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Is that what the Oath means?


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A 9-year old girl has a life threatening illness. Her older brother, a new 11 year old Boy Scout, recovered from the same illness several years ago. Doctors believe a blood transfusion from him may save her life. Parents with doctors alongside ask the Scout if he will undergo the tranfusion to save his sister's life. He looks up at the ceiling for about 10 seconds, then says: "..the Scout Oath says I have to help other people at all times; I have to do it." Within hours, him and his little sister are both in the operating room, tubes and monitors hooked up. As the blood flows, he looks over at his little sister, and thinks he can see the color returning to her face. Scout looks at the closest doctor and asks: "Will I die quickly or slowly?" Doctor, somewhat surprised, tells Scout he's going to be fine, and will be up walking around in a couple hours...then realizes the Scout thought the transfusion would save his sister...but kill him...and he did it regardless.

 

That's what "...help other people at all times" meant to him; what does it mean to you?

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KoreaScouter, I think you are fortunate to know such a strong young man. I'm as bowled over as everyone else who has responded.

 

Now I'm thinking about the answer to your question.

 

Yes, I do think that "to help other people at all times" means that you may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. In the example you provided, the scout thought so too and he did it bravely -- in keeping with the Scout Law.

 

This touches on a theme that's a common thread of several stories in the history of literature. The story of the man who went to jail (with the death sentence hanging over his brother's head) for his brother. Would the brother return? No one knew. He did return.

 

Sorry. I digress. I salute the Scout and his parents and leaders for instilling such values. He is an excellent example of what we're trying to do.

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You know, you didnt have to ruin it. Besides, it could be a totally different story from a different part of the world. Thank you KoreaScouter, for everything you do as a scouter and a soldier defending us in the States.

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So Hops, you seem to be saying that if a story is good/inspirational/interesting/motivational enough, that we should let it slide, even if we have fairly good information that the story is false. Would I be doing the right thing to let the story stand, especially if I think folks -- good intentioned as they my be -- are planning to pass the story along to Scouts as the truth?

 

You should read the link I posted, it is one of those "myth debunker" sites. (Wow! Maybe we can start a BSA version?) The history of this story is very interesting. Apparently it has gained steam recently after appearing in one of the Chicken Soup books, but can be traced as far back as a 1925 Mary Pickford movie.

 

Something which had occurred to me, but is also mentioned on the web site, is the flip side to the story. What does it say about this Scout and his parents that he would assume that his parents were willing to sacrifice his life for his sister?

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Guys, if you read the original post, KS did not present it as a real story. This thread is under "scoutmaster Minute". The story is meant to be thought provoking to the scouts about the meaning of the oath. Do you think that every illustration a pastor gives in a sermon is an actual true story? Often an illustration is made up to bring a concept, principle, rule, etc. to a level people can understand and apply in their everyday life.

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Have to admit, that I found it a bit "Over The Top"

This might be a cultural difference.

However, there was a great teacher who in his day used a lot of parables.

So I don't have a problem with it.

What follows is true.

This past Sunday, I had the great honor to be invited to an Eagle Scout Court Of Honor.

Some might finf it strange, but it was for two boys from the same Troop.

Both are really Super Boys, both are very dear to my heart.

Both attended the last Jamboree, with myself serving as Scoutmaster. However I have seen these guys grow from Tigers all the way to Eagle.

Steve, is a bookworm, he set goals, knows where he is going and does everything possible to get there. One of his teachers wrote a poem to be read at the Court, which made the point that Steve would one day win a Nobel Prize. Steve comes from a very normal working class family.

Blaine, is also a really great kid, but has had a hard time all his life suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder. A more helpful, honest, caring young man would be hard to find.

These two have been through Cubs and Scouts, all the way. Blaines, family is very well off and in fact helped to pay for Steve to go to the Jamboree (Steve and his family still don't know )

They both spoke of their great friendship, and how they had done so much together.

Blaine, added that without Steve he would not be an Eagle Scout.

These two friends, both so very different, both helping each other and working hand in hand, are to me the picture of what Scouting is and what makes Scouting great.

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Eamonn:

 

That's a great story. Let me tell you one I heard personally from Chief Scout Executive Roy Williams that had us all (by us I mean every Scout Executive, DFS, ASE, etc. in attendance at the Top Hands meeting in 2001.)

 

Roy was newly minted as CSE at the time. He told us at the Jamboree he witnessed a run and one of the Scouts at the time at that particular Jamboree was a victim of multiple sclerosis (MS.) The kid couldn't walk, and one of his buddies dragged him around in a pull-cart for the entire experience.

Roy was standing at the finish line for the run and the scout and his buddy in cart came up. The scout pulling the cart stopped just before the finish line, got behind the cart and pushed it over the line. Roy asked him why he did that. The scout said, "So my friend could finish before me."

 

Roy then brought in the two scouts. They were greeted with a standing ovation and about 500 men and women who suddenly had a single coughing fit and had to cover their eyes . . .

 

I just got kicked around a bit in the new books thread while on a vacation day. Why do I do this Scouting stuff professionally?

 

Because a kid is willing to be dragged around in a cart just for the priviledge of attending a national Jamboree. Because a scout is willing to courier him around. Because if we, as scout leaders don't instill the values found in the scout oath in law in our yong people, someone will teach them something else.

 

That's what the Scout Oath means to me. Exactly what it says.

 

I'm off my stump now. It's time for a nap.

 

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Pull the cart or push it. Depending on which is needed. Someone needs you.

 

DS

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Thanks, KWC, you hit the nail on the head! I've been off the forum for a couple days -- movers are coming today and lots to do -- didn't see the posts that seemed to indicate the lad was in my troop or something! Of course, I have no idea if this actually happened. But, that's not the point. Look at the Scoutmaster Minutes in the back of Volume III, Troop Program Resources. Many refer to the hypothetical "Scout" in order to personalize the message -- same thing.

 

The purpose of that minute is to get them thinking about something other than the relative merits of X-Box vs. PS2 on the way home. In this case, how much are you willing to help someone?

 

Sorry if anyone took the example too literally...next time I have a human example in one of these, I'll put a movie-style disclaimer at the end!!

 

KS

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