Re: Active Scouts?
Jonathan Dixon (dixonj@ROCOCO.COLORADO.EDU)
Sat, 26 Apr 1997 10:29:36 MDT
From: "Steven G. Tyler" <sgtyler@EROLS.COM>
>
> > Now, as scoutmaster, I have a question for the list. How come being a
> > Librarian counts towards Eagle, but being Bugler doesn't. Our bugler
> > does a whole lot more that the librarian (plays a mean reveille too.)
>
> As a guess, I'd say that the Bugler may be skillfull, but I can't see
> how you can stretch the responsibilities of Bugler to encompass
> "leadership," except perhaps by public broadcasting of the decisions of
> others. On the other hand, the Librarian, if he's doing his job (and
> that's another discussion!), has the responsibility to catalog, update
> and make the Troop's merit badge books, etc. available to the Troop.
The bugler position, if done properly, requires taking care of the
troop bugle (or one's own trumpet), standing up in front of large
groups to do one's job, and working with the main leaders to implement
unpopular decisions (let me tell you, dealing with the fallout from
playing reveille at 7am requires much more leadership skills than
anything the troop librarian would face). Often the bugler is also
the one who heads up formal flag ceremonies (since he is the one with
the most experience because he is in all of them). From a WB
perspective, he shows at least 4 of the 11 leadership skills in his
job (communicating, controlling the group, representing the group, and
setting the example).
OTOH, from the way the librarian position was described by Steve, I
still wouldn't classify that as showing leadership (the only real
leadership I've seen from the librarian position is working with the
committee to obtain new books, which is at best only an occasional
job. However, this really isn't the point since the requirement is
stated as a "position of responsibility". I too (as a former bugler)
have often wondered why that position is left out (especially since
historian was recently added to the Eagle list, which I believe leaves
bugler as the only position from the Star and Life list which does not
qualify for Eagle). If the position is being properly used (which is
a big assumption for any of these positions), I feel the bugler shows
much more responsibility (and leadership) than the historian or the
librarian. How do we go about getting National to recognize that?
Jon
--
Jon Dixon
dixonj@colorado.edu
http://spot.colorado.edu/~dixonj/
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
