Re: Arrow of Light controversy
James A. Sheckels (sheckej@EARTHLINK.NET)
Mon, 24 Aug 1998 19:07:34 -0400
-----Original Message-----SNIPPED---
From: Settummanque, the blackeagle - Mike L. Walton <blkeagle@DYNASTY.NET>
Date: Monday, August 24, 1998 04:17 PM
Mike's response about somones District Commissioner stating that joining a
Scout Troop was a requirement for AoL:
>Instead of someone from National clearing it out, how about SHOWING
>your District Commissioner a copy of the WEBELOS Scout Handbook
>with the requirement listed?? It is NOT among the changes to the
>program this fall; what it sounds like to *me* is that this guy or
>gal wants to increase Boy Scout numbers by *forcing WEBELOS Cub
>Scouts to become Boy Scouts, which is NOT the intent of that
>requirement.
Actually, I'm not so willing to believe a volunteer would do something like
this to increase membership numbers.
It's probably more ignorance of the facts than anything. Sounds like a
clasic case of reading the words and not undertsanding them.
I've ben asked this question many times since the Troop application became
an AoL requirement.
Many people read the "fill out an application" requirement, and their mind
makes an automatic leap (and assumption) that the Webelos then must JOIN a
Troop to get the AoL. This isn't too surprising, considering how easily the
human mind can be conditioned (ever see that swirly thing that looks like
Jesus? or the ink blobs that some see as two people almost kissing, while
others see a pedastal; the one that could be an old woman or a young
woman?).
But, reading the words a time or two, one can see that it continues to "and
show it to your Webelos leader". Nowhere does it say give it to a
Scoutmaster, an obvious step for joining a Scout Troop.
Also, if the Scout actually has to join a Troop, he is no longer a Webelos,
so he cannot really earn the AoL - you CANNOT be registered as a Cub and a
Scout at the same time! So, by joining the Troop, the Scout automatically
disqualifies himself from earning the AoL.
Now, that's just plain horse sense to me ;-).
But, as Mike says - SHOW them and MAKE them READ it -SLOWLY and LOGICALLY.
HAND!
YIS, Jim Sheckels - I used to be a Bobwhite SE 308-7; 1SG,US Army(Retired)
sheckej@earthlink.net http://home.earthlink.net/~sheckej/
3501 Farm Circle Road Fayetteville, NC 28306-8303 (910)426-2766/(fax)2753
Southern Service Area Commissioner, Occoneechee Council #421/Lodge#104
|>>--->|
CC/CR T-742, Hope Mills,NC United Methodist Church - Member of NAUMS
The Nice Thing About TEAMWORK Is: Someone Is Always On Your Side! <]:{>
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |