[Vision2020] Fw: [Spam 5.86] BE OUTSIDE!

[Darrell Keim]

I called troops like that "Eagle Factories."  Once or twice I had the
privelege of talking to that type of troops leaders, and telling them
to tighten their standards.


2009/1/29 Kai Eiselein, Editor <editor at lataheagle.com>:
>
> One thing have have noticed of late, is how some troops seem to churn out
> Eagle Scouts. It used to be that you couldn't expect to attain that rank
> until you were 16 or 17, now I've seen 14 year olds. We had to really work
> for merit badges, most instructors made us go far beyond the requirements
> laid out in the merit badge book.
> I think quite a few people got started on their career paths by earning
> merit badges, since Scouts choose what interests them, aside from badges
> required for rank advancement. It allows boys a chance to try out things
> they might not otherwise do.
> As for rank, in my case anyway, I had wanted to reach Eagle. When I was
> tapped into Leadership Corps, I got much more involved in helping younger
> scouts and found I enjoyed it. Instead of going after merit badges, I
> focused on helping and teaching them.
> I really enjoyed Scouting, I have a lot of good memories from the
> experience.
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Darrell Keim" <keim153 at gmail.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 1:54 PM
> To: "Chasuk" <chasuk at gmail.com>
> Cc: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Fw: [Spam 5.86] BE OUTSIDE!
>
>> You can add me to the list  that dislikes the uniform.  As to the
>> merit badges and rank advancement-we disagree there.  As an adult I
>> like being able to see the experiences a young man has had by looking
>> at his patches.  And, as a youth, I enjoyed the recognition I got for
>> earning the badges.  As a former professional I'll add that, while I
>> think it is often over emphasized, the rank advancement system gives
>> Scouting volunteers a good framework around which to build the program
>> they want their youth to have.  The merit badge activities themselves
>> can be great or poor, depending on instructor.  Scouting secularity-I
>> can see some folks having an issue with a requirement of belief in
>> God.  Beyond that-they are non-secular.  They don't care which god you
>> worship.  In real life how religous each troop is varies widely.  Here
>> in the M-P area we have some groups that pray during every meeting,
>> and others that don't deal with religion at all-preferring to let
>> families deal with that topic.
>>
>> As you said-YMMV!!!
>>
>> 2009/1/29 Chasuk <chasuk at gmail.com>:
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 12:52, Darrell Keim <keim153 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I really like what the CiNN network is all about-getting kids into
>>>> nature.  But, speaking as a former professional Scout coordinator, it
>>>> seems a bit redundant.  We've had Girl and Boy Scouts for almost 100
>>>> years doing just this.  The program is in place, the support network
>>>> has already been built, 100s of thousands of kids are participating
>>>> with the assistance of numerous volunteers, and many great camps
>>>> exist.  Why not support and grow what we already have?
>>>
>>> When I was a kid, my parents tried to involve me in Scouts many times,
>>> but I hated it.  I disliked then, and I dislike now, anything
>>> resembling merit badges.  If something is worth doing, it is worth
>>> doing for itself, and the ribbons and medals are condescending.
>>> Further, most of the merit-badge-earning activities I found pointless
>>> and tedious.
>>>
>>> I dislike that the Boy Scouts are not entirely secular, although the
>>> Girl Scouts gets this right.  I also think that the uniforms should
>>> go.  I know a couple of Boy Scouts, and they all look embarrassed by
>>> the uniforms.
>>>
>>> Anyway, those are my objections to Scouting.  Your mileage may vary
>>> (and probably will).
>>>
>>
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> Kai Eiselein
> Editor, Latah Eagle
>