Patrol Outings

[ScouterPaul]

Is is desirable to have Patrol only outings or is it best to have Troop wide activities utilizing the patrol method?

[Weekender]

I'm in favor of patrol outings if you have the adult supervision necessary to pull it off and if the patrol does not skip troop activities in favor of their own.

[eisely]

Patrol outings are to be encouraged for a variety of reasons. The difficulty is rounding up enough qualified adult participation.

[OldGreyEagle]

WOW, no disagreements, maybe this is one Dad and I can agree with. Patrol activities should be encouraged, Scouts have to do more as there is fewer of them so they get more experience and patrol spirit grows

[Chippewa29]

I think patrol activities are a great idea for patrols to bond. When I was a Scout in the mid-80's, I was actually nieve enough to believe that the PL Handbook (much better than the current one) of the time was the way people actually did things. Therefore, when I became a PL, we had patrol meetings once a month and did patrol hikes on a couple of occasions. I was very disappointed when I couldn't get a patrol campout together. My patrol didn't grow at all during my six months, but we were the only patrol in the troop to not have anyone quit. If you have Scouts that want to do patrol activities without interfering with troop activities, encourage them all you can.

[shemgren]

Three cheers for the patrol method!!!

 

The founder of this great organization, Lord Baden-Powell felt that was the only way to run a troop.

 

He said, "The object of the patrol system is mainly to give real responsibility to as many of the boys as possible with a veiw to developing character."

 

Having been responsible for my council's JLTC for four years, the boys in the courses learned first hand of how a patrol should be run.

 

Patrol outings are very good at encouraging patrol spirit. Inter patrol contests and activities have their value, but if a patrol gains the experience of seperate outings for themselves, they work towards the object stated above by B-P.

 

Encourage your patrols to earn the National Honor Patrol Award, the requirements are found on page 22 of The Scotmaster Handbook.

[evmori]

By all means! Long live the patrol method!

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[ozemu]

I require my Patrols to conduct a camp or half day activities each quarter. I check on these activities once only and have adults within a few minutes distance for a scout in a full panic sprint. Adults are otherwise NOT around. I explain this to parents on joining.

 

When adults are not present kids generally do not take stupid risks. however when adults are nearby they think that if they get out of their depth they will be rescued. Before they go on camp I explain to my Scouts as many possible ways that they could be killed or injured as i can think of. I talk the P/L's through possible scenarios and tell them to pull out at any time they feel that things may get dangerous. They can also send home anyone who is disruptive to the point of danger. I will back up the P/L and sort out the personalities in the wash up. They still go and have fun.

 

Troop camps have the patrol campsites separated as much as possible.

 

Our Patrol Leaders have the job permanently and the Patrol membership changes only a little from time to time so they build up quite some expertise and esprit de corps, our ages are mixed so the P/L is generally the oldest. Things are different with you blokes.