From John Middleton in N. America 

We were at a teachers'  workshop last weekend and one of the dances that the teacher had chosen to work on was the above-mentioned "Argyll's Bowling Green".  Great lesson with everything going wonderfully until we reached bars 21-24!!!  The class was instructed to "Set to second corners but turn partner with both hands to own sides one place down."   Great  --  until two of the newer teachers with brand-new copies of Book15 pointed out that the instructions in their books stated that "1st couple set to second corners and turn partner with the right hand to own sides".  As you can imagine a fairly extensive discussion ensued. 

Two questions, therefore, to which I volunteered to try to find answers:

1.  When was the change in instructions effected?   Most of us thought that we had up-to-date copies of the books and were unaware that the latest printing of the book in question had this change.

2.  Where does 1st couple finish after setting to second corners: a) on the opposite sideline between their corners (as in set to corners prior to turning);  b) facing up and down the dance; or c) in some intermediate position?

AND one Jim Healy responded

Jean has passed on your query. The simple answer is that the change from two hands to right hand was made when Book 15 was revised in 1999. The not so simple answer is that we have no idea why! We know who was responsible for the revision (no names, no pack drill) but there is no documented discussion of why any changes were considered necessary. Up until that version, there is no question that it was with two hands and the original version of the Manual had a lengthy paragraph setting out exactly how it was to be done.

After the change was made, the reference in the Manual (which always refers to the latest version of the publication) was removed as unnecessary.

 So to try to answer your questions:

1.  When was the change in instructions effected?

1999

Most of us thought that we had up-to-date copies of the books and were unaware that the latest printing of the book in question had this change.

The revision of the book was announced in the 1999 Bulletin and p.11 of that Bulletin set out a full list of all the latest versions of the books. The most recent editions of all the books are also listed in Appendix 1 of the updated Manual. Not ideal and I am certainly not suggesting that everybody should be conversant with every word of deathless prose produced by the Society but the information is available

2.  Where does 1st couple finish after setting to second corners: a) on the opposite sideline between their corners (as in set to corners prior to turning);  b) facing up and down the dance; or c) in some intermediate position?

My own personal answer would be 'just do it' but my view is less than relevant. This is really a question for the reconstituted technique group, assuming it is agreed at the Management Board on Saturday. (Helen - over to you?) However, IF I were a member of that group, my view on the position to start the turn would be coloured by the description in the previous version of the Manual '... pull their right shoulders back to face each other across the set' which I interpret as: at second place but not necessarily in the sidelines.

I am not sure how helpful this is John but do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything else.

Jim Healy