How a Knight Shall be Armed - 4th grade style

[Sir Rodney]

I recently volunteered to do a “How a Knight Shall Be Armed” presentation for a friend’s 4th grade class.  Dave, known as Gareth the Black in the SCA, is a founding member of the Mercenary Company Nevermore unit I belong to.  He’s also a 4th grade teacher at a charter school which concentrates on the sciences and history.  As part of his medieval history program, he brings in his own weapons and armour for the kids to research as well as another Nevermore mate with his dog to discuss medieval dog breeds.

Where was this school when I was in 4th grade?

[Joshua Santana]

Now that is excellent!  Huzzah! 

Now I want to do something like this only on a college level (planning to earn Doctorate's Degree in Medieval and Renaissance Studies).   

[Sir Edward]

Where was this school when I was in 4th grade?

Seriously. We never had people come in with medieval gear for us to look at up close, when I was a kid. Today's kids are spoiled, I tell ya!

That's excellent, well done! So what did they think of your bonnacon?

[Joshua Santana]

Seriously. We never had people come in with medieval gear for us to look at up close, when I was a kid. Today's kids are spoiled, I tell ya!

Indeed, that is why I will proclaim this message: "Youth was not made for pleasure but for Heroism!"  There is a good and bad spoil, so far I see nothing but kids being badly spoiled,very few are spoiled the right way with being raised by good parents and their moral foundation set up.  I am lucky to have parents that homeschooled me to help me learn and to help understand that I don't have to go with the status quo, I can be individualistic but willing to work with a team.  That is what I call being goodly spoiled.   

[Sir Rodney]

Now that is excellent!  Huzzah! 

Now I want to do something like this only on a college level (planning to earn Doctorate's Degree in Medieval and Renaissance Studies).   

You should come to the Twin Cities and study at Augsburg College.  It’s one of only a handful of colleges that offer an undergraduate degree in Medieval Studies (and just minutes from the Arms & Armor shop).

[Sir Rodney]

That's excellent, well done! So what did they think of your bonnacon? 

They loved it!  Heraldry studies is one of the units they cover (these are pretty smart 4th graders).  Last year they presented me with this...

[Sir William]

Sir Rodney, that's awesome and your kit is outstanding!  Where was this class when I was a kid?  I would've soaked that up like a sponge!

[Sir Wolf]

wow im clearly calling a lawyer to get my billion dollars, that sword clearly is armed and dangerous and could have gone off in a kids face and killed an entire school district! oh the humanity oh the horror oh how can i profit from this?

ahahah jk looks awesome man

[Sir William]

Well, it could kill an entire school district, hell, the whole town- it just needs someone to wield it in such a manner!  I'm kidding too...but your point is made, Sir Wolf.  Ridiculously alarmist times we live in.

[Sir Rodney]

wow im clearly calling a lawyer to get my billion dollars, that sword clearly is armed and dangerous and could have gone off in a kids face and killed an entire school district! oh the humanity oh the horror oh how can i profit from this?

ahahah jk looks awesome man

Thus the beauty of a charter school.  I couldn't do the same demonstration in a MN public school, period. 

[Joshua Santana]

You should come to the Twin Cities and study at Augsburg College.  It’s one of only a handful of colleges that offer an undergraduate degree in Medieval Studies (and just minutes from the Arms & Armor shop).

I would love to study there however I stick here in NJ and will be so, but I am attending Kean University at Ocean County College which does have Bachelor Degree courses in Medieval and Renaissance Studies.  I am excited to take those courses but I am looking at other universities, thank you Sir Rodney.

Well, it could kill an entire school district, hell, the whole town- it just needs someone to wield it in such a manner!  I'm kidding too...but your point is made, Sir Wolf.  Ridiculously alarmist times we live in.

Indeed, I suppose that is why they would not allow a demonstration of Medieval or Renaissance Martial Arts because it involves violence and weapons (things they would be "alarmed") at the same time I feel they are not allowing children room to allow their sense of individualism to grow because we want to play safe.  That is the price paid for freedom exchanged for safety and comfort.  I would be fortunate if i started a HEMA Study Group at my University. 

[Thorsteinn]

 

[Sir Edward]

That's something that really bothers me about the direction that the public school system has gone. This "zero tolerance policy" against violence is just plain stupid when it starts interfering with education. You can't sweep thousands of years of war under the rug in the name of safety. First of all, it doesn't help in any tangible way, and secondly you end up ignoring a huge part of history.

[Sir William]

Zero tolerance started out with good intentions...but somewhere along the way it got tied up with its own ruleset.  Like the kid who got suspended because his Mom gave him a cake knife w/his bday cake so he could share it with his classmates...it is almost like school administrators have done away with critical thinking and decided to blindly follow the rules because its easier and takes what should be their responsibility away from them.  I could go all year with this.

[Joshua Santana]

That's something that really bothers me about the direction that the public school system has gone. This "zero tolerance policy" against violence is just plain stupid when it starts interfering with education. You can't sweep thousands of years of war under the rug in the name of safety. First of all, it doesn't help in any tangible way, and secondly you end up ignoring a huge part of history.

Excatly!  That is exactly why!  If they don't know the truth, how would they be prepared to learn?  Same thing applies to self-defense and martial arts, you cannot defend yourself without fighting and you cannot fight without defending yourself. 

Zero tolerance started out with good intentions...but somewhere along the way it got tied up with its own ruleset.  Like the kid who got suspended because his Mom gave him a cake knife w/his bday cake so he could share it with his classmates...it is almost like school administrators have done away with critical thinking and decided to blindly follow the rules because its easier and takes what should be their responsibility away from them.  I could go all year with this.

Same here.