This stellar Boy Scout has legions of merits

[mama_bear]

Well-spoken, scoutldr!

[Bob White]

Back up Ed!

 

I was responding to a direct question you asked me. Let me remind you what it was.

 

"What if all a Scout learned was to whine & complain till he got what he wanted without learning a thing?"

 

My response was, that if that were the case, and the scout keeps advancing, your problem is with the Scoutmaster. For it is the Scoutmaster's responsibility to evaluate the scout's "spirit". Is he living by the Oath and Law? I offer that a scout that whines and complains to get what he wants is not friendly, courteous, helpful or cheerful.

 

So if a scout has the attributes you described the problem has nothing to do with how much he remembers of his past merit badges but with the Scoutmaster's ability to evaluate and direct the character of the scout.

 

As far as the original scout, there was nothing in this article that would cause me to question his advancement.

 

Bob White

[evmori]

Bob,

And I quote

"Actually it would seem your concern and your contempt is not with the boy, but with the Scoutmaster who signed his scout spirit requirements as he advanced."

 

I have no issue with the Scoutmaster that's where you assumption is wrong. Remember, he only need a fraction of the total badges he earned to earn Eagle. It is after that where I have the issue & the SM might not have been involved in signing any of these merit badge cards!

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10(This message has been edited by evmori)

[littlebillie]

Ya know, I hope to heck (pardon my Freedom) that the kid doesn't stumble upon this thread. Too much Aspersioners Syndrome happening, I think, esp. about folks I doubt any of us has met...

 

But if so -

 

Jed, congratulations. You took on a Herculean task - Herculean squared, nearly! - and you completed it. You've done more now than some folks will by retirement - pretty impressive. Good luck with whatever you do next - and I know you'll succeed at it!

 

 

[yarrow]

This all could be prevented by a different structure. The Junior Girl Scout badges are suitable for 12 years old girls and very like the Boy Scout Merit Badges. Can they be done by 12 year olds? Yep. Same experience and quality as if they were done by 17 year olds? Nope. They work at their immature and age limited level, but still the badge is completed. This young boy completed badges at 10,11,12,13,14,15 and 16 years old. I'll bet his effort and quality of work improved as well as his understanding of the material as he matured.

 

Secondly, Girl Scouts have Rank type optional awards at each level of scouting. Not every girl choses to do them. Bronze at Juniors 9,10,11 years. Silver Award at Cadettes 12,13-14 years old. Gold Award (Eagle equivalent) 15,16,17-18 years old. Most Girls start their Gold at 16, as there are a lot of requirements, and finish some time between 17 and 18. Gold Award recipents are much older generally because they CAN NOT start at 11. The maturity is reflected in the work. That being said there are always some that try to be the " Youngest Gold Award EVER" Too bad really.

[Bob White]

But, this is not something we are interested in preventing. At least most of us aren't.

 

BW