Re: What National should really be looking at!
Anthony J. Mako (ajmako@APK.NET)
Tue, 10 Feb 1998 19:33:52 -0500
<QUOTE From: CzarCasm stanleyb@CRL.COM >
Art, Scholarship, Music, Coin Collecting, Collections, Computers, Model
Design, Law, Drafting.. etc etc....
With a selection from this group, and there are others, A scout could
achieve the rank of Eagle without ever having taken Pioneering... or any of
the
other badges that makes a scout different from any average High School
student....
</QUOTE>
Badges are NOT what make a Scout "different from any average High School
student"!
<QUOTE>
For my money you can take the three Citizenship Badges and lump them into
one... Safety? can you say Emerengcy Prep....
</QUOTE>
The differences may be subtle, but there is a very good reason there are
three Citizenship badges. First, being a citizen of a community is a bit
different than being the citizen of a nation. The politics are different, as
is the process. Likewise, being a citizen of a nation is considerably
different than being a citizen of the world.
As far as Safety and Emergency Preparedness are concerned, take a look at
the requirements. Safety merit badge is concerned with being safe. "What are
safe practices?" "Can you identify unsafe practices?" "What makes an unsafe
practice unsafe?" Emergency Preparedness, on the other hand, concerns itself
with what to do in an emergency. Not all emergencies are caused by unsafe
practices. "How could you help victims of a car accident?" "What could your
troop or patrol do to assist rescue workers in an emergency?"
<QUOTE>
It seems to me that aside for the 20 nights of camping.... A successful
Scout can not be differentiated from almost any other moderately involved
youth in today's society.
</QUOTE>
How about the commitment to the ideals of Scouting? You know: Duty to God,
Duty to Country, Duty to Self? How about leadership? Service? CHARACTER?
Scouting is a good deal more than 20 nights of camping and a couple badges.
The Eagle Scout honor is about a lot more than differenciating yourself from
other kids. In fact, the one thing that keeps me going in this organization,
even when I feel as though I'm not getting through to my Scouts, is the
knowledge that someday they will be greatly affected by simply knowing the
words of the Scout Oath and Law. And if they're dedicated enough to earn
Eagle, they'll have done a lot more than most of the people they graduate
with have.
<QUOTE>
I thought Scouting was to introduce boys to those things he would not
encoutrer in his everyday life....not give him credit for them....
</QUOTE>
Stan, I think you may need to read through the Boy Scout handbook once more.
All of the camping and badgework is simply a means to an end. It is the
method we use to build character, foster citizenship, and promote physical
fitness. It's not what they do that counts, it's what they learn on the way!
YIS
Anthony J. Mako, ajmako@apk.net
Scoutmaster, Troop 381
http://members.aol.com/Scouts381/
"Home of the Unofficial Boy Scout Desktop Theme!"
Great Trail Council - Akron, Ohio
"I used to be an Eagle (C-7-97), but I'll always be an Eagle (1981)"
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
