Compare Marching Band to Scouting

[Lisabob]

I really and truly do not see this as a one or the other choice. I was very involved in band and other forms of musical education through college. I also had a regular weekends and summers job working at a camp. There were occasional conflicts but not that many, and I'm thankful that my various band leaders and camp employers were willing to be somewhat flexible most of the time. I found a way to make both work, and I'm a happier and better person for having done so. I still play in various groups (and alone) today, and I'm still involved in and supportive of outdoor programs (such as scouts), too.

 

We get angry when kids don't prioritize the way we want them to. Well maybe they simply don't have the same wants and needs as we do. I am not advocating that we be a drop-in organization and I know that this is unpopular in some circles but if we demand that kids put scouting above all other activities then a lot of kids will simply choose not to do scouting at all.

 

 

[Beavah]

If the kid wants to become a musician or music educator, or certain engineering or medical fields. Scouts it pretty much 2nd Chair (to use the musician's term).

 

You're goin' to have to explain that one to me, Engineer61. I get da musician or music educator bit. But I can't for the life of me figure out how being in Marching Band prepares a lad for engineering or medical fields.

 

If anything, Scouting tends to be the one place in these parts where kids get the best introduction to medical fields, through first aid training and volunteering. I can point to any number of former scouts who went into medicine because of their experiences in Scouting.

 

Same with engineering, eh? From da Radio MB/JOTA crowd learning electromagnetic theory to the Climbing MB kids learning forces and vectors to the pioneering and catapult projects to da Space Exploration MB rockets, seems like kids get a far more fun and thorough introduction and mentoring in da engineering disciplines in Scouting than they do by marching around a field banging a drum.

 

Perhaps yeh can explain?

 

Beavah

 

[GernBlansten]

For my son, it was 24/7 scouting through middle school. Made every campout and meeting. Over 100 nights camping. Earned his Eagle by the beginning of his freshman year. Started marching in his freshman year and it immediately impacted his scouting activities, especially in the fall. Now in his senior year, he's in jazz band before school, wind ensemble for a school class, marching band practice every evening (through fall), and competitions/FB games every weekend through the fall. Zero time for scouting. He's said he wants to continue band into college even though he's looking at becoming an engineer. Hasn't camped once this year or attended one scout meeting. Priorities change.

[Beavah]

Now in his senior year, he's in jazz band before school, wind ensemble for a school class, marching band practice every evening (through fall), and competitions/FB games every weekend through the fall. Zero time for scouting.

 

Yah, this probably belongs over in da challenge thread, but do yeh have a sense of why your son went that way, Gern? To me it seems the level of dedication give the lie to the notion that kids won't do activities (whether Scouting or band) which demand a high level of time commitment. In fact, by high school, they seem to relish the activities that demand a high level of commitment.

 

B

[GernBlansten]

Beavah,

I think band was just something new for him, a new challenge that he's gotten good at. Scouting for him was the thing for him during middle school. He put 100% into it, Philmont, SeaBase, NTeirs, OA, NYLT, staffed NYLT, Okpik, Eagle. After he mastered it, he looked for a new challenge and band was it. I expect him to let band drift away and something new become his passion after he graduates from HS. I don't think it was that scouting didn't meet his needs, it provided well. I just think its silly to expect they continue when the world offer so many other opportunities. Scouting for most is not a life long commitment.

[Eagle1982]

Because Marching Band is a school function and Scouting is not. Scouting will, in most everyone's eyes, be secondary to school. Schools hold an incredible amount of power over parents and students. So many parents are afraid of the truant officer coming after them if their kid should miss a day of school for some other event. So many parents are afraid their kid won't get into a good college (although there's too many kids going to college, but that's a different rant).

 

As a school function, the Marching band can require students be there for a certain number of practices and events, or get kicked out of band. You local Scout troop can't do that.

 

Marching band meets more often during the week (when in season) than Scouts. The same friends they see daily in school are there, then afterward they walk home together. These same people are at every event, not just a few campouts. This close camaraderie may lead to a Scout preferring marching band over Scouts.

 

I think in general parents fear schools, and have given up too much power and control over their lives.

 

Now, my own son is in marching band. Fortunately it does not conflict with Scout meetings, and usually does not conflict with events, except possibly arriving late on Friday night at a campout because he was playing.

[Engineer61]

Eagle - Well said...

"Marching band meets more often during the week (when in season) than Scouts. The same friends they see daily in school are there, then afterward they walk home together. These same people are at every event, not just a few campouts. This close camaraderie may lead to a Scout preferring marching band over Scouts."

 

ABSOLUTELY!

 

On a daily basis, my son sees 1 or 2 fellow Scouts. My other son sees most of his band on a daily basis the whole school year.

 

I don't fear the attendance officer. Of course, most states to have minimum attendance requirements for class credits. Here, if you miss 12 class periods in a semester, the school can refuse to give you course credit for that semester.

 

So if you blow off 1/2 dozen Friday's to go camping in a semester, you're probably on the radar. Blow off Friday and Monday and you're definitely talking to the Principal.

 

 

 

 

 

[evmori]

Why do we need to compare the two?