Re: Signalling
Michael R. Trotochaud (powell@APICAL.COM)
Sun, 1 Jun 1997 21:49:26 -0500
I have been reading this discussion for awhile.
I was one of the last scouts who earned the Signaling merit badge and have
always been upset by the decision to do away with it.
It was a skill I learned and am quite proud of. Every now and then I have been
asked to teach semaphore and morse code to younger scouts because no one knows
them.
It is not a matter of updating the requirements or doing away with the merit
badge. Yeah, we could have them learn ASCII, how to surf the net or tons of
other stuff. That is Communications merit badge. Signaling is about primative
forms of communication. It is also a more useful skill than Basketry. With
the exception of completing their project at camp, how many scouts go home and
weave something. Not many. The reason many scouts earn it, and the reason I
earned it was not because I was interested in it, but because it was the
easiest badge to earn at summer camp.
Michael R. Trotochaud
Eagle Class of '90
Assist. Scoutmaster
Troop 22
East Haddam, Conn.
These are just my humble opinions.
Teach the boys something useful with them having enough fun that they don't
realize they are learning.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
