Re: A dilema - A Merit badge that was not earned

Dick,

This has been a sore point for many of our troop's leadership and youth and
indeed has discouraged the scouts from seeking out MB counselors during the year
and waiting until summer camp for an easy MB. The problem isn't only the lack of
supervision and training of the MB counselor, but also of the "class" size.
Leatherwork and basketry can easily be self taught with a little guidance from
an MB counselor and an assistant so a group of 25-30 scouts can be serviced
given enough tools and materials. However, a group of 25-30 scouts in a one hour
rifle class simply do not get enough quality instruction in safety or in skill.

A camp our troop went to a few years ago started to use hand targets (about 6
inches in diameter) instead of rifle targets and totally eliminated the three
shots in a quarter five shots in quarter/ five shots in the 8 ring. The reason
was that the boys couldn't meet the requirements in a week, which is only 3 days
of actually shooting.

The first aid class was no better and had almost 30 scouts. Given that scouts
must demonstrate (as opposed to just explaining) certain requirements, it would
have taken 3 days just to "test" each boy's knowledge. Boys who went to the
local ambulance corps for training took several weeks to complete the badge.

As my own son has learned, when the chips are down, a chest full of merit badges
don't mean a thing. Either you know your stuff or you don't. If you don't know
your stuff, how can you ever hold your head up high and call yourself an Eagle,
or for that matter, a Scout?

For my money, camps should stop giving out MB's and only let the scout have
instruction which he would take back to his MB counselor at home to prove his
knowledge. That way he can get opportunities such a small boat sailing,
canoeing, An alternative is to limit the group size of the MB "class" with
preference given to the higher ranking scout or older scout. Also, I would
especially question the wisdom of having any of the "living room" Eagle Badges
at a summer camp. Citizenship for instance requires too much work that can't be
done at camp as well as Personal Finance, Family Life and Communications.

The bottom line is that if we lower the bar we will diminish the value of the
program. This should be raised every year at every roundtable just before summer
camp with some sort of directive to be sent to the camp or program director
before the boys receive the badge.

YIS,
Bob Taschler

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