"A Philosophy of Traditional Scouting"

[LeCastor]

When reading the thread about whether or not a Boy Scout could/should be wearing a campaign hat, I did a little "googling" and found this website for a "special" troop in Florida:

 

http://scouts238.com/content/view/16/30/

 

From the photos, it appears that the Scouts are enjoying themselves even though they do look like they are 1910 Scouts living in 2011. However, I can appreciate that this troop wants to follow the ideals of Scouting, as laid out by Baden-Powell's "Scouting for Boys." If I had had the opportunity to join this troop when I was crossing over from Cubs I would have been thrilled.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

LeCastor

[Bando]

My first instinct is "an adult thought a lot about this." Because there's no way a kid is forming the ideology of this troop, nor is it likely youth are rigidly implementing it.

 

Boy lead or adult fantasy?

[Eagle92]

Interesting. While I admit an adult had to help, and probably alot, to get it started, once the troop has a few years under it's belt, it is probably youth focused.

 

Now I admit I did have some minor, technical issues with them, i.e. some of the walking staves seem a little to big for the scouts, I'd put a garbage bag over a sleeping bag in one pic, etc. But overall not too shabby.

 

 

EDITED; Forgot to add, are the scouts happy with the program? Are they slowly taking over, if they haven't already ( the website said they are new that's why I ask)? If the Answer is Yes, I have no problem.(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[lrsap]

From their Uniform Guidelines section of the web site:

 

"We like to be the only troop in FULL uniform...."

 

" In addition to its obvious functionality, it is still the broad-brimmed hat which makes Troop 238 stand out from other troops in camp or at a parade."

 

I know troops with this type of mentality. It's not only about making sure the boys in the troop are as good as they can be, pleasure is taken in being better than anyone else. Then we will make sure to let you know.

 

Sounds like adults "living the dream" to me.

[Kudu]

Traditional Scouting is a game designed for boys. Once adults set it up, it is intuitive for them to carry out.

 

The easiest way to prove that for yourself is simply plan a campout in which the Patrol Leaders separate their Patrols by Baden-Powell's minimum standard of 300 feet apart, and see what happens.

 

The Winter 1997 issue of Scouter.Com's print publication, Scouter Magazine, includes articles by and about a 12 year-old Scout from my Troop who had organized his own Indian Lore "Boy Scout Troop" by buying up old Traditional Scouting library discards. The issue includes material based on interviews of the Scout by Scouter Terry and "Big Ed" Henderson.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

http://kudu.net

 

 

 

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

I think this unit is a symbol of the need to return to our core scouting program. However, the core program elements have to be packaged in a way that will appeal to current youth. Were drifting away from our purpose, and core methods of scouting. I see example, after example, of units recognizing this, and attempting to address this issue. I wonder why national turns a blind eye, are they caught up in a corporate numbers and dollars game?

[DancesWithSpreadsheets]

No photos or calendar events since May 2010, no newsletter since 2009, are they still in business?

 

Regards,

 

DWS

[BadenP]

These kids look like boy scouts anywhere, yea in some photos they wear campaign hats, but in many others they are wearing baseball style caps.

 

It is not the hat that makes the program, and if they want to adopt a more "traditional" style program more power to them. Besides at the rate National is continuing to bring changes to the boy scout program maybe they need to see for themselves that traditional scouting still works just fine without all of Nationals ill thought out changes.

[Kudu]

Has anyone found an Email address on their site?

 

Domain lookup lists the only contact as Amphion Communications.

[Chug]

They sound like they want to be a BPSA group.

[SR540Beaver]

Then there is this group out of Fort Worth, TX that has been discussed in years past, but nothing on their page looks newer than 2003.

 

http://www.1sttarrantbpscouts.org/index.html

[Basementdweller]

I have to laugh.

 

Lower left hand corner is a play to pay for merit badge college...... Traditional?????

[Kudu]

Fort Worth (BPSA-USA) was the second wave of Baden-Powell Scouting in the United States. I organized its Tenderfoot-First Class program based on 1965 UK Scouting. BPSA-USA delayed its national program launch until the outcome of Wrenn v. Boy Scouts of America, and then apparently bailed as a result of the unfavorable ruling.

 

A younger generation's third wave BPSA is based on the 1938 Policy, Organization, and Rules (Baden-Powell's last PO&R). They maintain a Web-presence at http://bpsa-us.org/ and Facebook.

 

Scouts238.Com includes a number of references to my Website and they may introduce those elements of BPSA Scouting for the fun of it, but they appear to be a Traditional Scouting unit working within current BSA guidelines.

 

Yours at 300 feet,

 

Kudu

 

The BPSA's old first wave American program:

 

http://inquiry.net/traditional/handbook/index.htm

 

Baden-Powell's 1938 "Rules on How to Play the Game of Scouting for Boys.:

 

http://www.inquiry.net/traditional/por/index.htm

 

 

[Chug]

I see they now call themselves the Baden-Powell Service Association rather than Scout Association.

[Kudu]

Chug: Wrenn v. Boy Scouts of America