Going Real Old School This Term

[Chippewa29 13]

My troop currently has two patrols. One has nine Scouts from age 14-17. The other one has a 13 year old (PL) and seven new Scouts. In the past year or so, we've had some issues with Scouts not filling the different POR available, or in some cases, taking the POR and then not fulfilling their duties. Part of that was our fault, as we would beg Scouts to take the position when they didn't really want them. Our terms last for six months.

 

Last term, we decided that if the Scouts didn't volunteer to fill the positions, we just wouldn't fill them. We still had a couple of Scouts not do their jobs. For this term (which runs from September 1-March 1), we told the Scouts that they would be held accountable for their POR and would be removed (without credit toward rank) if they didn't fulfill their responsibilities. I also told the Scouts that if they wanted to be the Senior Patrol Leader for this upcoming term, they needed to speak to me before the election so we could discuss the position and make sure they were aware of what it entailed.

 

Not a single Scout expressed any interested in becoming the Senior Patrol Leader for this term. Having a group of Scouts (among the older ones) that aren't too keen on taking responsibilities, along with fall being a really busy time for a few key Scouts (marching band, football, cross country), we had no takers (we usually have 2-4 run for the position).

 

Knowing this, we just went ahead and selected Patrol Leaders. I told each PL he needed to select and APL (usually not done), patrol scribe (we usually just have a troop one), and patrol quartermaster (again, usually a troop position).

 

At the end of the meeting, I talked to the troop, as they were very curious about how things would run without an SPL. I told them we would operate for the next six months as two patrol programs rather than a troop program. We're going to divide the equipment and make each patrol function almost independently of each other. We'll still do the same monthly activities together, but for the troop meetings, they will each plan their own program (PL, APL, QM, and Scribe will be responsible for planning their meetings). Each patrol has an ASM for an advisor. One patrol will be responsible for the opening at each meeting, while the other one will do the closing. If they PL's choose to do an interpatrol activity together, they can. However, for most of the meetings, they will be doing their own programs.

 

After the meeting, I realized that this was going very old school. From what I understand, early Scout troops didn't have an SPL. The patrol leaders ran everything and conducted their own programs within the troop. Has anyone else lately run their multi-patrol troop with no SPL and just had patrol programs instead? How did it work out? What was the key to making it work?

[dg98adams 18]

I would be really interested to read your results.

 

Not long we were not going to have a Troop QM, and a PL for one patrol.

 

I suggested to the SM (I'm 1 of 3 ASM's).....

 

For the Patrol, I suggested the entire Patrol would have to attend the Troop JLT & PLC meetings and generate the reports/info from/for the PLC.

 

With no QM, we shut down the Troop trailer for ALL supplies (including flags/poles, etc). Make the Scouts come up with all camping gear, flags and flag poles as well as supplies to support Troop fundraisers (dining fly, stoves, hot dog cooker, etc...).

 

I told him the first couple meetings might slide thru, but the 1st PLC & campout would be an eye-opener.

 

He thought it was too harsh, and "talked an older Scout into the QM POR" that did not need a POR and selected the same Scout as Patrol leader (which he did nothing for).

 

Where I saw a "cut & dry" response to lack of responsibility, he saw conflict. No one ever learns unless they have to take responsibility.

 

Ask me how this year looks?

 

(This message has been edited by dg98adams)