Post by Andúnë on Feb 21, 2004 16:44:36 GMT -5
After our fourth Ithilien meeting, I thought it a good idea to email the Cambridge Tolkien Society (our inspiration and future home (we hope)) to let them know a bit about us and what we're doing.
Earlier on today I got a reply! And this you see before you:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi!
Gabi sent me your e-mail (I'm the Cambridge Tolkien Society's official
smial co-ordinator). It's great to see younger societies forming, and we
were really pleased to get your e-mail. We'll look out for you next year.
I had a look at your website, and honestly, I'm not sure whether we could
teach you anything (our website was set up a while ago by someone who's now
graduated, so none of us really know how he did it).
As for ideas of games and meetings you could do, I'm really happy to
advise. Our main favourites (apart from our Games Evening and Pancake
Party) are the Eagle debate, the Outer Darkness Debate and the What if
debates.
At the beginning of Michaelmas (autumn) term we hold the Eagle Debate -
members of the society take on members of the fellowship and try to defend
them from being cast off the eagle. This year's winner was Legolas (with
Gandalf coming a close second), the year before Sam and Frodo were the last
two, before Sam won everybody over by offering to sacrifice himself for
Frodo.
Even more popular is the variant we hold at the beginning of Lent (spring)
term - the Outer Darkness, first there is a discussion about which
characters may be liable to be cast into the outer darkness, then members
of the society represent a character and try to prevent them getting cast
out. This year, Melkor/Morgoth won to everybody's horror. Last year, it
was Glaurung. Some very ingenious arguments are always forthcoming - the
best being the idea that Glaurung was actually a geneticist!
The What if debates are held twice a year. Here, we change the course of
history by working out 'what if' something happened differently. Previous
debates have been - what if sauron could still take fair form? What if the
Fellowship never went through Moria? And what if Sauron lived in the North
of Middle Earth. A variant on this is the 'Tahw fi?' debate. Here, we
suggest a conclusion (e.g. Sauruman successfully took over the Shire) and
work backwards to decide how this came about.
If you've checked out the site, you'll probably know this. Our next debate
(after next week - Shrove Tuesday) will be 'The Qualities of Leadership'
where we will analyse all the different leaders in Middle Earth from Sam to
Sauron, from Aragorn to Theodin and try to work out what makes a great
leader.
If you would like any further advice, or want to let us know how you're
getting on, please feel free to e-mail me.
Otherwise, we'll look forward to seeing you next year.
Thea
Keeper of the Red Book
on Behalf of the CTS Committee
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I thought that was very nice of them Any thoughts? Comments? Personally I'd like to try the Outer Darkness, perhaps when we've got a few more meetings under our belt.
Earlier on today I got a reply! And this you see before you:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi!
Gabi sent me your e-mail (I'm the Cambridge Tolkien Society's official
smial co-ordinator). It's great to see younger societies forming, and we
were really pleased to get your e-mail. We'll look out for you next year.
I had a look at your website, and honestly, I'm not sure whether we could
teach you anything (our website was set up a while ago by someone who's now
graduated, so none of us really know how he did it).
As for ideas of games and meetings you could do, I'm really happy to
advise. Our main favourites (apart from our Games Evening and Pancake
Party) are the Eagle debate, the Outer Darkness Debate and the What if
debates.
At the beginning of Michaelmas (autumn) term we hold the Eagle Debate -
members of the society take on members of the fellowship and try to defend
them from being cast off the eagle. This year's winner was Legolas (with
Gandalf coming a close second), the year before Sam and Frodo were the last
two, before Sam won everybody over by offering to sacrifice himself for
Frodo.
Even more popular is the variant we hold at the beginning of Lent (spring)
term - the Outer Darkness, first there is a discussion about which
characters may be liable to be cast into the outer darkness, then members
of the society represent a character and try to prevent them getting cast
out. This year, Melkor/Morgoth won to everybody's horror. Last year, it
was Glaurung. Some very ingenious arguments are always forthcoming - the
best being the idea that Glaurung was actually a geneticist!
The What if debates are held twice a year. Here, we change the course of
history by working out 'what if' something happened differently. Previous
debates have been - what if sauron could still take fair form? What if the
Fellowship never went through Moria? And what if Sauron lived in the North
of Middle Earth. A variant on this is the 'Tahw fi?' debate. Here, we
suggest a conclusion (e.g. Sauruman successfully took over the Shire) and
work backwards to decide how this came about.
If you've checked out the site, you'll probably know this. Our next debate
(after next week - Shrove Tuesday) will be 'The Qualities of Leadership'
where we will analyse all the different leaders in Middle Earth from Sam to
Sauron, from Aragorn to Theodin and try to work out what makes a great
leader.
If you would like any further advice, or want to let us know how you're
getting on, please feel free to e-mail me.
Otherwise, we'll look forward to seeing you next year.
Thea
Keeper of the Red Book
on Behalf of the CTS Committee
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, I thought that was very nice of them Any thoughts? Comments? Personally I'd like to try the Outer Darkness, perhaps when we've got a few more meetings under our belt.