Report to Nation Synopsis

[skeptic 1002]

See below for recently posted link.

 

http://scoutingmagazine.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/2011rtn.pdf

[Tampa Turtle 1011]

Don't abuse. Punctuation.

 

Drives. Me. Crazy.

 

.5 million in LFL. Hmmm...

[packsaddle 753]

You know, don't you, that it's going to be fun, driving you crazy, with nothing more, than punctuation.

[momof2cubs 10]

First of all, Tampa has a point. Seems. Ridiculous. To put a. Period. Where. It doesn't. Belong.

 

Second of all here is what I read:

"blah..blah..blah..send us money..blah..blah..blah..proud organization..blah..blah..blah..send us more money...blah..blah..blah"

[Twocubdad 665]

That's? It?

[Kudu 186]

Kick Office Theory. Out of Wood. Badge.

 

Replace It. With Grammar.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

 

"Did you know that there was a time when to be a First Class Scout--you guys didn't know this I bet--did you guys have to learn how to catch a runaway horse to be a First Class Scout? When was the last time you saw a runaway horse?"

 

Audience response: "Tuesday"

 

"Tuesday? Whoa! OK. Oh, that's right! This is Amish country, isn't it? So what do we mean by being 'Prepared. For Life'? Obviously we don't have to learn how to catch a runaway horse anymore. That's not an important skill!"

 

http://inquiry.net/leadership/sitting_side_by_side_with_adults.htm

 

[JMHawkins 15]

Kudu,

 

Back when the First Class Journey was a requirement for, well, First Class, wasn't part of it writing up a report on what you saw and did during the trip? I assume some semblance of grammar was expected in the written report. Well, when's the last time anyone had to chase down a runaway punctuation mark anyway. It's not important any more.

 

 

[Kudu 186]

JMHawkins writes:

 

"Back when the First Class Journey was a requirement for, well, First Class, wasn't part of it writing up a report on what you saw and did during the trip?"

 

Funny you should mention that

 

This afternoon I am proof-reading a "model" of such a report:

 

http://inquiry.net/outdoor/hikes/1st_class_journey.htm

 

"don't think that it is meant to be a model report. When you go on your First Class Hike you will not be expected to write quite so much as Peter and Bill have done" (John Thurman, Camp Chief, Gilwell Park).

 

A First Class Journey easy how-to guide for adult leaders:

 

http://inquiry.net/outdoor/hikes/1st_class_hike.htm

 

More notes:

 

http://inquiry.net/outdoor/skills/b-p/journey.htm

 

"The logbook should not be an essay. The logbook should give an account in note form of what was seen and done. It should be illustrated to some degree. The logbook should be given structure by the inclusion of the map tracing and route cards. The types of trees, plants, crops, animals, and insects found along the way, along with anything unusual seen, should be included in the logbook. The use of photographs is encouraged."

 

I once found such a handwritten First Class Journey report stuffed into an old BSA handbook at an auction. In addition to detailed notes on what he saw along the way, the Second Class Scout had drawn maps of his route, and sketched a number of birds with descriptions of their songs. Pure boyish joy. When I finished reading it, the vendor commented on how poignant it was to experience all that youthful exuberance at his estate sale, so many years later. I wish I had been able purchase it for my Website.

 

JMHawkins writes:

 

"I assume some semblance of grammar was expected in the written report."

 

You would be wrong!

 

To paraphrase our "leadership" experts:

 

"We simply know more about English grammar now than they did back in Baden-Powell's time."

 

The reason that Scouts were required to track half a mile in twenty-five minutes, describe satisfactorily the contents of one store window out of four observed for one minute each, and signal sixteen letters per minute, is that people did not know how to write sentences back then.

 

That's why we must kick office manager theory out of Wood Badge and replace it with English grammar: Grammar is more modern than leadership.

 

Then get rid of the old-fashioned Tenderfoot EDGE requirement, so we can force boys to diagram the sentences in the Scout Oath and Outdoor Code.

 

"Make it. Boring. Call it. Fun."

 

[Oak Tree 15]

The punctuation doesn't bother me much. The whole report is a pretty quick overview of what BSA does - I think that as a synopsis, that's what you'd be looking for. Just like with all corporate annual reports, there are some basic facts (membership) and lots about the corporate mission.

 

A more interesting analysis would consider a lot more, and would give more context for the membership numbers. Are these up from a year ago?

[RememberSchiff 3689]

Boy Scout membership up, the rest down.

 

2010 2011

1,601,994 1,583,166 Cub Scouting

898,852 909,576 Boy Scouting and Varsity Scouting

238,846 231,127 Venturing and Sea Scouting

664,063 511,359 Learning for Life

113,062 112,783 Explorers

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/sitecore/content/RTN/RTN2010.aspx

[JMHawkins 15]

-... . .--. .-. . .--. .- .-. . -..

 

As they kids say these days, fixed it for ya. If you're going to use dots, use dots.

[Kudu 186]

JMHawkins,

 

You forgot to add a period after 'Be'

 

In addition to the preservation of the Scoutcraft program of 1916, this report is mandated by our Congressional Charter. Except for the total nights of Webelos III camping tucked into the Disney section, there is no mention of our Charter's "Purpose" of Scoutcraft except for the usual professional millionaire theme: "Scouting goes beyond teaching outdoor skills."

 

I hope we can find a way for the BSA to combat childhood obesity without forcing Eagle wannabes into the woods with packs on their backs.

 

Its interesting that the Boy Scout program is clumped together with sports, and that those numbers are on the rise. Is something happening in the Utah gyms that we don't know about? Or has the BSA Centennial dream of replacing camping with soccer begun to bear fruit?

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

 

[sailingpj 18]

Don't lump Sea Scouts in with all the rest of you all. In 2010 there were 6000-7000 Sea Scouts. Now we are up to 7000-8000.

[Eagle92 110]

Sailing,

 

Alas, Sea Scouts are considered VENTURERS for membership stat purposes, despite being the second oldest BSA program, olde that the OA, Cub Scouts, and Venturing at 100 years of age this year.

 

But you already knew that.

[Oak Tree 15]

So Cub Scout membership is down again. That makes what, 13 years in a row? From a peak of 2.17 million in 1998 down to 1.58 million in 2011. That's a 27% decline during a period where total available youth increased by 10% or so.

 

I suppose it could be a coincidence that 1998 was the same year as the Dale decision. There are lots of factors going into the decline. Still, I heard an interview with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, where he acknowledges that today's young parents are much more likely to approve of gay marriage. He seemed to pretty much accept that it was a given that gay marriage is going to get approved eventually. But it could be that today's young parents have lots of other reasons for not having their kids join Scouting.

 

One wonders if the BSA might be considering merging with American Heritage Girls. They have AHG at Philmont and have done some other things indicating a very close working relationship. That would probably provide a pretty good boost to membership.