Merit badge program -- too easy

[Eagle92 110]

I've seen some knocked out in one day, then the Scout sits around in the campsite the rest of the week. We had a chat with the Camp Director over that.

 

And what is wrong if a scout is prepared, can show he's done the work, and can get a MB without having to attend class everyday. It's SUMMER CAMP, not School. This is a chance for the scouts to make their own decisions, grow up some, and do what they want.

 

 

Now if the MBC just gave them the MB, that is a different story and agree the CD needs to know about the subpar program.

[eagle77 60]

No problem except the way most camps have their program areas all scheduled up for merit badges there really is very little that these boys can do. The last thing I wanted to do when at summer camp was just sit around. I think this is one of the major problems with summer camps today, they are all geared up for merit badges and offer very little open time for scouts to just try something new out. I don't want rifle shooting merit badge, but sure wouldn't mind taking a few rounds and trying it out.

[jtswestark 11]

I think this is one of the major problems with summer camps today, they are all geared up for merit badges and offer very little open time for scouts to just try something new out.

 

Thats a shame. But the CD will do whatever it takes to get more troops registered, and if the troops want more merit badges then hell respond accordingly.

 

In my camp we had merit badges all morning with only a couple in the afternoon. The afternoon was for open program time with different promotions for events going on at each area. Our boys knocked off a couple merit badges and still had time for some fun; there was no time for sitting around in camp. I find it interesting that with all the talk I hear from other folks about MBs being the focus, at our camp it blatantly isnt the focus and we run 7 periods, ranging from 300-500 attendance. Hmmm.

 

[BadenP 93]

eagle 77

 

If that is indeed the way your council camp is done and your fellow SM's agree with you it is really a simple matter to contact your SE and camping committee and demand a meeting. Have the group explain to them your complaints and demand they change the program, if they give you a bad time your group could threaten to boycott the camp next summer. Then you watch what happens. If no one says anything then the council will continue to think that the camp director did a great job.

[eagle77 60]

Baden,

First off we have not gone to our council camp for 12 years. My observations are from doing summer camp at at least 8 different council camps either in our area (southeast Pa.) or outside. Plus the info I and the scouts have seen for other camps that we have For a long while there were way more out of council troops scheduled for our camp than in council. One of the big things that I have noticed at SM meetings at these camps is how wonderful these SM's think it is to have boys go to camp and walk out with a handful of merit badges.

[BadenP 93]

eagle 77

 

Well if that is the case then the boy scout program has indeed taken that first big step off the cliff to oblivion. Troop and council programs have finally erroded into badge factory classrooms and we just slide them through to Eagle. I am so glad I am no longer a SM I couldn't bear to watch boy scouts on this self destructive path. To you SM's still out there who are trying to provide a quality traditional troop program my hat is off to you all, your boys will remember it all through their lives.

[EarlVanDorn 10]

Well, as the OP, I think summer camp is a great place to earn merit badges. Obviously there needs to be more than that going on.

 

My son just returned from a week and I know he earned three merit badges. One of these was rifle shooting, which requires a certified instructor. Another was Environmental Science, which was a 10-hour course. I took this at camp 35 years ago. The third was Citizenship in the World (he still has a couple of requirements left on this).

 

He's going to another camp up in Ohio in just over a week. It's structured a little differently, but he is going to take swimming and first aid and perhaps a third course. Both of these lend themselves to group instruction, in my opinion.

 

I think encouraging the kids to work on the badges at camp is a good thing, and I think generally enough time is spent with the kids on the courses that are taught. It's the quickie workshops that bother me.

[jtswestark 11]

Earl - may I ask what Ohio camp he is going to? Three MBs is the max I feel a Scout should take. Any more than that and he will have no time for anything, and he should be pretty well prepared with as much as possible ahead of time at that.

Pet peeve is Cit in Nat or World being offered at camp... take those at home.

[Twocubdad 665]

BP- Didn't we agree on something else in the last week or two? Gee, one of us must be getting soft-headed.

 

This is square on the SM. Just say no. Don't sign the dang blue card. I catch crap annually from parents (rarely Scouts) because I refuse to allow our Scouts to earn required MBs at camp, save Swimming, Camping and EnviroSci. So be it. The next troop down the road hands these out like halloween candy. I'll be glad to help with your transfer application.

 

Still, MB classes at our council camp run until 4:00 every afternoon, leaving only one hour for "free" time -- it's not really free, you still have to sign up for the few available slots. Run from the last MB class, run back to your campsite to change into uniform, run to dinner. Too much like work. And doesn't leave room for the laid-back, "hey, let's go swimming" freedom summer camp ought to be all about.

 

Our camp director tries to be accommodating, but the bottom line is that all the camp facilities are tied up with classes until 4:00. We can conduct our on troop activities if we hold our Scouts out of afternoon classes, but #1) swimming, shooting, climbing, etc. are out and, #2) why are we paying for camp if we're running our own activities?

 

Unfortunately, the angry mob of Scoutmasters is clammoring for more and more merit badges, not less. Three years ago MB classes were in the mornings only -- all afternoon was open time to explore different program areas as kids saw fit (or not). The council camp a couple over, which offered wall-to-wall MBs was eating our lunch. Since our camp has given the Scouts the opportunity to earn 6 or 7 MBs, attendance has picked up considerably. Parents see a half-dozen MBs as "getting their money's worth"; Scoutmasters just don't want to have to be responsible for program. Oh well.

 

Which leaves us curmudgeons standing the wall. It takes some effort, but we put on a good troop program for our boys. And it works -- very low drop off in camp attendance among our older Scouts. This week out Philmont crew gets home about midnight Saturday. Six of the eight guys are turning around and going to summer camp with the troop at noon Sunday. They really want to go to camp!

 

As I type this, I have a pile of carving tools next to me waiting to be sharpened before camp next week. More than half the guys in the troop will work on a carving project during camp (although few will earn the MB). I have a notebook with all the Whittlin' Jim projects for inspiration. Another ASM is all over leatherwork and hauls several thousand dollars of troop-owned leather work tools to camp for the same purpose. Our hang out and play cards day and night (some stupid game called "kemp" and another called "BS"). Most nights someone will throw on a cobbler or slice a couple cold melons. over the years we've spent considerable time and money working on our regular campsite to make it comfortable and conducive to spending time with your buddies.

 

That's real summer camp. Just hanging out with your mates.

[EarlVanDorn 10]

jtswestark,

 

He's going to Chief Logan's Reservation near Chillicothe, in Vinton County, with his old Scout troop. He was in the Maysville, Ky., troop which used to be in the Simon Kenton Council. They moved Maysville into the Blue Grass Council just over a year ago, but the troop prefers Chief Logan to Camp McKee. My understanding is that it has an unstructured program, so any Scout can start work on any merit badge at any time.

 

A good friend of mine is one of the adults going, so I'll follow his lead. My son had said he wanted to do both swimming and lifesaving, but I think that is too much, and so I told him to take swimming and first aid. If his best friend from up there is taking a third badge, he probably will, too.

 

 

[BadenP 93]

Here I go out on the line once again!

 

IMHO any scoutmaster who thinks that it is perfectly fine for their scouts to spend their entire time at camp earning 5-6-7 MB's and doing nothing else is not only NOT looking out for the best interests of their boys but are just too dam* lazy to do their jobs. Camp is not a time for the adults to sit around on their asses swilling down coffee and coke all day long, as I have seen countless times. Look earning a couple, maybe even three basic MB's is just fine but not 10-12. The sloveness of most scout camp programs today comes from lazy council execs who only care about the money and little else, and the continuing disturbing statements from the CSE stating camping is just not that important anymore. Have you noticed the sharp increase we have in 300 lb scout leaders,and 200 lb plus scouts, no wonder the SM's like MB camps it takes all their energy just to go to and from the mess tent.

 

If we current scouters continue not to speak out against these mickey mouse programs the boy scout program will deterioate into a pathetic excuse of a program. The crew had to turn down 2 members of a nearby troop the other day, they were both so overly obese and constantly out of breath one of the AA's who is also an MD told them outright they would not be able to handle the physicality of the crew program. He suggested a local weight loss clinic and if they could get back in shape we would reconsider.

 

Time to eliminate these badge mills and bring back a more traditional style of scouting once and for all.(This message has been edited by BadenP)

[Eagle92 110]

Me reminiscing a bit since everything seems to be bringing back memories latley.

 

I did not go to summer camp right after getting out of Cubs b/c we were informed of it in April, and couldn't get the money raised in time for June.

 

So I was a Second Class who only needed First Aid MB and a BOR for First Class. SM wanted me to take the class with this particular counselor. Really good one, and I remember the ARC certification classes were a breeze compared to the stuff he made us do. We were in the field, had to use own on resources, including our personal first aid kits we either made (if you read the book ahead of time) or bought it int he trading post.

 

That first summer I got 4 MBs: First Aid, Emergency Preparedness, Camping, and Cooking. I actually did the log and other stuff needed to show I did the numebr of night out camping, and coming from a "hiking and camping troop" it was easy. I also took an instructional swim class. I had a period to goof off in and had a blast.Nights that week were spent doing 3 campfires ( opening, OA/ Indian Lore MB, and closing), 2 campwide games (STAFF Manhunt with watermellon bounties awarded and a scavenger hunt) and one troop night.

 

The next year was similar: 4 MBs, Swimming, Canoeing, Wilderness Survival, and Indian Lore. Still had a free period to swim, canoe, and goof off. Nights were the same thing as before, except I missed one of the campwide games to sleep in my survival shelter. Also I had to perform in one campfire. Would do it again in a heart beat.

 

The last summer was a little more intense. I did a HA program where we left Monday morning,and didn't come back until Thursday lunch. And Thursday was spent preppiing for a canoe trip Friday. While the purpose of the program was working on backpacking trail around camp, several MBs were worked on. While we didn't have a lot of free time, it was a blast, being out with just the counselors who were college student,and a bunch of scouts away from it all. I still remember one of the counselor's kept callign the canoe his 'pirouge" and showing off by paddling backwards the entire canoe trip, except when launching and landing.

 

I just don't get folks wokring on a bunch of MBs all day and night, as I have seen some camps offer nite classes. I do not understand not having a free period to go swimming, shooting,or whatever. I don't know why folks don't want ot play games at nite.

 

But I am an old fogey

 

 

[desertrat77 1144]

Too many scouts spend their week at camp, sitting at a picnic table, doing homework for merit badges...this is tragic.

 

They should be hiking, boating, shooting, swimming, or, heaven forbid, throwing a frisbee around the parade field during free time, laughing with their fellow scouts. Or lean against a tree and do absolutely nothing, except enjoy the outdoors.

 

Scout camp should offer only the MBs that may be tough logistically to earn in town--the boating series, nature, shooting, pioneering, etc. The other MBs, the good and the baloney, can be plowed thru in town during dreary winter evenings.

 

I agree with BadenP's observations. Lots of unfit scouts and scouters. Not a good image. They sure aren't going to get fit sitting around the mess hall eating, or sitting at the picnic table for hours on end, doing homework, or sitting on the stoop of the trading post having a root beer float. Or three.

 

Yet the CSE downplays traditional outdoor scouting adventure.

 

By the way, I'm not anti-root beer float. Nothing tastes better after open swim, or a long hike. But you gotta earn it!

[desertrat77 1144]

Eagle92, your post brought back some powerful memories! I was a '70s era scout.

 

First summer camp--two MBs started, zero finished. Had a great week though, swimming, shooting, and just learning to be a scout. I was a Tenderfoot at the most, probably still Scout rank.

 

Second summer: Started 3, finished 2. Greatly relieved one finished was Environmental Science, an otherwise good learning experience marred by that devilish 500 word essay.

 

Third summer: 2 started, 2 finished.

 

Earned Eagle, then moved.

 

The rest of my summers were on camp staff, and earned several MBs as time permitted. A favorite memory: my last week on staff, before I turned 18, I earned the Basketry MB. Why I never got it early is still a mystery. Or perhaps not. The fellow staffer who was the handicraft counselor said my efforts stunk but were passable.

[Beavah 205]

IMHO any scoutmaster who thinks that it is perfectly fine for their scouts to spend their entire time at camp earning 5-6-7 MB's and doing nothing else is not only NOT looking out for the best interests of their boys but are just too dam* lazy to do their jobs. Camp is not a time for the adults to sit around on their asses swilling down coffee and coke all day long, as I have seen countless times.

 

Yah, gotta agree with BadenP on this, eh?

 

The magic of summer camp is what Eagle and desert describe.

 

If yeh want to send your kid to summer school, send him to summer school. Don't punish his camp time by turnin' it in to school.

 

B