Re: Cracked "Eagle" Egg

Both Jack and Rodger's postings hit home for me. My own son is a Life
Scout that could with just a little more effort become an Eagle and may
yet surprise his dad. But he has moved on to other things in high
school. When I step back and reflect, I can see that his experience in
Scouting has helped him tremendously - helped him to grow in many ways
that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. Now when I see him taking
leadership at school, staying up until 11 to do homework without being
prompted, and always standing ready to help others, I have no doubt that
he is still living the Scout Oath and Law. Whether he makes Eagle is up
to him. If he decides not to go farther, he may or may not regret it.
But somehow I can't see that decision as being the measure of his
success. No I think he's already succeeded and that the Scouting program
succeeded in helping him to grow.

Pushing a Scout to achieve an advancement is artificial and really not
likely to achieve the goals of Scouting, which are character development,
citizenship and fitness. Remember that advancement is only a method to
achieve the goals - a carrot, if you will. Now does a "carrot" work if
you have to shove it down the boy's throat and make him gag on it? Of
course not. If advancement isn't the right carrot, then look at the
other methods to see what will work as a carrot or challenge that will
help the Scout to grow and develop.

Sadly, some folks would like to see numbers and think that this is the
measure of success for our program. Sometimes it is the only way to
quantify what the program is doing. However, it doesn't really work. We
are dealing in intangibles at a very individual level - that of the
individual Scout. If a boy is only with us for a month, a year, or two
and leaves with a better sense of direction in his life, with a few
survival skills, or better able to succeed in life, then we have not
failed him and his Scouting experience has helped. In short we've met the
real goals of the program. Let's not ever forget that.

Now, if we can do better and keep the Scout longer, we have a better
chance of helping even more. This involves patience and understanding,
encouragement, challenges, recognition, rewards, etc. But it sure
doesn't include jamming a carrot down the throat. :-)

Speaking only for myself in the Scouting Spirit, Michael F. Bowman
Dep.Dist.Commissioner-Training, G.W.Dist., NCAC, BSA (Virginia)
U. S. Scouting Service Project FTP Site Administrator (PC Area)
ftp1 or ftp2.scouter.com/usscouts E-mail: mfbowman@capaccess.org

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