Holding back ranks

[acco40]

I think each scout sets his own pace on advancement. Holding back POR until a scout is 1st Class is just adding to the requirement. I agree that not allowing a Scout to hold a POR due to reank is not the way the run the program. However, this does not impede rank advancement (of that Scout) because POR have to be served during the appropriate rank. Holding the position of PL as a tenderfoot does not help with rank advancement.

 

Advancement is one of the 8 methods, no more nor less important than the patrol method. Almost 100% of the Scouts and parents forget that. The aim of the BSA is not to produce Eagle Scouts.

[John-in-KC]

Agree with acco40, in general.

 

I think much depends for when youth get responsibility based on the actual membership of a Troop. If you got 2 Life, 3 Star, 2 First Class, 10 Second Class, and 10 Tenderfeet... then you may run out of experienced kids before you run out of jobs to be done.

 

We do have to remember: Having young people in our Troops is all about them getting experience (This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[asm 411]

I also agree with Acco40 but never forget that the 8 methods of Scouting work together.

 

Think of each of the eight methods being a post and rope running from each one to all the others. This is the net we use to carry the Scouts to the Aims of Scouting.

[jac0033]

To Twocubdad:

You posted that a scout can take 6 merit badges at summer camp and I would be okay with that because it his choice. In my post I did say that I would ask the scout if he thinks he is ready for the task and suggest he maybe think about taking a different badge. I just can not see holding a scout back if he understands the merit badge process and is ready to challenge himself. I am not in favor of a new scout taking 6 merit badges at summer camp, but as long as he registered he can take any badge he wishes.

 

IMHO, I do not think we as leaders can tell a scout what badge he wants to attempt or hold him back from a POR because he is not yet 1st Class. I have seen many troops operate this way and have also seen these same troops be very adult led troops. If this process works for your troop, then more power to you. I feel the scouts will figure out the best path advancement for themselves.

(This message has been edited by jac0033)(This message has been edited by jac0033)

[Eagle92]

To the best of my knowledge, the PLC can make requirements for PORS if they decide. I know in my troop growing up, the PLC decided that to run for SPL, you had to be at least First Class AND been a PL for 1 term (6 months). Rationale was that you needed to have mastered the basic scout skills, i.e be a First Class Scout, and have experience leading a patrol before taking on the responsibility of leading the troop. Ditto the then Leadership Corps, now Venture Patrol. You had to be at last First Class, again showing that you mastered the basic scout skills, and have been a PL for at least 6 months, with the rationale that since you were a PL, you understand why the QM,Instructor, Librarian etc positions are so important within the troop.

 

Again the scouts implemented this.

[jac0033]

Eagle92

While I understand the rationale, I do not think the PLC should set requirements for running for SPL. The handbook says the troop will elect the Senior Patrol leader. The scouts voting for the SPL should weigh the experience of all candidates and vote for the most qualified. Does that always happen,no it does not. The scouts will learn that the most popular is not always the best leader. IMHO

 

[IM_Kathy]

we've actually had a scout that got held up with that same requirement.

 

our school district doesn't really go into it until 8th grade (shocking if you ask me) so when we were with our past troop I worked with a local doctor and the SPL and we had a meeting focused on this requirement. And I was quite pleased to see even the older scouts did still come and participate. Unfortunately 1 boy missed that meeting. He changed troops along with my son and a couple other boys... the troop we are with now is in a different school district and it's done in like 6th grade there so the boys all get it done through school and they don't do a troop activity. It took a little while to find out what they do for home schooled boys and get this boy all that info and get him to complete that. Now he's missing his orienteering course because he missed our last troop activity when we did that so he's waiting until this fall when we can do it again.

[Gags]

Kathy,

 

Not sure where in Iowa you are, but there's a permanent orienteering course near Boone: http://www.mnoc.org/venue.shtml?id=172 , just in case you'd like to get the requirement done sooner. Going from memory, I don't believe the course has to be completed as part of the a troop/patrol activity. (Why they require measuring the height or width of an object as part of the "O" course, I'm not sure. Would fit better as part of the 5 mile hike. But that's another topic.)

 

--Gags

[sherminator505]

"One of the Uber-troops around here has minimum age requirements for each rank. I think it ends up that they require their Scouts to be 15 for Life, 16 to start an Eagle Project and 16.5 to be Eagle."

 

If this is true, then this Troop is adding to the requirements and is clearly operating outside the doctrine of "no more, no less." This kind of policy does not take into account that some boys mature faster than others, and it could really kill a Scout's enthusiasm. I for one would like to see an explanation of the positive aspects of such a policy.

[Twocubdad]

I agree. The SM in that troop has tried to convince me several times that we need similar regulations. But I don't want someone saying 20 years from now that they could have been an Eagle Scout but their Scoutmaster had this stupid rule.....

 

Honestly, I think I'm more clever than that. I think we can get boys to slow down, enjoy Scouting and get more out of the program without resulting to rigid rules. Again, its about coaching and mentoring the Scouts to guide them along trail.

[IM_Kathy]

Gags - thank you for the link... I've saved in case I ever have the need. We have more than just the one boy missing this requirement and none are in big hurry to get it done so just waiting until later in the fall.