Re: Blue and Gold and Advancement
Michael A. Golrick (mgolrick@SCLC.ORG)
Tue, 7 Sep 1999 11:43:45 -0400
James E. Zotta" <ESDA2@AOL.COM> wrote:
>
>My pack uses the Blue and Gold dinner to graduate 2nd year Webelos and the
>Tiger Cubs.. the problem with doing this is that since Blue and Gold is held
>in February, it makes for some very unsettled times as Scouts rush to
>complete requirements before February and then have a lull in activities for
>March thru May... Further.. graduating Tiger Cubs in Feb really confuses the
>Tigers since they cannot move on to Wolf until they meet the age
>requirements, etc....
>
>My recommendation to my pack is that we move Blue and Gold to April or May
>which would coincide better with the advancement path.. or if we keep it in
>February, not to let the focus be the advancement but focus on the real
>purpose of the blue and gold dinner.. which is what my purpose in asking the
>question really is...
>
>Any help appreciated and I'm really looking for those answers that might
>pinpoint the purpose
As a new Assistant Scoutmaster (formerly Committee Chair and Advancement
Chair) I have some very strongly held feelings about the WEBELOS to Boy
Scout transition. These feelings I can now articulate better than ever.
This year (calendar) our troop has received aobut 24 new scouts. A group of
6 joined in Feb (ish). They included 3 WEBELOS recent AOL recipients, and 3
boys who joined our troop after some "time off from scouting." One of the
latter has since dropped. However, this group is a very cohesive patrol
("Eagles" )and almost all of them have become 1st class by the end of
summer camp.
The remaining boys have been trickling in since June. Some came on the
summer trip, some came to summer camp, and some are just arriving now.
We had an interesting conversation at our August (pre-school year)
Scoutmasters meeting where a parent of one of the boys who came to summer
camp with very little experience (June joiner/not on summer trip) commented
on how some of the new scouts seemed "lost" at summer camp. My comment
was....they are the same age as the "Eagles" so it was most likely not a
maturity thing, but an experience issue. The continuing scouts did not know
them as well, they had not coalesced (sp?) as a group/s. They would have
been well served to join the Boy Scouts in the spring as early as possible.
The short answer is: WEBELOS is designed as an 18 month program. The boys
should be done in Feb. *THEY SHOULD BE JOINING BOY SCOUTS THEN!* [I did
raise my voice for emphasis.] This timing allows boys to become comfortable
with the Boy Scout way, camping as a patrol, and generally be ready for a
summer of fun as a Boy Scout.
Thanks for listening....good luck. Keep the B&G in Feb to celebrate the
founding of scouts, and get those WEBELOS to Boys Scouts then.
YiS,
Michael Golrick
ASM, Troop 68, Trumbull CT
Connecticut Yankee Council
(professionally I am:
Michael A. Golrick mgolrick@sclc.org
Southern Connecticut Library Council
2911 Dixwell Ave, Suite 201
Hamden CT 06518-3130
voice: 203-288-5757
fax: 203-287-0757
Connecticut Library Association President 1999/2000
Connecticut Chapter Councilor
