Setting The Example (was Re: World Conservation Award)
Branden Morris (morris@NET1PLUS.COM)
Fri, 11 Oct 1996 18:15:02 -0500
On Scouts-L someone (sorry, I get this digested, and it erased the name) wrote:
>That is the official line. Now here is what I did in our den. The boys
>all worked very hard on this award. One boy had already earned as a Wolf. I
>told the boys (after explaining the official positon) to wear it in the area
>of the right shoulder not the pocket. I wanted them to feel they were being
>recognized for their achievement as being something special. For the boy who
>earned it as a Wolf, I am having him wear a small pin (Cub Scout pin) to
>signify that he has earned it twice. If any of the boys earn it as a
>Webelos, I will also have them wear a small pin to signify earning more than
>once. I am well aware that this is against offical policy. I also think the
>official policy should be changed in this regard.
Although I agree that this is an important award (maybe one of the more
challenging ones for Cubs especially), I think you really need to look at
what kind of message that you're sending to the boys. Even if we understand
them or not, we do have uniform guidelines. They are created by a body of
volunteer scouters, just as we all are. If we don't like them, we have ways
of changing them, but until we do, I'm of the opinion that we should set
the example. If we want our Scouts to be in uniform, and wear it correctly,
and learn all the things that the "method" of wearing uniforms is supposed
to teach, we need to wear our uniforms, wear them correctly, and instruct
our Scouts on the proper way to do it. Anything else is anarchy.
Yeah, I know, it's only a patch. Cubs probably aren't aware of any uniform
rules, anyways, and won't know that they're "breaking the law," :) But it
raises two questions: 1) What kind of precedence does this set? What kind
of message are we implying, either directly or indirectly? and 2) If I'm
willing to break this rule, just what other rules do I break?
There are hundreds of things that I would change if I was Lord of All
Scouting :) Until I can achieve those changes through the proper channels,
I live by the books. I'd hope as Scouting leaders we all can try our best
to do the same. I've found that most problems in Scouting arise when people
don't pay attention to the guidelines and go off on their own tangent.
Not a flame to anyone -- just some food for thought.
Sincerely yours in Scouting,
Branden
--
Branden Morris -- morris@net1plus.com
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
