1996-97 Boy Scout Reqiurements: Changes (long)

Sorry for the line wrap problems. I sent this first to rec.scouting.usa
and then forwarded it to the list and apparently my software inserts hard
returns while forwarding, so the line wrap was messed up. I've tried to
clean it up here so it should be much better, if not perfect.

I have just returned from my local Scout Shop with the NEW 1996-97 Boy
Scout Requirements book. (It was SO new that it wasn't even in the
computer system yet.)

Guess what, there are some changes! :-)

First of all, Crime Prevention is now in the book, although it is listed on

the inside front cover as a merit badge whose requirements have "changed."
I guess going from nothing to something is a "change." I could not find
any change from the original set of requirements announced in May, which
doesn't surprise me.

Crime prevention is the ONLY new merit badge in this edition. Apparently
the other two anticipated new merit badges, archeology and climbing, were
NOT released this year, even though many of us were expecting them and we
even had one Climbing merit badge counselor post about the merit badge.

There is one change to the rank requirements, and two other merit badges
whose requirements have changed.

The rank requirement change is to Eagle requirement 4, where historian has
now been added to the list of acceptable positions of responsibility. That

leaves, I believe, bugler as the only position acceptable for Star and Life

that is NOT acceptable for Eagle.

The two merit badges reporting requirement changes are Public Health and
Sports, as follows:

Sports - In requirement 7, the term "attributes" has been replaced with
"attributes (qualities)." I guess they didn't think that Scouts knew the
meaning of the word attributes. :-)

Public Health - The changes here are somewhat more substantial as follows:

In requirement 1's lead paragraph, "Prepare an outline of its . . ." has
been changed to "Prepare an outline of the agency's . . ." 1(b) goes from
"Explain how these affect you." to "Explain how these services affect you."

1(c) replaces "Find out" with "Identify" and "the United States" with "your

community." 1(d) adds "at the agency" to the end of the sentence.

The most significant change in these requirements is in requirement 2 where

the list of diseases has been changed. It now reads: "Explain how the
following diseases are contracted: tetanus, influenza, syphilis, hepatitis,

emphysema, AIDS, encephalitis, meningitis, salmonellosis, Lyme disease,
herpes, and lead poisoning." This involves eliminating a couple, adding a
couple, and expanding "sexually transmitted diseases" by being specific.

In 3(b), "baby" has been replaced with "young child." 3(c) has added the
word "periodically" at the end.

Requirement 4 now requires you to "Visit a restaurant or other commercial
food service facility and observe food preparation, handling, and storage.
Interview a food service inspector and explain" the items in parts (a)
through (d).

Requirement 5(b) has been changed to read: "Visit a water treatment
facility and describe the steps used in making public drinking water safe;
OR visit the drinking-water quality-control agency in your community.
Describe how water quality is monitored."

In requirement 6(a) delete the word "household." 6(b) has been replaced
by: "Visit a municipal wastewater treatment facility and a solid-waste
management operation in your community. Describe how sewage and solid
waste disposal is done safely in urban and rural environments, and under
wilderness camping conditions."

Requirement 7(b) has been reworded to read: "Describe the health dangers
from tobacco use and alcohol and drug abuse."

So, there you have it, as near as I can tell. As I did last year, I will
most likely prepare a summary of these changes for distribution within my
district. When I have done so, I will once again submit the file for
posting in the Scouts-L archive and on the US Scouting Service web site.
Stay tuned.

--
Bruce E. Cobern
Advancement Chairman
Founders District, Queens Council, NY
bec@pipeline.com

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