Re: Making Up Patrols

Dear Peter:

I am not sure what you are driving at in your note. You state that our troop
is one of the first you have ever seen to assign patrols.

We do not assign patrols; they were picked by the Patrol Leaders. We were
prepared to restructure if necessary, but have had a total of zero complaints
regarding this arrangement. The only reason we had to resort to this was
that we inherited a largely disorganized troop without any patrol identities.
Yes, we have Troop Guides assigned to the youngest patrols.

You suggest that:
The new scouts should be assigned randomly to a patrol.

I have seen this done many times in the past, and I have seen new scouts
wither on the vine and drop out of the program. Or often we see patrol
members wanting to tent with their friends who are members of other patrols,
or pal around with them at meetings or at campouts when they should be in
their patrol. What are we to do? Yell at them to go back to the unhappy
patrol we have forced them to be in? So we have accomplished someone's
lofty aim, but to what end?

You say that:
One of the goals of scouting is to let boys meet new friends. Grouping the
scouts by grade level will just be a continuation of the school day.

I may be in left field, but I thought that the principal aims of the BSA were
the teaching of values, morals, leadership, service, outdoor skills and
coexisting with one's peers. We have accomplished these aims and more. I
have been involved with three fine troops at various times over a twelve year
period and have never seen a better example of a troop running by the patrol
method. Many of these boys do not have the same class schedules; some don't
even attend the same schools. The school most of them attend is a junior
high school that draws from several primary schools. Yes, they DO make new
friends.

I respect your accomplishments as a junior leader, but would stongly suggest
that you get your facts straight before writing a letter of this nature and
tone.

YIS

C.S. Egel

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