Re: NEW QUESTION
BRUCE C JOHNSON (JOHNSON@MAIL.LOC.GOV)
Mon, 18 Apr 1994 08:23:08 GMT
As to the "new question" about dads who won't help in camp ...
I'm not sure that the situation we find ourselves in Columbia,
Maryland is particularly instructive of anything, but here goes:
Columbia is a "new town" (planned city) which, over the
years, seems to have attracted a great many like minded people.
There's a much higher than national norm level of education, a
much broader than national norm diversity of cultural, ethnic,
and racial groups, and, I think, a much higher level of
involvement by parents in their kids lives. Indeed, there is a
standard joke about "Columbia parents" being so involved with
their kids that many are very pushy with the volunteer leaders of
their kid's activities (scouts, little league, swimming, etc.)
The Scout troops (and there are quite a few) tent to be on
the large size. Bryn and I picked what, by Columbia standards,
is a small troop (ca. 36 boys active) because we felt that, not
only was it a good troop, but it was small enough that the boys
were not nameless faces in a crowd. (The most popular troops in
town are over 120 boys each ... and there are several.)
How does this relate to your question? Troop 75 has more
adults wanting to go to summer camp than there are available
spaces. The Scoutmaster (who has the final say in this) starts
by selecting any Assistant Scoutmasters who would like to go
(since he KNOWS that they'll be willing to work), followed by
Troop Committee members who have training and a history of being
effective workers (and who would like to go). After that, I
think he's willing to consider anyone. If there are more adults
than there are available slots, this last group is given portions
of the week (1 or 2 nights). We seem to have (mostly) adults
willing to work, with a few who seem to be there mostly to
"observe". It seems to work pretty well.
HTH
Bruce Johnson
ASM, Troop 75, Columbia, MD
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