Re: 5 days until 18th Birthday.....Eagle?
Turba, Thomas N RV (tnt1@PO11.RV.UNISYS.COM)
Thu, 10 Apr 1997 11:16:00 -0500
Well, you have asked for opinions, so here is mine.
You say the Scout has "completed the necessary requirements". If this is
the case, then you should have the Eagle Board of Review. If you feel that
he has not shown Scout Spirit, or if you have other concerns, these can be
brought up at the Board of Review.
There is one thing that really troubles me about this message. It 5 days
versus 3 years. If this is a problem that has been brewing for 3 years, it
cannot be solved in 5 days.
Some years ago we had a boy join our troop. He was kicked out from his last
troop. His parents were in the middle of a divorce. He was on at least two
varsity sports teams. He had a job. He did not show Scout Spirit. He did
not have a proper uniform. He was disruptive. This list goes on and on.
I don't remember how long he had been a Life Scout. He said he wanted to
make Eagle. But, we all had problems with him. We did not think he
deserved to be an Eagle.
When he turned 17 we told him "You are not going make Eagle. Unless, you
straighten up and do the following. It is not something that will be given
you. You must earn it."
It was a hard road, for him, his parents, and for us. At his Eagle Court of
Honor I told him and everyone else that I had not expected that this would
happen. But, we were all glad that it did. It wouldn't have happened if we
had not taken him aside and told him what we expected of him well in
advance.
Scouting is a learning experience. Some boys are quick learners, others
have to be taken aside and helped. It's hard to tell someone that they do
not measure up to what is expected of them. Sometimes, though, this is the
best thing you can do for a person.
YiS
T. N. T.
Thomas N. (Tom) Turba
ASM Troop 297 (among other things)
Roseville, Minnesota
E-mail: tnt1@po11.rv.unisys.com (primary) -or-
E-mail: turba@rsvl.unisys.com (secondary)
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
