Re: Quality Unit

Greetings fellow scouters:

It was recently said:

>And perhaps the realization that a growing unit is a healthy unit and
>therefore an accurate measurement of "quality".

I am sorry but I disagree with this blanket statement. It is true that
especially for smaller units, growth is needed to maintain quality.
However, it is not always true that "bigger is better."

I am the Committee Chair for a Troop of 55+ scouts. We are begining to
stretch the talents of our staffing (I beleive). We are still good, and we
have a bout run troop, but how much can you expect from a teenager when
your group is so large. We are also stretching the Scoutmaster. Now a
number of you will tell me about support, etc. which we have a lot of. But,
our SM is extremely consciencious, and feels (I think correctly) that HE
should be able to know every boy and should be regularly having the
opportunity of talking to each and every boy. This is where he gets
stretched, because he care so much. (BTW, he is an Eagle!)

I also beleive that in his book "Aids to Scoutmasters" Lord B-P talked
about the ideal size of a troop as being 36. (Four patrols of 8) So where
does that leave large troops. I beleive that B-P was right!

Let me just observe that I also am "hearing" that this measure is being
imposed from above without consultation with those of us in the
field...This is where I sense -- and share -- the frustration.

Well, I am off to camping this weekend (snow, rain or not), at least I
don't have to talk about health insurance for small groups, which is not my
job, but what ate up most of my week!

Yours in Scouting.

Michael Golrick

Michael A. Golrick mgolrick@sclc.org
Southern Connecticut Library Council
voice: 203-288-5757
fax: 203-287-0757

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read."
Groucho Marx

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