Advancement tidbits from PTC

[walk in the woods]

Yeah, lots of reservations about moving Tenderfoot requirements down to Webelos/AoL beyond say the Buddy System. Did they suggest they'd be killing off the Scout Badge thingy? I'm not a huge fan of the Scout Badge anyway, but it could be improved by adding some more Scout Knowledge beyond the First Class Badge (e.g. Who was BP, Boyce, when did Scouting come to U.S.A., etc.).

 

Let the Webelos do their thing, get some outdoor experience and learn about Boy Scouts but leave Tenderfoot to the Troop.

 

John-in-KC: You didn't say it but I will, T21 should be sequential!

[Beavah]

On one hand, if this is an attempt to beef up the "boy scout skills" aspect of the Webelos program... On the other hand, if this is an attempt to dumb down the actual boy scouting program...

 

Yah, exactly.

 

Unfortunately, da consequence of a policy is often not what da authors intended, eh?

 

I personally like the idea of beefin' up the webelos camping and skills requirements. That program really needs it. Problem is that requires changin' the cub campin' rules, revising Baloo, more adult trainin' and all that. Takes work to do it well, eh? Maybe even somethin' like a Tenderfoot BOR has to be conducted at a troop campout supervised by troop boys and adults who double-check on skills and run the BOR. That might push packs and troops to work more closely together, and guarantee proper learning.

 

But it's hard, eh? The natural thing for people to do is to take the easiest way. And that pretty much means that da result without a lot of effort will be for stuff to be dumbed down.

 

As to the rest, I'd much rather see 'em move the "Family Life" requirements into Cub Scouting/Webelos and use that badge's spot for Cooking, eh?

 

Know a few CO's that would be delighted to charter a middle school girls program on da BSA model, as long as we don't add another 20 pages to G2SS because we're all worried about the little darlings. GSUSA has largely abandoned middle school and older girls interested in outdoor adventure, in part for that reason.

 

Beavah

 

[scoutingagain]

Agree with the Citizenship MB stuff, as well as Cooking being Eagle required.

 

Disagree with the Cub Scout Tenderfoot badge and agree T21 should be sequential. This would slow down advancement a bit. Our entire new class of scouts this spring seem to be in a race to get 1st Class by next December and Eagle ASAP.

 

Agree with the girls organization. Someone suggested running a camporee type thing in a town square or other highly visible location. We did that a few years back. We could have started a troop of girls with those that expressed interest in outdoor activities but had to tell them to wait and referred them to Venturing when they were old enough.

 

Of course if Troops of girls come into existence, I can hear the cries of the old guard now when they show up to compete at a council Klondike Derby. Heaven forbid they beat some of the boy troops or worse even win. LOL

 

 

 

SA

[Nike]

Cooking for Eagle--Yeeeessss!!!

 

Tenderfoot if you get your Aol--No. (I also don't like the non-sequential signing off on the T-2-1 ranks.) My son learned a lot in his first six months of BS that I just don't think could have been squeezed into Web 1 or 2. Beefing up Webelos is a great idea, though.

 

Bring on the girls!!! My Daisy would love to be a Cub in a girl only den.

 

 

[SctDad]

With the rank issues, what is next, earn the AOL, Get your Eagle. So what if a boy goes over skills twice. OH NO, they might actually be proficient at something.

 

Cooking for eagle is a great idea.

 

As for the girls in the Cub Scouts and Boyi Scouts. NO. If you are upset that your program is not doing things like camping and outdoor stuff, then volunteer to change it. I have a hard enough time with all of my boys in the pack. The last thing that I need is girls making this harder. I know that someone is going to think that I am being a pig, but what part of BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA does everyone have a problem with. they have gone through a lot to make the programs like venturing and exploring, but why do we have to do this for all ranks. If your GSUSA troop does not provide the program you are looking for, help to change it, that is what we tell other scouters to do when they end up in a troop that does not fit their needs.

[GernBlansten]

Kinda reminds me of the Ford Mustang. Everyone knows an early Mustang. Icon of the early American muscle car. Anyone see the orginal "Bullitt"? But Ford decided in the mid 70s that it need to change. They put it on a Maverick frame, put a small motor in it and took away all its muscle car appeal. It became a Mustang in name only, it was just another economy car, and not a very good one at that. A couple of more facelifts, and pretty much, the Mustang was just not that appealing. But in 2005, Ford went old school. Went back to the original Mustang roots. Put in a hot V8, styled it like it was back in 1969, and it was an instant hit. Chevy and Dodge followed.

 

So the question I ask is BSA following the same pattern? They had an exciting program that youth wanted to join back in the 60s. They "revamped" it only to lose its core followers. Then spent the next 30 years massaging the program to regain the losses. Is this new BSA the new Mustang? Or just another failed attempt to find its footing?

[John-in-KC]

Gern,

 

Wish I could tell you.

 

BTW, Beavah's idea (push Family Life stuff to Webelos, keep 3 Citizenships, and use the freed-up slot for Cooking on the Eagle list) is a really good idea.

 

Too bad he's not the National Advancement Chairman. Sigh.