R D Colvett, Florence, Alabama, commenting on Wesley Britton's "notion".  He
said, in part --

>Anyway, [a colleague] suggested to me the collected e-mails we've generated
on the
>subject is an interesting statement about who we, the Twainians, are.   He
>thought I should write up something on our discussion, an in-depth article
>on how all these thoughts sum up the eclectic and very personal viewpoints
>of this community and , in a sense, define it.  I replied he'd be the
better
>author as he's outside the group and would have a clearer approach to the
>subject. As he said, what we've written often says much more about us than
>Twain.
>
>Well, I thought his thought was worth some mulling so I offer the mull to
>y'all.
>

dee c -- I do not know how many examples there are to follow, but in
1997-98, a religious history discussion list organized and conducted an
on-line symposium, successfully enough to have the proceedings published as
a scholarly monograph.  Some details are at
http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/mono/mono.html

It was organized around a foundational document, with assignments made to
recognized scholars for specific topics, but was open to all list members
for subsequent discussion.

If a whisper of relevance to Mark Twain studies is necessary, the discussion
list is called Stone-Campbell, for Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell,
religious leaders of the early 19'th century on the western frontier.
Barton Stone died in the 1840's at the home of his daughter in Hannibal,
Missouri, so it is at least possible that a young Sam Clemens was one of the
kids playing with his grandchildren, or possible that a grandchild or two is
represented in the Tom Sawyer group composite.

If the notion needs a nudge, taking a look at that symposium might be
useful.

r dee colvett