Re: age or grade requirements-AOL
Paul Sweeney (sweeneyp@PSPDPC89.WAL.AB.COM)
Tue, 17 Jan 1995 07:35:51 EST
Having just recently resigned as Webelos Leader and joined a Troop as
Asst. Scoutmaster, I see two points that need further discussion.
There is a "time in Grade" requirement for AOL. Not having a handbook
available I am not quite sure but I think this requirement calls for 6
months as a fifth-grader. (The Cub Scout program relies on school grade
level not age when determining what rank advancements are earned.) This
"time in Grade" requirement would seem to preclude this Webelo from
earning AOL in the August/September time frame.
Second, Boy Scouts use chronological age as a determinant. Therefore
this boy could join a troop as soon as he becomes eleven.
It seems to me that either this boy continues with the Webelos program
until he is fully eligible to receive the AOL including "time in Grade"
or that he leave the pack and join a troop when he reaches eleven, not
both.
As a sidelight, I do NOT believe that any advancement be withheld for
the sole reason that others in his den/patrol have not met all the
requirements. Group ceremonies are nice but timely recognition is a key
concept deliberately designed into the Scouting program. To postpone
recognition for more than a minimum could lead a boy to become
discouraged and leave the program. The objection of the Cubmaster that
he cannot plan each meeting around a ceremony can be worked around. A
simple but impressive ceremony can be planned that will take very little
time. If the CM is overloaded, the Webelos Leader could do the planning
for him which how my former pack worked the issue. A larger, more
impressive ceremony was arranged for crossover of fifth-graders to Boy
Scouts at the end of the year that involved all the "graduating"
Webelos.
Paul Sweeney sweeneyp@wal.ab.com Asst. Scoutmaster, T-7, Lowell, Ma
Voice: (508)452-6502 Snail Mail: 20 Penn Av., Lowell, MA 01852
"There are three things which are real: God, human folly, and laughter.
The first two are beyond our comprehension. So we must do what we
can with the third." -Indian proverb
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
