The Mycroft
“He has the tidiest and most orderly brain, with the greatest capacity for storing facts ...” (BRUC)
HISTORY
In January of 1991, as Watson's Tin Box completed its first year of operations, co-founder Paul Churchill, BSI, hosted an "Annual Dinner" for the society at his home. As part of the festivities, the Tin Box's other co-founder (and monthly quiz-master), Steve Clarkson, BSI, designed a 60-question "Canonical Inquisition" covering all the stories the group had read and discussed over the previous year. By the second Annual Dinner, the event had been christened "The Mycroft," after Sherlock's big-brained big brother. The dinner and Inquisition became a Tin Box tradition, and both Paul's hospitality and Steve's quizzes are legendary among Tin Box long-timers.
In a continuation of this tradition, the January meeting of Watson's Tin Box is a potluck luncheon held during the last weekend of the month and featuring a 60-question, Canon-spanning quiz devised by Steve's current successor in the role of "Torquemada." There's no pressure to participate, but the exercise, while challenging, is intended to be fun for all. The Mycroft Award (conferring a year's possession of the Mycroft plaque and all associated bragging rights) is given to the person who achieves the highest score. The Strangers' Room Award (established by Torquemada II, Beth Austin, ASH) goes to the highest scorer among the self-designated Sherlockian "newbies" taking the quiz (this category can only be competed in once).
2021's MYCROFT
The Mycroft is generally held on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in late January at a branch of the Howard County Public Library. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, however, 2021's event occurred on the Tin Box's standard final Monday evening of the month, over Zoom. The potluck meal was sorely missed, but the killer quiz was duly given by Torquemadae Kim Ord & Karen Wilson. Its theme was "My Object All Sublime: Objects in Canon," and high scorer Evelyn Herzog earned the "Mycroft Award" honors.
Also at the meeting, folks who had attended 2021's virtual BSI Weekend earlier in January reported on the various events they enjoyed. Finally, it was announced that the duties of Gasogene for 2021 would be divided among a series of volunteer "Gasogenes of the Month," and that WTB's monthly meetings would continue to be virtual for the foreseeable future. Thanks and applause went to outgoing Gasogene Kim Ord for her hard work in holding the group together in 2020.
HISTORY
In January of 1991, as Watson's Tin Box completed its first year of operations, co-founder Paul Churchill, BSI, hosted an "Annual Dinner" for the society at his home. As part of the festivities, the Tin Box's other co-founder (and monthly quiz-master), Steve Clarkson, BSI, designed a 60-question "Canonical Inquisition" covering all the stories the group had read and discussed over the previous year. By the second Annual Dinner, the event had been christened "The Mycroft," after Sherlock's big-brained big brother. The dinner and Inquisition became a Tin Box tradition, and both Paul's hospitality and Steve's quizzes are legendary among Tin Box long-timers.
In a continuation of this tradition, the January meeting of Watson's Tin Box is a potluck luncheon held during the last weekend of the month and featuring a 60-question, Canon-spanning quiz devised by Steve's current successor in the role of "Torquemada." There's no pressure to participate, but the exercise, while challenging, is intended to be fun for all. The Mycroft Award (conferring a year's possession of the Mycroft plaque and all associated bragging rights) is given to the person who achieves the highest score. The Strangers' Room Award (established by Torquemada II, Beth Austin, ASH) goes to the highest scorer among the self-designated Sherlockian "newbies" taking the quiz (this category can only be competed in once).
2021's MYCROFT
The Mycroft is generally held on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in late January at a branch of the Howard County Public Library. Due to pandemic-related restrictions, however, 2021's event occurred on the Tin Box's standard final Monday evening of the month, over Zoom. The potluck meal was sorely missed, but the killer quiz was duly given by Torquemadae Kim Ord & Karen Wilson. Its theme was "My Object All Sublime: Objects in Canon," and high scorer Evelyn Herzog earned the "Mycroft Award" honors.
Also at the meeting, folks who had attended 2021's virtual BSI Weekend earlier in January reported on the various events they enjoyed. Finally, it was announced that the duties of Gasogene for 2021 would be divided among a series of volunteer "Gasogenes of the Month," and that WTB's monthly meetings would continue to be virtual for the foreseeable future. Thanks and applause went to outgoing Gasogene Kim Ord for her hard work in holding the group together in 2020.
Howard County Library Central Branch
10375 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044