Re: Program Themes

Vicky Iverson <iverson@SEASURF.NET> wrote:

[snip]

>Multi-part Question: Excuse my Cub Scout mentality, but why wouldn't
>Boy Scout RT want to follow a set theme for each month to cover a
>specific topic in depth? What could be wrong in providing an in-depth
>session on 'Cooking' in December? Wouldn't a set schedule encourage
>attendance? How do the rest of you Boy Scout RT Commissioners deal with
>this?

Following themes works well in Cub Scouts because who does the planning?
The adult leaders.

In Boy Scouts, the Scouts choose their own program, and it rarely coincides
with that provided by the poobahs in Irving, Texas. So, it makes little
sense in our district with 28 troops planning 28 different programs to try
to use the themes that will appear in Boy's Life each month. A more
effective approach has been a mix of some local requests with a few
council high adventure team appearances from time to time. The roundtable
that has consistently attracted the most folks has been merit badge
counselor training.

A bit earlier in the same message, she said

>The Boy Scout theme for the next RT is planned
>by a general census vote of the Boy Scouters who are in attendance on
>any particular month. It is an unknown what the next month's theme will
>be to the leaders who might wish to attend.

This would be counterproductive in our district. Roundtable is on the
second Wednesday, but I have to submit the district newsletter page to the
council by the fifth of the month. There would be no way to publicize the
roundtable theme each month under such a system.

We use something similar to troop planning (surprise) here in our
district: an annual planning meeting. All interested Scouters are
invited to participate and decide themes for the coming year.

Of course, all of this is moot, because our Boy Scout RT Commissioner
stepped down last year, and there has been no replacement named. It will
be interesting to see what happens next month.


YiS,

Alan R. Houser ** troop24@emf.net
** Scoutmaster, Troop 24, Berkeley, California **
** WWW page ** http://www.emf.net/~troop24/t24.html **
Scoutmaster, Mt. Diablo Silverado Council Jamboree Troop #637
** http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/9637/ **

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