BSA Handbook-12th Edition (just thinking ahead)

[htc1992eaglescout47553]

If this is being worked on now, or being planned for the future, I think it would be a good idea of having both a printed edition as well as an electronic edition (for PDAs, computers, et.)

[VAordeal]

For whenever this comes out, which probobly wont be soon, i would like to see more information on the star,life, and Eagle ranks. And i would like to see some of the basic things updated, for example, the merit badge lists (atomic energy/nuclear science) and the new swim test requirments.

[SemperParatus]

I'd settle for water-resistant pages.

[frank10]

To me it doesn't really matter which edition my scouts forget at home

[stlscouter]

YOU MEAN THERES A BOOK ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF! WHAT A GREAT IDEA!

Just kidding. Sorry didn't mean to yell.

[dkurtenbach]

Instead of a textbook, we need a novel -- a story of fun and adventure about boys who join Boy Scouts. It would take them from brand new Scouts through struggling to learn skills and having real outdoor adventures all the way to Eagle. Knowledge and skills for advancement would be both intertwined in the story and contained in sidebars scattered throughout the book. Ideally, boys would want to (a) live the same adventures that the Scouts in the book are pursuing, and (b) build on them.

 

Dan Kurtenbach

Fairfax, VA

[SemperParatus]

Dan,

Thank you from the bottom of my Tom Slade collection.

[CNYScouter]

Hey it's the 21st Century how about "Scouting - The Video Game"

A

[KoreaScouter]

Make it more like the 9th edition; star charts, animal footprints, trees, more illustrations of Scoutcraft/Scout skill topics. I know that most of that information morphed into the latest Fieldbook and that's why it came out of the Handbook, but I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of Scouts I know who have both.

 

As a non-scientific experiment, I've laid a 9th, 10th, and 11th edition Handbook in front of Scouts, and asked them which one they liked best. 9th and 10th are in a virtual tie for first place, with 11th a distant second...

 

Beyond that, a better binding would be nice. After about 9 months of hard use, the softcovers start to shed pages, and it's over to Kinko's to get them spiral bound.

 

KS

[Lynda J]

I agree with better binding. Kevins book is 2 years old and has come apart. If a boy really uses his book it simply destroys it.

 

[seabear]

I would like to see a Handbook for Skippers, as well.The electronic edition would be grand.

[sitrep]

Good idea but I doubt national will listen, I mean were not the professionals right? I would like to see all the skills stuff put back in and all the pretty pictures taken out. It seemd to me that was was kept in the book was just dumbed down.

[NeilLup]

Actually, I can give some information here as I was on the Task Force which developed the 11th edition.

 

1) One of our most important concerns was the binding. We looked at a large number of potential bindings to come up with one which would lay flat, be durable and not cost an insane sum. The one we have was the best alternative available, but if someone can suggest a better binding which can survive 2 years of 11 year old boy wear, I am sure the BSA would happy to learn about it, if the cost is reasonable. BTW, we estimated that if the current BSA handbook were priced at retail for similar documents, it would cost at least $19.95. The BSA substantially subsidizes the cost of the Handbook

2) We intentionally did not include animals, trees, etc. for several reasons. First is that there are excellent manuals offered by other organizations which provide the exact same information. We would only be duplicating it at high cost. Second is the advice we received from nature experts that national books, particularly for trees and plants can be very misleading. There are a number of plants which look almost identical and differ only in the geographical range in which they are found. The advice was that if someone wanted to become knowledgeable in plants and animals, they should obtain a good local book. It would work much better and be much less frustrating. I suspect that is particularly true now with web availability. The third reason, again, was cost. We wanted the graphics to be superb and graphics for plants and animals would have been very costly raising the cost of the book

3) Requirements - The estimated life of the Handbook is 5-10 years before a major revision. If the requirements for all Merit Badges, etc were included, it would obsolete the book much faster and then there would be the complaining about needing to buy new books.

4) Writing it as a novel - We tried to put in as much romance as possible. There was the balance of romance and information

5) Other items - There was elaborate discussion on whether all photos should have the boys in full uniform or whether outdoor shots should show outdoor wear. We decided to picture realistically what boys and Troops do.

6) Which book is liked better - We did focus groups; honest focus groups. The current edition was strongly preferred.

7) Who is targeted audience - We concluded that a reasonable size and cost book could not cover brand new Scout to Eagle; there is too much of an interest range and age range. So we targeted new boy to First Class Scout. There is some info for older boys, but that isn't the primary targeted audience

8) Who developed it - A task force mainly of volunteers but some pros

 

Is it perfect? Of course not. But I think that we did our best.

 

I would suggest that if there are changes or corrections you think should be made in the handbook or in another major revision, contact the Boy Scout Division in Irving Texas. They very much want those comments. I know of changes made in the book and in requirements because of one letter from a unit level leader.

[madkins007]

My Ideal Handbook:

 

Based on a DayRunner-type notebook.

 

Sections that can be added or removed as the Scout progresses, or information is updated.

 

Sections could include: Basic Requirements, Merit Badge Requirements, Skills sections (first aid, knots, compass use, cooking, fitness, etc.)

 

Pages for troop information, uniform inspection, personal and unit calendar, tracking charts, finances, etc. Pages for positions could include meeting planning worksheets, BOR guidelines, G2SS condensed version, etc.

 

I'd love to see all manuals based on the same 'large pocket' sized system- Cubs, Cub Leaders, Patrol Leaders,...

 

Yet other sections would be "Welcome to Scouting", "Your Patrol", "History of the BSA", "The Cub Scout Story"...

 

I can see a situation in which the unit stocks a library of some of these sections, 'loaning' them to new Scouts or new members of a specific rank as the Scout graduates up.

 

Like the DayRunner system, you'd carry the parts you need, and have a storage organizer at home to hold the other sections, when you have enough to get to this point.

 

Simple software could create new, customized pages- MB classes, summer camp schedules, etc.

 

 

 

Of course, I'd also put it all in Adobe format as well for computers and most PDAs.

 

 

By the way- THANK YOU for the background info on the process! I applaud your efforts, even if I think the book is too thick, too full of pretty pictures, and too skimpy on skills data- that however is just my opinion.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello dkurtenbach,

 

 

Re: writing the Scout Handbook as a novel-

 

I thought every Scout wrote their own book of Scouting as they progressed through the program. If they want to see variations on the theme, they can see the books that other Scouts are writing for themselves.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer