Re: "Charter Name Scout" question
Steven G. Tyler (sgtyler@EROLS.COM)
Tue, 26 May 1998 13:05:59 -0400
settummanque, or blackeagle (Mike Walton) wrote, in part:
> It's *my* turn to ask all of you great Scouters a question; I hope that you
> can help me and my friend out!
Sure, Mike. My quick take:
"Hidden agenda" (recruitment) aside, if the Scout would have otherwise
been honored publically, do so. After all, we're not honoring him as a
"great Scout," per se, but as a Scout who did something heroic, at no
small personal risk and cost. If he was such a lousy Scout, the time
for the unit to address that issue was when the unit rechartered, *not*
in the context of honoring a heroic *act.* The unit chose not to do so,
so the SM should be encouraged to "chill." Certainly when we point with
pride to every acheivement by *former* Scouts, why on earth would you
mute the public approval for an *actual* Scout.
As to the coach: this guy sounds like the typical one-issue wonders that
seem to gravitate to youth programs (and, yes, Scouting is no exception,
though if you've just *gotta* promote one program...). What would this
dufus have had the Scout do -- refuse to risk his own skin and watch the
kid die???! Sheesh! Ignore him -- anyone with a brain in their head will
see him for what he is.
Message to the other Scouts: even a Scout who is currently less than a
ball of fire can meet the highest Scouting standard when necessary, and
should be honored for doing so. No problem there, IMHO. After all,
Scouting is not about rank, not about attendance, not about esprit de
corps, it's about developing *character* -- and this SCOUT has
demonstrated it far beyond what most of us have or ever will be called
upon to do. He deserves the honor.
BTW, present participation level aside, I am having trouble seeing a
Life Scout, having acheived the next-to-highest rank available in
Scouting, characterized as some sort of pariah and Scouting failure. It
seems to me that he may have been in the process of drifting away from
Scouting, as many of us did for many reasons. It would be nice if all
boys went all the way, made Eagle and became lifelong Scouters -- and
perhaps if some Scouters would stop characterizing non-Eagle Scouts and
Scouters as "failures," we'd be able to keep more boys long enough to
allow them do so (not a dig at you personally, Mike, but rather at the
"Eagle priesthood" crowd -- you know who you are!).
--
YIS
Steve on Cattail Creek - sgtyler@erols.com <Steven G. Tyler>
Severna Park, MD, USA
"The Computer Counselor," Technology Consulting for the Law Office
Advancement Chair and de facto Webmaster, Troop 339,
Baltimore Area Council, BSA (http://members.aol.com/troop339/)
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
