SPL with one patrol

[vrooman]

We have a shrinking troop, and now we are down to one patrol. My question is how does the SPL co-ordinate one patrol? Effectively, should we make the SPL, and PL one position? The SPL wants to be part of the patrol for the upcoming camporee, do we make him take the PL role? Or do we place him in the patrol similar to another thread < SPL / Positioning how does your troop?> I found on this forum?

[Bob White]

Jerry Seinfeld says of laundry detergent commercials, "if your clothesd are covered with blood then maybe laundry isn't really your biggest problem!"

 

Your right, without more than one patrol there is no need for an SPL. But if the troop has shrunk to a single patrol, maybe junior leadership structure is not your biggest problem.

 

I would be far more concerned over the quality of the program and the leadership that has brought it to this point. Training, planning, activities, support, all seem far higher priorities than troop offices right now.

 

[vrooman]

Thanks Bob, I just wanted to make sure that the boys werent going to be violating any policies by doing this. They are working together as we speak to fit our SPL into a patrol position for Camporee. As for our dwindling troop, looks like we might be able to bring back a few of our lost scouts, but it is still far from what we were at a year ago. Our mistake was not pushing the training early enough we are now making all the adults attend as much training as possible.

 

Vrooman

[acco40]

Agreed, but to answer your question ....

 

The SPL and ASPL don't belong to a patrol. In our troop, the adults function as a separate patrol on our outings. That serves two purposes. One, allows me to keep parents and non-trained leaders busy. As SM, I'm the PL of that patrol. If I see adults getting to involved with the boys, I re-direct them. Since we do our own cooking and clean-up, we also give, as an enticement, the SPL and ASPL the opportunity to eat with us. This is seen as a perk (we eat better) but it also gives me a chance to interact with what should be my main focal area. It also keeps the SPL and ASPL away from the PLs. As soon as an SPL or ASPL enters the domain of a youth patrol they tend to usurp the athority of the PL. Not by any overt means but think of when a General meets with a squad. Do you think the squad is going to look to the squad leader or to the General for direction!

 

Now, lets say you only have one patrol in your troop. I would have a PL only and no SPL. Or, it the youth prefer, instead of a PL and APL, have a SPL nad ASPL (i.e. no PL).

 

Good luck! By the way, one thing I've noticed of many shrinking troops is that they don't emphasize the patrol method.

 

 

[Eagledad]

HI Vrooman

 

I don't have experience with a single patrol, but I think would try to approach it in a way that would least upset the program when another patrol needs to be added. I would work the Patrol side of the program, not the troop side because the basic job of the SPL is coordinating and teaching the Patrol Leaders. You will find the PL responsibilities are pretty much the same as the SPL, just on a smaller scale. Once you get the next patrol, you can suggest adding someone to help coordinate multiple Patrol leaders (SPL).

 

Hey acco, I'm not much for adult patrols being a role model for the Scout patrols, but we had an older scout as the adult Patrol Leader. It works very well because the adults respect his advice and guidence and the new adults follow him like glue trying to learn the program. That left the SM to his own duties with the SPL. And the older scout grew up a lot as well.

 

Barry

[AlmostThere]

I'm the SM of a small troop, and have been through this recently. A year ago when I moved from COR to SM, the troop was decidedly not boy-led, and it has been a slow process getting on track. We currently have 6 active boys; 1 Life, 3 Tenderfoot, and 2 Scouts.

 

A few months back, we reduced the term of office to two months, and only the PL is elected, no SPL and one patrol only. When the PL is elected, he appoints each of the other boys to an office, and each office has an adult advisor. Two months is a pretty short rotation and some of the appointed positions (scribe, quartermaster, historian, assistant patrol leader) don't get much done during their term, but I don't feel that's the point at their level. As the PL's advisor, I give as much guidance and pressure as he can handle, and as much control as possible. The PL plans and leads the weekly meetings and teams with the Troop Instructor for the campouts. It's working for the time being, but I look at it as a temporary situation until the troop grows into a larger command structure.

--

Russell

[evmori]

I have had experience with this situation. When we dropped to one patrol, the Scouts still wanted a SPL and a PL. I don't think there is any violation of rules or regs if you don't have a SPL. I would leave it up to the Scout in your Troop.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[falcon93]

Being a new troop - We are 1 patrol. I recently added a Star Scout to my troop (along with another ASM) and with him being the most experienced (maturity and exposure to patrol method/ youth run troops) I made him SPL.

 

To me, this gets them used to reporting through the proper channels of communications.

 

Given your situation - I agree with some earlier posts, the position itself isnt as big of a problem as the "why are they leaving". You need to identify the whole in your bucket and plug it......

 

Don't be afraid to ask them why they are leaving.

 

[Leigh]

Falcon 93,

I do not mean this with any disrespect but why 'make' a youth the Senior Patrol Leader? Why not allow the experienced youth, your Star Scout, to act as a Troop Guide for a short period of time until the other scouts gain more experience. The newer scouts can then elect their Patrol Leader and be a scout run troop (patrol). I know this is a controversial subject but the SPL is supposed to be elected by the scouts and not dependent on who has the highest rank.

[TheScout]

Leigh,

 

I see your point, but basically the same problem remains in your solution. As illegitimate it is to "make" a scout an SPL, the same applies to making a scout Troop Guide. A Troop Guide as well as all other troop positions may only be appointed by the boy elected SPL with the advice and consent of the Scoutmaster.

 

If you truly desire a boy led troop, the only way to fill youth troop offices is by the will of the boys.

 

Thanks.

[Leigh]

I agree with you completely! This has been my dilema. While I was the ASM, the SM was in and out due to illness. The boys wanted to have an election so we did. The boys elected the scout they wanted as their leader. The SM came back the meeting after the election and made his scout the SPL. This scout was a 1st Class and in the 7th grade so he had more experience then the rest. I opposed this move as well as did the committee but hThe SM's point was how can a 2nd class scout be in charge of a 1st class scout. The reason this scout wasn't chosen as the SPL was because the boys did not want him as their SPL but then the SM has placed him there anyways. Thoughts, comments?

[OldGreyEagle]

The argument that a second class scout can't be in charge of a first class scout would work, if this was the military. If we take that line of thinking to the ultimate end, then an Eagle would always have to be a SPL or a patrol leader. Does that make sense? What does the Scoutmaster Handbook say about electing the senior patrol leader? The key here is election, not selection.

 

The scoutmaster was/is wrong. What do you get with a selected SPL, especially when another scout was elected? Apathy, poot attendance and a troop on a downward slide. Dang, does that doesnt sound good!

 

What can you do? Tough questions. Its easy to sit online and hurl opinions and tell you what the rules are, another to get it done. How many other people feel as you do? How active is the Charter Organizaiton Rep?

[Bob White]

You can simply elect the patrol leader and let him pick the other offices since there is only one patrol there would be no need for patrol and troop positions.

 

Troops exist when patrols gather, One patrol is just that...one patrol. As other scouts are added you can expand to include troop positions.

 

BW