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My recollection of Scouting/USA , "boy" was removed as it was considered a slur to the minority males being recruited. I did some wiki research and found more. (I had forgotten? ) Scouting/USA was a "communicative name" chosen by the Boy Scouts of America in 1971 in an effort to rebrand itself.[1][2] The Scouting/USA symbol was unveiled at its biennial National Council meeting. [3] The organization retained the name Boy Scouts of America as its legal name, but planned to use the new name on literature, billboards, insignia, business cards and stationery and for most other promotional mat

What we have here is a great opportunity for BSA to correct a bad branding decision. Who are Scouts BSA? The public doesn't know. It has no history, no identity. You have to explain it, and it goes something like this: "Oh, that is the program for young people age 11 to 18 that used to be called 'Boy Scouts.' It's just a name change for that program. The umbrella organization is still the Boy Scouts of America. The point is, it's really Boy Scouts, just with a new name . . . " Huh? What? You lost me at "program." If you stop calling the program "Boy Scouts," you're giving

As I plan ways to encourage more effective use of the Patrol Method on a local level, I have been thinking a lot about how Scouts are introduced to the idea of a Patrol. Naturally, new Scouts learn quite a bit from other Scouts and the Scouters in their Troop, but the Boy Scout Handbook is also a handy go-to resource. Scouts and Scouters, both, should read the Handbook to learn as much as they can about the program and the game of Scouting. Though, the depth with which the newest Handbook, the 13th edition, dives into the Patrol concept is very shallow when compared to, say, the 9th edit

At this point, I can agree. I've often described it differently, but I think it's similar. I've viewed it as when a team is working on something whether it's setting up individual tents or cooking dinner or ... Everyone works. When cooking, some get water, others start the fire, others find the ingredients, etc. You don't just do your part and then sit down. In another case, ... if your tent is up, but your patrol mate's tents are not done, you help your patrol mates. It's part of being a team and not just individuals. A good leader helps the individuals on his team find their p

I think most of the disagreement here stems from an official or formal "position of responsibility" as opposed to "a job". These are two very different things. The patrol QM might be for a single campout, or he might be so good at it, he continues for the entire year. Regardless, every patrol member should be doing something to help out, whether it is setting up the tents with his buddy, while two others gather firewood. The point is no patrol mate should be sitting around while others are doing something. Thus I have no issue saying "every patrol member needs a job". There are varying de

I know what you mean but here is a photo of a uniform from the mid-1970s.

Well, I think the discussion has gotten silly. You are justifying bad behavior because you didn't get caught. That's integrity! Handing in your badge, is that an adult temper tantrum? If you really believe your bad behavior is justification for qualification Eagle, I think you should hand your metal back? So let's hash this out, is there any action you feel that a scout might have done to disqualify him from the honor of Eagle like selling drugs, bullying, or threatening physical harm with a weapon? Anything? The Eagle represents integrity, and as far as I can find, the BSA doe

The patch isn't the point. The "job" is the idea here. How many times have we seen a Troop campout where 2-3 Scouts from six different Patrols showed up, causing the Scoutmaster to make the decision to create an ad hoc weekend-long Patrol? Might the fact that each Patrol member has a job create a sense of ownership where each member is compelled to show up consistently for each outing?

This is where we part ways. The troop's QM in this context is to get account for the troop gear used by 64 scouts. He may need one assistant, he doesn't need 8. Or rather, he already has 16 assistants: they are the PL's and APL's. The patrol QM is only ever responsible for the gear used by 8 boys, max. That's not a lot of responsibility, especially if the PL and APL are decent chaps and keep everyone well-ordered. Personally, I would only have a PL call his guy a QM if the mess kit is exceptionally shiny, all loose guy lines are in perfect chain knots, and the dining fly drains flawlessly

Welcome, TFrancis! I understand your concern. Some girls will not want to join a program with the word "Boy" in the name, or take the risk of being laughed at because they are a "Boy" Scout, or take the risk of being perceived as what we used to call a "tomboy." At the same time, there are girls who don't care about the word "Boy" in the name -- they just want the program. And there are girls who specifically want to be publicly associated with the name Boy Scouts because of its distinctive program. We can't be certain about the relative size of each of those groups or the relative girl

TFrancis, I tend to agree regarding some kind of innate difference. As for what we call them, it's a label. I refer them however they ask me to (within reason, 'Your Highness" is off the table).

I'm not so sure that referring to girls who join BSA as "Boy Scouts" is a viable approach. I have the privilege of being the Den Leader of a girl Wolf Den. We've only been at it for 6 months, but so far the girls love it. They really enjoy camping and hiking. My daughter returned from her first Cub Scout camp out filthier than I probably ever did in all my years as a Boy Scout. We are providing them the same quality program as the boy Wolf Den. That said, they are still girls. All 6, independently, chose the skort option for their uniform. Some of them do other extra curricular a

Dan, well said. My Venture Daughter, now in college, shared similar thoughts with me when the coed movement was announced. Folks were discussing the "need" to change everything, making things gender neutral. To which my daughter said, "The 'Boy Scouts of America' is fine and should stay. I'm proud to be in the BSA. And I'm happy that I'm no longer a Girl Scout." She joined the BSA for the reasons you mentioned. She enjoys being outdoors with like-minded young people. She's done a lot in three years--Jambo, 50 miler, two years on camp staff, etc.

Thanks for elevating the discussion! Shakespeare has something for every occasion. How about this: Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls. Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed. Othello Act 3, Scene 3

What's in a name? That which I call a Scout after a week on the AT would smell as sweet .... https://www.dropbox.com/s/as6n5li5n46cp8i/How I Spent my Summer Vacation.docx?dl=0

When Scoutson (who is now a strapping young man of 24) joined my old Troop, I was very pleased. I I had not had any contact with it for many years. I became an ASM. First time I sat in on a PLCouncil, I listened while the newly named SPL and PLs sat and listened... they were waiting for the SM to TELL them what to do/say. As a sub teacher in the PSchools, I recognized this as the way our kids were required to act. Do not speak out, do not make waves, wait for the teacher to tell them to pick up the pencil, etc. The SM (an astro physicist by trade !) tried to get them to conside

Sorry to mis-lead you two. I joined as a Bear Cub in 1987. The uniform shirt I shared belongs to a recently-retired Scoutmaster from our area. Yes, @desertrat77, our Scout Executive shared that with us a few days before we all learned of this lawsuit. I think BSA was trying to pave the way for merger in the 1970s and "Scout BSA" was a way to make it easier?

@LeCastor, you raise excellent points. Not too long ago, I was looking at the Patrol Leaders Handbook, 1967 edition (the ISP '70's era edition is utterly worthless). Though I came up through scouting during the ISP/'70's era, my scoutmasters ran the various troops I was in by the old style of scouting, focusing on the patrol method. I was amazed as I thumbed through the '67 edition. I had forgotten many of the things I was expected to do as a patrol leader. Collect dues. Sit on the monthly troop leaders council as well as the yearly TLC planning meeting. Train my patrol on the

The reverse happened to Son #1. His buddies were in different patrols, and they convinced him to join the Volleyball team one year and the Football team the next. The only way this problem is solved is if adults believe in tight personal relationships and encourage boys to form gangs along those lines. The cultural reality: parents dread such gangs.

I'm of the opinion that this candidate failed on the Scout Motto: 'Be Prepared'.

Just for clarification. It was council members plus volunteers who conducted the EBoR. The gentleman who brought the paper to be signed was one of the members on my son's board, and there was an apology made for causing him anxiety and stress.