Tools of the Trade - Methods of Scouting

[BrentAllen]

Beavah,

A good contractor (SM) isn't going to let a poor subcontractor ruin his overall product. Use a bad electrician and poor materials, and even the house with the best plumbing and carpentry will still burn down. Houses are different styles, but in each style there is still high quality and poor quality end results.

 

You can build the best house in the world, but if it looks like crap on the outside, nobody is going to care about the inside. If we can't teach our Scouts that curb appeal (first impression) is important, then we have failed them.

 

 

 

 

[OldGreyEagle]

Sorry, but I have to do this

 

So, you CAN tell a book by its cover?

[eisely]

We are a fully uniformed troop. It took awhile to get there, but that is what we do.

 

There are a number of arguments in favor of the uniform. I see the uniform as essentially playing to what I will call "gang psychology." Boys want to belong to a group. Gangs have their own uniforming to set themselves apart. We offer a different kind of gang and uniforming is part of that.

 

Consider youth sports. You don't see teams being allowed to play with half a uniform.

 

The appearance of a book's cover is important. Ultimately the content of the book is far more important, but making the book attractive and interesting looking in order to get potential buyers to pick up the book in the first place is one of the functions of the cover. So it is with the BSA uniform. A parent and a youth making a decision to join scouting at all, and secondarily which unit to join, will also be influenced by the first impression. What is it that provides that first impression? The physical appearance of the youth and leaders. Sloppy and incomplete uniforming says something.

 

I am not a clothes horse, but I do try to take care of myself. A youth or adult in scouting who takes pride in their appearance in uniform will be a better scout or scouter for doing so.

[Kudu]

But the point is to build a house, not to be good with tools.

 

That's why most American boys hate Scouting.

 

They would rather learn how to be "good with tools" so they stick with stuff they can do with their hands, such as sports.

 

The so-called "Aims and Methods" is only a theory:

 

A theory by which adults substitute chin-ups for Patrol Hikes, in the name building the house of "Fitness."

 

A theory by which adults substitute the three branches of government for the natural pecking order of backwoods competency, in the name of building the house of "Citizenship."

 

A theory by which adults substitute their indoor value judgements for what a boy should learn by walking into the woods with a pack on his back, in the name of building the house of "Character."

 

It is interesting to note that the office experts who introduced the fake Methods of Leadership Development and Personal Growth in 1972, removed the Uniform Method for a decade and forever dumbed the Patrol Method and Outdoor Method down to the Cub Scout level.

 

The Methods are eight rotten rungs on a ladder used to build the Three Aims house of homework and office cubicles.

 

And we wonder why they leave.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

 

History of the Methods of Scouting:

http://inquiry.net/adult/methods/index.htm

 

[SeattlePioneer]

Kudu,

 

You repeat your general rant and fail to even answer the question posed ---- what is the role of uniforming in a boy run troop?

 

Your troop doesn't use uniforms? Or perhaps a high standard of uniforming is imposed by adult leaders?

 

If the troop is boy led, perhaps the boys adopt the uniforms that appeal to them?

 

Do tell.

 

What do you personally wear and why?

 

(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

[Beavah]

The appearance of a book's cover is important. Ultimately the content of the book is far more important, but making the book attractive and interesting looking in order to get potential buyers to pick up the book in the first place is one of the functions of the cover.

 

LOL. Yah, well, if that's the case then I reckon da BSA uniform fails completely for kids. Never once have I seen a boy-scout-aged lad walk in to a troop and say "I want to wear THAT!"

 

And it also gets us back to my point in that other uniform thread. What do scouters look like in the uniform? Like beknotted weather balloons? Lots of different things make for a first impression, and clothing is low on my list. A courteous greeting and a handshake are up there, and I confess I like to see a bit of fun and chaos among boys rather than too much starch and polish.

 

Now BA is right in that total weakness at usin' a tool can compromise the product. I think that happens a lot with youth leadership and especially Patrol Method, which is why Kudu rants about it so. But lots of fine troops get by on what I'd consider half-youth leadership, quite a few do OK without 300 feet of separation, and I reckon plenty do just fine on half-uniforming.

 

Just depends what your Aims are, eh?

 

Beavah

 

[Kudu]

The purpose of the word "rant" is to get others to dismiss an idea without thinking about it.

 

This thread is not about uniforms, it is about metaphors.

 

Stosh poses the "Methods of Scouting" as "Tools of the Trade."

 

Everyone so far just assumes that "eight" Methods are valid "tools."

 

But the very idea of "Methods" as a vehicle to some more important goal undercuts competency, as in "Baseball is only ONE of the 'eight methods' of Little League."

 

Sports teams don't need a "Uniform Method" because they concentrate on competency: What boys take pride in.

 

Any indoor boy can become an Eagle Scout without ever walking into the woods with a pack on his back BECAUSE we have the Aims & Methods.

 

Tools at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

 

Scuba Diving Merit Badge:

http://www.inquiry.net/scuba_diving_merit_badge/index.htm

(This message has been edited by kudu)

[gcnphkr]

>>>1) Advancement - yet it is acceptable that only 3% of the boys actually attain the rank of Eagle

 

At the risk of picking a nit. Eagle is not the goal of advancement. The closest to a "every scout should obtain" rank is First Class.

[BrentAllen]

Kudu,

If you don't think boys take pride in their baseball uniforms, then you are very mistaken.

 

Beavah,

Boys like the uniform - did you miss Lisabob's comments about the Switchbacks? It appears many like the shirt, since some Troops wear only that. And what's the deal with all the fat Scouters in your area? Do you not have any gyms?

[Kudu]

Brent,

 

That is my point: Boys do take pride in their baseball uniforms.

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

>

 

Wrong Kudu. I described your post as a rant because it was your usual diatribe of bitter hate that you regurgitate without thinking.

 

 

I asked you a few questions that I was, and am, interested in your thoughts. But you couldn't be bothered to discuss something that might have some meaning.

 

 

Too bad.(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

[Kudu]

Troll.

[desertrat77]

"Beknotted weather balloons"

 

Beavah makes a great point. Many scouters are dressed in complete uniform, with everything in accordance with prescribing directives.

 

However, the scouters may often be unfit. Not a very good impression for an organization that still promotes "physically strong."

 

Yes, I know life happens, and I know how hard I've got to work in stay in shape. But still.....

 

Brent, the boys sure like those switchbacks, they surely do. Perhaps it's because a) they don't look like nerdy boy scout pants, and b) they are functional. If we can work on a uniform shirt that meets those two criteria, we'll be cooking with gas!

[acco40]

The national council should mandate BSA boxer shorts as part of the field uniform. That way, the boys would actually pull up their pants so I wouldn't have to look at their "non-BSA" boxers.

 

It's funny. Some of the boys are really proud of their accomplishments and wear the uniform with pride. That's why you see OA sashes at troop COHs. That's also why you see some boys (non-OA, 15 year old 2nd Class) who don't particularly like wearing the uniform. Alas, that's also why you see some "Panamanian General" type Scouters push uniforming so hard. For myself, I just like the fact that the only judgment I need to make is which uniform **** , pants and socks I'll pick.

[OldGreyEagle]

hey, my mother was Panamanian, and a General...