SPL Invited Himself to Patrol Campout

[desertrat77]

I concur with Acco, it was not a patrol campout.

 

Mr. SPL needs some friendly advice on what his boundaries are.

 

And he should be encouraged to leave the MREs at home. Runs counter to what the patrols are trying to learn. If they see a senior scout not preparing food, cooking, cleaning, they will get the message that their efforts are just square fillers, or a rite of passage, because it's all n/a for senior scouts.

[EagleScouter2010]

RR,

 

Well, the group had a decent trip at least. I've got a few questions though if you don't mind answering: How much leading did the APL actually do? How much of the PL's or APL's plans actually happened? Have you talked to the SPL yet or at least let him know your opinion? (I actually found a great link if you want a hard copy to show him every responsibility for each troop member. It's not official, but it still helps. http://www.scoutingbsa.org/programs/boyscouts/Principles_of_Scouting/Sample_Troop_Info/Youth_Job_Description_524.html) I don't agree with some minor details, but the main information here is great. Especially show him these: "Assigns duties and responsibilities to junior leaders. Delegation is the main job of the Senior Patrol Leader. Needs to know WHAT needs done so he can decide WHO has to do it." I'm actually going to show a few of the boys some of these at the next meeting so they can judge whether they're doing their jobs or not.

 

I honestly did laugh at him bringing MREs; I've never heard that one before. You should ask him to show the boys how to cook a proper meal since he might need the challenge. I know someone, too, who has to be seen as the "best stuff" around. If it makes you feel any more confident to reason with him, I can guarantee that about half of the boys in your troop resent Mr. SPL for his selfishness/cockiness/immaturity (or whatever you'd call it). I see this one happen where even an SPL gets distracted from the meeting plans. I'm not sure what to think of him teaching there. It was helpful, but he should be in the background, so kind of a win/lose for you.

 

If you haven't yet, then I really recommend having some sort of talk with him at your next meeting. He sounds like he is pretty young and maybe isn't ready to be an SPL, but still wants to be in a patrol.

[Reasonable Rascal]

I'll try to answer things as best I can; hope I hit everything asked.

 

The APL did very little leading. it does not come naturally to him and in any case his family and the SPl's have gotten to be friends, so I really wonder if he would say/do anything to step between the SPL and the others. Just my thinking any how.

 

The cooking went off or or less as planned. The Toten Chip class wasn't part of the plan. After I suggested it a couple of patrol members took the newer boys under wing and pretty much got them through fire lays, etc. This helped occupy time gainfully.

 

I have not had a chance to talk to the SPL yet other than to tell him at the campout we would be having a PLC meeting this week.

 

Need to elaborate a bit on that. Discovered a much-damaged (serious mildew on 3 ourside surfaces, 1-1/2 cup of wet sand inside the tent itself) new tent that had been used a grand total of one night by the boys prior to this. I was informed (more than once in fact) that the SPL had been pranking the other kids at the Dec. campout by digging holes in the sand under their tent floors. I guess we are lucky no one put a foot through a floor or twisted an ankle. I was not on that campout save to visit for a short time twice just to make sure they didn't need anything and knew what the service project was that they were to do in return for camping fee-free (county park). There were 4 other adults present, one of whom is SM trained.

 

ES2010, you are correct. The boys - especially the older ones who have been with the troop longer than the SPL by a couple of years - are resentful of his style, or lack of it, and his broken promises (made in order to be elected, apparently) and occasionally obvious attempts to curry favor with a few. The SPL has the age but not the skills.

 

He seems to see himself as super-achiever when in reality he skips and misses. He asked about possible Eagle projects at the park we were camping in (my ASM, present for this event, did his there) when he is a long time away from finishing his Eagle-required MB's including Personal Management and Fitness, Family Life and Communications. His downfall is record keeping - he doesn't but wants the Committee et al to believe he does.

 

One more point: we have an Instructor for Toten Chip and Knots. I think the SPL wants to be seen as the go-to guy for everything TTFC. Even if his own skills are anything but equal to the Instructor's.

 

RR(This message has been edited by Reasonable Rascal)