Re: Blue Cards Don't Do Doodly

Scott Patterson wrote:
>
> Yes the Blue Card is nice to have but in today computer age they just get in
> the way some times. Our Council depends on what the Council Registrar has
> in the troops file. If a problem is found, the troops records are used to
> fill in the blanks or settle any discrepancy. The Blue Cards never come
> into play. We have had very few problems and any problem has always been
> worked out in the scouts favor.
> Most of our troops (about 80%) use a form of computer record keeping (most
> use Troopmaster) our council takes the troop records over all other records.
>
> Granted we might be in the minority of other councils, but it sure has
> worked for us over the past three years.
> Last year we had 135 Eagle scouts and all were done under this system.
>

My son is an Eagle Scout because of the blue cards that he faithfully
kept. When he turned in his Eagle Application I got a call from the
Council Office saying that they had no records of seven merit badges he
had listed on his application. There was question about whether he had
even earned Star Rank, let alone Eagle. They should all have been on an
Advancement Report that went in after a summer camp. We went to the
Troop records and there was no record of them there, either. So, he
pulled out his blue cards, the troop advancement chairman turned in an
Advancement Report with an explanation, and his Eagle Application was
approved. No, it shouldn't have happened, but it did. The blue cards may
not do doodly, but they made at least one fine Eagle Scout. Sorry for
the fatherly pride wedging its way in there! :)

Encourage your Scouts to always keep their own records, as official as
possible. Teach them to be responsible for their own advancement. They
will be in the work world. Have them keep their blue cards and the Rank
cards and merit badge cards in the plastic keeper sheets used for
baseball cards. They are just the right size.

YIS,

--
Len Christiansen lrchristiansen@worldnet.att.net
SA Troop 292, Mobile, AL ...I used to be an eagle (SR-101)!
Gihim - One Who Encourages

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