Re: Recruiting in Schools
dexter lovrien (drlovrie@WOLF.CO.NET)
Thu, 28 Mar 1996 14:19:56 -0600
Peter Van Houten asks:
> Do you have any suggestions on how I can get into the
>school where my pack meets to advertise when the principal wont let
>anyone hand out any flyers or stickers or anything.
>I had a terrible time last year I am starting to think of crafty
>ideas somehow getting school's roster and mailing something to each
>boy. I am told if they let me come on lunchtime or on the playground >that
they will have to allow ANYONE to do the same. How would I like it >if they
had to let the KKK come and pass out their paraphenalia? I said >this is the
Boy Scouts of America and it hardly should be compared to >the KKK.
Some schools seem _very_ senesitive regarding outside organisations
recruiting in their buildings. When my eldest son returned home from boot
camp, he thought he'd stop and visit some of his high school teachers. As
he was quite proud of having survived the challenges of boot camp, he made
the visit wearing his Marine dress blues. Boy, was that ever the wrong
move. School officials asked this young Marine to leave the grounds RIGHT
NOW. His visit, dressed in the garb of his new profession, was unwelcomed
as he had not submitted the proper paperwork or some such. He only wanted
to show some of his teachers that he had succeeded in the USMC. Some
teachers had encoraged him and some said a skinny little runt like him
couldn't cut it. (_those_ are the ones he wanted to see!) Sort of ruined
his leave. I'd bet he would have had no problems if he had just returned
from Harvard, MIT or CalTech.
I recall a billboard I saw back in the early 70s,
"No one LIKES to fight.....
but someone HAS to know how.....
United States Marines"
Our DE also has to jump through hoops to visit our schools. But not the
schools sports dept. They hassled my younger son as he was big and chunky
but not in the football program. The coaches pestered the heck out of him.
But then I don't want to reopen the Scouts vs Sports debate.
Peter, the school MIGHT sell you the mailing list but I doubt it. Schools
always looking for more money. But then they would have to sell it to the
KKK too! (didn't realise the KKK was going after Cub aged kids, no wonder
the principal is concerned) How does the insurance companies I got mailings
from when the boys were little get my address? I got plenty of mail from
them just after school started each year. Thers a leak in the school
somewhere! :^)
The cheapest and best advertising has always been a satisfied customer. If
you run a good program and the Scouts have a good time, they will help
spread the word.
Good luck!
Dexter R. Lovrien
Austin, MN
e-mail to: drlovrie@wolf.co.net
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
