Re: Eagle Scout award
Nault Family (rnault@PTIALASKA.NET)
Tue, 5 Dec 1995 10:33:48 -0900
>Vince Silva wrote:
>3 Some have raised concerns with the fact that the Eagle Scout candidate is
>judged harsher for this rank than any other. This is true, we all have higher
>expectations about the Eagle Scout than the Life Scout. .... The Eagle
>Scout should be judged harsher.
I'm just wondering, is there anything in the BSA requirements which support
this position?
As a Scoutmaster, I've been following this argument very closely as I will
be called upon to make tough judgment calls in the near future. There seems
to be two positions. One is that the BSA has written requirements which
cannot be altered. There is nothing which specifies that Scout Spirit at
the second class level is different than at the Eagle level. The other
position is that the Eagle Scout is qualitatively different than other
Scouts and must meet some undefined standard arbitrarily determined by the
Scoutmaster.
I'm wondering if the problem might be that we, as Scouters, sign off on
this requirement (Scout Spirit) too easily at lower ranks and then wake up
one morning and say to ourselves, "Gosh, how can it be that so and so, of
all people, given his years of misbehavior, thinks he's ready for Eagle?" I
also wonder where, in the written requirements, you can find support for
denying the rank? I think the solution is to stay on top of things all the
way along. Someone posted a Personal Growth Contract to be used as part of
the Scoutmaster's conference. This could be used to spell out concerns that
must be addressed before the next rank.
Look at it from the Scout's point of view. This Eagle candidate has been
plugging along, (all right, probably to satisfy his parents and not
himself) and earned badges. No one has given him any feedback about his
performance as a leader or lack of sufficient Scout Spirit. He thinks he's
prepared and expects to fly through the Scoutmaster's conference as he has
done many times in the past. Suddenly, he's told, "Six more months." I
think, based upon available information, in the case that prompted this
discussion, this was appropriate. But what about in cases which are less
clear cut and the Scout disagrees with the Scoutmaster's decision?
Vince also wrote,
... you are saying that we as Scouters have enabled this boy to become a
man, a citizen of good moral fiber who will do all he can to contribute to
the betterment of our communities, nation, and world. Anyone who doesn't
see this is not in scouting for the true purpose of scouting.
I think we all have a different vision of what constitutes a citizen of
good moral fiber. Some draw the line at Abraham Lincoln and above, while
others expect that the Scout will go on to make mistakes, maybe even some
sizable errors in judgment, but will ultimately be a net contributor to the
world.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
