Revision [25880]
This is an old revision of NOAnswered made by BillHamilton on 2012-01-26 00:32:58.
Sleeping Arrangements
<#kate: I remember doing this with the girls in the dorm, and was thinking we might "arrange ourselves" within the orphanage as well, in this case picking "beds". I'm guessing "beds" is more straw mattresses or blankets on the ground than warm and cozy things. It might be more of a chaotic mess up there too, where individual "spaces" aren't really had, making this moot, but until then, I'll plow on. The image that I have is of a long rectangular room with 6 beds on the left, 7 on the right with an open hole in the floor for the stairs making up the missing bed unit. Maybe (if interested) people can pick their spots below? I realize that Ann would probably get first pick and we'd go down the line based upon arrival times, and this might be dependent on where NPC's end up but I thought I'd start the potential discussion. The WBed at 6 and 8 is my way of representing the one window we apparently have according to Kel. The Left Side also overlooks the Garden and Cemetery while the Right side is on the Hotel and Kitchen side of things. The main entrance is on the first floor below Bed's 12 and 13 while the tower is above stairs and bed 1. Hopefully that makes some sense. #>
Number of Children at the Orphanage
<#ann: I have a question: How many children are in the orphanage in total? Are we the only ones, are there dozens/scores/hundreds? - Ann#>
There are between 7 and 12 children in the orphanage. So the PCs + a few others. I have not fully fleshed out the other characters yet. I would like to get some idea of the other PCs personalities, so the characters that I make do not overlap too heavily. E.G. if Cole is a big troublemaker, then I don't want to make a troublemaker character.
Starting Date Discussion/Single Sex v. Mixed Orphanage Discussion/Education and Vocational Training Discussion
<#kate: Hey all. Been thinking about my character (gasp) and was wondering if we could tweak some of the years so that her respective ages could make sense? I'm hoping to have her be 21-22 in 1880, while arriving at the orphanage around 9, putting the "start year" around 1867-68 rather than 1865. I was also hoping she would be the 4th or 5th of the PC's to arrive as well. Not sure if any of that works, but let me know. Happy character developing. Kate. #>
<#ann: I don't have a problem with that. I did some initial investigating, and while the majority of orphanages were single sex, I did find records specifically in New Orleans that referenced sending both male and female children to the same institution, and other records that talk about the Blank Orphanage for Girls and Blank Orphanage for Boys, which imply sister schools, so that's not too much of a problem. I have found numerous references to integrated schools in New Orleans in this period (thought by the end of the century that had changed), so if we decide to be an integrated orphanage, I think we can let that slide. I'm still looking for more detailed information about what it was like to live in an orphanage in this time period, but signs seem to indicate that schooling would be important. Almost every reference to NO orphanages mention 'good education' (though of course the official press is hardly going to say otherwise.) Most mention teaching girls to sew, and several say they teach boys 'a useful trade'. At least one orphanage in NO was doing the laundry of hotels and steamboats, so that might be something to think about.) #>
<#bill: The other option is that was make the game happen earlier....like 1878 or so. I think I would prefer that option, but I can go either way. #>
<#court: Shifting the timing either of the ways mentioned is fine with me! And I think my character would be good arriving at the orphanage earlyish, so that shouldn't be in conflict for arrival order! -ct. #>
<#jonah: JP: I have no problem with that date adjustment. If you have something cool in mind, I'd say let's go for it. (As an aside, don't forget that the new wiki syntax works! I've updated the above text to use the new stuff. #>
Balcony Discussion
<#kate: I'd like a balcony (maybe iron wrought like they have in all those pictures) where you can hear music and maybe see some of the fancy folks in town. -Kate #>
<#ann: If there is a high tower, would we need a balcony? I sort of like the idea of sneaking out on the roof/tower to listen to the music. It gives it a forbidden air. In response to being a factory/hotel, I would vote for the hotel. There's much more varied work and more physical work in running a hotel than in working in a factory. Learning to sew, do laundry, cook, etc can be useful skills. -Ann #>
<#kate: I'm cool if the tower = balcony. I just wanted a place where my character could hang out (sneak out more probably) and listen to music. In reply to the hotel / factory - could we do both? The girls at the hotel, the boys at the factory? I hate to be stereotypical but I feel like the guys would be put to work in a more physically demanding environment (hauling stuff, chopping, working with machines) while the girls might be more the laundry, cooking route. Either way works for me really, just wanted to voice the option. Since my hope is to have a musically inclined character, could there be a piano in the hotel? - Kate #>
Piano is a go in the hotel.
I would prefer if everyone is in the same place. I can find lots of manual labor for the boys to do (chop wood, haul landry, carpentry, plumbing, etc)
<#ann: It's the physical nature of doing laundry and baking bread that I'm counting on to build my muscles! Sewing is tedious and sedentary, but that's about the only household task that is not back-breaking. But I'm down with making it a hybrid hotel/factory if that's what we want. There's more scope there for people being able to either gain a skill they want to have or make their lives miserable in a particular way, whichever path they want to take with the character-Ann#>
Sibling Discussion_
<#court: Factory/hotel/balcony all sound great! I also wanted to bring up the possibility of siblings again... J and Bill I think expressed initial interest, but as everyone thinks about their characters more, I wanted to check in again. I will start an email thread or create a subpage for whoever wants to jump on the bandwagon! My initial thought was to create a family in which mental illness of a parent was a prime factor in the child(ren) going to the orphanage. I've been doing some research and thinking and can bat around ideas with whoever lets me know they'd like to! =) -Court#>
Subpage for the siblings go!
<#bill: l Kel, did you create a subpage somewhere that I'm not seeing? Or are you just telling us to go ahead and create one? #>
<#kate: Hey Court - Sounds fun but I think I'll skip on the siblings at this point. My vote would be for the hotel if we're only doing one. -Kate #>
<#court: Here's that subpage! SiblingsPossibilities #>
Abner Hayes Question and Answer_
<#bill: Question: I took a look at the share docs in google and noticed that one of the rooms is listed as belonging to Abner Hayes. Who is that? #>
<#kate: Kel didn't have time to add a paragraph about him, but he's a regular resident at the hotel. Description forthcoming: AbnerHayes. #>
Done
Helpful Links
<#kate: Ann already found the Picayune (through BPL if you're interested) but here's a link to more local newspapers of the era:
Louisiana Online Historical Newspapers #>
<#kate: Syntax in use! Also, I hope these work. Orphans and Orphanages and Orphanages They might be interesting reads and suggest some different family dynamics than just having both parents deceased. - kate #>
Hold Old People Are When Ella Arrives in 1869 Discussion
<#kate: 5. I'm trying to get a feel for how old the other orphans are when Ella arrives (selfish I know). I realize that precise ages may not be available as the kids might not know, but a general sense would be great: #>
<#kate: a. Deco arrives in 1866 at "a very young age" - like 3? 5? #>
I'll reserve rights to change things as I sort this out, but Ill make educated guesses.
5 for Deco.
<#kate: b. Jefferson was left at 6 but you don't mention a year. Any idea on how long he's been there? #>
A while. Let's say he's 10 when you arrive?
<#kate: c. Who is older, Erin and Shawn and by how much or are they twins? How old are they when they arrive in 1865?
#>
They are twins. 9
<#kate: d. How old is Valerie? #>
Indeterminate, young but acts very mature. say 8
<#kate: e. How old is Callahan? #>
10
