From: MAJ) Mike Walton (settummanque, the blackeagle (blkeagle@USSCOUTS.ORG)
Date: Tue Apr 27 1993 - 19:14:47 CDT
Hey Joe!!
You wrote in part, replying to Paul Wolf:
>Paul, just because a rule has a stated purpose, it doesn't
>mean that it does not have an unstated purpose. In any
>case, I believe that the reason this rule remains unchanged
>is to limit Boy Scout Advancement to boys only.
Well, seeing how the rule was in place as far back as 1956 (that's as far
back as my Exploring Handboks and Senior Scouting books go), and that
females were not even *thought of* as participants in Scouting until the
late 60s, I think that Paul's right on target.
The purpose was to give those boys that dropped out of Scouting after
earning First Class (remember Joe and everyone; back then, FIRST CLASS was
considered just as or even MORE special than earning Eagle, simply because
it was just SO HARD to earn First Class!!), a "second chance" to get back
into Scouting and to eventually earn Eagle. Several boys that earned First
Class back then at 15 or 14 and left Scouting for a couple of years could
come back and earn Star, Life and Eagle in an year and a half and become
Eagle Scouts before they turn 18.
Later, when we did admit females, the rules were tightened so that females
could not earn merit badges as Explorers, which then removed all methods for
them to earn Star, Life and/or Eagle.
But Paul's right, Joe.
Settummanque!
-----
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (settummanque, the blackeagle)
http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle
[Purchase Your Binder! for Scouting's Y2K's publications!]
personal inquiries via kyblkeagle@aol.com,
blkeagle@usscouts.org or blkeagles@hotmail.com
professional inquiries via mike.walton@usarc-emh2.army.mil
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