July 20, 2023: Another statue added.

"The Boy Scouts of America announced today that, as part of Scouting’s 3- day “Women of Character” Program, it will unveil and dedicate an original bronze statue to honor and inspire past, current and future generations of girls and women involved in Scouting. Envisioned and created by West Virginia artist Jamie Lester, the 8-foot high, nearly 1,000 pound “Ascending Eagle” statue will be unveiled at a dedication ceremony scheduled for Saturday, July 22nd from 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. at the Norman R. Augustine Twelve Points Ceremonial Plaza, located at the Summit Bechtel Reserve

The original concept for creation of a statue to honor women in Scouting was the brainchild of Dave Alexander of Phoenix, Arizona, a Distinguished Eagle Scout, Silver Buffalo Award recipient, National Executive Board member, and a major, lifelong supporter of the organization...."

More at press release source:

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/644208339/to-honor-and-inspire-bsa-to-unveil-bronze-statue-recognizing-girls-and-women-in-scouting-at-national-jamboree

Edited October 6, 20232 yr by RememberSchiff
photo missing link

Lester undoubtedly meant well, but I'm not sure that imagining us as those selecting who among the dead on the battlefield goes to Valhall and who goes to Folkvang makes a lot of sense. (Why is there a battlefield with dead to sort in this homage?) Or, as those who serve the warriors who died "with their boots on" in battle once they get to Valhall.

If the idea was to pick someone traditional, honorable and powerful who's also female, then picking from among the female Aesir or Vanir seems like a better idea. Freja, Siv, Frigg, or Idun all seem like better choices. Frigg's spinning wheel might be hard to add but Freja's amulet, Siv's hair, or Idun's apples would have worked.

I agree with  @AwakeEnergyScouter.  I would have skipped mythology and classicalism altogether, see BSA Memorial in DC for the reason. I think having representatives of ladies in the last past and present,  1940s Den Mother,  1972 Sea Scout and Explorer, 1989 Female ASM,  1998 Venturer, and today's female Scouts would have been better. 

2 hours ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

Lester undoubtedly meant well, but I'm not sure that imagining us as those selecting who among the dead on the battlefield goes to Valhall and who goes to Folkvang makes a lot of sense. (Why is there a battlefield with dead to sort in this homage?) Or, as those who serve the warriors who died "with their boots on" in battle once they get to Valhall.

If the idea was to pick someone traditional, honorable and powerful who's also female, then picking from among the female Aesir or Vanir seems like a better idea. Freja, Siv, Frigg, or Idun all seem like better choices. Frigg's spinning wheel might be hard to add but Freja's amulet, Siv's hair, or Idun's apples would have worked.

Your post kind of confused me, as that is not at all what I see in this statue.  

I might have been inclined to leave off the wings and torch, but other than that this is a girl in uniform; merit badge sash, neckerchief and all.

15 minutes ago, MikeS72 said:

Your post kind of confused me, as that is not at all what I see in this statue.  

I might have been inclined to leave off the wings and torch, but other than that this is a girl in uniform; merit badge sash, neckerchief and all.

The full article goes on about the Valkrie look the artist was going for.

Wings definitely need to go. Change the torch to a lantern. As for the sash, I had to notice it with a closeup to notice it. It looks like scalemail armor to me.

It should be a statue of Kathy Leach and Nancy Wells wearing backpacks holding a map and compass.

And none other. Anything less will not be accepted as appropriate.

I'd like a backpack with wings. It sounds like a great premise for a skit, but maybe a bit esoteric and confusing for a scout camp statue.

My first thought was "the girl has eagle wings?" When a plaque is needed to explain the art then maybe the art isn't working so well.

I personally know both them, and knew them at Philmont when they were Philmont Rangers.

Note:  Once one is a Philmont Ranger, one is ALWAYS a Philmont Ranger.  One is never a former Philmont Ranger.

Kathy Leach and Nancy Wells are among the finest individuals I have ever met.

4 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

July 20, 2023: Another statue added.

"The Boy Scouts of America announced today that, as part of Scouting’s 3- day “Women of Character” Program, it will unveil and dedicate an original bronze statue to honor and inspire past, current and future generations of girls and women involved in Scouting. Envisioned and created by West Virginia artist Jamie Lester, the 8-foot high, nearly 1,000 pound “Ascending Eagle” statue will be unveiled at a dedication ceremony scheduled for Saturday, July 22nd from 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. at the Norman R. Augustine Twelve Points Ceremonial Plaza, located at the Summit Bechtel Reserve

The original concept for creation of a statue to honor women in Scouting was the brainchild of Dave Alexander of Phoenix, Arizona, a Distinguished Eagle Scout, Silver Buffalo Award recipient, National Executive Board member, and a major, lifelong supporter of the organization...."

More at press release source:

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/644208339/to-honor-and-inspire-bsa-to-unveil-bronze-statue-recognizing-girls-and-women-in-scouting-at-national-jamboree

Appalling.

There have to be more than a half dozen bronze statues around Bechtel, most depicting men or boys doing something scout like, such as hunting, biking, falconry or at least hanging out with the eagles, fishing, etc. The only statue, and the first statue, they could think of to depict women scouters was a mythical one? What is the symbolism of this? All the male statues are showing people already enjoying the scout ideal; is this female statue inferring that scouting is something women are aspiring to when they are already doing it? It would have been better to show a show a female scouter hiking -- or actually rock climbing without needing action hero wings to do so.  

Edited July 20, 20232 yr by yknot

Came to type what @yknot said after thinking about what @Eagle94-A1 and @SiouxRanger said. Female scouts and scouters aren't mythical beings. We're real, and not new. Specific names surfaced very quickly, to boot.

6 hours ago, SiouxRanger said:

Appalling.

Not RS, but the statue. I do hope that is clear.  (RS is a gift to this community.)  And not the caliber of the statue rendition.  It is a quality job.  But the idea that a mythic rendition of the female involvement in, contribution to, Scouting is appropriate-that "mythic" has anything to add.

It doesn't.

The "myths" are living.  I know and respect them.

AND FOR THAT MATTER, (rant alert, my first ever rant) I grew up in a family where the women were beyond capable. Mom had a Bachelor's degree from a land grant university-in Mathematics (statistics), second in her high school class, and read 10+books a week for decades (more than I can read in a year-me just dumb lawyer). My two sisters earned 3 college degrees between them and had higher high school rankings than me.  My brother, exceeded them all; my dad 3rd in a high school class of 600 with a degree in mechanical engineering.  (Thankfully, through Scouting, I have the skills to live comfortably under bridge.)

It always makes me feel like I am being condescending to women to make the point that "females are capable and worthy of note," implying that I mean that females having knowledge, judgment, or wisdom are an exception to the rule or are merely a footnote to the greater story of males being the "supreme repository of knowledge, judgment, and wisdom. 

I am officially tired that my support of women being characterized as such. 

One finds knowledge, judgment, and wisdom wherever it resides:  male, female, a rock, a bug...

The astute learn from whatever source knowledge, judgment, and wisdom arises without reference to the source.

 

If the "benefits" of "Scouting" are considered to be so valuable WHY would we even think to deny them to one-half the population of our kids? (females).

Just now, SiouxRanger said:

If the "benefits" of "Scouting" are considered to be so valuable WHY would we even think to deny them to one-half the population of our kids? (females).

I have 4 grandchildren, the two oldest are girls.  I find no comfort in the idea that one of them may die because they could not make fire to warm themselves because they could not learn the skill that would save their life, being precluded from being a scout.

"Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it. Mark Twain."

Twain facetiously makes my point.

So, why spread knowledge?

Because spreading ignorance kills people.

I would have rather seen an actual female scout, but it is still better than the naked man following the boy scout statue.