Re: About the Boys

>
> Fellow Scouters:
>
> I would like to start a discussion about an issue that I am seeing in my
> local troop. The input received from this group has been good in the
> past, and I hope that I can stimulate some responses to a problem that
> others might have.
>
> What is the main reason for scouting? This question sounds simple, but

Scouting is a place that converts ideals and aims into the real tools that
a boy uses as a participating member of our society. Character development,
participating citezenship, and personal fitness are words to most leaders
until they can discover/learn how these ideals make us Scouts. You read the
youth and adult application to see what you have signed up for. You read
the Boy Scout Handbook and the Scoutmaster Handbook. You attend the fast
start, scoutmastership fundamentals course, and Boy Scout Roundtables.
There you will meet other adults who have gone through the same process.
You spend time talking to the interested people that run these events.
You may notice that they seem to be very interested in you as a person.
They want to help you with your program and offer to visit on occassion.
You take all of these things back to your troop and you begin building a
set of opportunities for the boys that you are providing a service too.
You provide challenges that are physical, intellectual, and moral. You may
even be called to teach ethics. In about twent or thirty years, you will
the fruits of your labors. They will be the doctors, lawyers, managers,
mechanics, soldiers, counselors of your society. All that you are insuring
is that there will be a set of ideals and aims for the future.

> I feel that an aggressive program that challenges each
> boy to do his best, turns out to also be the best and most remembered
> camps. I also feel that uniforms are also important. So back to my
> original question, what is the point of scouting? To just have fun, or to
> help the boys grow? and how do you train the scout leaders about the
> roll of scouting?
>

iYour going in the right direction. Set the level of expectation for the
youth fairly high, they will rise to the challenge. Parents will follow
and become involved. Then you have them get trained so that they can
properly assist the program.

Yours in Scouting,
Jay Bemis
Quinsigamond District Training Chairman, Mohegan Council, BSA

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