Re: Age rules vs. Reality - Question
Marc Solomon (solomonm@COMM.MOT.COM)
Tue, 17 Jun 1997 15:46:57 -0500
CHUCK BRAMLET wrote:
> Joey is 12 years old, and Star Rank. He will turn 13 about 4 days
> after the cutoff for the Summer JLT session. Therefore, he will not
> be allowed to attend. That puts him in a position of being unable to
> attend the training until he no longer needs it.
> See, Joey is very close to Life rank, and at the rate that he has been
> advancing may well be Eagle by next summer's JLT session. He has also
> been ASPL for 1 and a half terms, and likely will be elected SPL for
> next term.
You are mistaken here on a number of things, Chuck. Joey never 'needs'
JLT. It is not required for any advancement or to hold any position of
leadership. If you are trying to say that JLT is only helpful if the
boys is required to hold a leadership position and Joey will no longer
be required to after becoming Eagle and serving as SPL, then you are
mistaken. The JLT course will be helpful to Joey even if he never leads
in Scouts again (something I really doubt would happen).
With the proper coaching (something that would be required whether Joey
took JLT or not), Joey can be a great SPL even without JLT. I have
known many Scouts who were great leaders but never had the time to go to
JLT. It is not JLT's job to create leaders anyway (although it is their
goal), it is the Scoutmaster's job. JLT is a tool (a very good one,
too) available to Scoutmasters but they can do their job without it.
> I realize that most of the rules are there for a purpose, but to hold
> to "age only" qualifications may end up shortchanging boys like Joey.
and not holding onto such a rule may end up shortchanging boys like Joey
AND more mature young men who are ready for the challenges of JLT.
While there are occassional exceptional young men who are ready for JLT
at age 12, most are not. To lower the age requirement of the whole
program, shortchanges all who attend.
> Does anyone else have his kind of restriction for JLT? In the past,
> I think it has been 13 _or_First_Class_ by [date]. Does this make
> sense in _this_ situation?? Joey need JLT _now_, not after he has been
> SPL for part or most of a term.
Most JLT programs I have heard of have such restrictions. AND yes it
makes sense, even in this case.
Joey needs coaching _now_ to be a great leader. From what I can see,
the resources to receive that coaching are available (Chuck, look in
mirror). If, and when, Joey takes JLT, he will still get a lot out of
it (maybe more, since he'll have a practical knowledge to work from).
--
Marc Solomon Unit Commissioner
mailto:marcsolomon@bigfoot.com Sycamore District
mailto:marcsol@earthling.net Blackhawk Area Council (IL)
I use to be a wise old owl . . . Now I'm just old
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
