National Scouting Museum moving to Philmont

[NJCubScouter]

I just hope this doesn't cause any problems with the Scouting Heritage merit badge, where one of the requirement options is to write to the Irving museum for information, in return for which they receive a patch, a pamphlet, and a few other goodies. During the transition, I hope there aren't any troublesome delays in that process. I would hate to be a scout waiting 3 - 4 months for that packet to arrive so I could complete the requirement, and as a counsellor, I don't want to see any boys frustrated by the possibility.

  

4b. Write or visit the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas. Obtain information about this facility. Give a short report on what you think the role of this museum is in the Scouting program[/size]

 

I don't think it is necessary for the Scout to receive the packet back from the museum in order to pass that requirement.

 

The first sentence says, write to the museum.  Ok, the Scout writes to the museum.  In Irving, TX.  When the move takes place, the mail will be forwarded.  Forwarding lasts a year.  So if they change the requirements in the official requirements book to say "Irving TX or, when it moves, Philmont" and they do that for the 2018 edition (if they haven't already done it for the 2017 edition which has probably already been printed), none of the mail should go astray.  Remember that the requirements book supersedes the requirements in the merit badge pamphlet.  So no problem there.

 

Second and third sentences, obtain information about the museum and write a report.  It does not say that the information that you obtain necessarily has to be from the packet you eventually get back from the museum.  The museum has a web site.  Everything in the printed pamphlet is probably on that site, and more.  The Scout can write the report based on the information obtained from the web site.  No waiting.  At least until Stosh's concern about all the electricity going out and our civilization reverting to the Stone Age comes to pass, so that the museum's web site disappears along with the rest of the online world.  But at that point I don't think the niceties of requirement 4b for Scouting Heritage MB will be at top of everyone's priority list.  To say nothing of the fact that several of the newer MB's will be completely impossible to earn when we are back in the pre-electric era.

[skeptic]

Here is the full requirement info:

 

4. Do ONE of the following:

a. Attend either a BSA national jamboree, OR world Scout jamboree, OR a national BSA high-adventure base. While there, keep a journal documenting your day-to-day experiences. Upon your return, report to your counselor what you did, saw, and learned. You may include photos, brochures, and other documents in your report.   b. Write or visit the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas.* Obtain information about this facility. Give a short report on what you think the role of this museum is in the Scouting program.   c. Visit an exhibit of Scouting memorabilia or a local museum with a Scouting history gallery,   OR (with your parent's permission and counselor's approval) visit with someone in your council who is recognized as a dedicated Scouting historian or memorabilia collector. Learn what you can about the history of Boy Scouting. Give a short report to your counselor on what you saw and learned.

• If you visited the BSA’s national traveling tour, Adventure Base 100, in 2010, you may use this experience to fulfill requirement 4b.

 

As a counselor, I actually encourage option "c", though obviously, the others are the more common used.  Being a historian of sorts on Scouting, I guess I fit that category for part "C", and I try to put on a couple of displays a year for council events, usually the Annual Meeting and the Eagle Dinner, though will do others if asked and it fits.  I also have so much at my house, that we could fulfill that with a visit to me.  But, having a troop approaching its centennial if 4 years, and that meets in the same place since the 30's also is useful.  Our Scout rooms are mini museums anyway, especially since I was told to clean some stuff out by SWMBO, and it is now on shelves in the rooms.

 

From my own perspective, we too often make the exact reading of requirements too important.  They usually have some flexibility, and hopefully, you have a counselor that will find workarounds should they be necessary.

[skeptic]

As an addition to this discussion, I also hope National may actually revise these requirements in other areas too.  The individuals they offer for reports is a very short list, and some are not nearly as important as some not there.  That includes Hillcourt of course, but in my opinion, should include Rockwell and maybe Cassari as well, though the earlier historical element is far stronger with Rockwell.  Another left out is Edgar Robinson who really was responsible for West coming over and continued his support even though he was a major YMCA official.  I add these three to their choices when we meet, just in case.

 

Of course, other than taking electives out of play a bit, I would feel good having Scouting Heritage as another required one, as it simply seems to me that understanding the history is really important.

[Tampa Turtle]

On a side note, is there a source for Bill Hillcourt  T-shirts or patches?

[RememberSchiff]

On a side note, is there a source for Bill Hillcourt  T-shirts or patches?

 

 

Googling, I found the Trading Post at the William Hillcourt Scout Museum sells a patch. Have not been there myself.

 

http://www.orgsites.com/ny/greenbarbill/

Edited December 29, 2016 by RememberSchiff

[The Latin Scot]

I agree, the Scouting Heritage merit badge should be required. It would do a lot towards building the investment of boys in their Scouting experience if they could get a sense of its deep history and the millions of others who have been through its ranks in the past. The bigger the picture they see, the more eager they will be to take part.

[RememberSchiff]

"The museum will open to the public daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. beginning June 8."

[qwazse]

On December 29, 2016 at 11:26 AM, The Latin Scot said:

I agree, the Scouting Heritage merit badge should be required. It would do a lot towards building the investment of boys in their Scouting experience if they could get a sense of its deep history and the millions of others who have been through its ranks in the past. The bigger the picture they see, the more eager they will be to take part.

Based on the "Pedro" thread, maybe we could swap Scouting Heritage for Family Life on the required for Eagle list.

[The Latin Scot]

Hmm. An interesting proposition? I think Family Life is still essential for any boy, but I do think Scouting Heritage needs to be required, especially with all the new kids that will be coming in. They need to know what Scouting was, versus what Scouting has become.

[Sentinel947]

On 5/31/2018 at 11:22 AM, The Latin Scot said:

Hmm. An interesting proposition? I think Family Life is still essential for any boy, but I do think Scouting Heritage needs to be required, especially with all the new kids that will be coming in. They need to know what Scouting was, versus what Scouting has become.

And what Scouting can be. We all know there are plenty of adult run, advancement mill, webelos 3 troops out there. As we also know, this forum is full of folks who run troops that as much as possible within BSA rules, run troops the way BP and GBB would expect us to. 

This is even more important as girls join, and the eventual changes this will cause. 

[RememberSchiff]

Reminder: 

Philmont Scout Ranch will dedicate the National Scouting Museum at 11 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 15). The ceremony and ribbon-cutting will be followed by a luncheon with guest speakers Gov. Suzanna Martinez and Chief Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh.

https://www.taosnews.com/stories/national-scouting-museum-to-open-at-philmont-ranch,51681