"No Secrets" is a Good Thing???

[cackle881]

I just had to get in on this one, since I have some strong sentiments.

 

I was Lodge Chief for two years, Vice Chief for one, and Associate Advisor for two. I watched many changes come about in the program that I had mixed feelings about. I agree that the WWW is in no way secret, as such, in that much of what we do is very public and visible (i.e., camping promotions, WEBELOS crossovers, One Day of Service, etc.).

 

However, the ceremonies, by their very nature, demand a certain security in order to coincide with the symbolic progression. I ran many parents meetings at conclaves and was never met with any opposition. When I explained the tests of the Ordeal and their significance, that was always more than enough for them- I never once had a parent or guardian demand to witness the ceremony or read the manual, and this was both during and after the days of "tapping out."

 

I advocate protection, not secrecy. The ceremonies are protected, "safeguarded," etc.

[John-in-KC]

cackle,

 

Welcome to the Forums.

 

I absolutely agree with you. As an Associate Advisor, you are the right man in the right place to help intercept and deflect some of the questions.

 

Our task as adult Arrowmen is to help maintain the mysteries of the Ordeal and the Brotherhood. I want the kid a little nervous. This is a growing up for him.

[SctDad]

I just read something about "before and After tapping out"

 

Is this something that is no longer done. I know when I was tapped out, it meant a lot.

 

We all knealt in a circle facing in with our eyes closed. There was a ceremonial drum, and members of the OA lodge came in and tapped tose on the shoulder who were selected. I was one of them. The hardest part was when we were instructed not to tell anyone about the selection except our parents who were to bring us to the Ordeal. That was hard and it took a lot of discipline to keep it too myself. But it was a great honor to be tapped and I did not want to lose that.

 

So do they still do the tapping outs?

[Gold Winger]

Tapping (actual touching) is gone. You are now called out.

 

I suppose that every chapter or lodge can do it differently. In my chapter, if the troop doesn't announce who was selected after the election, you find out when you get the letter telling you what you need to bring to the call out (medical forms, permission slips) so the word quickly spread that if you don't get the letter, you aren't being called out so don't bother coming.

 

The result is that only the boys and adults being called out come to the call out. No anticipation. No worry. No drama.

 

My thought was to stop sending the letters and just tell everyone who stood for election to come to the call out. Let it be a surprise. The responses ranged from "if they don't know that they are elected, they won't come to the call out" If that's the case, obviously OA isn't that important to thme. "If we don't get the medical forms out early, we won't get them in time for the ordeal" There's usually two or three weeks between call out or odeal, if you can't get a form filled out in that time, you have some big problems. The winning excuse is "It wouldn't be fair to have boys come thinking that they were going to be called out and then have them left standing." Why?

 

 

[Kimo]

Tapping out is a thing of the past and I also lament its passing out of the mysteries of the Order. Back in dinosaur days when I was tapped out, I went through many tapping out ceremonies where I wasn't chosen. Participating in these ceremonies were expected of the entire troop as a way for the entire troop to honor those who were tapped out. The entire troop voted secretly as to who they thought were deserving and they were the ones who were later tapped out at the ceremony. I think the problem is our society has changed over time and there is a great deal of "instant gratification" and "me" mentality of kids. Of course not all scouts are like that, but too many are. The comment that if a scout does not know in advance that there is something in it for them they may not show up is a reflection of this. I try to instill a more selfless sense into the scouts in my troop when I can. I know it may be seen as old fashioned among some people, but then in many ways so is scouting and the Order and in my opinion this is not a bad thing in any way. Think about the meaning of W.W.W.

 

Kimo