheduled.
[P Month day]: postmarked on that bracketed date, so the LoI is redated or postponed.
"-": no LoI is scheduled for that meeting from that kingdom.
?: tentative.
Due to an error in an internal Laurel office tracking chart, the May LoAR cover letter listed the Trimaris April 24 LoI as being scheduled for the August meetings. The Trimaris LoIs for April 29, June 28, and July 30 are currently unscheduled.
Aug: Pelican's main meeting was held on August 3. She held the usual Pennsic "road show" meeting on August 15, ruling on Calontir's LoI of April 26.
Oct: Early secondary commentary deadline.
Nov: Pelican's meeting is tentatively planned for November 9 or 16. Wreath's meeting is tentatively planned for November 16 or 23.
Dec: Pelican's meeting is tentatively planned for December 14 or 21. Wreath's meeting is tentatively planned for December 28.
Jan: Wreath's meeting is tentatively planned for January 18.
Not all letters of intent may be considered when they are originally scheduled on this cover letter. The date of mailing of the LoI, date of receipt of the Laurel packet, or other factors may delay consideration of certain letters of intent. Additionally, some letters of intent received may not have been scheduled because the administrative requirements (receipt of the forms packet, receipt of the necessary fees, et cetera) have not yet been met.
REMINDER: Until all administrative requirements are met, the letter may not be scheduled.
From Laurel: KWHS 2003
The 2003 Known World Heraldic Symposium will be hosted by the Barony of Three Rivers, Calontir (Saint Louis, Missouri), on the weekend of June 6-8, 2003. A copy of the bid information is included in this mailing.
From Laurel: Who Wants Next?
One of the most important tasks for anyone holding an office is to make sure there are good candidates to take the office at the end of their term. The transition of office, including the lead time for publishing a call for applications in the kingdom newsletters, receiving applications, designating of the successor by the Board, and then transferring of the submissions processing covers at least nine months. At just under the halfway point in my warrant, I wish to remind people that the time for applications is approaching. It's not just yet, but that time is approaching. Now is the time to start planning your bid.
From Laurel: Requests for Reconsideration: Revisiting Appeals for Accepted Names
The Administrative Handbook begins IV.E, Right of Appeal, with "A submitter shall have the right to appeal any return to Laurel." By this definition, appeals are not appropriate for items that have been registered. I would like to define a way for the submitter to request a review of a registration when authenticity changes, which can sometimes be dramatic, were made at the time of registration.
With the inclusion of the "make my name authentic" option, in combination with the other change options on the name submission forms, it is possible to have a name registered with changes the submitter has not been consulted on and possibly changed to such a degree that it is not acceptable to the submitter. The submitter being unhappy with the name that was registered does nothing to encourage the use of an authentic name and does not help the College serve the members of the Society. This proposed process is intended to provide the submitter a way to provide feedback on the registered name that was created using only the guidance provided by the submission form.
The proposed process for Requests for Reconsideration is limited to submissions where the changes were specifically due to the authenticity requests. While customer dissatisfaction might happen due to the other requests, the difference is that we have more written guidance on the other requests and are less likely to have such unexpected changes made as a request to merely preserve the sound, or preserve the meaning, of the name.
The following is a proposed definition of a Request for Reconsideration to be added to the Administrative Handbook in section IV, General Procedures for Submissions, following IV.E, Right of Appeal. The current section IV.F, Heraldic Wills, will be redesignated as section IV.G.
F. Request for Reconsideration - A submitter may request reconsideration of changes made as a result of a request for authenticity in a name submission. All requests must either: (a) be supported by new documentation supporting the original name as complying with the requested authenticity, (b) submit a timely request for a name based on information provided in Laurel's decision, or (c) include a request that the original name be considered with no request for authenticity. Such reconsideration may be considered with the standards in effect at the time of the request. Requests for reconsideration must be submitted through the appropriate heraldic officers specified for such actions by the submitter's kingdom of residence. Such officers must forward the request in a timely manner, with or without recommendations, to Laurel. Requests for Reconsideration will be considered "resubmissions" for the purposes of section IV.D Payment of Fees.
Please present your discussion and comments on this proposed addition to the Administrative Handbook to the College of Arms for the January 2003 meetings.
As well, a review of the wording on the name forms requesting authenticity is underway. A proposed change of the standard name form will be presented soon.
From Laurel: Standardized Forms of 1999
While reviewing the issues surrounding the "request for authenticity" wording related to the above topic, deviations from the standard forms became very visible. A broader review also showed that the armory forms are suffering from the same drift. In some cases, I am getting several versions of the same form from a single kingdom. The deviant forms are sometimes missing required information, reproduce the fields so small as to be unusable, or have oddly shaped armory representations. I believe the cause is many "home brewed" versions of the forms created without proper attention being given to the standardized formatting. Laurel neither encourages nor discourages producing the submission forms electronically but does require that the form have the approved layout.
In April 1999, Laurel published standardized submission forms for use by the College of Arms. The forms as published did allow some variation but the allowable changes are limited. The size and shape of the armory representation must remain unchanged. The submitter information, the action boxes, and the status grid must all be included on the forms in a reasonable size.
Some small variation is allowed in the printed page because of printing and copier vagaries. I will not be using calipers to measure the forms, but if it is obviously wrong it may be cause for return. Please review the forms being used for submission in your kingdom to ensure they comply with the published standard.
From Laurel: Staying Busy?
I still am amazed at how fast time seems to flow when you stay busy. The rapid transition to office, the whirlwind trip to Pennsic, and the unloading of the file cabinets all seem like last week or at most last month. During the past fourteen months there has been a lot accomplished with the help of many. There are many people to recognize for all the hours of effort that they have given to run the everyday work of the College. Everyone involved with the submissions processing has done a fantastic job. It goes without saying that Pelican and Wreath have carried the largest and most visible load, the LoAR. But the publication of that document would not be possible without our worthy Laurel Clerk and all the commenters. The quality of the LoAR would be hampered if not for the sharp eyes of the proofreaders, who have on occasion been asked to meet superhuman deadlines. Symond continues his superb printing and mailing of the LoARs.
It is easy to forget that the College is about more than just processing submissions. We are charged with keeping the records of awards in our kingdoms, with educating our friends and neighbors about heraldry, and with adding pomp and pageantry to courts and tournaments. I rely on the principal heralds and the local heralds in each kingdom to help me meet these responsibilities. Without each of you, heraldry does not happen. Thank you all, and keep up the good work.
From Wreath: Thanks
Well, a year has elapsed since current Team Laurel was warranted, and I wanted to extend some thanks to people who really deserve it. Thanks to Laurel, Pelican, and Laurel Clerk for their constant support. Thanks to the Laurel proofreading squad for contributions semantic, grammatic, and orthographic. And, of course, thanks to the commenters of the CoA for their research, insights, and considerable labors.
At this time, though, I'd particularly like to thank those who have been willing to serve as my personal staff. Thanks to those who have been willing to suffer through month after month of twelve-hour-long meetings, all the while contributing opinions, researching issues, finding precedents, locating possible visual conflicts, and getting much too familiar with three-hole-punch sheet reinforcers when filing. Thanks to those who have been willing to do "quick turn-around" research on issues too substantial to be resolved at the meeting, but which nonetheless had to be fully researched in the short time between the meeting and first pass proof. Heartfelt gratitude goes out to Áedán Mac Suíbne, Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme, Christopher Thomas, Ciaran Cluana Ferta, David of Moffat, Elisabeth de Rossignol, Francesca Testarossa de' Martini, Rafaella d'Allemtejo, Rouland Carre, Sebastian Sterne, and Teceangl Bach.
Roster Updates
Artemisia has a new Sage. She will become Golden Wing Principal Herald in December. Sage Herald (Artemisia): Tanglwyst de Holloway (Tonya Adolfson), 8023 Snohomish St, Boise, ID 83709-5997, 208-362-0329, amre2me2@yahoo.com (e-mail LoCs), is added to the roster and mailing list.
The Trefoil office has changed hands. Trefoil Herald (Outlands, commentary): Regana van Kortrijk (Vikki Hallowell), 1214 S Pratt Pkwy, Longmont, CO 80501-6807, 303-682-1532 (no calls after 9 PM Mountain, 11 PM Eastern), e-mail regana_vk@hotmail.com (wants e-mail LoIs and LoCs), is added to the mailing list and roster. The previous Trefoil, Dulcinea Margarita Teresa Velazquez de Ribera (Kimberly C. Shaw), remains on the mailing list and roster without title during the transition.
The previous Garnet Herald (external submissions for Æthelmearc) has moved to An Tir and is being added to Laurel staff. She therefore remains on the CoA mailing list and roster, just in a different section. Siren Herald (Laurel staff commenter): Juliana de Luna (Julia Smith), 650 Taybin Rd NW Apt C, Salem, OR 97304-3146, 503-391-8098, e-mail julias@alumni.pitt.edu (e-mail LoCs, not LoI).
Her replacement is a joint effort comprising Garnet and Cornelian. Garnet Herald (Æthelmearc, submissions): Ailis Linne (Erin Childs), 941 Greenfield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-2676, 412-521-8811, e-mail pixie@thekeep.org, is added to the mailing list and roster. All mailings and correspondence should go to Lady Ailis, Garnet Herald. Cornelian Herald (Æthelmearc, submissions): Roana d'Evreux (Sara Gryger), 5854 Forbes Ave Apt 4, Pittsburgh, PA 15217-1620, cell phone 412-999-7911, e-mail roana@angelfire.com, is added to the roster but not the mailing list. Though not on the mailing list, Cornelian would nevertheless like to get e-mailed LoIs and LoCs.
The previous Cornelian, Margaret MacDubhshithe (Gretchen Beck), remains on the mailing list and roster as Sigil Herald (Æthelmearc, commentary).
Triskele Principal Herald writes, "I am sorry to announce that HL Beatrice had to step down from the office of Lymphad [Herald] due to mundane considerations". Therefore, Lymphad Herald (external submissions for Trimaris), Beatrice de Winslow (MJ Caslake), is removed from the mailing list and roster.
Meridies has a new Ruby Pursuivant (Meridies, internal submissions for Gleann Abhann): Meradudd Cethin (Timothy M. Shead), 200 Fleetwood Cir Trlr 100, Murray, KY 42071-3514, e-mail meradudd@yahoo.com. He is added to the roster but not the mailing list. Though not on the mailing list, he would nevertheless like to get e-mailed LoIs and LoCs. The previous Ruby, Wulfred Hansard of Richmond (W. Richmond Beevers Esq.), is no longer on the roster.
Outlands has a new Fretty Herald (Outlands, commentary): Anne Aliz de Bâle (Annaliese Mayette), 209 Tijeras Ave NE Apt 1, Albuquerque, NM 87106-4764, 505-243-7568, dgr0dm@unm.edu (accepts e-mail LoIs and LoCs). She is added to the roster and the mailing list.
Red Hawk Herald, Gotfrid von Schwaben (Jeff Diaz), will be having a temporary relocation soon. He asks that hard copy LoIs, LoCs, et cetera, be mailed to his adjunct, Marie Chantal Delaire (Mary J Day), 9503 S Hydraulic St, Haysville, KS 67060-7217. All electronic letters should still be e-mailed to him directly at Jeffrey.Diaz@us.army.mil, though he asks that you CC Marie at deanday@swbell.net.
Send What to Whom
For all Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera, send one paper copy to each of Laurel PKoA and Wreath QoA at their mailing addresses as shown on the College of Arms Mailing List.
Send Laurel office copies of all submissions-related paper, including
- Letters of Intent, Comment, Response, Correction, et cetera (note: such copies are in addition to the personal copies for Laurel and Wreath mentioned above)
- Submission packets
- Cheques or money orders for submissions, payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms"
to Kathleen M. O'Brien, 7323 Potters Trl, Austin, TX 78729-7777.
Send Laurel office copies of all submissions-related electronic files to submissions@sca.org. In particular, the Laurel Clerk would very much appreciate e-mailed copies of all LoIs, LoCs, LoRs, et cetera.
Send roster changes and corrections to Lord Symond Bayard le Gris, Bruce R. Nevins, 2527 E. 3rd St., Tucson, AZ, 85716-4114, 520-795-6000, 520-795-0158 (fax), bnevins@nexiliscom.com. College of Arms members can also request a copy of the current roster from Symond.
For subscriptions to the paper copy of the LoAR, please contact Symond, above. The cost for an LoAR subscription is $25 a year. Please make all checks or money orders payable to "SCA Inc.-College of Arms". For subscriptions to the electronic copy of the LoAR, please contact Laurel at herald@sca.org. The electronic copy is available free of charge.
For all administrative matters, or for questions about whom to send to, please contact Laurel Principal King of Arms, whose contact information heads this letter.
Pray know that I remain
In service
François la Flamme
Laurel Principal King of Arms