Re: Inception of First Year First Class

Paul A. LaChapelle wrote:
>
> Does anyone remember when the First Year First Class advancement program
> was initiated? Do troops find this to be a program that the boys can
> accomplish?
>
> <snip>

I don't know when the program was first initiated, but I do know that it
*is* a program that the Scouts can accomplish. I'm the SA for my
Troop's New Scout Patrol program (sometimes it's two patrols), and my
adult staff and I were able last year to advance over 15 Scouts to First
Class *before* their year with us was completed. We cut no corners,
kept to the spirit and the letter of the Scout requirements, worked
diligently with the boys during each Scout meeting night (about 40
minutes), and used each camping trip to accomplish the "outing" part of
the requirements.

We had 27 boys in our NSP program last winter after three good-sized
Webelos den's bridged over into our Troop, adding their numbers to the
remains of a previous crop of first-year Scouts. I promptly went
recruiting among the new-to-Boy-Scouts parents, asking each one of them
to help me train their sons. That night I received five positive
responses, with three ultimately making good on their commitment.
Adding these three folks to a Dad who'd agreed to remain with the NSP
after his boy had become a First Class, I now had five full-time adults
working to advance these 27 Scouts.

Without these folk's help the rate of advancement would *not* have been
so high. Yes, we had Guides (five of them), but they proved to be
unreliable and were often more trouble than the new Scouts. Yes, I
trained my Guides. Yes, I gave them full responsibility and
commensurate authority. Yes, I corrected their deficiencies in private
and praised them in public. However, they proved to be too immature
(they ranged in age from 13 to 15) for the task, and they each lost
their jobs before their six month term was completed.

We now have five Scouts remaining in the NSP, four extremely slow-movers
and one brand new, extremely eager, never-been-a-Cub Scout. We are
expecting to see at least two dozen Webelos bridge over this coming
February. Fortunately, I have found one DYNAMITE Guide, and all four of
my adults are still with me. We are enjoying the lull in our program
right now, many of us are teaching merit badges in addition to working
with the five youngsters.

I have found that it takes at least three adults to run an efficient NSP
program. A "Patrol Leader" (me), a "Scribe" (Mr. Schmidt) and a
"Quartermaster" (Mr. Kronstain). All five adults teach the
requirements, but three of us adults have collateral duties. The
"Patrol Leader" also teaches the Patrol method and the Patrol Leader's
responsibilities, the "Scribe" is the *only* one who keeps our
advancement wall chart up to date, and the "Quartermaster" teaches the
Patrol QM what gear to check out and how to see that its returned in
good condition in. Each boy PL serves for one Troop month, going
through a PLC meeting, planning for a camping trip, actually going on
the camping trip, and, finally, a post-camping trip reflection meeting.

Don't study the NSP program any more. Do it. You won't regret it.

YiS,
Drew

--
Andrew Hagemann <hagemann@visi.net>
SA, New Scout Patrol, Troop 6 (Colonial Virginia Council)
A "Charging" Buffalo, SR-158 / Jamboree '97 Metal Work MB Booth
Coordinator

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