Re: merging packs
Steven G. Tyler (sgtyler@EROLS.COM)
Mon, 20 Jul 1998 09:14:04 -0400
Jerome J Phillips wrote, in part:
> We had an incident about five years ago where several troops
> wanted to pull their resources and merge. Essentially each troop was
> large enough for a good sized patrol. The three troops already did
> everything together. I.E. going to camporees together, scouting for food
> together, etc. When they brought the idea that maybe they should merge
> to the district it was frowned (sic) upon. The rationalization was that
> the commissioners should try to salvage all three troops. (Let's keep
> the numbers up.)
> To make a long story short, both District and Council did not
> support our move and we lost two out of three troops. I understand that
> there is not a policy against merging, but that it is frowned upon.
Without in any way taking away from Jerome's "horror story," let me
offer a mild defense of the unofficial official attitude (and no, I'm
*not* a pro Scouter, or otherwise have a vested reason for taking the
BSA "party" line):
I suspect that, in the community(ies) in which theses Troops were
located, there were many boys not served by Scouting. As long as there
are significant numbers of such unserved youth, it makes sense to try to
support and salvage the existing units, rather than permit them just to
merge. It's a lot easier on average to expand existing unit than it is
to establish new ones -- ask any professional!
With that said, however, there may be circumstances (extreme lack of CO
and parental support being one of them) where it may be necessary to
consider merging, but I'd have to say that it should be implemented only
after all other options have been exhausted.
--
YIS, Steve on Cattail Creek <Steven G. Tyler>, Severna Park, MD, USA
"The Computer Counselor," Technology Consulting for the Law Office
Advancement Chair and de facto Webmaster, Troop 339,
Baltimore Area Council, BSA (http://members.aol.com/troop339/)
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
