Re: Young Eagles
Jonathan Dixon (dixonj@MIMICAD.COLORADO.EDU)
Wed, 26 Jan 1994 18:23:19 -0700
I figured that, being one of those "young Eagles" I should add my $.02
to this discussion. I got my Eagle at age 14, but I had completed
everything except putting the final touches on my project write-up and
going thru the Board of Review before my 13th birthday (due to school
pressures and general procrastination, it took 9 months to get around
to doing a 20 minute editing job).
The fact that it took that long was largely that I "slacked off" after
getting Star within just about 10 months of joining and took a whole
year to get Life and two years (including the above mentioned 9 mos)
to get my Eagle. (side note - under the advancement rules of the 80s
it was possible to be Eagle in 22 months, reduced to 20 months when
they decided that boys with the Arrow of Light could have the time for
Tenderfoot waived, etc. Currently, the time could even be less than
that since I don't remember there being any time limit thru 1st class
(although one would be hard pressed to do it in less than the 4 months
previously possible) so it would be time for 1st class + 16 months if
memory serves me right. So boys could actually get Eagle at 12 1/2 if
they worked everything correctly)
Now I won't claim that I knew everything at age 14 (still don't claim
it at age 23), but I never knew of any criticisms leveled at me due to
inexperience. I was ASPL for the 2 years preceeding my getting Eagle;
prior to that my leadership position was Bugler (I know this isn't
a universal favorite as to showing leadership, but try waking a troop
of 25 boys who would rather stay in bed and tell me that you don't
learn about the flak one gets as a leader 8) ). I also had already
done a considerable amount of instructing new scouts in knots and
knives.
On the other hand, I will admit I have seen people who got Eagle at
age 13 and have no concept of leadership; I've also seen this in
people getting Eagle at 17+ yrs old. Some of the lessons which one is
supposed to learn on the way to Eagle do take time to learn, but if a
boy works at it, they can pick up these lessons in two years.
It's also possible to get the merit badges in that time without being
in a "merit badge factory". Yes, I went to many merit badge days, got
a number of the badges at summer camp, and our troop did plan meeting
with an eye to working towards merit badges, but at no time were the
requirements lessened to help us along. Some people did the work and
got the badges, others didn't. We have had quite a number of Eagles
in our troop in recent years, much more that the 2% figure, but of
those there would only be one I would question his credentials and
that is probably more personal than for other reasons. Our leaders at
the time encouraged us to advance and did what they could to
facilitate advancement, but they never compromised the requirements.
I'll get off my soap-box now, but I felt it was important put forth
my views on the subject.
Jon Dixon
dixonj@mimicad.colorado.edu
ASM Troop 1046, Bowie, MD, NCAC
Eagle '85 Vigil '89 (delaying getting that Eagle got me a 75th
Anniverary seal on my certificate)
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
