Things aren't What They Used To Be

[Eamonn 61]

The thread on Wood Badge shortcomings got my little Gray cells working.

I have seen the video that explains why they changed Wood Badge, but can't remember what was said.

I remember a group of us talking about the change before we had any idea of what it would be. A group of us who knew nothing decided that they were changing it to break up the good old boys. Strange thing was that nearly everyone in the group had served on at least a couple of courses, and we never seen ourselves as being these good old boys.

The first course that I was invited to serve on, had two new guys, the second had two new guys. I thought that you weren't allowed to have more than two new guys. The only Cub Scout Wood Badge was better we had four of us who had never served on a Cub Scout Wood Badge.

The Course our Council hosted in 2003 only had five people who had served before.

My first time staffing the new 21st Century Course, the Course Director was really worried and he invited six ex-course directors to serve. It didn't work, they kept trying to look at both course and compare them. They were all Boy Scout Wood Badge Staffers. At the end of the course a few of them swore that they were done.

As I watched people unload their gear at the development weekends, I seen laptop computers, overhead projectors and projectors for power point presentations. I remember that when I was a young Scoutmaster I made fun of the leaders who used a clipboard, I unkindly called them "Clipboard Cowboys." I remembered all the work that I had put in to a felt board presentation at the Cub Scout course.

There even seemed to be a kind of snob thing going on. Like wine snobs, only with who could out tech the other guy. What ever happened to the Knot Snob? I liked the knot snob, I liked it better when I came away with some new rope trick, finding out how a jump drive works, just isn't the same.

There is still a lot of fun in the new course, I still can't help thinking that we could have come up with a more challenging more Scoutcraft like Patrol project. I'm not going into detail because I don't want to give the game away!!

Maybe I do now qualify as one of the good old boys? I would love to have one more shot at directing a course - Who knows maybe I'll get it right. But I'm out to pasture, who knows in 20 years from now I can be really boring.

Eamonn

[dancinfox 10]

Eamonn,

Our council's Wood Badge Course director this past summer is a very close friend of mine. He is also our Council Commissioner. His attitude towards being a one time course director is that he can still help the cause by being positive about future courses. He is the co-chairman of the Wood Badge Dinner and is still talking to prior course directors about the good changes in 21st Century and trying to get them to not compare the old courses to the new. In talking with friends of mine that went to Cub Scout Trainers Wood Badge and have served on staff of 21st Century, they don't have any issues with 21st Century Wood Badge. Not all Boy Scouters have issues. Maybe, it wasn't the right thing of National to exclude previous course directors from being on course again, but I have seen many who can't just be a staffer, but think that they should have a say in how a course is run. Remember, they had their shot, and the new guy should have his. If worked right the new guy will have worked hand in hand with the previous course director to run the previous course and will let his or her backup course director work hand in hand with the next course. My friend did this with me. I was involved with every aspect of the course, from budget to staff to promotion, to decisions about the course. He had the final say, but he always let me voice my opinion first, and sometimes I even changed his mind. I think National will do additional teaking to the course. Do I think that not being allowed to serve on staff after being a course director ir right. No, but if I'm allowed to serve as a course director in 2006, I will still support the cause as strongly as I do now, by recruiting and promoting future courses.

Just rambling thoughts.

Dancin

[EagleInKY 14]

Our past directors serve as the cooks at Woodbadge. They bring a lot of fun and spirit to the course. You can tell they love woodbadge, and it's their way of giving back.