Number 93 : July 1998 |
New Members
As usual, we start off by welcoming new members to the SIG. The rush seems to have paused a bit - only three new members this time. Still, a heartfelt welcome to :-
While we’re talking about members, congratulations to John Neary ! As you know (C92/18), he’s taking a Philosophy Degree by correspondence with London University from his hide-out in Mozambique (what an international group we are !). Anyway, he’s just passed his first year exams, so well done !
Mensa at Braziers
The next Mensa at Braziers conference is being organised by Leslie Haddow and runs from 25th to 27th September 1998. The subject is Crime and Punishment, so please be thinking about whether you would like to attend. You can book now direct with Braziers, at the address below, as detailed in the following advert that Leslie has submitted to Mensa Magazine :-
MENSA DISCUSSION CONFERENCE AT BRAZIERS COLLEGE
Fri. 25 to Sun. 27 September 1998
"Crime, Punishment and Society" to be chaired by Leslie Haddow
The theme of this conference is that the whole problem of crime needs some radical re-thinking. What can the "honest" members of society do towards finding a solution ? Do we need a change of attitude ? Three aspects will be considered:
The talks will not be by professional criminologists or penologists but by concerned and intelligent lay-people. All participants will be invited to contribute.
The late Eric Hills organised the twice-yearly Discussion Conferences at Braziers for over 30 years, and plans for this one and arrangements for several speakers were well on their way before his last illness. This meeting will now be chaired by Leslie Haddow who organised two of the previous Conferences on Eric's behalf.
The College was founded in 1950 as the Braziers School of Integrated Social Research to study practical ways of living in a group. It now operates partly as a community, and partly as an adult education college. It has a country-house atmosphere, and is situated in its own attractive grounds in the Chiltern countryside
The full fee, including accommodation and catering, is £92, and early booking is advisable. Apply for further details to :
Braziers College, Ipsden, Wallingford, Oxon., OX10 6AN.
Phone 01491 680221.
I would urge anyone interested in the above topic to apply promptly. I will be there (let this not put you off !), which will allow you the opportunity to lobby for your views on future PDG events, if nothing else ! Talking of which ....
FUTURE PDG CONFERENCES
As noted last time, the Braziers College setting seems ideal for possible PDG Conventions. I propose that the first of these takes place in May 1999.
There follow extracts from a letter I sent at the end of May to the Director of Studies of Braziers, David Allen, asking for guidance on parameters. We had a subsequent telephone conversation & I’ve edited in the relevant responses ad loc.
At the May 1998 conference, the future of Mensa at Braziers was discussed in the light of Eric Hills’ death and the advancing age of the majority of the regular attendees. It was decided that Dr. Leslie Haddow would organise the next meeting, already booked for September ‘98, but that I would organise the meeting for May 1999.
It was agreed that Leslie Haddow’s meeting would be along the traditional Mensa at Braziers lines, but that mine would strike out in something of a new direction, including the following modifications :-
Please let me know what think of the above, and let me know whether it is acceptable [it was, Ed]. Also, what dates have you available in May 1999 ? [The dates on offer are 7th-9th May 1999 & 21st-23rd May 1999 (remember, they’re Friday evening to Sunday afternoon), Ed]. I’m not sure yet what the theme of the conference would be - this would be agreed with the key-note speaker - but I would imagine something like "What is Philosophy" for the first of what I hope will be a long sequence of meetings.
As for the number of attendees, I would imagine we could fill as many places, one way or another, that you have available, so I’d be grateful if you’d let me know maximum numbers. [Response : 20 - 25 people can be accommodated in the main drawing room - more in case of use of syndicate rooms; there are 19 beds in the house - though only 13 rooms, so the number to be accommodated on site depends on the degree of sharing ... partners are welcome, by the way ! There is a good quantity of B & B accommodation within 2 miles of the house which is frequently used by attendees]. I will be soliciting firm bookings, with deposits, in August 1998.
For the time being, the PDG meeting would be annual in May, with the Mensa at Braziers meeting being annual in September. PDG members would be invited to attend Mensa at Braziers meetings, but would not define the focus of the event. We’ll see how things work out, though.
This time, a questionnaire actually does appear at the end of this issue of Commensal ! Please note that it’s open to my ISPE lot as well and that my priority is to fill the spaces, so apply early or be prepared to miss out ! Talking of responding, please do so ASAP with the choice of date if this is a concern for you. The Braziers prospectus is being published in August & they’re bound to be after me soon for the date. If pressed, I’ll default to 21-23rd May 1999. Sorry to rush you - my fault of course !
PDG Mentors
Groan ! Apart from an extensive correspondence with one of our members, I’ve got nowhere with this one (just too busy !). I hope to progress it in early August.
Next Issue of Commensal
As you will have noticed, I failed abysmally in the "monthly Commensal" experiment. I hope this hasn’t mucked any of you about (eg. Rick Street) - ie. because you thought you didn’t have time to contribute, you didn’t, and then found you did after all ! As far as contributions are concerned, I’m sure we could manage it, but I’m simply too busy to cope with it myself. Whenever my work commitments flare up (as they have done this month and are increasingly likely to do over the next couple of years) that’s it as far as Mensa’s concerned for a week or so.
So, we’ll try for 22nd August as the closing date for contributions to C94 - but don’t worry too much if you miss it by a week or so. However, please let me know if you’re writing something late that must go in the next edition, lest a miracle occur and it miss the boat !
Best wishes,
Theo