lone scout

[moosetracker 132]

Jeff - I would hope that is so in any part of the country.. Am I hireing you or your Momma? Or do I need to hire the both of you as you can not take a step without her?..

 

(No Parents, no spouses, no friends should be in tow on an interview) I am sure alot of them will do behind the scenes work, like organize your resume, or do dry runs of an interview process.

 

Momof2cubs - That is awful! Unless you are the draft pick of the year for a sports team or the Hottest new model or actress, employer have hundreds of canidates to pick from for any single job.. The slightest thing can knock you out of the running.. Anyone who brings Mommy or Daddy to the interview is nuts!

 

[Kudu 186]

Reasonable Rascal,

 

Camping Merit Badge is the sow's ear of leadership innovation by which boys who hate camping become Eagle Scouts without ever walking into the woods with packs on their backs.

 

(This message has been edited by Kudu)

[Basementdweller 608]

John.....when I heard the DE allowed it I was pissed.......

 

It was absolutely ridiculous, the boy live less than 4 miles from 5 different troops.

 

 

In a remote rural setting I get it, A boy with significant health issues I get it. Even in urban areas were there are no troops close or transportation to get there.

 

 

But a spoil kid that won't camp.....Naw, the punk needs to scout up.

[perdidochas 658]

The only case of a lone scout I've known have been homeschooled twins. Their mother was the MBC for most of their merit badges. They both Eagled.

[Basementdweller 608]

gee, homeschoolers also doing the lone scout thing.......wow, big surprise. Big surprise that they also eagled with mom being all the merit badge councilors......

 

 

I still contend that National needs to step in and limit scouts to earning only three from the same councilor or limit three per councilor.

 

Millennial parents or helicopter parents the leaders they become just can't help themselves.

[emb021 16]

"gee, homeschoolers also doing the lone scout thing.......wow, big surprise."

 

And I'd have to ask why homeschooling is a reason to be a lone scout???

 

Frankly, most homeschooled kids DO engage in social activities and such with other homeschooled kids (parents will pool together for join field trips and the like). I know of Venturing Crews established for just groups of homeschooled kids. There is no reason I know of that a homeschooled kid can't: 1) join a troop or 2) join with other homeschooled kids and form their own troop.

 

 

[CalicoPenn 729]

The BSA lists homeschooling as just one of the possibilities why they would accept a Lone Scout. It doesn't really matter why a parent of a presumably homeschooled Scout has chosen Lone Scouting over joining a nearby unit. The BSA allows him to be a Lone Scout. Being snarky about it just doesn't make a difference. If a person can't accept that a Scout is a Lone Scout even though there are nearby units, then the honorable thing for that person to do is to not sit on any project reviews or Eagle Board of Reviews for Lone Scouts so as not to allow their personal opinions on the matter to affect the success or failure of the Lone Scout.

 

Back to the original subject at hand, as I read Blacksmith's original post (sorry - need to differentiate between Moose and Mom), he's not really talking about an Eagle Board of Review, he's talking about an Eagle Project Review. At least that's my take when he talks about the mother coming in to the project approval and telling her son not to agree to any fundraising. (And if I'm wrong, perhaps Blacksmith can clarify).

 

According to the new advancement guide under 9.0.2.1 (1), a Scout "will be allowed, ih he choosed, to have a parent, unit leader, or other adult present as an observer at any time he is discussing his proposal or project with someone who is reviewing it." Perhaps Mom answered more than the review panel would have liked but I'd ask why the panel didn't interrupt and suggest that the Lad be allowed to answer more of the questions. On the issue of the fundraising, I would hope that any adult the lad chooses as an observer, be it parent, Scoutmaster, ASM, mentor, etc, would be speaking up and giving that kind of advice to a Scout who may be being pressured (and not suggesting that it was happening in this case - but I have seen it numerous times before) by a Review Board to add things to a project like a fundraiser which is not required for a project. The folks are their to observe, but the review board should expect that they will be advocates for the Scout as well.

 

As far as a parent not being allowed to sit in an Eagle Scout board of Review - I'd go with the information in the box, and not the information in the narrative. It's only a hunch, but it seems that the information in the box, which contradicts the information in the narrative, is likely to be a reminder about BSA policy on parental participation and how parental presence cannot be denied for anything if the parent insists on observing.

 

In the case of a Lone Scout, the parent is most often the Lone Scout's counselor as well, I'd say the equivalent of a unit leader - since there are no other unit leaders to act as an observer/advocate for a Lone Scout, flexibility rather than insistence that the rules are "set in stone", is the way to go, especially since the BSA openly states that there needs to be some flexibility in some areas. Since the make-up of the BOR, including who can and can't observe, isn't actually part of the requirements that Scout must meet, there is flexibility there that can't be granted over whether a Scout has earned the number of required and elective merit badges he needs.

[Twocubdad 665]

"Thank you, Mrs. Smith, but I really need to hear from you son."

 

 

"Mrs. Smith, please let your son answer the question. He's doing a fine job and doesn't need any help."

 

 

"I don't want to be rude, Mrs. Smith, but I've asked twice for you to please allow your son to answer my questions without your input. You are here as an observer, not a participant. If you insist I'm going to end the meeting"

 

 

"Billy, I apologize but I am not going to be able to continue and approve your project. I will refer this to the Advancement Chairman and someone will be in touch to let you know how we will procede. You shouldn't worry, I'm sure the adults will be able to solve this problem and will get you approved, just not today. Again, I apologize to you. Good bye."

[Basementdweller 608]

Oh Calico......I will never sit on an EBOR......

 

Lone Scout is a really sad and pathetic way to experience scouting......I doubt it follows the vision of BP, Seton or Beard.

 

My sons biggest joy in scouting is being with his patrol.....

[CalicoPenn 729]

"Lone Scout is a really sad and pathetic way to experience scouting......I doubt it follows the vision of BP, Seton or Beard."

 

A bit of history seems to be in order.

 

Lone Scouting was founded in the United States in 1915 by William D. Boyce. That name should be familiar to folks as he is the founder of the Boy Scouts of America (though in some places, including some BSA literature, he's listed as one of the founders or helping to organize along with Seton and Beard but Seton and Beard actually merged their respective youth organizations in to the BSA after Boyce got the organizational ball rolling, so to speak).

 

Boyce was inspired to create the Lone Scouts by the Lonecraft program of the British Boy Scout Association. That should be familiar as that is the organization Baden-Powell founded and was active in. Boyce modeled some of the Lone Scout program on Seton's Woodcraft Indian program.

 

So would Baden Powell have supported Lone Scouting? Seeing as it was inspired by his organization's Lonecraft program, I think it's safe to say yes.

 

Would Seton and Beard have supported Lone Scouting? Seton encouraged and allowed Boyce to use parts of his Woodcraft Indian program for the Lone Scouts so in Seton's case, I think it's safe to say yes.

 

Boyce started Lone Scouting separately from the BSA because of a disagreement with James West over the creation of the program. West didn't believe Lone Scouting would be successful so he did not want to use BSA resources on the program. After Boyce started the program and showed it was meeting an unmet need, and at the urging of both Seton and Beard, West attempted for years to get Boyce to agree to merge Lone Scouting into the BSA. Hmm - Beard was one of those encouring West to try to get a merger going - I think it's safe to say that yes, Beard supported Lone Scouting.

 

The BSA and Lone Scouting merged in 1924. It's been an integral part of Scouting history, and of the history of the Boy Scouts. It certainly deserves to be recognized as a legitimate program of the BSA.

 

BTW - thought folks might like to know who some notable Lone Scouts are:

 

Broderick Crawford - Actor

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. - Actor

Burl Ives - well known Snowman Model (and actor/singer)

Harry Morgan - Actor (Colonel Potter)

Fred MacMurray - Actor - Folks might remember him as the Scoutmaster in the movie Follow Me Boys

Huburt Humphrey - Vice President of the United States

Orval Faubus - six term Governor of Arkansas

 

 

[moosetracker 132]

I could see the need in 1915. You had very rural areas, and didn't have great transportion, and even if you did there wouldn't be a troop within a 5 mile radius.. Plus you didn't have parents who coddled their children, and had to either live their second childhood through them, or put them in bubble wrap so that they were unable to expirence anything at all.

 

Now adays is should not be handed out so easily. I can see for the child that travels too much to hook up with a troop for very long. There may be other rare instances, but they should have good reason as to why a normal troop will not work. "No one is spoiling my child enough", isn't one of them.

[Basementdweller 608]

Calico from yout defense of homeschooling and lone scouting..... I am guessing this is how you scout experienced it??????

 

As moose pointed out with the state of transportation preww2 lone scout was probably the only option for those boys.

 

Far as the citation of famous people......I would like to compare that list to famous men who were scouts and enjoyed traditional scouting........patrols and learned leadership actually leading other boys.

 

Most lone scouts I have dealt with have paranoid parents, over protective, helicopter or lazy.

 

I don't have a problem with a boy with a health issue or is very rural to take advantage of the program..... I do have a problem with a boy ion a suburban are doing so when there are a number of troop within a couple of miles.

 

 

[Jeffrey H 25]

My grandfather began his 80 year "career" in Scouting as a Lone Scout in 1922 at the age of 12. There were no BSA Troops in his area of rural south Texas, but he was eager to be a Scout and as soon as he could join a Troop he did.

 

Rural communities and remote areas of the country are still with us. There is still a need for the program and it is just as relevant for today as it was in 1915.

 

Simply claiming to be "Homeschooled" is not a good reason to be a Lone Scout regardless of what National allows. Neither is wanting to keep your child out of a youth group a good reason. Physical disability/illness or living in a remote area where getting to a Troop is difficult are the only good reasons to sign up as a Lone Scout. I have nieces and nephews that are homeschooled and they are at home only long enough for their education and then they have "extracurrilar" programs away from home that they attend. We have a homeschool boy in our Troop that is enjoying his Scouting experience.

[CalicoPenn 729]

No - I was not a Lone Scout, nor was I homeschooled - I came up in traditional units and went to some of the best public schools in the nation (thanks to folks in suburban Chicago being willing to actually pay more in taxes so that folks got a good education). But I respect the Lone Scout program, both in it's past incarnation and in its current incarnation. Whatever brings the Scouting program to as many people as possible is a good thing in my book. I'd rather not get caught up in a debate over homeschooling, either - people homeschool for a number of reasons, and while many homeschoolers take advantage of youth groups and park district programs to provide their children with extra-curricular activities, many homeschoolers prefer not to do so, for their own reasons. I really don't care if the Lone Scout is in a suburban area surrounded by multiple units, or in a rural area where there are no nearby units, if the Lone Scout program brings Scouting to people who would otherwise not be served, then more power to it.

 

It's a program of the BSA - and I'll repeat again - if you can't deal with Lone Scouting or with a Lone Scout with an open mind (and open heart), then when it comes time for an Eagle Project Review or Eagle Board of Review, then do the honorable thing and bow out - even if you're the DAC.

 

Is it possible that a Lone Scout family might try to game the system? Sure - as much as it's possible that a Scout from a traditional unit might try to game the system. Heck, there isn't a man-made system anywhere that a small number of people aren't circumventing or trying to game. From coupon clipping to voting to driver's licenses to taxes to, yes, even Eagle Scout ranks, there are always ways to game the system. It's time for us as a society to grow-the-heck up and accept that we do our best to prevent it but that we can't prevent the most determined from figuring out a workaround and that sometimes, the "cure" is more damaging than the problem. Kicking Lone Scouting around because someone thinks someone they've met or heard about is gaming the system for Eagle is insulting to the majority of honorable Lone Scouts. It's as insulting as kicking around the Boy Scouts of America because some Scouts and Scout Leaders happened to get lost, or because some ASM got caught molesting some Scouts, or claiming that the program has somehow been diminished because of "leadership development".

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

I agree that lone scout is no more or less ripe for abuse by the folks interested in skirting the system in a Troop.

 

My example of the non-camping scout getting his Eagle as a lone scout is the best example of abuse of the program.......Eagle mills are the example of abuse in a Troop.