Re: Advancement Records

The major problem I usually encounter when a Scout transfers into our
troop is a lack of advancement records. This usually happens when the
boy is coming from a troop that did not use TroopMaster or one of the
other software packages. I have lots of horror stories associated with
helping boys reconstruct their "paper and pen" records from a prior
troop.

In my opinion, troops should use the very best resources available when
it comes to tracking Scout records. The materials provided by the
B.S.A. are woefully inadequate when compared to TroopMaster and the
other automated software packages.

We live in a very mobile society. Scout Handbooks, blue cards and other
records are often lost during moves. Troop blue card copies are lost or
misplaced when troop leadership changes. Even when a Scout stays in the
same troop for many years, Handbooks get lost, rained on or otherwise
damaged. This is just a fact of life.

Many councils and troops don't use blue cards to any significant extent.
I've been to summer camp 18 times and only on 3 or 4 occasions were blue
cards used. Ask a boy in my troop to produce a copy of a blue card and
he will give you a blank stare. Ask to see his "Individual History"
report from TroopMaster and he'll probably be able to produce a copy.

Most of the moderate to large troops in my area use TroopMaster or
another software package. There is so much more information available
and it makes troop administration much more effecient than it was in the
day of "paper and pen" record keeping.

YiS,

--
Calvin H. Gray
Scoutmaster, Troop 405
Georgetown, Texas
I used to be an Owl (WM-62-2-98 @ Philmont)
mailto:405geezer@igg-tx.net
http://www.troop405.org

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