Behold the Gavel of WSFS!

[kevin_standlee]

Back in 1994, recognizing that there was no ongoing symbol of continuity of authority between Worldcon committees, I went to Feather River Office Machines, a small office-supply store in Yuba City, California, and spent a small amount of ConAdian (1994 Worldcon) money to buy a gavel. (I was lucky; I don't recall ever seeing a gavel ever again in an office-supply store.) This gavel passed from Worldcon to Worldcon for years, although for a long time it actually lived with me between Worldcons themselves because we kept putting off getting it engraved. In 2002, we finally got around to getting it engraved, and it could then live with the individual Worldcon committees after its ceremonial hand-off at the Closing Ceremonies. Then, somehow, between the 2012 and 2013 Worldcons, it got lost. It may actually be buried in a box of Worldcon stuff somewhere, but it's not currently accounted for. LoneStarCon 3 agreed when I asked to fund the purchase of a new one, and a few days ago I finally got around to ordering it from The Gavel Store. No, we didn't get the New York Stock Exchange Gavel, the 24-inch Great Gavel, or The Mallet of Loving Correction.


It's a fairly standard 11-inch gavel with sounding board and engraving.


It does make a very satisfying clunk when struck upon the sounding board.

There's an "all hands" meeting of the Sasquan Committee in Spokane the last weekend of May, and I'll carry it up there and deliver it to Sally Worhle, the chair of the 2015 Worldcon. I'll have to get it back from her after the Sasquan opening ceremony for my use during the Business Meeting, then return it to her for her to deliver to next year's Chairs at the closing ceremony.

Comments

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Gee, if I had custody of the Worldcon gavel between conventions, I'd keep it proudly displayed, not buried in a box. During the period before ConFrancisco when I had custody of the Hugo rockets, I kept one of those propped up on my fireplace mantle. (Of course it went back in the box when I left for the con.) I should have taken a photo, because one thing I have in common with Larry Correia is I'm unlikely ever to win one on my own. I do have a Mythopoeic Scholarship Award, though.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

It's certainly less likely to get lost if it's out on display rather than stored in a box. Moreover, sufficiently ratty boxes sometimes are mistaken for trash and discarded. I think we lost a WSFS ballot box (after the election was final) that way.

[adriennef.livejournal.com]

"I have a bad feeling" that this gavel will see a lot of use this year.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

It's not a weapon. It's an attention-getting device. Sometimes the Chair has to get the members' attention and remind them to be respectful and to follow the rules. In the most contentious Business Meeting I've ever run (the Westercon 64 Site Selection), I had to use the gavel but once that I recall for anything other than calling the meeting to order and moving in and out of recess and committee of the whole. One member got a bit obstreperous and started directly insulting other members. I rapped the gavel once to interrupt him and said something like, "Members are reminded that all debate is to be addressed through the Chair." Things calmed down.

I did something similar once at a WSFS Business Meeting where two members in close proximity to each other started trying to talk back and forth.

The reasons for the patterns of formality in parliamentary debate are not just because it's fun to refer to each other in the third person. It's to enforce decorum and try to focus on the issues. Not that there aren't clever ways of rubbishing your opponents that don't break the rules of debate, of course.

[msconduct.livejournal.com]

Not that there aren't clever ways of rubbishing your opponents that don't break the rules of debate, of course.

Anyone who's ever heard the UK Parliament's Prime Minister's Question Time is in no doubt on this score. It's pretty much an art form.

[scott-sanford.livejournal.com]

I remember an OSFCI meeting where [name of Hugo winner omitted] actually broke the gavel pounding it too hard. That's not the best way to restore order but it did get everyone's attention back to the front of the room.

[adriennef.livejournal.com]

You may have to take their attention a lot at that meeting. I'd even consider getting a bouncer or two for the door.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Adrienne: The meeting will have a Sergeant-at-Arms who has experience in dealing with difficult people in meeting situations. She is not a Brawny Bouncer. I'm of the opinion that putting Tough Guys Looking Threatening around our meeting would be like pouring gasoline on a fire to try and put it out.

Only members can attend. As long as they behave, everyone will be treated fairly under the rules. If the members misbehave sufficiently, the meeting will no longer be in order, and I will adjourn it and call upon the people responsible for dealing with unruly people. In addition, people who violate Sasquan's Code of Conduct can be sanctioned by the convention in various ways.

WSFS is a voluntary, private organization operating under its own rules, and anyone who violates those rules removes him or herself from that organization by his/her actions.

[frostfox.livejournal.com]

You do know the original one will now turn up again?

FF

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

I'm all but banking on it.

[were-gopher.livejournal.com]

Quickest way of finding any lost item in my experience (or making sure it is irretrievably lost...)

[yourbob.livejournal.com]

That's a rather pretty piece of equipment.

[(Anonymous)]

I would not have previously guessed that there might be a business called The Gavel Store.

I liked the following quote from an article found on its web site:

"About eight years ago he installed a 14-foot long gavel on the building. This helped cut down on the number of confused people who came looking for gravel."

--J. Kreitzer

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

It does make a very satisfying clunk when struck upon the sounding board.

MP3!

[crookedfeet.livejournal.com]

I want to touch it!

Also, an Mp3 of that would make a brilliant ringtone for you.

[stephiny.livejournal.com]

But, you could have so much fun with The Mallet of Loving Correction!

Okay, it wouldn't help the situation at all, but I suspect that it would be very satisfying to wield.

[rinolj.livejournal.com]

The inscription 'Grabthar's Hammer' would be funny for a while.

Would sound dated eventually, but then there's an upcoming Galaxy Quest television series to extend its topicality.