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The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

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Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#11

Post by oersted »

I just wanted to note how good the writing is on the first sign-up list when it was just 13 blokes in a local tavern.

> The great number of horses stolen from amongst us and in our vicinity is truly alarming, and calls for the attention of every well-disposed Citizen. It is evident that there has been, and probably will continue, a combination of Villains through the northern states to carry into effect this malignant design, and their frequent escape from the hand of justice stimulates them to that atrocious practice. And as that kind of property is most liable to be carried out of our knowledge, it requires the utmost exertion of every good member of society, to baffle and suppress depredations of this kind...

I do understand that it sounds fancy to us because of the old language, it was probably how normal people spoke back then. But man it’s still quite artful and epic the way they express such a mundane thing.

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#12

Post by wood_spirit »

oersted wrote: post #11

I just wanted to note how good the writing is on the first sign-up list when it was just 13 blokes in a local tavern. > The great number of horses stolen from amongst us and in our vicinity is truly alarming, and calls for the attention of every well-disposed Citizen. It is evident that there has been, and probably will continue, a combination of Villains through the northern states to carry into effect this malignan…

Growing up I got a glimpse into the dying days of the English pub, where it really was a living room where people went in the evenings to be social. Normal everyday people quickly became artists with words. Perhaps that is what we lost when tvs made everyone start staying home and what we may never get back now when everyone at home am just states into their own private screen?

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#13

Post by oersted »

I sounds terribly exclusive,

> Since its founding there have been more than 10,000 members including heads of state, Supreme Court justices, governors, popes, professors, generals, and other notables.

But it’s just a small old club adding elite members as a joke.

> The person elected to membership in the society need not even know that they had been nominated.

> "I've always wondered what the reaction in the Vatican mail room is when they open the envelope and see the certificate."

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#15

Post by _visgean »

Animats wrote: post #3

There are many organizations that similarly outlived their usefulness. The Junior Order of United American Mechanics is another one. This was the kid's section of the Order of United American Mechanics. It survived the parent organization and is still in existence. Or at least the web site, not updated since 2019, is still up.[1] [1] https://www.jrouamnationalcouncil.org

> similarly outlived their usefulness.

from the wiki article it does not sound like they have ever been useful.

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#17

Post by devit »

Not clear how this Wikipedia article survived deletion, given that while the society seems to actually exist the subject is clearly not notable (memberships are sent without request or consent) and the article is plainly not NPOV and misleading, presumably written as a joke or as a proof-of-concept of an attack on Wikipedia.

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#18

Post by motohagiography »

so glad it still exists. the point is the continuity itself. pity so few men ride horses anymore, but I can see how that happened, barns are feminine coded spaces now and it'd probably be like getting guys to do zumba. however, places need social fabrics and a way to connect. I live rurally and the closest thing here would be the volunteer firemen groups and masonic lodges in the area. it's important to have a way to share some dignity and recognition that isn't monopolized by the state. sure they can be exclusive, but the point was to make yourself worthy of welcome somewhere.

in my collections I have a ritual book for The Society of the Horseman's Word, which was a quasi-masonic fraternity for horsemen loosely based on one for ploughmen in 19th c. scotland and I thought about a fun reboot for it, but really there's nothing in it that regular masonry doesn't provide and imposing a constraint where guys need to be capable of anything outside their jobs these days (let alone, riding) is too much of a self-handicap. the other problem is do you really want to attract people who need what you're offering?

orgs like these are a social fabric that forms the quality of life we appreciate when we go into small towns and imagine how peaceful living there is. if there is something like it in your area, you should join one, as it's a way of providing stewardship for the places and ways of life people enjoy.

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#19

Post by keybored »

oersted wrote: post #13

I sounds terribly exclusive, > Since its founding there have been more than 10,000 members including heads of state, Supreme Court justices, governors, popes, professors, generals, and other notables. But it’s just a small old club adding elite members as a joke. > The person elected to membership in the society need not even know that they had been nominated. > "I've always wondered what the reaction in the Vatican…

Yeah I did a double take there.

> > Since its founding there have been more than 10,000 members including heads of state, Supreme Court justices, governors

Okay so what.

> , popes,

Uh what?

Re: The Society in Dedham for Apprehending Horse Thieves

#20

Post by ViktorRay »

devit wrote: post #17

Not clear how this Wikipedia article survived deletion, given that while the society seems to actually exist the subject is clearly not notable (memberships are sent without request or consent) and the article is plainly not NPOV and misleading, presumably written as a joke or as a proof-of-concept of an attack on Wikipedia.

This subject seems more notable than many of the video game or movie articles that Wikipedia editors seems to love to spend large amounts of time on.
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