Explorers -Reply
Bruce C Johnson (bjoh@loc.gov)
Mon Jun 01 09:21:55 1998
Jeff:
Let me take a crack at your message:
>>> Olan Watkins <OlanWatkins@compuserve.com> 31 May 1998 5:02 pm >>>
----Forwarded Message(s)----
From: Jeff Abernathy <ABERNAJB@SLU.EDU>
Subject: Explorers
sorry to waste the bandwidth for all of you guys that don't care, but I
consider this kinda important to all of us involved in the OA, as suddenly
many explorers are up in the air. Maybe this should have been posted to
Scouts-L, sorry, but many of youa re invvolved in Exploring, so here goes.
In January or February, the National BSA board gave notice of a change in
Exploring, splitting the Learning for Life groups into Exploring and the
Outdoor adventure into a new group called Venturers. Has anyone heard
anymore about this. Primarily my questions are this:
1) Who keeps the uniform, seeing as right now its ok to wear an Exploring
uniform with the sash, this is kinda pertinent.
BJ> Both programs will have uniforms, but my sense is that the dark green
uniforms will go with Venturing.
2) Will learning for life divisions be able to use scouting facilities such
as high adventure bases and our Explorer base in my council anymore?
BJ> I'm sure they will.
3) Will boy scouts that transfer to Leaning for Life posts (i guess), be
able to retain their OA membership?
BJ> Provided that they remain members of either Boy Scout Troops or
Venturing Posts or Ships. Learning for Life clubs (not Posts) have
'participants,' not 'members.'
4) And this one is completely off the wall but some people are hoping for
it so here goes. Is the national OA considering at all that the new
venturing program is extremely similar to the focus of the Boy Scouting,
and possibly letting these posts hold elections, even if it means girls?
I told you this one was weird, but it has some merit you have to admit.
BJ> Well, it's not quite as weird as you think. Posts and Ships were
allowed to hold OA elections until about 8-10 years ago. Girls were never
eligible to be elected purely because of the First Class rank requirement.
Back in the 50s, there was an Exploring rank requirement that could be
satisfied by the new Venturing advancement programs or by the Sea Scouting
advancement program. I am not aware of any movement on this front, and my
sense is that the Order of the Arrow folks are not anxious to get into
coeducational opportunities. This could change, but I haven't heard of
anything recently on this.
Bruce Johnson
Commodore, Sea Scouting
Northeast Region, BSA
commodore@seascout.org
Well thanks for all of you who find this non pertinent
Jeff Abernathy mailto:abernajb@slu.edu
_____________________________
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