Hrim means “frost” in Old Norse; accordingly, our event name means “Frost-Schola.”
The first Hrim-Schola event was held on 24 March 1990 during the seneschalate of Lady Aislinn Baothan. It was held at the St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Poughkeepsie. Hands-on classes were less common at East Kingdom Universities back then, and Hrim-Schola was intended to be a practical event, teaching people skills they could use. Eight such classes were offered, including beginning blackwork, introductory shoemaking, how to start a fire with flint and steel, and tablet weaving. Thora had to front $200 of her own money as the security deposit for this event. Thora was the autocrat and Aislinn was the head cook.
Hrim-Schola II was held on 16 November 1996 during the seneschalate of Lord Haraldr Bassi. It too was held at St. John’s; there was a dayboard and a feast, both prepared by Lady Oksana Goncharova. Thirteen classes were offered, many of them devoted to weaving. The tradition of the Instructors’ Brunch and Library Romp began this year.
Hrim-Schola III was held on 15 November 1997, by arrangement with our neighbors the Shire of Nordenhalle at the St. James Methodist Church in Kingston, NY. The
class schedule featured a dozen fiber- and textile-related classes. Lady Oksana prepared a dayboard and a feast for this event. The dessert was a soteltie consisting of a byre full of sculpted marzipan sheep; it was heralded into the dining hall by Lord Macsen Felinfoel and Master Dofinn-Hallr Morrisson declaiming a section of Chaucer poetry.
All subsequent Hrim-Scholas involved a core curriculum of classes focused on the acquisition of practical skills in the fiber and textile production arts. Additional tracks of classes in unrelated topics were always included, often through the involvement of one or another East Kingdom guild organization.
Hrim-Schola IV was held on 4 March 2000. We had had difficulties finding a site for a couple of years, but this was the year we found a new site for this event, the Dutchess Day School in Millbrook, NY. We also changed the food plan to consist of a continuous dayboard, again prepared by Oksana. The
class schedule featured tracks of cooking and fencing classes as well as a math class in observance of Y2K.
Hrim-Schola V was held on 10 March 2001 at the Dutchess Day School. Lady Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. Oksana’s continuous dayboard format having proved extremely popular, we stuck with it. The
class schedule featured a track of woodworking classes and a track of classes provided by the
East Kingdom Herbalists' and Apothecaries' Guild.
Hrim-Schola VI was held on 2 March 2002, at the Dutchess Day School, with Oksana providing the by-now traditional continuous dayboard. Lady Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. The
class schedule featured a track of heraldry classes including instructors from the Kingdom of Atlantia.
Hrim-Schola VII was held on 8 March 2003 at the Dutchess Day School, with Oksana providing the continuous dayboard. Lord Haraldr Bassi was the Autocrat. The
class schedule featured the first full track of classes on fingerloop braiding ever offered in the East Kingdom, taught by people who would become charter members of the Worshipful Company of Narrowworkers of the East Kingdom. There were instructors from three kingdoms at this event.
Hrim-Schola VIII was held on 13 March 2004 at the Dutchess Day School, with Oksana providing the continuous dayboard. Lord Haraldr Bassi was the Autocrat. The
class schedule featured tracks of classes in herbalism and cooking. There were instructors from three kingdoms at this event.
Hrim-Schola IX was held on 12 March 2005, at the Dutchess Day School, with Oksana providing the continuous dayboard. Lady Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. The
class schedule featured tracks of classes in needlework (courtesy of
The Keepers of Athena's Thimble) and the bardic arts. Their Majesties Thorvaldr I and Svava I attended. This was the first Royal Progress event in Frosted Hills since Randal I and Marieke I had visited, 17 years previously, which led to many jokes about royalty being like locusts! The Worshipful Company of Narrowworkers of the East Kingdom was formally chartered that day at a ceremony in Court. Several shire members received awards also.
Hrim-Schola X was held on 18 March 2006 at the Dutchess Day School, with Oksana providing the continuous dayboard. Lady Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. The
class schedule featured tracks of classes by The Keepers of Athena’s Thimble and the group that would eventually become the East Kingdom knitting guild (The Guild of St. Severus).
Hrim-Schola XI was held 10 March 2007 at the Dutchess Day School, with Oksana providing the continuous dayboard. Lady Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. Thanks to the involvement of several guilds, the
class schedule featured the largest number of classes ever offered at a Hrim-Schola: 34.
Hrim-Schola XII was held 8 March 2008 at the Dutchess Day School. Mistress Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. However, due to Lady Oksana’s move to Ansteorra, we needed a new cook! Bravely Lady Misha Gryffyth stepped up to the plate, providing a continuous dayboard and proving that another generation of talented cooks is arising in Frosted Hills. The
class schedule featured 29 classes including classes on book arts from the Worshipful Company of Stationers as well as an entire track devoted to wool fiber and preparation.
Hrim-Schola XIII was held 14 March 2009 at the Dutchess Day School. Mistress Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. Misha continued to put her stamp on the continuous dayboard this year. The
class schedule featured 30 classes including a track of classes on matters mathematical in honor of the date (Pi Day, 3/14). Several of the tablet weaving classes featured mathematical concepts this year, as well.
Hrim-Schola XIV was held 13 March 2010 at the Dutchess Day School, with Misha providing the continuous dayboard. Mistress Alistrina de Mann was the Autocrat. The
class schedule featured 26 classes marked by a special emphasis on spinning and knitting.