User:Evadb/College of Dracology

The College of Dracology for the Study of Fabulous Beasts is an organization dedicated to the study of dragons and other mythical creatures, particularly with respect to their use in heraldry.

History
It was founded in 1945 by a group of students evacuated during World War II. The founders were John Davy, Richard Fox, Eva Frommer, Jane Hampton, Angela Richards, Colin Voake, and Ralph Brocklebank. Following this school year, the founders were disbanded and returned to their respective homes. It was this dispersal that led to the first printing of the group's journal, Dragonlore, in 1946. During the first few years, the journal was published somewhat regularly, but it went through a period of struggle as the founders began growing older and made time for other pursuits. It was not until the late 1980s and early 1990s that the journal was again printed on a regular schedule, as Brocklebank went into retirement.

Membership
Membership in the College of Dracology is open to anyone. According to Brocklebank, it "requires no more than a belief that the study is a worthwhile activity and not a waste of time." The membership is mostly British in origin, but there are members in North America and throughout Europe. The recent publication of all extant issues of Dragonlore on-line has brought the College to the attention of a much wider audience. Members have included officers of arms, such as the late John Brooke-Little and Lord Mayor of Bristol Royston Griffey.

Etymology
The name of the organization was set very early by the founders. While they were attending university, Brocklebank's tutor pointed out that the name was a mixture of Greek and Latin. This classics scholar and humanist declared that the correct form of the word should have been draconology. Brocklebank and the other founders decided that the name would stay as it was in spite of this. Their reasoning was that if bicycle and television were accepted as English words, then so could the hybrid dracology.