Re: How Fast is Fast
(no name) ((no email))
Sat, 1 Jun 1996 21:54:11 -0500
(I've also sent a copy of this privately to Peter...hurry back!!)
Peter asked:
>Question I have for the group is 'How Fast is Fast' in advancing from
>Scout to First Class.
Depends on the Scout involved, Peter...there are some Scouts that will
advance rather quickly, and the four or five months for them would be
rather boring....there are other Scouts, of course, that will take their
sweet time and enjoy the total Scouting experience, and advance to
First Class in six or seven months. Then, there are those that we've
talked about with regard to Eagle a few years back, and Don Izard
appropriately stated that perhaps we should have someone in charge
(he called it the "ASM in charge of butt kicking") to motivate those
Scouts that are "not advancing and not participating".
>This boy has been in the troop 90+ days and just completed his
>second class. His goal is to complete his first class by the end
>of the summer. He earned his Scout at the first troop meeting
>after cross-over, and began his 30 day fitness program that same
>night. He earned his Tenderfoot 30-day's later, and his 2nd class
>60 days after that!
Sounds like a really motivated Scout...and a GREAT Troop program!
If he wants to advance that fast, there's nothing or nobody that
should keep him from doing so. After all, one of the beauties of
the Scouting program is this idea that each and every Scout (and
Scouter, for that matter) advances and progresses at his or her
own pace, using a path uniquely his or hers.
This is also why we don't provide a listing of "appropriate Star,
Life and Eagle projects", nor state catagorily that "you must have
served as a Patrol Leader for Star, serve as Assistant Senior
Patrol Leader for Life, and Senior Patrol Leader for Eagle"
>At his Board of Review for 2nd class the CC told him he was going
>too fast.
The Committee Chair needs to read the chapter in the
Scoutmaster's Handbook, Peter, on "understanding boy behavior"
and "Advancement"...or perhaps go to Scoutmaster Fundamentals!
Those two concepts are taught at all of our basic Boy Scout
leaders' courses since the start of the BSA's program!
A Scout that completes everything in less than four months for
First Class I would question only because some of the requirements
take at least six months (the camping and outing requirements, for
instance, if you grouped them all together) to complete.
But in most cases, I expect that the motivated Scout will earn
Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class in "due course" time.
>I fully expect that the time between first class and star will be
>longer than 6 months as he is a 'Classic' soccer player and will
>miss a couple of fall activities. As well, he won't have as much
>time to complete the merit badges.
Again, that's okay....I slowed down somewhat between First Class
and Star because of school and other things (girls, church school,
and later on, Exploring), and I expect that most Scouts that make it
to First Class exhales a long breath and then catches their "second
wind" as they continue upward the Scouting trail!
It just takes some of those Scouts a short time to do that and others
an EXTRA, EXTRA, EXTRA long time!
Settummanque!
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle) (
co-Owner, Blackeagle Services of Kentucky (502.826.7046) __)_
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