"A Scout is Hungry"
(no name) ((no email))
Thu, 14 Mar 1996 00:48:48 -0600
(taken from "Patches and Pins..." (c) 1988 Mike Walton)
A Scout is Hungry
Most Scouts --and many people-- are aware that there are only 12 points to
the American Scout Law, a listing of statements about the goals of the
American boy that enters the "circle of friendship" called Boy Scouting.
Those are the official words, the 12 sets of POSITIVE statements that
explain what a Boy Scout should strive for, what is expected of him by his
peers, faith, and himself.
What a Scout _is_.
Scouts do not enter into those agreements lightly. We educate them
during the process of becoming a Scout. They know from other kids--and
perhaps from TV or the movies -- of some of the "rules".
It has come out only recently [note: this was originally written in 1988
before the first round of public objections to the usage of the Scout Law to
"remove members and leaders from the movement"] that this all could somehow
be held "against them" if they chose to ignore what they promised "on their
honor" to do. We do not do a good job of telling our Scouts about the
history of the Scouting movement in this nation or any other or about the
words they mouth each and every week like robots.
For instance, in the old days, when a Scout was dishonest, he simply came to
his Scoutmaster, explained the situation, and tearfully handed over his
Scout badge to the Scoutmaster. This placed the Scoutmaster in a dual role
of "close friend" and "judge". There were no questions, no ceremony. That
is what Scouts did. If the Scoutmaster felt that the Scout deserved the
badge, he returned it to the Scout; if not, the Scout would leave Scouting,
perhaps feeling like Chuck Connors did in the start of the television series
"Branded": he let his fellow Scouts down
and set out to "make it right". The same went with the rest of the Scout
Law points.
Likewise, when a Scout told someone "Scout's Honor", you could "take it to
the bank", "bet on it", or equate it to "swearing on a stack of Bibles". It
was THAT IRON-CLAD a promise. And believe you me, if you chose NOT to
uphold THAT promise, you let ALL Scouts down!
Today, we don't make Scouts hand over their badges and the way I
understand it, we are getting to the point whereby the Scoutmaster is no
longer the "close friend" of each and every Scout and "judge" of their
character. Today, we leave it to people whom do
not know of the Scout, people whom have other vested interests in
the Scout to tell us of the Scouts' character and friendship.
Most times, they fail to realize that the Scout CAN be held to a higher
standard than "just a kid". Just like his father and his
father before him was.
We do not hold our Scouts to that "Scout's Honor" credo because we ourselves
are not alltogether sure that children should be held
to that high of a standard. "They are children, and children should be able
to act like children, behave like children. And children do lie from time
to time". "Scout's Honor" today is like
"yeah, right", "don't bet on it", and my favorite, "sure".
We have started to turn the program over to others and we do not
care about this turnover. "It's not my job" comes to mind.
So, since we have allowed our program to reflect today's lifestyles, with
today's problems, it is only right that somehow those original 12 points be
supplemented to reflect today's Scouting realities. One of those realities
is that today's Scout CANNOT cook.
In our earlier days, part of the First Class requirements was that a Scout
must prepare an ENTIRE MEAL (including dessert) for his Patrol and two other
guests. This required him to know something about the various kinds of
fires, cooking preparation tools, recipes and formulas and what happens when
you run out of milk or eggs. It also required some knowledge of cleaning and
rinsing as well as washing of hands and foodstuffs before preparation.
It even required you to know how to set the table.
Today's requirements have changed so much that now the Scout
prepares nine meals, with help and with "prepared scripts" because
in reality, nobody REALLY cooks because everything today is prepackaged,
ready-to-cook and "all-in-a-box". We don't care about disease because we
use plastic forks and spoons, and eat from aluminum trays. Therefore,
little cleanup and we never get to teach how to build a grease pit. "We
have to care about the environment, too".
Instead of taking perhaps all afternoon to prepare the dinner meal, it now
takes five boxtops, two shakes and a fire for the
popcorn.
Yet, even with all of that convienence, I STILL see Scouts hungry.
Those are the ones running down the hill to the trading post after dinner
for the hamburger and ice-cream sandwiches.
I see them because I'm in line with them.
Now before all of you Eagle Scouts show me your Cooking Merit Badge cards,
send me letters about how you have won first prize at the Jamboree, or wowed
over your parents one night, answer me this:
Have you made DINNER (not just "beenie-weenies" but an ENTIRE MEAL) for your
DATE? How about for your BOSS? Did they leave
SMILING (not doubled-over or in need of Pepto-Bismal)?
Did your prize Deepdish Three-Fruit Cobbler win --no PLACED--
at your State Fair? At your County Fair? Did you enter it in
the Pillsbury Bake-Off (and don't laugh...the way things are going
there's BOUND to be a man to eventually win it...I strive to be
that man one of these days!)
Well then, you, like me, are HUNGRY. Not just for food...but for KNOWLEDGE.
The Thirteenth Scout Law states:
"A Scout is Hungry. He thirsts for the new challenge, the new
opportunity that his world, nation, community and neighborhood
places in front of him. He hungers for knowledge and the ability
to appreciate new things, to see things in the eyes of others.
He gladly shares his knowledge and experiences with others, and
is ready for the benefit, that "dessert", in which after he shares
his knowledge with others, that they in turn, do so with him".
Your challenge, fellow Scout, is to bake that Deepdish Three-Fruit
Cobbler and to PLACE in the Pillsbury Bake-Off. It is to be able
to cook, clean, sew and fend for yourself without the benefit of
your parents, or your mate, or even the laundry and dry-cleaners.
It is to educate yourself -- and others -- as to what Scouting really is,
why it exists and what you have gained from it.
For if you choose NOT to do those things, eventually the program
will be handled over to those that will want Scouting to be that
program for the "rich kids", for the ones that can "afford to follow the
Scout Law", because we all saw that "it can't be for EVERY kid that wants a
challenge...they can't even follow the
OLD laws!"
You must continue to challenge yourself. Better yourself. Walk one more
mile than you did last year. Read one more book --and understand what you
read -- than last year. Meet 365 more people
-- and get to know them -- than you did this past year. You must
never get full of education and learning and knowledge.
When I send letters to new Eagle Scouts, I always close with one of my
favorite lines. I did not write this...authorship actually belongs to some
fella at the BSA's Editorial Service. It appears
on just about every rank card, though: "Don't forget to share your
knowledge as you walk onward the Scouting trail". That's a great statement.
It always reminds me that Scouting is just a game...but a game with a
strong, important, goal: to get somewhere
and to share what your learn as you get there.
Learn how to set that table, then do it for someone else other than your
parents. Take that prized dutch oven recipe and share
with some older folks that remember what a cobbler SHOULD taste
like. Talk with others --even those that do not share your views or your
feelings or thoughts-- you will never know WHY they feel the way they do
until you ask them. Read your newspaper and respond to issues that you care
about. Use your knowledge and your skills to help others at all times.
That's the Scouting way.
And learn to cook, both over a fire and over a stove.
Settummanque!
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle) (
co-Owner, Blackeagle Services of Kentucky (502.826.7046) __)_
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