[22674] in APO-L
[APO-L] FW: Scouting info taught in pledging
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brown Michael-EMB021)
Wed May 29 10:45:25 2002
Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 10:35:08 -0400
Reply-To: Brown Michael-EMB021 <Michael.R.Brown@MOTOROLA.COM>
From: Brown Michael-EMB021 <Michael.R.Brown@MOTOROLA.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
>From: Randy Finder <naraht@DRYCAS.CLUB.CC.CMU.EDU>
>
>I ran into an APO alumnus recently who didn't know what Order of the Arrow
>is. This sort of surprised me and I wondered if this is something that
>should have been taught as part of pledging. I'm looking for opinions as
>to whether the following things about BSA should be known by pledges by
>initiation...
>
>1) BSA is headquartered in Irving, TX
>2) What the organizational structure is for BSA
>Unit - District - Council - (Region) - National
>3) What Council the chapter is in.
>4) What District the chapter is in.
>5) Existance, Ages, & name of unit type for 3 primary programs (Cubs,
>Scouts, Venturing)
>6) What National Eagle Scout Association is.
>7) What Order of the Arrow is.
>
>Anything else?
Let me add my two cents, as both a long time Scout/Scouter and as past Pledgemaster for my chapter.
I think it is important that pledges learn about Scouting, not just Boy Scouting, but also Girl Scouting & Camp Fire. I do not think it important to dwell on the organization or program details of scouting, but on the principles and very basic history of scouting. The NS&YS Committee has created a trio of fact sheets on the BSA, GSUSA, and Camp Fire, which we provide to our pledges as supplemental information, but we never test them on this material.
What would I test them on? Stuff like who is Baden-Powell, when was scouting established, stuff like that. I would not quiz them on the above items.
If a chapter does not have any members who where former scouts (either Boy, Girl or Camp Fire), then the Chapter Scouting & Youth Services Advisor(s) should be able to help out with this. The lack of understanding by many in APO of their Scouting roots is what lead me to put together a workshop on the History of Scouting at the last National Convention, which I plan to repeat at the next one. My Powerpoint presentation is available at the APO Leadership Clearinghouse website, and chapter are quite free to use this as the basis for their own training in scouting history.
Also, as an aside. While a girl can't be a Boy Scout, they CAN be a member of the BSA's Venturing program, which is a co-ed program for those 14-21. The Venturing program replaces the BSA's Exploring program, which went co-ed back in 1971! Also, women can hold any adult leadership position, and be able to join the Order of the Arrow. I have many female Brother Arrowmen!
Michael Brown
APO LM & Torchbearer
ADT Alum/Advisor
Southwest Florida Council, BSA
Osceola Lodge #564 VH
