(no subject)
MCCET (marcel@OMNICAST.NET)
Mon, 2 Aug 1999 20:34:05 -0700
"I would volunteer but ..."
"and another thing, if the boys would only.........."
" this troop needs to be organized better....I would do it but ......"
"RV parking is where?"
We try so hard to get parents interested in joining the operation and
support of our troops (packs too)
But there is an old (several) sayings
Too many cooks, etc
and two,s company, threes a crowd. or 4 company and 15 a mob.
Many ,almost all, of the units in my district are always crying for more
adults , than having too many.
But recently (last 10 years or so ) there seems to be a trend (noticed also
in my neighboring districts and other councils close by as well ) a few
(very few) units that are capable of generating large peanut galleries of
adults whose sole presence is to watch their boys jump thru the whoops of
scouting.
Like a spectator sport.
They come ready to be waited on (served camp services, firewood, water etc)
by the older boys (they dont have that much to do and the experience will be
good for them) and generally will not or cannot interact with supporting the
program de jure whether it be summer camp or a campout ,a committee meeting
or a 50 miler (really burdensome).
They offer volumes of suggestions on ways and means but will not, despite
copious amount of training and other educational opportunities, learn and
function within the present organizational form of scouting and constantly
providing a stream of ad hoc solutions to jobs only boys should be doing.
Its hard enough for scouting pros (payed or not) to deal with scoutings
official unit leaderships while having to remain cool headed and PC in the
presence of mostly unregistered or token registered scouting moms & dads.
I offer this as an observation ,not a criticism, of a small but observable
problem and posing by it to the list in this way, my purpose is to
A...see if there are similar observations by other scouting leaders and
professionals(payed or not)
B...How can we (the present zoo keepers) turn this to our advantage , get
them on to our side which is understanding and insuring the longevity of
scouting, BP, patrol method, game with a purpose, woodbadge, scout oath and
law, scout spirit form of character, fitness and citizenship for boys.
C...and leave them thinking it was their own idea as a mission quest and not
a job.
Marcel C
Commissioner and practicing Owl
Anthony Mako wrote
>Summer camp may provide opportunities for continuing adult training,
>but it's not the place to give potential adult leaders a taste of
>Scouting. Take them on a Dad and Lad, or Mom and Son campout
