EagerLeader

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies. It really helped clarify my approach to this for tonight. There are just too many ambiguities going on here and my first meeting with this boy will be, as suggested, a "joining" SM conference and not one for rank. If I were to sign off this boy's book for a SM conference there is no way I could ever look the rest of my scouts in the eye and feel like I did the right thing.

Last winter, a Troop in my town didn't recharter. One of the scouts from that troop was 13 at the time and wanted to join a Venture Crew but wasn't old enough, and wanted nothing to do with joining a new troop (before you ask, yes I do know why and I will not discuss it here). Mom registered said scout with my unit "just so he remains registered until his birthday"... and went directly to council with the application, mind you, NOT to our troop committee which has caused some tension. We never see the scout at meetings, so until recharter rolled around I totally forgot about him. Last wee

As a former Girl Scout, it is my opinion that the role of the Girl Scout Leader is very different than that of the Scoutmaster in Boy Scouting. Keep in mind that I have not seen the current Girl Scout Leader training nor have I had any association with a Girl Scout Troop, as I have no daughters. When I was a Girl Scout there was a Troop leader and a co-leader. I never had an experience with Girl Scouts that would mirror the SPL/SM association nor did I ever see a GS Troop that had a plethora of other leaders the way most Boy Scout Troops do. I don't argue that a male leader in Girl Scout

My nomination for the job of SM was met with opposition from a dinosaur on our troop committee. There was no male leader who wanted the job, and with the exception of a few past SM's there was no other adult as qualified as I was to take it. I am just one of three female SM's in our council. It cost our troop committee a member who wouldn't agree to it... you know the arguments: "The boys don't need another mother", "The boys need male role models", or my personal favorite "it wouldn't matter what broad you were, I'd say the same thing." (shaking head for not the first time at Cro-Magnon

J, When I was a Webelos leader I did not take my den to visit one troop in our town for that same reason... they do not allow female leaders except as committee members, and do not allow females to camp with them. I told the parents separately that they should take their sons to see the other troop and explained why I myself would not be doing it. One of my Webelos crossed over to that troop and is doing very well... with his father. Their troop runs a great program and it was a very good fit for their family. The "dinosaur" mentality of Scouting is for men is still pervasive. It doe

Reaseyann, Congrats for the successful PLC! I took over my troop as SM 18 months ago and I am going through the very same transition from "Webelos 3" to a boy-led Troop. Getting the adults to back off is just as difficult as convincing the scouts that they are empowered to make their own decisions. We have a code phrase in our troop... if an adult is noticed as "butting in" anyone can approach them and ask "Hey, do you need a cup of coffee? Let me show you where it is." :-) It's apparent that your patrols need to be reorganized. Build on the success with the PLC by planting the seed

Thanks for all the opinions. Beavah, you're absolutely right about people seeing things from different perspectives... that's why I posted this thread. It helps to get a plethora of reactions to a given situation. I think I can handle this now without losing the respect of the scouts and that's all that really matters, isn't it? I don't want this boy removed from the troop, and I don't necessarily want to remove him from his position as SPL... I just wanted to know if I could, and what the potential ramifications were. Yes, there was the whole "I failed" thing in my head at the same time,

acco, I think I worded some of that badly. Of the two candidates that ran for SPL, I felt the other boy would have been a better fit for the position. I had no influence whatsoever in who ran, or the outcome of the election. Likewise I didn't "call him out" in front of the troop, I pulled him aside and we discussed what he needed to do differently. That was a poor choice of words on my part. ScoutNut, the ASPL has never wanted to be SPL, he's only 13. He just wants to be a scout without the pressure of being the one "in charge". He came to me with the proposal to locate the SPL after the

Our ASPL had to organize a Troop Mobilization (using his new Emergency Preparedness skills) to find the SPL, he had stormed out of our site and took off across camp. Once he had been located the scouts reported back to me. I walked to where he was and he fled before me, screaming obscenities. He would not speak to me in a civil manner. He screamed at me that he was sick of being yelled at, he was sick of being blamed for stuff (IDK what he was referring to, he never elaborated), no one would listen to him, and he was sick of the adults breathing down his neck all the time. Every time I tried t

I am on the horns of a dilemma, so to speak, and would like a little feedback from you all. Our troop went to summer camp. The SPL had been elected only a few weeks before. He wasn't my first choice, but the boys elected him to lead. He has anxiety issues, and IMHO needs anger management therapy. I did my best to guide him with his tasks during camp, and had to call him out twice for shirking his duties. A few times during the week he was rude to one of our adults (his mother) and an ASM reprimanded him for his tone. At the end of camp it happened again, and he went off the deep end... w

Our troop is in Old Colony Council, we go to Squanto for lots of troop camping trips but the scouts like to travel for summer camp. Last summer we went to Camp Resolute in Bolton, MA (Knox Trail Council) and it was OUTSTANDING!!! It's a relatively small camp (good for new scouts) with a great variety of merit badges. Take a look, you won't be disappointed. EL

Eamonn, That's the purpose of training, to teach the "how" to people who want to know. IMHO, true leadership cannot be taught. Being able to provide "leadership" requires, as a prerequisite, having a vision and a belief in what you are doing as well as a desire to pass along your knowledge. But being able to "do" doesn't always equate to being able to "lead". Does Wood Badge teach Leadership? I don't know, the course I've signed up for isn't until this coming spring. I'm hoping it will give me the knowledge I need to lead, because there are some in our Troop who would see me as SM bu

I'm still on the fence about the new shirts. I like the roll-up sleeves and the new fabric, but DESPISE the back pleats in the ladies version... so much so that I stitched them down and made darts instead. I'm not shaped like a box, you know! The updated switchbacks are a definite step up with the unhemmed bottoms. So far I've had no problems with the manufacturing either. Maybe we should all keep mum with our complaints, before National changes it all again in a effort to "improve". EL

Thanks for your feedback, it really helped. I'm not very good at letter-writing, it's a lost art. I hope my recommendation is useful to the BOR. Just a question... will the scout get to read my letter after the fact? EL

Hi all, it's been a while since I've been here. I have been asked to write a letter of recommendation for an Eagle candidate. This is the first time I've been asked to write one, and I don't quite know what to write. What is the Board looking for in a recommendation letter? I'm hoping some of you can point me in the right direction... :-) TIA! EL