All Out for Scouting and the 9th ed. BSH

[Buffalo Skipper]

I was doing some online research on Bill Hillcourt (Vilhelm Hans Bjerregaard Jensen), and I came across a reference to an intitative called "All Out for Scouting." As best I can see, this was a program which was meant as a return the old standards of scouting following the changes of the 60s and 70s, and roughly coincided with the release of Hillcourt's 9th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook (1979).

 

I was a scout in 1979, but I do not believe I ever owned a copy of the 9th edition (I joined in 1977 and do not recall ever purchasing an updated handbook). Does anyone have any information on what changes were in this book and/or have any information on "All Out for Scouting"? I cannot find anything specific online.

[emb021]

All Out for Scouting preceded the 9th ed BSHB.

 

I actually got the syllabus for AOFS (sadly missing the bulk of 2 of the Operations), and a small pamplet on it, and have scanned a few articles on AOFS from Scouting magazine that's on my website.

 

All Out For Scouting was a new training initative that came out in 1975. It was to run a whole year and consisted of several training events. The overall purpose was to create better scouting for boys thru improved programming and better trained leaders (both youth and adults).

 

AOFS consisted of 7 "Operations".

 

#1 Operation: Launch, which gathered all adult leaders (SM, ASM, TC, etc) to review the AOLS plan.

 

#2 Operation Triple-T (Train-the-Trainer), an all-day training even for those responsible for adult training.

 

#3 Operation Brownsea Double-Two, a week-long training event for SPLs to help them be better leaders, give them scoutcraft skills, and prepare them to run Operation Flying Start.

 

#4 Operation Flying Start, an all-day training event for all boy leaders and adult leaders.

 

#5 Operation Go, Silver Bars! isn't an event, so much as its the home troops/patrols putting into practice over several months what has been learned, using the patrol method and the activities learned. Meeting goals earned them AOFS awards.

 

#6 Operation All Out For Training, makes available to adult leaders any training in specific areas needed.

 

#7 Operation Hit the Goal! is the second major climax of AOFS, which could be a camporee, showando, or other major council event. Part of this is recognition for units and leaders for achieving the goals of AOFS.

 

And the idea was that this would all be repeated the next year.

 

AFAIK, AOFS existed for a few years in many councils, to eventually be replaced by new training. Many councils have continued to call their JLTC/NYLT course "Brownsea Double-2" because of AOFS. Some have even confused "Brownsea Double-2" with JLTC and AOFS as a whole.

 

Also, check out the articles on AOFS in the following issues of Scouting (all at my website):

 

October 1974 (gives a good overview, which I skimmed thru above)

 

OctNovDec 1975 (another overview, give the chart showing the connections between the Operations)

 

JanFeb 1977 (focuses on Detroit's use of the program, says half the councils have run it, and many more are planning to do so in 77)

 

my website is www.seniorscoutinghistory.org. Go to the Archives, which is off the main page.

 

Also, the Pine Tree website has a page on Brownsea Double 2 that may help you as well.

 

[Kahuna]

I was a DE in Miami in the early Seventies and Bill came down to talk to us about it. I didn't remember much about it until I saw emb021's post. Sounds right to me. I don't think it ever really went anywhere.

[George]

With apologies for resurrecting such a long-dormant thread, does anyone have the syllabi for any of the AOFS operations? I have Brownsea Double-Two but would be grateful to read the others, especially Flying Start and Go Silver Bars. Thanks in advance for any leads!