Reaction to Randall Stephenson: ‘It’s a new day in Scouting’ speech

[King Ding Dong]

I just don't get it. I can barely tolerate a Camporee, the thought of a Jamoree is just nauseating. Never was a fan of crowds, just something that has to be tolerated every once in awhile.

[RememberSchiff]

Sigh...I remember when wireless networks and towers looked like this.

 

[Rick_in_CA]

Sigh...I remember when wireless networks and towers looked like this.

 

OMG! They are above chest height and not in safety gear! What were they thinking! And that pioneering tower is probably above 6 feet! Not to mention they are climbing on it! All against the GTSS!!!!

 

Wait, what do you mean "adventure"? Sounds dangerous! Someone should file a lawsuit!

[Eagle94-A1]

Yep, State came in and said the pit latrines are not sanitary, and the camp needed a septic tank and flush bathrooms.

[Cambridgeskip]

Agree with dining halls allowing more time for 1 more MB.  I hate the fact that camps are turning into MB factories. We are going to a camp that I haven't been to in 17 years, and it's a MB factory. It's over organized IMHO, with even requiring registration for the night time activities.

 

However I must respectfully disagree with plumbing and camps. Unfortunately a lot of states are requiring plumbing at camps. Still, I'd rather use slit trench and pioneering "chair" instead of some facilities as they are horrible.

 

Can't you go to one of these camps and simply self program?

[Stosh]

Comparing historical scouting to today's scouting is apples and oranges. A small group of boys in the woods doing camping, hiking and cooking verses a coed group in a STEM classroom are worlds apart. So where were BSA's basket of eggs the first half of its history and where are they now? Are we talking the same program? Is what we promote today as scouting anything remotely what Baden-Powel had in mind when he started?

 

Oh, but one must be relevant to today's youth.

 

That's probably true. Most boys couldn't handle the original focus of scouting so a whole different program was developed with dynamics different than the origional. That way it will cater to the adventure inside of every boy around the world. So if not scouting, what is it we are substituting for scouting today and why is not what B-P imagined it to be?

Edited June 21, 2016 by Stosh

[NJCubScouter]

Comparing historical scouting to today's scouting is apples and oranges. A small group of boys in the woods doing camping, hiking and cooking verses a coed group in a STEM classroom are worlds apart.

Stosh, you are a Scoutmaster in "today's Scouting." Is your program "a coed group in a STEM classroom"? And apart from just you, how many BSA STEM classrooms have you actually seen?

 

The core Boy Scout program is still camping, hiking, cooking, etc.

[Eagle94-A1]

Can't you go to one of these camps and simply self program?

 

BSA summer camps are completely different than UK camps. Instead of a camp offering a la carte programs that the entire troop can do, or not do,  BSA camps offers individual Scouts classes or a specific program. I got 15 Scouts to summer camp, and each one has a different schedule.  Some camps offer high adventure programs, some comparable to DofE trips.

 

And apparently some camps are even scheduling night time classes and activities that you have to register for in advance.

 

EDITED: An aside, our venture patrol is doing the AT, with the exception of the specific portion of the AT they are doing, trip adviser wanted to do a section he not only knew well, but would be good for beginner backpackers, they are completely planning the program. And the cost is less than the local council's HA base. Waiting to see the food bill though

Edited June 21, 2016 by Eagle94-A1

[King Ding Dong]

And apparently some camps are even scheduling night time classes and activities that you have to register for in advance.

Astronomy comes to mind.

 

Pardon me if we are talking apples and oranges but isn't scheduling in advance a good thing? So we don't have 40 scouts attempting swimming MB at 10AM and 7 scouts at 9AM. 40 scouts going for Canoeing MB but only 10 canoes? Overcrowding/understaffing/underutilization is certainly a factor that leads to poor MB experiences.

Edited June 21, 2016 by King Ding Dong

[MattR]

Can't you go to one of these camps and simply self program?

Not really. It's mostly scheduled around MBs and the MB classes take up the bulk of every day. There is some free time but it's mostly scheduled. If you want to just play with a canoe then you almost have to do it through a MB class. The problem is that most of the class is not really playing, so you sit there most of the time listening to a counselor jabber on. I'd rather see what they do with swimming, make a small part of the time instruction and enough testing so the scouts are safe, and most of the time open to everyone. If a scout wants the MB he can do the book work at home or in camp, on his own. If a scout just wants to canoe all week then let him.

 

There is an issue with all the scouts wanting to do just a few activities and not having enough resources, and I can see scheduling used for that, but this idea that everyone is just at camp to complete a MB rather than keep getting better at something just drives the one and done advancement mentality that permeates everything.

[Stosh]

Stosh, you are a Scoutmaster in "today's Scouting." Is your program "a coed group in a STEM classroom"? And apart from just you, how many BSA STEM classrooms have you actually seen?The core Boy Scout program is still camping, hiking, cooking, etc.

That may be true if one focuses on the Boy Scout part of the program. Learning for Life, Venturing, STEM CELLS , Cubs (including the new Lions program), and SeaScouts take away resources from the small part being alluded to... which one of the programs are growing and which ones are not. Guess who gets the attention.

[Eagle94-A1]

Astronomy comes to mind.

 

Pardon me if we are talking apples and oranges but isn't scheduling in advance a good thing? So we don't have 40 scouts attempting swimming MB at 10AM and 7 scouts at 9AM. 40 scouts going for Canoeing MB but only 10 canoes? Overcrowding/understaffing/underutilization is certainly a factor that leads to poor MB experiences.

 

I understand completely on the MB classes, and am all for it. But I'm not talking about Astronomy or Journalism (saw that at 1 camp I worked at) or any MB at night. I'm talking about night time programs. With the exception of Opening and Closing Campfires and the OA Powwow, there is no campwide program. You got to register for free time events like swimming, rifle shooting, archery, field games, etc.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Eagle94-A1

[King Ding Dong]

^That sucks. I haven't seen that. The Open times have just been announced in the morning, though I think you could schedule a Troop Shoot.

[Cambridgeskip]

Not really. It's mostly scheduled around MBs and the MB classes take up the bulk of every day. There is some free time but it's mostly scheduled. If you want to just play with a canoe then you almost have to do it through a MB class. The problem is that most of the class is not really playing, so you sit there most of the time listening to a counselor jabber on. I'd rather see what they do with swimming, make a small part of the time instruction and enough testing so the scouts are safe, and most of the time open to everyone. If a scout wants the MB he can do the book work at home or in camp, on his own. If a scout just wants to canoe all week then let him.

 

There is an issue with all the scouts wanting to do just a few activities and not having enough resources, and I can see scheduling used for that, but this idea that everyone is just at camp to complete a MB rather than keep getting better at something just drives the one and done advancement mentality that permeates everything.

 

the way you describe it certainly makes it sound a bit tedious! The High Adventure camps sound more fun though.

 

As a troop we typically schedule some time where we run a selection of activity badges for the scouts that's typically half a day of the week. I think we're farely typical. We also try o have a day or two off site somewhere and give the scouts plenty of free time to do their own thing. Last year was particularly good in that respect. They spent a lot of time getting to know a group of scouts from a particularly tough bit of East London. Bit of an eye opener for my quite sheltered middle class lot.

[qwazse]

My boys chose to go to a mess hall camp with little cabins.  Wait 'til they realize what they are doing does not get 5 days of camping by sleeping in a cabin, no matter how small it may be.  Tents will be available for those that wish to get camping days credit..... and stoves and dutch ovens for cooking credit.... 

Fact is, in a boy's scouting career, only one long-term stint counts for Camping MB (be it Summer Camp, Jambo, or an HA). So, the only real reason for one of your scouts to pitch a tent in this case is if he thinks he'll never do a week under canvas or stars in the future.

 

Of course the real reason to pitch when the troop has a cabin: the aroma of all your mates!