Re-enactment or 'Living History' can and does have some truly impressive educational opportunities - lives and the daily life of service people, diet, wounds, medical therapy, conditions in civilian life, manufacture of weaponry, the cloth industry as examples. The variation in quality of groups re-enacting from diverse periods of history is clearly sometimes and issue, but don't knock it too much! Running around on a field of combat can never come near the reality, fear and effort of the real McCoy, but experiences of camp life, specialist subject discussion and teaching can offer much pleasure and interest to children and the uninformed than you can imagine! The vital input of research, debate and discovery in the academic fields of history is not the only way in which history can be enjoyed. The public out there is an important target for our efforts and enthusiasm! Michael.