I made it to Star Scout, and my brother made it to Life Scout, Order of the Arrow and all that. I have very positive and fond memories of scouting, the great leaders we had and the many adventures I got to participate in along the way, such as the multi-day canoe trips in the Canadian Shield, going from lake to lake, the "motor trips" in a caravan of convertibles going through the southern states, camping along the way, and a focus on wood-crafts and survival camping long before that was in vogue. Lots of guns and shooting too.
My middle son got to Life Scout and many awards and great experiences too. The main difference I see in at least the local Scouting movement is more emphasis on getting to Eagle, and the disappointing performance of many dads in basically doing the Eagle for their kid. That first started showing up in the Pinewood Derby events, with trick cars no kid could ever build(one local professor of physics even built in a sliding weight device that got discovered and got them disqualified for cheating-nice example there..) I am not faulting the Scout leaders here, just those parents that take all of this a little too seriously for their child's good.
Hey, I liked that Webelos joke!!

"...The main difference I see in at least the local Scouting movement is more emphasis on getting to Eagle, and the disappointing performance of many dads in basically doing the Eagle for their kid."...

Each scout troop is different depending on troop leadership and parent involvement. I think the kids are the common denominator. The ones in scouting are, for the most part, interested in the outdoors and the activities.

Not sure what happened our troop. Fathers should be the main support and role models for scouts, but we don't get enough participation from most parents, much less the Dads. In our troop, I see mostly Moms at the parent meetings and see the same few Dads participating in scout activities.

Seems like in some cultures, the Moms are present at the scout meetings and the Dads make the dough and that's it. Some Dads I see only once or twice a year, some never. What a mistake.

Fortunately, our soon-to-be-departed advancement chair has been on top of the situation, keeping merit badge records up to date as well as rank advancement and boards of review. I sense many parents in our troop more oriented toward Eagle Scout ranking as resume and college entrance bait than character and leadership skill-building.

Sherwood

Absolutely.

First class only for me, guess I wasn't smart enough to see the big picture. Excellent thread.

different here, dads here have their own senior scout gang going on
they sometimes help out with certain things
but on another level, it's a beer thing as well :D



lol, me too
except i didn't make it in college due to being kicked out of high schools (13
of them)

still hang out with the scouts though, probably am more involved now then back via my cousin's then back when i was actually in it...
also a beer thing :)

which i think, is another difference... over here, beer is ok from 16 and onwards
and those age groups in the scouts, do tend to become drinking buddies outside the scouts..

This is sad...and NOT the way it was when I was a scout....Dads, including my own, were everywhere. Running Camp Pioneer, teaching merit badge skills...everywhere. I recall a top local M.D. taking time to teach for the first aid merit badge...Man, I'm sure he went way beyond the scouting course....that badge came in handy for me in later life, but that's another story.

I am currently a Life Scout and am just a few requirements on a few merit badges and a projsect away from my eagle.

great thread!

i got kicked out too!

got into a fight....

the next week got caught with the scout masters daughter,.....

that week got me kicked out.............. (yes chris i was at it way back then) hehehe :)

Eagle Scout class of 1989.... One of the best things I did before turning 18!!

Helmethead

Nice. I guess some things never change.

Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow.
For the Arrow sash I had to keep my yap shut for 24 hours and dig a trench.

Interesting thread. My father could recite the Oath and Law until his passing, earlier this year, at the age of 85. He lived his life by these words, and used to smile after reciting them, and comment that the world could be a better place if more people felt the same way. "It was a far more honest time", he used to say. "Knowbody wondered what the meaning of the word "clean" was; everyone just knew."

I must report very sad news. My old Scoutmaster passed away this past Sunday. He was a very special person in my life and will be missed tremendously.

Sorry to hear that...We will be thinking of you and his family.

Eagle Scout, bronze palm, brotherhood member Order of the Arrow. Got my Eagle in 1973 at 14 years old. Two weeks at Philmont in 1974; worked as a counselor at Silver Trails Scout Reservation in Michigan in 1975, and taught camping, cooking and pioneering at Camp Hinds in Raymond, Maine the summer of 1976. Scouting provided many great memories for me, my dad and I still tell stories of camporees.

hmmm... trustworthy, loyal, helpful, thrifty, brave... I only made it to first class. Earned the following merit badges: environmental something, astronomy, wilderness survival, rifle/shotgun, canoing, I'm sure there was more...

Worst memory: at camp, woke up late for breakfast. Everything was rationed so when I arrived at the mess tent, everyone was done eating. I saw a bowl of cereal ready with milk already poured for me. Everyone stood there and waited until I was done eating my soggy cereal and then they all laughed. Turned out they ran out of milk, so they each poured their leftover milk from each of their bowls into my bowl. Yuk.

Worst letdown: Waiting all night for the peach cobler to cook in the fire, when it was finished our genious troop leader attempts to pick up the hot kettle, loses grip of it and spills the whole thing in front of us.

Hey, at least you're not a quitter :)! We have a country that you're involved with...wanna be prez?

ps: I was briefly a scout when I was 11-12...then sports took over :)
pps: I grew up w/ nature, and I was a scout whether associated with BSA or not...

I missed that...you have my condolences.

I was a profesional tenderfoot and then discovered the two big "G" words, gas and girls. I have spent the last 15 years as Scoutmaster and enjoyed watching many boys grow into fine young men. The biggest thrill for me was watching my own son complete his journey to Eagle and finishing something that I should have done also. It is great to see that the rank of Eagle Scout still has respect as I have seen many doors opened for my scouts because they have proven that they are outstanding young men. As a leader I can say that I have learned more from the boys in my troop than they can imagine. It is hard to imagine a 14 yr old can teach you anything, but they are wise beyond their years and have lots to share if given the opportunity. If any of you have thet chance to get invloved in scouting, I would say jump at the opening and be prepared to have the time of your life. Enough ranting as I could brag about my great scouts all day long!!

hmmmm.....
kicked out of the white house in 2009?
would look pretty good on my resume.
let me think about it for a while.

+1

I made Life + OA. Some time after making Life, the troop changed leadership. New leaders son was his only priority and the rest of us were just a supporting cast.