Bulletin contests are stupid

Yes, bulletin contests are stupid if you enter with the sole purpose of winning. What? You mean that there might be another purpose that is more important?

First, everyone who enters their bulletin in a contest is a winner. You have the guts to undergo a critical evaluation by your peers that is intended to help you produce a better bulletin.

OK, but the criteria for evaluating a bulletin is outdated. Could be. Perhaps we are trying to preserve a style that existed when barbershop began. I hope not; however, we are slow to change.

Before going any further, let me explain who I am. I began editing the Gazebo Gazette bulletin for the Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, Chapter in 1975. I don't have records of when I entered my first contest, but I finished third in Cardinal District in 1978 and first in Cardinal in 1980. I made the observation in my six-page bulletin that I was only so-so in Content.

I placed 22nd in the 1981 International Bulletin Contest and decided to play the game and include the article variety required in the Content Category. I became more motivated and moved up to fifth the next year and after several more years of working on improving eventually won the IBC. I have been judging bulletins since 1983 and according to my records have evaluated 662 bulletins.

I understand that some editors do not enter contests because they edit the bulletin for their chapter, and don't want to print the variety of articles required in the content category. Some criticize the specific categories saying for example that they should not lose points just because the chapter doesn't have a board meeting every month, that it doesn't have a performance every month and that no one else will write articles. These are legitimate concerns, which I will try to address.

Let's review the primary objective of a bulletin: to inform, to record events, to reflect opinions, to recognize, to educate, to promote, to recruit and to encourage pride and participation. This is what dictates the variety required, and unlikely to be included in many of the bulletins you print. As a result there are few perfect scores. I suggest to editors that they use the bulletin contest as an incentive to get the chapter to become more active, to have board meetings and to write articles. You might say I am putting the cart before the horse, and I say it may not be the way things should be done, but if it works, do it. I think you will agree that the chapter will benefit, perhaps even more than the editor, by becoming more active, etc.

What about the chapter that is not very active? How can you earn the 24 points for reporting on two upcoming events and the 24 points for two recent activities? These events/activities do not have to be chapter events, although I would contend that if the chapter isn't doing something, why are you meeting? That's another issue.

Activities can be from other chapters, the district, the Society (UPDATE) or the community. You can look ahead months and back months. You could easily cover your annual show in six issues, three or more coming and three past. Build interest over several months and bask in the glory for several more issues.

Probably a bigger problem is the 21 points for three articles from others associated with your chapter. This requirement is there for a reason. You as editor are not expected to write the bulletin, but to edit. Readers also appreciate other viewpoints and style.

So, how do you get written contributions? Make specific assignments such as please write an article about the last performance, about the new member you just brought, about your experience at the district contest, the upcoming social, etc. Limit the article to one topic. Tell your writer to keep it short, no more than one and a half columns and preferably not more than a column in length. Split long articles and use a part in the next issue. Give ample credit to the writers, preferably with the byline at the beginning of the article.

Remember that one of the key objectives to entering a contest, any contest, is improvement. You work a little harder to do well in this contest and then look at your evaluation to make improvements for the next contest. While you may not agree with the rules, follow them, at least for the three issues you submit for evaluation. Go for it.