We are pleased to announce that Spring Æthelmearc Æcademy and War College is a go!
The Æthelmearc Æcademy and War College provides a forum for the sharing of topics, research, and skills as part of the Kingdom of Æthelmearc. This year, the Shire of Coppertree is hosting the event at Camp Kingsley in Ava, New York. We have lots of space for classes of all varieties including classes in the War College and the campground kitchen!
Have you never taught at Æthelmearc Æcademy before? Check out the Resources page on the Æcademy website for helpful hints on successfully teaching at Æcademy.
Greetings Æthelmearc from the Chancellors of the Æcademy,
We are looking for bids for both the Spring and Fall Æcademies in hopes that both can be in-person events with the potential for a virtual component as well.
Spring Æcademy: Preferred date June 18, 2022. As we are past the bid deadline, we are open to any group hosting. Bids are due March 1, 2022.
Fall Æcademy: Preferred date November 12, 2022. Rotation is to Region 4. Bids are due April 1, 2022.
We are looking for sites ideally with the following (but will entertain any proposed bid):
a minimum of 5 rooms suitable for classes
WiFi capability – this is not a requirement but as we would like to try a hybrid in-person/virtual event we are hoping for the possibility
an area (indoors or out) for martial classes
a large commons area and suitable changing rooms, royalty room, and bathrooms
Oyez! Oyez! Please let it be known to all Nobles and Gentles across the vast and sylvan lands of Æthelmearc that Their Royal Majesties, Maynard & Liadain will hold a short court after Æthelmearc Æcademy. Please plan to join them this Saturday, July 11th at 7pm on Zoom and heed Their words. For those not on Zoom, Court will also be streamed to Facebook via the Kingdom of Æthelmearc page. For those who cannot join in live, a recording will be available on Ætube shortly afterwards.
Kingdom of Æthelmearc is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Æthelmearc Æcademy Court
Time: Jul 11, 2020 06:55 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Greetings unto the most talented and erudite Kingdom of Æthelmearc, from Mistress Alicia Langland!
Good Gentles,
It has been my honor and my great pleasure to serve as Chancellor of Æthelmearc Æcademy for these past four years.
I would like to take a few moments to thank the many people who made this position not a job, but a joy.
I would first like to thank Meesteres Odriana vander Brugghe, my predecessor, and those who came before her for their wise stewardship of this institution, as well as my successor, Baroness Elena de la Palma, who is already planning great things for this office.
I would also like to thank the autocrats, head cooks, class coordinators, tollners, and worker-bees from the shires of Stormsport, Riversedge, Ballachlagan, Nithgaard, Angels Keep, Blackwater, and Abhainn Ciach Ghlais, as well as the Dominion of Myrkfaelinn. With your enthusiasm and hospitality, you welcomed scholars from across the Kingdom and made it possible for them to spend time learning and sharing. Many of you had never hosted a Royal Progress event before. I hope this will be the first of many!
To those would-be autocrats whose bids were not chosen, please know that your time and effort were greatly appreciated. More than one set of Royalty had a difficult time choosing from among the bids submitted. You proved how highly this Kingdom values opportunities to teach and learn.
I would be remiss if I did not thank my hard-working staff:
The Honorable Lady Máirghréad Stíobhard inghean uí Choinne, my Provost, who accomplished the Herculean task of tracking every class taught in Æthelmearc for two years and made it look easy. In addition, she enabled me to communicate with more people, by posting messages for me on the Æcademy facebook page, a skill which I lack.
His Grace Duke Timothy of Arindale, Dean of the War College, who beat the bushes to line up teachers so the martially-inclined could beat each other
Her Grace Duchess Ilish O’Donovan, the Youth Track Coordinator, who encouraged our younger learners to not only take classes but teach them as well
and Master Gille MacDhnouill, who, as Webminister and general IT-guy, managed the AEcademy website and answered hundreds of my questions. As my husband, he provided me with the time I needed to devote myself to this position.
Moreover, I would like to thank for their generosity Mistress Orianna and Master Fridrikr, who offered a travel stipend to a new Æcademy teacher, and the anonymous donor who provided stipends to four grateful Æcademy teachers in honor of Countess Aidan ni Leir. You are an inspiration!
Most especially, I would like to thank all those gentles who gave of their time to share their passions with others. A good teacher is like a candle: it consumes itself to light the way for others. Every one of you who took the time to research your topic, prepare your materials, and travel hours from your home, just to share what gives you joy … you are all candles. Because of you, Æthelmearc shines more brightly. Thank you for being the spark that lights others on their way.
And finally, to everyone who traveled to an Æcademy session, I hope you found classes that challenged, inspired, and enriched you. May you find even more to inspire you in the years to come!
Greetings unto the most talented and erudite Kingdom of Æthelmearc from Mistress Alicia Langland, Chancellor of AEthelmearc Æcademy!
Good Gentles,
It has been my great pleasure to serve the Kingdom as Chancellor of Æthelmearc Æcademy for the past 3 years. My term of office ends at Kingdom Twelfth Night 2019.
While that seems a long way off, much needs to be done in the interim.
To allow sufficient time to train my successor, letters of interest are due May 1, 2018.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your resume to resume.aecademychancellor@aethelmearc.org (This will ensure that it is seen by the Royalty, the Kingdom Seneschal, and the Kingdom Minister of Arts and Sciences as well as myself.)
The position is for a two-year term, starting at Kingdom Twelfth Night 2019.
However, it is my intention to begin training my successor as soon as he or she is selected by the Royalty.
As an institution, the Æthelmearc Æcademy provides a structure to promote the exchange of ideas and information in a wide variety of interests to enable the populace to grow and develop as artisans and warriors. The Æcademy supports local groups’ interests in the gentle and martial arts by striving to bring to them the best teachers possible and by serving as a resource for groups wishing to host local schola-type events. The Æcademy also seeks to foster effective teaching by providing guidance in best teaching practices, through classes in teaching as well as resources posted on the Æcademy website. Finally, the Æcademy staff maintains a database of classes offered at Æcademy sessions and their teachers.
The average time spent working on Æcademy duties is – for the most part – one to two hours per week. However, in the six weeks prior to an Æcademy session, this can increase to 10 to 15 hours per week. The Chancellor is also expected to attend Æcademy sessions, which are held in June and November.
This position requires email and a working knowledge of spreadsheets and file-sharing avenues (for example, Google Docs and Google Sheets). Excellent communication skills, the ability to manage concurrently multiple projects at various stages of development, and attention to detail are a must for this position. So, too, is the ability to assemble and work with a team. Ideal candidates will have experience scheduling classes at schola-type events as well as autocratting experience. Since Æcademy sessions rotate from region to region in the Kingdom, it is essential that the Chancellor be able to travel to the far corners of the Kingdom.
I would be delighted to answer questions about the position and its obligations. Please feel free to contact me at ae.aecademy@aethelmearc.org.
Greetings unto the erudite Kingdom of Æthelmearc from Mistress Alicia Langland, Chancellor of Æthelmearc Æcademy!
Good Gentles,
Count Andrew and Sir Finn demonstrating some fighting techniques
Having received no bids for Fall Æthelmearc AEcademy and War College from groups in the preferred host region, I am now accepting bids from any group in the Kingdom.
The preferred date for Fall 2017 Æthelmearc Æcademy and War College is November 11, 2017.
Æthelmearc Æcademy and War College is an easy event to host. It draws a sizable number of attendees, which typically includes royalty. The host group is responsible for providing the site and lunch for attendees as well as staff to run Troll. The Æcademy staff will assist with the rest!
Silk banner-making class taught by Baron Friderich Schwartzwalder. Photo by Mistress Alicia Langland.
If you’ve been wanting Royalty to visit your area, this is a great opportunity to bring them to you. If you have a lot of newcomers, this is a fabulous event to introduce them to the many facets of the SCA.
Please remember that sites should include space and facilities for both gentle and martial arts.
If your group is considering submitting a bid, I would appreciate a quick note to that effect, sent to this address: ae.aecademy AT aethelmearc DOT org.
Resources for would-be autocrats — including FAQs — can be found here: http://www.aecademy.net/downloads.shtml. If you have questions or need help with putting together a bid, please let me know; I will be delighted to assist!
At the Æthelmearc Fall Æcademy, the Brewer’s Guild was invited to host a Brewer’s Round Table as it was blessed with a wet site. Initially scheduled in the main class room, we quickly packed up and invaded the quiet, out-of-the-way Troll table as it was a wee bit noisy (had nothing to do with us…).
With about a dozen brewers ranging from novice to Laurel and from all parts of our kingdom, we proceeded to have an informative and tasty round table on the topic of Fall fruit, in any shape or form.
Many had brought tasty samples of fruit-flavored beverages. Madoc Arundel graced us with a Belgian Tripel, and he later confessed he thoroughly enjoyed the citrus melomel brought by novice brewer Cristina Inghean Ghriogair, who supplied us with several choices, ranging from blackberry wine made with baking yeast (from a traditional family heirloom recipe) and dandelion wine to plum wine, apple citrus, and a raspberry cordial sampled together with dark chocolate. Her favorite was the mixed fruit rum someone had contributed. Leioolfr Grimr shared a blueberry cordial sweetened with beet sugar, or cherry, he did not quite remember…
My contribution was an example of how using fruit can throw a learning curve. I brought two bottles of red currant mead, based on a red raspberry mead recipe. Substituting one-to-one currants for raspberries made for a rather tart mead, which I personally did not quite like. Back sweetening with a little honey made all the difference, I thought. It was interesting to find that some people liked the tart original, some preferred the sweetened, and most wondered if downscaling the currants to lower the tartness might also lessen the currant flavor, which nobody wanted to mess with… so, surprising to me, the consensus was to not mess with the recipe , and make those dry wine lovers happy!
We traded some secrets, such as where to get grape juice in bulk (many local vineyards growing their own grapes sell plain grape juice, ready to ferment), shared some tips (freezing whole fruit helps free up the fruity goodness, and using a masticating juicer is not ideal as it is difficult to ferment apple sauce), and, as always, we had a great time.
Thank you Æthelmearc Æcademy for inviting us, and thank you all for coming!
Want to learn (more) about medieval brewing, Viking clothing, fiber arts, heraldry, literary arts, printmaking, SCA life, the scribal arts, and more?
If so, plan to attend Æthelmearc AEcademy and War College, hosted by the gracious Shire of Nithgaard on Saturday, November 12.
Check out the Tentative Class List: descriptions and details here. Additional information about the event can be found on the Kingdom website as well as on the AEcademy website.
Don’t see your favorite topic listed? Sign up to teach!
Class slots are filling up quickly! Only 12 time slots remain, so please register ASAP and avoid disappointment. (NOTE: If you do not receive amessage thanking you for registering your class, please contact me; thatmeans your registration did not go through.)
If you’ve never taught at Æcademy (or if it’s been a while), no problem! It’s easy to register — Just go to the Æcademy registration website and supply the requested information about yourselfand your class.
If you’ve never taught a class (or have taught but are still a bit nervous about teaching), please check out our resources for teachers.
If you are considering teaching a class but are hesitant because it isfinancially prohibitive, please consider applying for the Countess Aidan ni Leir Stipend:
In memory of Countess Aidan ni Leir, a stipend of $100 will be awarded to one Fall Æcademy teacher who best meets the criteria described below. The stipend is to be used to defray the cost of non-consumable teaching materials for a hands-on class for a minimum of 6 people.
(“Non-consumable teaching materials” are tools and supplies that would be used multiple times and would remain with the teacher after the class has ended. It does *not* include supplies for which students would pay a fee for or which they would take with them.)
For example:
YES: Purchase 10 sets of calligraphy nibs with holders and a toolbox to keep them in
NO: Purchase watercolor paper and a bottle of ink
YES: Purchase 6 chip carving knives
NO: Purchase wood for students to carve
YES: Pay for laminating color copies of visual aids for class
NO: Pay for copying of class handouts
Items purchased with the money would be the property of the teacher who is awarded the stipend.
In addition to teaching at Fall Æcademy, the teacher who receives the stipend must also teach the class at least once more, in a different region in the Kingdom.
Those wishing to submit a proposal should include the following:
your name (SCA and modern)
contact information
title and description of the hands-on class you are teaching at Æcademy
a list of non-consumable supplies needed for the class, including what each is used for, current price, and where you intend to purchase the items
when and where you will teach the class again
This offer is open to anyone teaching at Fall Æcademy, no matter whether this is your first time teaching the class … or your fourteenth. You do not have to have an arts award to submit a proposal.
The deadline for submitting proposals is 11:59 p.m., Thursday, October 20th. The more persuasive your proposal, the better your chance of being selected.
By Sunday, October 30, I will contact everyone who has submitted a proposal.
If your proposal is selected, at Æcademy you will hand me a receipt for the supplies you purchased for the class, and I will hand you a check for $100.
Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact me at ae DOT aecademy AT aethelmearc DOT org
Feel free to forward this message to anyone who might be interested in submitting a proposal.
Greetings unto the most talented and erudite Kingdom of Æthelmearc from
Mistress Alicia Langland, Chancellor of Æthelmearc Æcademy!
Good Gentles,
My current term of office as Chancellor of Æthelmearc Æcademy ends at Twelfth Night 2017.
I intend to apply for a second two-year term.
That being said, anyone interested in applying for the position of Chancellor of Æthelmearc Æcademy is welcome to submit a resume to the Crown and the Kingdom Seneschal by October 1. If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your resume to this address.
I would be delighted to answer questions about the position and its
obligations; please contact me at chancellor@aeans.aethelmearc.org.
Their Majesties in Japanese outfits made by Her Ladyship Hara Kikumatsu, and His Lordship Ishiyama Gen’tarou Yori’ie. Photo by THL Ishiyama.
Unto the artisans and scientists of Æthelmearc do Byron and Ariella, King and Queen, send Greetings.
We have returned from Our travels to Our beloved Shire of Ballachlagan (beloved particularly by the cicadas this year). We saw so many good artistic acts and thoughtful, insightful classes at the Æthelmearc. We extend Our thanks to all of the artisans and teachers who made the day so special, and to Mistress Alicia for organizing the Æcademy classes. We were pleased to witness the largest Cut and Thrust tournament ever sponsored in this Kingdom, and Our thanks go to Master Will Parris for organizing the tournament. Vivant to Don Clewin, who will soon become a Master of Defense, for winning the tournament.
THL Aelric and all the members of Ballachlagan should be very proud of the event; it went off beautifully and was an excellent showcase for martial and artistic pursuits. We attended many of the classes (at least in part) and were impressed with the quality and depth of the teaching. We also spent time in the Arts and Sciences display, where all of the entries were exceptional, and it was difficult to choose favorites. Furthermore, We thank everyone who made Ian Aetheling and Princess Leah welcome in their classes.
It is indeed a blessing to have Heirs who work so well with Us, and Our thanks go to Prince Marcus and Princess Margerite for their support in numerous ways.
We are pleased to announce that Spring Æthelmearc Æcademy and War College is a go!
Greetings Æthelmearc from the Chancellors of the Æcademy,
Greetings unto the most talented and erudite Kingdom of Æthelmearc from Mistress Alicia Langland, Chancellor of AEthelmearc Æcademy!
