The Boy Scouts, Hardcore or Hippies?

[SavageEagle]

I don't think I ever mentioned that I worked at the Scout Office, although I spent enough time there that it felt like I did. lol

You may be thinking Advancement Committee=Scout Office.
Each Troop will have it's own Advancement Committee with someone being Chairman for that Troop. I was with Troop #335 at Salem United Methodist Church with our Scout cabin in the back.

Yea, that's why I thought that. We had three adult leaders in my troop. There was no "Advancement Committee". You either advanced or you got passed over. Pass or fail. Did or Did Not.

Is this some kind of new Liberal Feel-Good Committee where adults can decide to just let kids sail on by or what?

I know in my Handbook it's got all the initials beside all the req. for each rank and the same in all my merit badge books too. As far as we knew, those books WERE the "Advancement Committee"!

 

[christman]

My son tried the scouts. After 6 weeks he asked me if he could quit because all they ever did was color pictures, make crappy crafts, and try to memorize motto's that he had down the first week. The only craft they did was making "big foot" imprints for the snow out of cardboard boxes. Let me tell you how thrilled he was to do that. That is some sweet survival training there....Let's get them off our trail by making them think Sasquatch is chilling nearby...

I agreed, and he never went back. Back when I was young, scouts seemed much more fun. I always remember making really cool stuff that dealt with survival (lanterns, flashlights, spears, fishing poles, animal traps, etc. etc...) or the occasional pine wood derby car. I never remember coloring pictures and doing word searches every week. Scouts = LAME now.

 

[E'villeGunner]

Yea, that's why I thought that. We had three adult leaders in my troop. There was no "Advancement Committee". You either advanced or you got passed over. Pass or fail. Did or Did Not.

Is this some kind of new Liberal Feel-Good Committee where adults can decide to just let kids sail on by or what?

I know in my Handbook it's got all the initials beside all the req. for each rank and the same in all my merit badge books too. As far as we knew, those books WERE the "Advancement Committee"!

No, no new liberal feel-good committee where adults decide to just let kids sail on by. These committees have been around for a long time, also called board of reviews. Sounds like your troop was lacking adult leadership, according to your post. (see above quote)

We had 5 to 6 Patrols within our troop. With each patrol having between 6 to 12 scouts and a minimum of 2 Ass't Scoutmasters for each Patrol.
The Ass't SM's were there to help guide the young men but the Patrols and the Troop were run by the Scouts themselves.

Advancement

Ranks are simply a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Everything boys do to advance and earn these ranks, from the day they join until they leave the program, should be designed to help boys have an exciting and meaningful experience. This means providing your boys a stimulating and active troop program!

Education and fun are functions of Scouting, and they are the basis of the advancement program. In the Scouting program, recognition is gained through leadership in the unit; attending and participating in the activities; living the ideals of Scouting; and developing a proficiency in outdoor living and useful skills.

No council, district, unit, or individual has the authority to add or subtract from any advancement requirement. The advancement requirements have been carefully developed to achieve the aims of Boy Scouting. To alter the requirements would defeat that purpose and would also be unfair to the Scout.

Boy Scout advancement is a four-step process:

1. The Boy Scout learns. A Scout learns by doing. As he learns, he grows in ability to do his part as a member of the patrol and the troop. As he develops knowledge and skill, he is asked to teach others. In this way, he begins to develop leadership.

2. The Boy Scout is tested. A Scout may be tested on requirements by his patrol leader, Scoutmaster, assistant Scoutmaster, a troop committee member, or a member of his troop. The Scoutmaster maintains a list of those qualified to give tests and to pass candidates.

3. The Boy Scout is reviewed. After a Scout has completed all requirements for a rank, he has a board of review. For Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class,Star, Life, and Eagle palms, the review is conducted by members of the troop committee The Eagle board of review is conducted in accordance with local council procedures.

Our troop committee was further divided into adding an Advancement Committee with an Advancement Chairman and usually aprox. 6 adults to pool from knowing that not everyone can be at all the board of reviews. This might be where the confusion comes from.

 

[E'villeGunner]

My son tried the scouts. After 6 weeks he asked me if he could quit because all they ever did was color pictures, make crappy crafts, and try to memorize motto's that he had down the first week. The only craft they did was making "big foot" imprints for the snow out of cardboard boxes. Let me tell you how thrilled he was to do that. That is some sweet survival training there....Let's get them off our trail by making them think Sasquatch is chilling nearby...

I agreed, and he never went back. Back when I was young, scouts seemed much more fun. I always remember making really cool stuff that dealt with survival (lanterns, flashlights, spears, fishing poles, animal traps, etc. etc...) or the occasional pine wood derby car. I never remember coloring pictures and doing word searches every week. Scouts = LAME now.

I'm assuming your talking about Cub Scouts? If not then I don't blame you for letting your son quit. I can't imagine a Boy Scout Troop involved in coloring and making bigfoot imprints. But Cub Scouts is oriented toward involving the family i.e. Mom and Dad. After all they are still just children. If that Pack wasn't right for your child then there are other Packs.

 

[E'villeGunner]

Spending the night in caves followed by an underground boat ride... Weren't them clear spiders and frogs freaky looking?!?!?

We used to canoe on Blue River a lot. My best memories of scouts came from those trips...

Ehhhhh..............I never did the cave trips as an adult leader. Being 6ft 7inches tall and 280 lbs, small cramped places were not my friend! lol

We did the Blue River but only once I recall. We went to the Current River and Jack's Fork River in Missouri. Been to Boundary Waters Canoe Area, twice. The New River and Gauley River for whitewater rafting. Those were some CRAZY rides in a raft!!

 

[SavageEagle]

Ehhhhh..............I never did the cave trips as an adult leader. Being 6ft 7inches tall and 280 lbs, small cramped places were not my friend! lol

We did the Blue River but only once I recall. We went to the Current River and Jack's Fork River in Missouri. Been to Boundary Waters Canoe Area, twice. The New River and Gauley River for whitewater rafting. Those were some CRAZY rides in a raft!!

We had a whitewater rafting trip planned, but it fell through. Then when we moved they never went. From what I heard, the troop sorta fell through after my dad passed it on to our Assistant Scoutmaster.

I know what you mean now by the Advancement Committee. Keep in mind though that we only had 16 kids in the troop when I left. It was about 8-10 most of the time though. We only had two Patrols in the troop and 3 active adults. Plus four troop mothers that would help out from time to time, including my mother. I got to see a LOT of the political side of the Boy Scouts while I was in it and back then it wasn't very Liberal. Of course this was the early 90's too.

How often you make it down to the Scout Museum? Has it changed much in the last 10 years? I'd like to go back next year.

 

[dross]

I was in the cub scouts. The only thing I remember is sticking toothpicks in styrofoam balls, then spraying them with that fake snow stuff. I couldn't get the toothpicks in straight, or evenly distributed, and my spray snow came out all clumpy. It was pretty traumatic. I think it soured me on the boy scouts.

The story that follows is pretty predictable. Drugs, petty crime, armed robbery, finally murder.

I turned twenty-one in prison, doin' life without parole. No one could steer me right, but Mama tried, Mama tried. Damned cub scouts.

 

[E'villeGunner]

We had a whitewater rafting trip planned, but it fell through. Then when we moved they never went. From what I heard, the troop sorta fell through after my dad passed it on to our Assistant Scoutmaster.

I know what you mean now by the Advancement Committee. Keep in mind though that we only had 16 kids in the troop when I left. It was about 8-10 most of the time though. We only had two Patrols in the troop and 3 active adults. Plus four troop mothers that would help out from time to time, including my mother. I got to see a LOT of the political side of the Boy Scouts while I was in it and back then it wasn't very Liberal. Of course this was the early 90's too.

How often you make it down to the Scout Museum? Has it changed much in the last 10 years? I'd like to go back next year.

Been to the Scout Museum a couple times, but that was back in the late '90s and early '00s.That was when it was located in Murray, KY. In 2002 I think is when the Museum moved down to Irving Texas, and I have never been to that one. And probably never will. Still can't figure out their thinking in moving it clear down to Texas. Whereas at least in Murray Ky. it was more of a middle ground.

It is a shame when that happens to a troop but it does happen too often when they change hands so to speak. They kinda take a dive in attendance.

 

[spearheadersarge]

Had a great Scout Master when I was in, we were a pretty tight group. We ruled the Jamborees! We all were years ahead of other Troops and camped regularly and did canoe trips and community work it was great. Still the old guy around from time to time. He always wants to hear what I'm up to and I really enjoy his conversation. I can understand how kids are today. It is really a sad commentary on the state of our nation!

 

[sadclownwp]

The troop i was the leader in used to be a great troop that all the boys were proud to be in. I remember sweeping the competions at council events. Now the troop has 17 year olds who can't start a fire with matches. How is it possible to be in the scouts from the age of 12-17 and not be able to start a fire with matches. even after being shown how to do it 20 times. How can someone on the advancement committee advance a kid like that and sleep at night.