Outlook for Citizenship MBs not good . . .

[Kudu]

Hal_Crawford writes:

 

According to my reprint of the 1911 Handbook for Boys there were six ranks much as there are today. The order was different as Life was the first rank after First Class, followed by Star and then Eagle. I don't have it in front of me but if I recall all the required merit badges had to be earned for Life and the higher ranks were just for additional merit badges. Eagle was a total of 21 as it is today.

 

Yeah, the 1911 Handbook for Boys is interesting because the BSA had not yet begun to confuse Baden-Powell's term "Rank" (leadership position such as Patrol Leader, Scoutmaster, etc. -- page 44) with Scoutcraft "Awards" (only Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class) which the BSA in 1911 called "classes." At that time there were only three "classes" of Scouts:

 

"There are three classes of scouts among the Boy Scouts of America, the tenderfoot, second-class scout, and first-class scout. Before a boy can become a tenderfoot he must qualify for same. A tenderfoot, therefore, is superior to the ordinary boy because of his training. To be a tenderfoot means to occupy the lowest grade in scouting. A tenderfoot on meeting certain requirements may become a second-class scout, and a second-class scout upon meeting another set of requirements may become a first-class scout. The first-class scout may then qualify for the various merit badges which are offered in another part of this chapter for proficiency in scouting. The requirements of the tenderfoot, second-class scout, and first- class scout, are as follows:" See:

 

http://inquiry.net/advancement/tf-1st_require_1911.htm

 

Eagle Scout is only a "merit badge:"

 

"Any first-class scout qualifying for twenty-one merit badges will be entitled to earn the highest scout merit badge..."

 

Presumably Life, Star and Eagle were worn on the right sleeve with the other Merit Badges and not on the left sleeve and pocket with what we now mistakenly call "Ranks" (they are not worthy of mention on the badge placement diagram -- page 19).

 

Note that in 1911 "Civics" (aka Citizenship) is NOT a required Merit Badge.

 

Hal_Crawford writes:

 

For First Class you needed to know how to kill a mad dog and how to stop a runaway team of horses.

 

Actually:

 

"Know... how to help in case of runaway horse, mad dog, or snake bite;"

 

I don't hear much objection in Scouting forums to knowing how to help in the case of a runaway horse, but the SPL of my Wood Badge course used it to express his disdain for traditional Scoutcraft, which he felt should be replaced with the business manager skills that "modern" Scouts really need.

 

John-in-KC writes:

 

I'm not an academician, as Lisa is, but I've seen enough undergraduates who are clueless about our representative democratic system of government that I agree: Scouting is one of the last bastions of imparting the truth of America to kids K-12.

 

I'm sure that Lisa's academician colleagues in the dental school would also agree that Scouting should also impart the truth of good oral hygiene. Certainly Boy Scouts would enjoy learning the Fitness Aim by having their teeth drilled, just as much as most boys enjoy academics, which Baden-Powell very specifically described as the opposite of Scouting.

 

Trevorum writes:

 

just curious - what was the recommended method for killing a mad dog?

 

"The first thing to do is to kill the mad dog at once. Wrap a handkerchief around the hand to prevent the dog's teeth from entering the flesh and grasp a club of some kind. If you can stop the dog with a stick you should hit him hard over the head with it, or kick him under the jaw. A handkerchief held in front of you in your outstretched hands will generally cause the dog to stop to paw it before he attempts to bite you. This will give you an opportunity to kick him under the lower jaw. Another way suggested is to wrap a coat around the left arm and let the dog bite it; then with the other hand seize the dog's throat and choke him."

 

Perhaps that is just a bit too 'hands on" by today's standards where presumably we call 911, watch the rabid dog bite people, then apply the after-the-fact first aid presented in the current handbook.

 

For those who are also curious about the runaway horse:

 

"The method for checking a horse running away is not to run out and wave your arm in front of him, as this will only cause him to dodge to one side and to run faster, but to try to run alongside the vehicle with one hand on the shaft to prevent yourself from falling, seizing the reins with the other hand and dragging the horse's head toward you. If when he has somewhat slowed down by this method, you can turn him toward a wall or a house he will probably stop."

 

BrentAllen writes:

 

We expect the boys to know proper flag etiquette, is it too much to expect them to know how their government works?

 

Real Scouting is "hands on" education, the opposite of "instruction." Proper flag etiquette is "hands on," but knowing the three branches of government is instruction.

 

Real Scouting teaches citizenship by hands on participation in a Patrol without helicopter adults.

 

Kudu

 

 

[BrentAllen]

I guess Atticus Finch wasn't a Boy Scout. I prefer his method.

 

Kudu,

The framers of the Constitution didn't get it perfect the first time, hence the amendments. I hardly expect the Charter to have been perfect either, and the program needs amending from time to time. Are Scouts not allowed to use GPS since it wasn't in use in 1917? What about modern hiking water filters? I don't see how in the world you can teach Scouts Citizenship and not cover how our government works. We teach Scouts to be obedient, to obey the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an obedient manner rather than disobey them. Would we teach them that, and then leave them hanging? Besides there is a hands-on component to the Cit. MBs. Locate local government buildings, attend a city council meeting, conduct an interview, visit the state or US Capitol, etc.

[Trevorum]

Continuing Sidebar

-------------------------

Hal - wow, what a difference a century makes! our acceptance of risk has dropped dramatically: these days, there's no way we would recommend that ANYONE approach a "mad dog', much less a youth! I think our advice today would be more along the lines of, "Stay away and call 911"!

 

 

[Kudu]

BrentAllen writes:

 

Are Scouts not allowed to use GPS since it wasn't in use in 1917? What about modern hiking water filters?

 

There is an international formula for that. In free countries (where the government does not pick the winning corporations--how many Citizenship Merit Badge Counselors cover that?) Traditional Scouting is defined as the program as it existed in a specific year (usually 1916, 1938, or 1965) with changes made only for advances in the areas of 1) Health & Safety, 2) Environmental Impact, 3) Lightweight Technology, and 4) Relevant Legislation.

 

I don't see how in the world you can teach Scouts Citizenship and not cover how our government works.

 

That is what Scouting is: Backwoods field work that Scouts can take back to their School and Sunday School classes.

 

Baden-Powell was very clear:

 

1) The goal of Scouting is to teach citizenship.

 

2) Scouting is the opposite of classroom instruction.

 

Pretending that "modern" means "opposite" is just corporate leadership weasel logic.

 

We teach Scouts to be obedient, to obey the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an obedient manner rather than disobey them.

 

Every hear the saying "It would take an Act of Congress to get them to do the right thing"?

 

The assumption is that even your worst enemy would not defy the ultimate civilian law, an Act of Congress. The BSA clearly violates an Act of Congress when it pretends that the "Mission" of the BSA is teaching "ethical choices," thereby justifying a switch from camping to soccer so that the corporation is more cool to "modern boys" and more popular with a specific racial minority.

 

The Act of Congress is very clear:

 

The purposes of the corporation are to promote, through organization, and cooperation with other agencies, the ability of boys to do things for themselves and others, to train them in scoutcraft, and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues, using the methods that were in common use by boy scouts on June 15, 1916.

 

In exchange the winning corporation gets a government-enforced monopoly on "Scouting," a pretty sweet deal even by socialist standards!

 

If the BSA practiced its own definition of "obedience" (or anyone's definition of citizenship) they would obey the ultimate law of the land, and try to have it changed in an obedient manner rather than disobey it.

 

Presumably if they were successful and got an extension of their Congressional Charter to include a monopoly on soccer as well as Scouting, they could teach citizenship to Hispanic boys by forcing them to sit in classrooms too.

 

Then by Boy Scout weasel logic, classrooms would be more "modern" than playing fields!

 

Kudu

 

[qwazse]

Be it on the soccer field or in the back woods we're going to teach citizenship. Here are some of my suggestions to make it successful:

1. Have the boys go over their rights and responsibilities with a lawyer. If you don't have a leader or parent in that profession, invite one to come camping with the troop, and while he's fishing he can give the instruction (a couple of boys at a time so as to not disturb the fish).

2. Soccer units: same thing only have the guest present between games or drills.

3. Get the boys in the habit of packing a small notebook and pen/pencils on every outing. Older boys should have the pamphlet (old one from the libray, forget those new multicolored money-wasting editions) of the one merit badge they will work on while on a trip.

4. There is nothing wrong with sitting on a log and taking notes. (It Served Thoreu and Audobon pretty darn well.) Just don't let it take up more than a few minutes at a time.

5. In every wilderness area that you hike, let the boys know the Act of Congress that was required to protect this land. (Soccer players, learn the back-story of every field they play on.)

6. Always make sure the boys have access to a map of the area you are camping/hiking in. For the older ones, give them a copy of a map with the names blanked out, and have them identify the named features.

7. Challenge the boys to get autographs from any international scout they may ever meet.

8. Ask if an elected official from a nearby community can stop by and visit your campsite.

 

Trust me, THIS TYPE OF LEARNING IS NOT AT ALL WHAT KIDS WILL GET IN SCHOOL. But, this is exactly what it takes for more than 10% of them to know the material that we expect them to by the time they can fill out a ballot.