For SCA folk, some numbers and a question.

[cormac]

I was looking through Caid's Royal Scribe's page, and observing some numbers provided there. Have a look: http://www.catellen.com/eilidhswann/royalscribe_EdricFaizeh.html

Eilidh includes research done by Wilhelm von Frankfurt, who recorded the number of different types of awards given in a four-year period. Taking the numbers a bit further, I calculated the percentage of gentles recognized with one award being elevated to the next level, and came up with some interesting oddities in the numbers.

Field	AoA-level	GoA-level(% AoA)	PoA-level (% GoA, % AoA)
Heavies	16.625	4.125(24.8%)	3.875(93.9%, 23.3%)
Arts	24.375	8(32.8%)	1.75 (21.9%, 7.2%)
Service	45	14.5(32%)	2(13.8%, 4.4%)
Totals	86	26.625(31.0%)	7.625(28.6%, 8.9%)

Here's what I find interesting about this table. There are more Dolphins given than Crescent Swords and Harp Argents combined (ditto with the Crescent to Gauntlet/Lux Caidis ratio). If trends were indicative, the Pelican would be the most commonly given peerage in the realm (from the overall elevation ratio of GoA- to PoA-level awards given, ~4.15 Pelicans would be bestowed every reign). Yet the actual peerage numbers don't reflect this ratio.

In reality, knighthood is the most commonly given peerage in Caid, with more knights being made than Laurels and Pelicans combined. In fact, from the numbers given, one who is admitted to the Order of the Gauntlet is practically guaranteed a knighthood (93% elevation rate) and nearly one in four Crescent Swords given will result in membership in the Order of Chivalry. By contrast, only 4.4% of Dolphins will become a Pelican, with a 13.8% elevation rate for Crescent companions.

Given that AoA- to GoA-level ratios are about the same, why is there such a discrepancy? Why are so many service-related awards given in Caid, but so few service-related peerages? Why is the elevation ratio in the heavies circles so high?

I open the floor for discussion.

Comments

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a member of that Service-Related Peerage:

Caid is one of those Pelican-heavy kingdoms. In the past, our active membership is usually about twice that of the other polling orders. Of course, our particular emphasis does tend to select for people who will continue to be active, rather than take a break after the "goal" is reached; my opinon only here, no official statement should be inferred here. Just decades of observation.

A quick count of Laurels and Pelicans puts their current active numbers about equal, but of course I saw quite a few folks at Arts Pentathalon last weekend whom I don't see much of the rest of the year. Mostly Laurels. ;-) I'm not as well acquainted with the Knights, I'm afraid, so could not just scan the photo page and figure out whom I had seen lately. Maybe they should be pictured in their armour!

We have a strict standard for recommendation. From the order statutes: "A candidate shall be recommended to the Crown for elevation to the Order of the Pelican if and only if the total "Yes" votes on that candidate represent not less than 75% of the total voting opinion and 60% of the total votes cast." [http://www.sca-caid.org/users/pelicans/p_Statutes.htm] The Laurels seem to have the same proportion, while the Chivalry requires a simple 2/3, not accounting for abstensions.

All of the ruling documents of the polling peerage orders are open for public perusal via the Caid kingdom web page [http://www.sca-caid.org]; look on the left side of the page, beneath KINGDOM GROUPS.

What other questions have you? I will answer as I may.

Dame Selene Colfox
yclept by the wise as "Auntie"

[mysryael.livejournal.com]

Hey Auntie Selene,

What is a good and generic idea of what constitutes a "pelican candidate" level of involvment and service in the current kingdom
viewpoint?

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

That's a good question, and one that not everybody asks. Obviously, Service is less flashy and obvious than the other two legs of the SCA Tripod, Arts and Fighting. The creation of the Order of the Pelican certainly did a lot to show appreciation for the quieter doer, without whom the other two could not stand. There is no single combat without a Lists officer to provide an order of combat; there is no art exhibition without a hall to house the artwork from the elements and someone had to hire that hall.

We like to see a record of consistant service over a number of years, preferably in more than one field or discipline. Just as a Laurel can't be a one-art major with no asthetic sense in any field outside his own, just as a Knight needs to be conversant with multiple weapons forms. In my own case, my "major" fields were Heraldry and Cookery, the latter in the sense of keeping the masses fed reliably and on time. I have also held diverse baronial offices and participated in my major fields on the kingdom level.

It all gets complicated when the candidate is a peer of another order. Certain experiences may be counted on more than one Leg of the SCA Tripod. Is a Knight's service in the King's army as an organizer to be counted separately, or is it "supporting his belt"? This gets complicated sometimes and the nature of one's service gets discussed in minute detail.

A grant-level award is a good indicator of progress but is not strictly required for peerage consideration. I do not have a Crescents award, in fact. But I did have 20+ years with a Dolphin, local awards and many interesting and invaluable experiences which apparently they took into consideration.

I was an "early adoptor" of service to a Pelican as a Protegee, as opposed as taking service with a Laurel as Apprentice or to a Knight as Squire. This is still not as common as the other two but I must recommend the practice. Truly, I served Mistress Catriona [on whom be peace] with back rubs and computer installation. But what I was really learning was how to be ready to serve in any way needed, when needed; and how to be a Lady and still be Assertive. She was a mighty example in that last regard, as anyone who knew her will attest.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Truly, I served Mistress Catriona [on whom be peace] with back rubs and computer installation.

Glad to know I'm following in your doorsteps on both, boss. :-)

Seriously though it does take, (and I really DO have to start updating my peerage research project soon), a longer time from AoA-level to Pelican than it does with AoA-level to Knight or AoA-level to Laurel. And part of it *is* that these two are more visible than service is.

The worry I've had on that is the fear it may eventually lead to burnout, as people who are serving see other people with as much or less experience get awards that the people who do the service don't. And I've personally encountered the assumption that one must have x, y, or z award when they don't. (I've been publically chewed out for not wearing awards that I *don't* have, but have been assumed to have. And I don't even wear my harp pendants to SCA events for fear of it getting confused with a harp argent!)

[mysryael.livejournal.com]

If you want to go far enough back in chronicler time
I had to ask for a correction because i was listed as
"Mistress Annecathryn of Wicken Bonhunt"


So I understand this one.

Bwah?

[the-celestia.livejournal.com]

"(I've been publically chewed out for not wearing awards that I *don't* have, but have been assumed to have."

I'm not aware of any Kingdom Law that requires the wearing or display of award medallions. I believe there is a 'tradition' that Pelicans and Laurels wear tokens of these Peerages in situations where someone might be expected to be seeking knowledgeable assistance and/or guidance, but still not a requirement.

I sure hope the individual who chewed you out is just socially challenged and was trying to find out if you had such awards already, or to encourage others in hearing range to write recommendations for you for them.

Re: Bwah?

[patgund.livejournal.com]

I suspect it was that there were wearing all their danglies and was offended that someone else wasn't wearing danglies they *assumed* the other had.

At least that was the impression I got

[cormac.livejournal.com]

Hi Auntie Selene,

Some questions: By "Pelican-heavy," do you mean that Caid has more active Pelicans, or awards more Pelicans than other kingdoms? Is the desire by the Order of the Pelican to have active peers (a very good thing to desire, I think) one of the reasons so few are given relative to ther corresponding kingdom-level awards?

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

When I joined the order, we had about 70 active Pelicans as opposed to around 35 each other the others. Seems like a lot to me. See my answer to Ms Ryal for more here.

[kottr.livejournal.com]

"I'm not as well acquainted with the Knights, I'm afraid, so could not just scan the photo page and figure out whom I had seen lately. Maybe they should be pictured in their armour!"

They are pictured in their armour, you just have to go into the individual pages!

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Heh, I guess I asked for that. Could you do us all the favor of estimating a count of active Chivalry instead? I get about 80 Laurels and 82 Pelicans, for comparison.

[kottr.livejournal.com]

Not counting Western Seas Knights....

Active enough to fight in crown (5 events in 6 months):
25-30

Active in general (teaching, training, being around, practices, supporting the Kingdom in War):
40-50

My best guess.

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Might as well stick with "active in general" for a more even comparison. There is no official higher level of "active" for the other peers.

Why omit the Western Seas knights? I certainly didn't omit their counterparts in the other orders. We see them at Wars at least once a year... and Master Davin came visiting Estrella as well. It was great to see him too!

[kottr.livejournal.com]

Until very recently I didn't know any of the Western Seas Knights. I just don't know enough about them to count their activity level. I didn't want that to skew/unskew my numbers.