Re: Great Human Don't Always Get Eagle
Jim Peterson (kupete@KUHUB.CC.UKANS.EDU)
Fri, 30 Apr 1999 12:13:19 -0600
>Calvin wrote in response to my post about the difference between being a
>exemplary human being and being an exemplary scout:
>I've stayed out of this discussion until now, but I have to diagree with
>this as I find nothing in the requirements for Eagle that says a boy has
>to be an exemplary Scout. The requirements say earn 21 merit badges,
>conduct a service project...and so on.
>
>Hopefully, any boy that becomes an Eagle will be an exemplary Scout as
>far as attending meetings, campouts, service projects, etc., but he
>doesn't have to do this to earn Eagle.
Calvin,
Are you actually suggesting that "be active in your patrol and troop" could
possibly mean that we could have an Eagle who hasn't attended troop
meetings and activities?
>
>Anyone who has been on SCOUTS-L for the past year or so should know
>how the BSA interprets "be active in your troop" and "serve actively
>for a period of six months" in a position of responsiblilty. If we
>go against the BSA interpretation, we are "adding" to the requirements.
Now yes, I know that national doesn't want to get mixed up in this
cumbersome business of actually evaluating individual scouts. No, they
don't provide much guidance. Yes, I've talked to John Dalrymple for hours
about this and he ends up saying, "well, er, if he met the
requirements....." But down here on the unit level, where scouting really
happens, we HAVE to be in the business of evaluating things like "scout
spirit" and "active participation". Now I'm no "attendance gestapo" thug.
Not interested. But tell me that a scout hasn't attended a meeting or a
campout for a year and wants Eagle and I'll say, "No, son, not right now.
Lets talk about what you might need to work on to get back on the Eagle
trail. And I'll be right there behind you all the way!"
>We adults have an obligation to be "Trustworthy" and adhere to
>the BSA rules on advancement, whether we agree with them or not.
>And if we don't like the rules on advancement (or anything else),
>we can try and get them changed.
And Calvin, I think that is a wish for everything to be wrapped up all neat
and tidy. The fact is (and most of us really know this down deep in our
hearts) evaluating scout spirit and active service is a subjective
evaluation that is done in concert by the Scoutmaster, the troop committee
and the board of review members based on information that is provided by
community members and parents through letters of recommendation but also
through direct observation of the scout at scouting meetings and
activities. If you are actually suggesting that a scout can skip the
meetings and activities and be evaluated "long distance" by input from
those outside of scouting, then pretty much any boy, anywhere, who is a
"good kid" could receive Eagle.
BLUE SKIES!, Any day above ground is a good day!
Jim Peterson
BS RT Comm, Pelathe Dist
Heart of America Council Eagle Class of 1963
ASM, T-55, Lawrence, Kansas Brotherhood, Tamegonit Lodge
email: kupete@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Mic-O-Say: HW "Shieldmaker"
