Re: age or grade requirements-AOL
Michael Dobson (dobson@INFO.USUHS.MIL)
Tue, 17 Jan 1995 09:59:56 -0500
On the SCOUTS-L mailing list Paul Sweeney wrote:
>
> 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.
>
The time in grade is only since joining the Webelos Den, not since
advancing to the 5th grade. Thus it is possible although difficult for a
1st year Webelos to earn his Webelos Rank after 3 mos and his AOL after 6
mos. Remember, boys become Webelos upon completion of the 3rd grade in May
or June and the tenure clock starts at that time. I believe National
automaticly moves them up in May. If a just graduated Bear attends the
week long Webelos Summer Camp, it is very possible for him to have earned
his Webelos badge by September or shortly afterwards.
> Second, Boy Scouts use chronological age as a determinant. Therefore
> this boy could join a troop as soon as he becomes eleven.
He can join the Troop at 10.5 if he has earned AOL, at age 11 otherwise.
> 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.
I totally agree with Paul on these points.
YiS,
Mike, Eagle '70, CM Pack 1071, MC Troop 1071, Olde Mill District, NCAC
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