Re: Active Scouts?
Russ Jones (CSRTJ@TTUHSC.EDU)
Mon, 28 Apr 1997 23:09:58 -0500
I have noted a number of postings of late to the effect that, because the
Scout spirit requirement now reads "Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the
Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life," the Scoutmaster
is somehow precluded from withholding his or her approval on this
requirement even though the Scout shows little or no Scout spirit in his
unit. I submit the following points for consideration:
It has been stated that this requirement was changed a few years ago to move
the focus away from what happens in the unit. I think this is inaccurate
and presumptuous. The former wording was simply "Show Scout spirit." Since
the terms "show" and "demonstrate" have essentially the same meaning in this
context, the current wording does nothing more than to delineate how a Scout
is to accomplish this, namely, "by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout
Law in [his] everyday life." The intended effect of the change in wording
is to more accurately define (and, therefore, to render somewhat more
measurable) what constitutes showing Scout spirit. It should be noted that
neither wording places any limit as to where and when such demonstration
should take place: while the former wording implies showing Scout spirit
all the time, the current wording implies showing it not only during
Scouting activities, but in all phases of one's life. Far from being at
odds with each other, both wordings are part and parcel of the same basic
principle: Scouts should always and in all ways do their best to, among
other things, obey the Scout Law.
If a Scout is not living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law within his
unit, he can hardly be said to be living them in his daily life. Being a
Scout is not something one can put on and take off at one's convenience,
like a garment. Specifically, if a Scout is not doing his best to be
trustworthy in the execution of his office within the troop, if he is not
doing his best to be loyal to his troop, or if he is not doing his best to
be helpful to his troop, then he is not, by definition, living the Scout
Oath (Promise) and Scout Law, and he should not be given credit as if he were.
Finally, given the fact that in most instances the leaders responsible for
insuring that the Scout meets this requirement will have little (if any)
direct knowledge of the Scout's behavior outside the context of his Scouting
activities, it does not follow that they should ignore what they are able to
observe concerning shortcomings in his demonstration of Scout spirit.
Moreover, if the Scout is not demonstrating Scout spirit in his Scouting
life, the probability is extremely high that he is also failing to
demonstrate it in the other areas of his life, as well.
Scout spirit--true Scout spirit--is the essence of what Scouting is all
about. It's easy to lose sight of the fact that all the skills, all the
camping and other activities, all the rank advancements, all the merit
badges, and all the fun are merely means to an end. The end of
Scouting--its reason for being--is to help God build men who always do their
best to do their duty to God and their country, who always do their best to
help other people at all times, who always do their best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,
brave, clean, and reverent, and who always do their best to keep themselves
physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. When you boil it
all down, the success of a Scouting program is in direct proportion to the
degree to which the Scouts develop Scout spirit.
Yours in Scouting,
Russ Jones <csrtj@ttuhsc.edu>
Scoutmaster, Troop 575 & National Jamboree Troop 1636
South Plains Council, Lubbock, Texas
Eagle Scout, class of 1965
"I used to be a fox..." SC-295
"I used to be a staffer..." SC-430, SR-110, SR-206
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
