Re: GSUSA Gold Award - BSA Eagle
Rodger Morris (rlm@SUNED1.NSWSES.NAVY.MIL)
Fri, 3 Feb 1995 10:41:07 PST
...
>As to why does the BSA Eagle get more recognition than the GSUSA Gold?
>Wellllllll, that leads into the differences between men and women leaders
>and why more Fortune 500 companies are lead by more men than women, women
>roles in society, Old boy networks and a whole lot of other topics.
>
...
That addresses a part of the truth. however, it ignores at least seven other
portions of the complete truth of the matter:
1) The Eagle Scout award has been around continuously for more than 80
years. This is about 4 generations.
2) The Gold Award has been around for less than 20 years, i.e., about one
generation.
3) The BSA has consciously preserved the name of its top award, whilst
changing the requirements for earning it from time to time.
4) The GSUSA has changed the name of its top award whenever it desired to do
so, e.g. "Golden Eaglet", "First Class Award", "Gold Award", and possibly
other names.
5) Eagle Scouts have racked up an outstanding performance record as adults.
6) Gold Award recipients have not had sufficient time as yet to rack up a
performance record to match that of their BSA Eagle Scout counterparts. Give
them about another 60 years...
7) Because of these GSUSA top award name changes, the population at large
does not equate "Golden Eaglets" with "First Class" with "Gold Award". Thus
the outstanding achievements of the former two categories of award holders
in no way enhance the reputation of the Gold Award.
Had the GSUSA adopted one name for its top award back about 1915 and kept
that name to the present date, that top award would have _MUCH_ higher name
recognition in both corporate America and the general population than it now
enjoys.
This is not a flame. I concur with Mike Walton and you that the Gold Award
is quite challenging. I also believe that those who receive it are quite
likely to be high quality individuals who will do quite well in their life
outside of Scouting.
However, if the GSUSA keeps on changing the name of its top Scouting award,
the Gold Award never will achieve name recognition to rival that of the
Eagle Scout award, and "the differences between men and women leaders and
why more Fortune 500 companies are lead by more men than women, women roles
in society, Old boy networks and a whole lot of other topics" will have
little or nothing to do with that continued lack of recognition.
Yours in Scouting,
Rodger
Rodger Morris, rlm@suned1.nswses.navy.mil
Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 852, Ventura County Council, BSA
National Woodbadge 416, Philmont, 1973
"I used to be a Beaver..."
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
