Eagle Scout statistics

[Hunt]

"I'm betting that parents are paying more attention to their sons' advancement nowadays."

 

I think this is probably true, at least in the suburban achievement-oriented atmosphere where I live--kids must not only be in activities, but must excel in them--so not just soccer, but travel soccer--not just piano lessons, but piano competitions, etc.

 

I also think that the real barriers to making Eagle are not now, and probably were not in the past, the amount of work that had to be done. The barriers have more to do with teen-age attitude. If a boy wants to be an Eagle, it's not all that hard--heck, we've discussed numerous situations in which adults wanted to hold a boy back from earning Eagle "too soon." On the other hand, if a boy doesn't really want it, it can be very, very difficult. He may still get there, if his parents want it bad enough--and maybe more parents want it now, as you suggest.

 

 

[scoutingagain]

Well since thread has meandered to a topic that includes one of my "pet peeves" I'll throw in my 2 cents.

 

When I earned my Eagle in the early 70's, both Swimming and Lifesaving were required MBs. No substitutions available for hiking or cycling except for scouts with true physical disabilities. These were definate decriminators with respect to the pool of potential Eagle candidates. While any reasonable decent swimmer could probably earn swimming, it did eliminate those that didn't swim at all, or were only marginal swimmers.

 

And Lifesaving was an entirely different matter. This was the single most physically challenging MB required, at least from my perspective. It included an in water rescue that required physical strength, endurance and strong swimming skills, at least at my summer camp. I would say less than half of the Eagles in the troop I currently serve that have been awarded in the last 6 years, (8 Eagles) would have been physically capable of earning this MB. Now these are 8 very fine young men, and I don't mean to deminish their accomplishment. But if they had to face the same program I did, I honestly believe 4, maybe 5, would have not met both the swimming and lifesaving requirement.

 

SA

[Hunt]

"But if they had to face the same program I did, I honestly believe 4, maybe 5, would have not met both the swimming and lifesaving requirement."

 

Is that because of their conditioning, or their basic physiology? I guess I'm really asking whether your objection is that the current requirements don't force boys to learn essential lifesaving skills, or that the current requirements don't weed out weak specimens.

(I tend to agree with you that it's troubling to think of an Eagle Scout who wouldn't be able to rescue a drowning person--but I think any boy in the normal range of physical condition should be able to learn to do this.)

[scoutingagain]

Well one just didn't swim. He barely passed his 1st class swimming requirement and pursued hiking MB. Ironically, he was probably in the best physical condition of the group I would have my doubts about. The others were decent swimmers and they did earn swimming MB at summer camp although I don't think they could have earned lifesaving. I should have indicated in the physical condition they were in at the time they were awarded Eagle. It may be that with some coaching, conditioning and time they could have eventually got there and who knows, if the lifesaving requirement was still there maybe some would have made the effort and succeeded. Without the requirement there was no need to attempt to meet the challenge.

 

SA

[epalmer84]

"Through the end of 2005, 1,835,410 young men had been awarded the Eagle Scout Award"

http://www.marketing.scouting.org/resources/factsheets/02-179.html

 

"in 1982, 13-year-old Alexander Holsinger, of Normal, Ill., was recognized as the one millionth Eagle Scout."

http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0211/d-wwas.html

 

Interesting. This means that the first million Eagles were awarded in the first 72 years. .8 million Eagles were then awarded in the next 23 years. Extrapolating, the second million Eagles will have been awarded in just under 29 years, or under a third of the time it took to make the first million.

 

Ed

[Gonzo1]

epalmer84,

I enjoy your comments.

 

I find your double posts annoying.

 

Sorry, I don't mean to offend.

 

G

 

[packsaddle]

Hey Gonzo1, I guess that means he has actually only posted 24 unique messages (as of this moment), LOL. But don't lean too hard on him. This happens to many of us on rare occasions (I've accidentally done it maybe twice).

And for some reason, it happens fairly consistently for certain forum members (I have no explanation but I bet Terry does). The moderators could have addressed this a while back though, maybe your concern should be aimed at them instead. Anyway I suspect epalmer has no control over it, or else doesn't know how to fix the problem. (I don't know how to fix it either).

Moderators, Terry, HELP!

[Gonzo1]

Packsaddle, thanks for the comment. Happy New Year to you by the way!

 

epalmer, I'm sorry if I offended you. I tried private message a couple of times over the last 2 or 3 weeks, but nothing changed. I'm sorry.

 

Gonzo1

[Fuzzy Bear]

After reviewing the requirements of several MBs, it appears that the level of difficulty to obtain those badges are just as difficult, and possibly more so, than in the past. I always felt that learning Morse Code for First class was the biggest problem (for me) to reaching Eagle when I received mine in 64. The emphasis has changed toward advancing a boy to First Class within the first year, which was based on data from National that a boy will stay in Scouting longer if he reaches First Class. This strategy has worked because the number of Scouts reaching Eagle has climbed dramatically in the last 20 years. This solves the problem of retention.

 

Although Scouting numbers have declined in the past few years, as has been pointed out to us emphatically by one astute observer, this means that recruitment will be the next push from National.

 

If the statistics that epalmer84 has pointed out are correct, then we should have about a million more young people that have obtained to the Aims of Scouting that we all agree on as being the best that we can accomplish within this program. This is a fact that should bring us all great amounts of joy. fb

(This message has been edited by Fuzzy Bear)

[OldGreyEagle]

SO far its been one a heck of a holiday season, if I were a paranoid I would wonder why the Catholic Church has been used as an example of a CO exemplifying all sorts of mal deeds within the Scouting Arena and now Moderators are under attack. I think I have said this before, but in case I wasnt very clear, let me try it again. The Moderators on this foum are volunteers who look at content only. We do not have the ability to fix any technical glitches. If any such problems arise, they should be directed to the site owner.

 

Having said the above, I think if you use other than Explorer as a web browser, you are prone to double posts, but as I am not an IT professional, I wouldnt know

[packsaddle]

OGE, you do remember what Johnny Fever said about paranoia, don't you?

Happy New Year to everyone!

[John-in-KC]

Over and above the anecdotal evidence,

 

Scouters need to get out their own personal Boy Scout Handbooks from their youth (mine is the 7th edition, 1965), and compare them with todays version.

 

The fact of the matter is, the National Council has redesigned the advancement program to Star, Life, and Eagle. It's designed to help a Scout have success on the upper portion of the advancement trail.

 

Then: 1 Eagle required merit badge to Star

Now: 4 Eagle required merit badges.

 

Then: +4 (total 5) Eagle required merit badges to Life.

Now: +3 (total 7) Eagle required merit badges.

 

The requirements as they were structured for the 11th Edition (and the years since) support success. The youth who makes Life Scout is looking downhill to Eagle. With the way our LT camps are structured, many kids have the elective MBs they need long before they make Eagle.

 

That's not a bad thing. BSA has to compete for the young man with many other options now. Designing some "due course efficiency" into the program is a good thing.

[OldGreyEagle]

When everybody's out to get you, paranoia is just good thinking.

 

Oh, yeah, BOOGER!!!

[SSScout]

Paranoia....

 

"The chances of being eaten by a tiger in the middle of Main St. may be a million to one, but once is enough."

 

back to the topic...

So it seems we have a LOSS of membership, both absolute and relative to the pool of possible members.

And we seem to have an INCREASE in Eagle awards, both absolute and relative to possible award earners and relative to past years...

 

Does this equate to an easing of the requirements and/or a greater desire on the part of the possible earners and/or a greasing of the ways (JohninKC: more E MBs for S & L)(MB mills), and/or more competitive parents pressure and/or ....?

[Gonzo1]

Maybe the higher number of Eagles may (I emphasize the word 'may') be due in part to parents who live vicariously through their children and want to get the Eagle they missed or build a resume, or puff up a college application.