Progress report and request for advice
Jim McMaster (mcmaster@SWENG.STORTEK.COM)
Wed, 30 Oct 1996 12:19:08 -0700
Hello, all...I usually just lurk on the list, but I thought is was time to ask
you all for advice again.
For those of you who don't remember, I took over as Scoutmaster of a dormant
Troop 70 in Boulder, CO, last February. We rechartered with three scouts in
March (one Star and two Scout-badgers). We have worked hard to get going
again.
After a successful summer and fall, we now have the makings of a really good
troop. We now have nine scouts (one Star, one First Class, five Second Class,
one Tenderfoot, and one Scout who joined a month ago). They were a "Pride
Award" troop at summer camp, and won the campsite inspection. They also were
an honor patrol at camporee. We have a year-long troop calendar in place, a
functioning PLC, and ran a good troop JLT two weeks ago. The SPL and PL are
really starting to take charge of running troop meetings. In short, I could
not be prouder of these young men.
We also are working hard to recruit Webelos, and have a den of six really
interested, with others coming to visit soon. I want and expect about eight
or nine new members by next spring.
Almost everything is going well, but I have one problem scout. He is very
bright, but extremely immature. He also is ADD. Ritalin did not help, so he
now takes imipramine, which seems to help him quite a bit. He is small, and
very much "wimpy" when it comes to discomfort. He also gets picked on a lot
both in and out of scouts...one of those middle-schoolers who seems to wear a
"KICK ME" sign wherever he goes.
He is second class, and has passed every requirement with flying colors. He
will pass the last of his first class requirements very soon. He only needs
two more activities to have his ten, and will have those in December at the
very latest.
The problem is whether I should sign him off on Scout Spirit. He goofs around
a bit at troop meetings, but that is attributable to the ADD, and I am willing
to let that go. Campouts are the problem. He has not done well on any
campout so far, and at summer camp had a major blowup with two other scouts,
both of which he recruited into the troop. Formerly, they were best friends,
but they are now barely on speaking terms.
Camporee was the worst. It was cold, with plenty of snow on the ground. He
refused to help set up the tents because he was too cold. (The other scouts
were clearing snow, and removing layers as they heated up.) He went off to
sit in the car, even though I told him to stay with us. He was supposed to
cook breakfast, but refused because he was too cold. (Other people were
without hats and gloves). He got involved in a snowball fight, ended up
getting clobbered, and refused to stand near the other scouts for the rest of
the trip.
He has announced he is not going on any more cold-weather camping trips. In
Colorado, that probably means he will not go with us until May. My problem
is, his scout spirit is acceptable except on camping trips. I feel he should
demonstrate a better attitude on camping trips before signing off on this
requirement any more. If I do sign it off, he could be Star before he goes
camping again. If not, I might be unfairly holding him up.
As if this were not already complicated enough, the scout is my son. I do not
know if I am being extra hard on him because of that, or whether I would be
showing favoritism by letting him pass along.
I know there are a lot of wise people on this list, and am urgently requesting
advice. What should I do about this scout?
Jim McMaster
mcmaster@sweng.stortek.com
Scoutmaster, Troop 70
Boulder, CO
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