Re: Fw: LDS Scouting
Ted Burton (scouter@VALINT.NET)
Sat, 30 Jan 1999 10:15:54 -0800
At 22:13 -0800 on 1/29/1999, Leslie Fife mailed Re: Fw: LDS Scouting:
> Now we have good units and poor ones, large ones and
> many small ones - Is this unusual?
>
> Auntie Beans has gone so far as to e-mail and tell
> me that I was deluded if I thought what the LDS
> Church did was actually Scouting. I guess I am
> deluded.
As am I, I guess -- though I am Catholic working currently with a
Catholic troop, in the past with Community troops. LDS units can be
as good or as bad at Scouting as others. As in many cases, it turns
in part on the size of the community one is drawing on for new
Scouts, and the enthusiasm, skill and knowledge of the adult Leaders.
It is my impression that a large Ward that has a Bishop who
understands Scouting can produce a powerhouse troop second to none. A
small Ward with a Bishop who does not understand Scouting can have a
terrible troop.
Likewise any other church and pastor. I have seen powerhouse
Methodist troops, and lackluster ones, likewise with us Catholics.
I have seen a small Ward, for that matter, do a lot of camping at the
same time and place as troops from other Wards, to good effect. I
have seen Varsity and Explorers from a given Ward have an outdoor
program that coincides in time and space with that of the troop, also
to good effect. There is no institutional barrier to doing it right.
A large elementary school with plentiful adult leaders who love and
understand Scouting can produce a powerhouse troop second to none. A
small elementary school with disinterested adults can have a terrible
troop.
Thank you for listening. Ted Burton, Inland Northwest 611, Es Kaielgu 311
Alappiechsu Wiechcheu I <<<=-=<I=-=<<< I Talks-Fast Wolf
been there, done that: CC, DC, CA, CM, SA, SM, MC, CR, NJ SA
------ SA T162 & "a good ol' Fox too" -------
at home in North Central Idaho, used to be Alaska
e- mailto:scouter@valint.net
Ne molesti te deprimant ... resist the Redmondian Borg! Semper Mac!
