Scout History Knowledge for Eagles

[troutmaster]

I sat on an Eagle board last week of a fine young man who certainly had met the requirements for Eagle. But one thing really concerned me during the interview.

One of the other board members asked the candidate who founded scouting and how the idea related to today. After a few seconds, the young man admitted to not having a clue.

There is no requirement for scout history at all anymore in the advancement program. Should not an Eagle candidate have a basic knowledge of the history of scouting? Would like to know what others' thoughts might be on this subject.

As part of it, is it feasible to develop a Scout History merit badge that covered the origin in England, the BSA, and the World movement. Thanks for your time and input on this subject.

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

In this world I keep telling myself nothing should surprise me, yet once again I have a shocker!!!! A scout past First Class, Eagle Board of review eligible no less, who has no concept of the history of Boy Scouts?????

 

My first reaction was, Gee, must not have read the history section of the Scout Handbook and then did'nt anyone ever tell the story of the Unknown Boy Scout who helped Boyce that foggy night in London?

 

I am not sure a merit badge is required, but not to know ones roots is a shame that must be borne not only by the scout, but also the troop for not talking about the unknown scout, Baden-Powell, Brownsea Island, et al.

[Mike Long]

Yikes!!!

 

I teach our scouts about the history of the movement mostly through Scoutmaster's minutes. I do think that the boys should read the handbook but most kids don't or won't. I too am not sure that we should have a merit badge on the subject, it just seems to me that our history is something that each boy should know to just be a Scout and not a "option" that they can get a badge for (or choose not to)

 

Another way that I teach Scout history is that I have declared February "Scout History Month" and at each meeting I tell a little part of the story. Start with the unknown Scout, Brownsea, how scouting in America existed before the founding of the BSA, Aurther Eldred (First Eagle) ect. The Scouts really like the stories. The trick is to make it a story not a lesson.