Re: Adult/Leader Patrols
Jim Sleezer (JHS8@VM1.UCC.OKSTATE.EDU)
Wed, 3 Dec 1997 15:48:07 -0600
I really like a combination where adults eat some meals with patrols and
some meals as a group. Years ago, the adults in our troop cooked about half
the meals as a patrol and ate the others with patrols. When they
cooked as a patrol, they used the practice of cooks and fireman in the
kitchen and no others. This meant that about half the group was free to
move around the campsite and be available for assistance as needed. It
also helped the patrols recognize that everyone in the kitchen wasn't
necessary and that rotation of jobs worked.
The adults also set up a campsite of their own--just like other patrols
and their site was a model for patrol sites. They added a gadget or two
as time permitted and kept site picked up. Boy patrols set up their
patrol sites--clustering all tents together was unheard of.
Throughout the campout, adults were available on request. Sometimes they
wandered through the patrol areas and just stood and watched. Sometimes
a patrol leader would request specific assistance. Sometimes the SPL
would request specific assistance with a troop activity. Sometimes the
SM would ask an adult to work with an individual scout, especially on
advancement. Adults frequently did demos in their area of expertise but
if a scout could do the job, they stepped aside.
Most adults had a chair in the adult area and it was expected that they
would use it from time to time. Occasionally, the SM would request a
committee meeting. This was frequently done when an adult was getting too
involved in a patrol. Sometimes the meetings were very short, sometimes
they were longer. It all depended on the needs of the scouts.
Adults specifically did not help the patrol where they would be eating a
meal. Generally an adult did not help his son's patrol.
My biggest complaint about adult patrols is the use of patrol patches. The
patrol patch should be reserved for the boys--they're not part of the adult
leader uniform!
jim sleezer
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
