Re : Silver World and Silver Wolf

"Settummanque, the blackeagle" wrote some information in this list and I
would like to add some more details.

Although I am not aspecialist about awards, I know a few things about the Wolf.

(For myself these awards appear like something quite exotic and amazing
because in Switzerland we don't have any "award culture". I don't think
that the State give award and in the Guide and Scout Movement, we are not
used to give awards to adults who did great achievements. So we have no
medals, but we sometimes elect somebody "honorary member" of the movement
with is nearly the same... Nevertheless I was a little bit amazed the first
time I lived a scout experience in UK when I discovered the diversity of
their awards, medals, diplomas designed for adults...)

>Let's start with the Silver Wolf and work backwards.
>
>The Silver Wolf Award is an international award, presented once every
>four years to Scouters whom are members of the World Association of
>Scouting Movements (WOSM). The BSA is a member of the WOSM. The
>award is presented to six individuals "whom demostrate by their long
>service or exceptional achievements over a period of time to the
>Scouting movement".
>

Unfortunately WOSM is not so rich :-)
There is no Silver Wolf award; the award we are talking about is actually
the bronze wolf which is the only one at world level (for WOSM; - I don't
know if WAGGGS has something equivalent...)

Approval for the institution of the Bronze Wolf was made by the
International Committee meeting in Stockolm on 2 August 1935. The Committee
unanimously awarded the first Bronze Wolf to... (guess)
... the Chief Scout of the World, Lord Baden Powell.

Usually, the Bronze Wolf is presented at the World Conferences; this means
every three years. But it can also be given in other international official
circumstances. I know for instance that a Bronze Wolf has been given at the
European Regional Conference in 1992 in Sweeden.

I have no idea about who were the last people who became a Bronze Wolf, but
between 1990 and 1993, 17 scouts got it; among them were three members of
the BSA : Thomas D. Allen, Thomas S. Monson, and S. Gary Schiller.

Still one word about the decision-making process which lead to a citation...

The Bronze Wolf is the only award made by the World Scout Committee.

The proposals for nomination can be done to the World Scout Committee by
bronze Wolf owners or members of the award Committee.

The Bronze Wolf should be given "solely in recognition of outstanding
service by an individual to the World Scout Movement."

I said should be because I noticed that at the origins the bronze award was
given only to people with a relevant experience at international level, but
more and more it is given to people with a smaller international experience
for their great achievements within their national association.

It seems good to me that this award is given a little bit wider because so
far there are so any people involved at international level for Scouting
and doing an excellent job, it would be unfair to award only very very few
among them.
Indeed the Bronze Wold seems to be not so protected as it was at the
beginning. During the 20 first years of the institution, 12 Wolfs were
given; it is less than the 17 which were given between 90 and 93.
But we have also to consider that the international activity is much more
developed today than at the beginning of the movement.

Now the is a large place for interpretation : should the World Scout
Committee consider that leading national delegation to Jamboree is an
international involvement for the World Scout Organization ? Should he
consider that involvement at national level serve the cause of World
Scouting and so can be awarded with the bronze wolf ?
Or on the contrary only involvement in the organization of international
events or projects or the involvement in international structure (at world
level, regional level or even bilateral level...) should be taken into
account ?

I think that it is very obvious that people involved at national (even
local) level with success/efficiency/duration (...) serve the cause of
World Scouting. But if these people begin to be systematically awarded with
the Wolf of if the Committee open the door allowing to award these people
with the Wolf, this institution will probably loose its international
character.

Now, let's trust the World scout Committee to balance these different aspects...

Note : The above statements only reflect the personal view of the author
and should not be interpreted reflecting the opinion of any Cantonal :-),
national or world organization.

Stan

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ +
+ Stanislas FROSSARD +
+ Rue de Lausanne 54 +
+ 1950 Sion +
+ Switzerland +
+ +
+ Phone & Fax : + 41 27 22 63 45 +
+ sfrossard@scout.gn.apc.org +
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