About the Boys [Semi Long]

Erik Ashby asked...

"So back to my original question, what is the point of scouting? To just
have fun, or to
help the boys grow? and how do you train the scout leaders about the
roll of scouting?"

Time for the standard vague answer, Erik. It's both.
The challenge is to design an itinerary that will serve both
purposes. As a kid I went on a biking/canoeing trip that was a pile of fun
and led to several merit badges, once you included the traffic safety review
sessions before the trip, and some shakedown sessions on the road and on the
water. Most people like to experience new things, and adding some new
angles to your summer activities may bring back the older boys, and generate
some interest in more obscure merit badges as well. When that happens, a
lot of fun usually follows, and the group gels from the shared experience.
My personal opinion is that the merit badge reqs need to follow the
adventure itinerary, not the other way around. This isn't terribly
difficult to do. Keep in mind that if you miss a few reqs, it's easy to say
to the scouts, "Hey, you've got seven of the nine requirements for bungee
jumping merit badge already complete, anyone want to get together to knock
out those last two?" and throw a final couple of sessions to finish up.
This lets the program run freely, teaching what you really want to put
forth, but the young folks still get a shot at getting some badges under
their belt.
It sounds as if your older and younger scouts are splitting. Bad
thing. Try to find an event that will let them share in an accomplishment.
It can be fun. A fifty miler, a sail boat run, something that will let them
share an unusual, difficult experience. Don't let the troop polarize --
it'll hurt your program more than any easy week of camp.

John L. Edwards
Annapolis, MD, USA
edwardsj@jsc.mil
410.573.7592 Voice
410.573.7634 Fax

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