“Scout” Rank [SMD068]

The journey of getting new scouts entering the program to the rank of “Scout”.

Show Notes:

• Scout Rank Requirements

Transcript:

Back in 2017 all new scouts joining the boy scout program needed to begin completing the new Scout rank requirements.

This was a big change, as Scout rank prior to 2017 was not very involved, and for the most part included elements that were already covered in Arrow of Light in the cub program.

Some of the new requirements included elements from the former scout rank, like explaining Scout Spirit, patrol oriented requirements like creating a flag, having a patrol yell and such.

But with the new changes there were more requirements that were previously tenderfoot requirements. Items such as whipping and fusing rope, ties half-hitch and taught line knots and pocket knife safety were all added to Scout.

Many scouters, especially old-timers complain that ranks have been dumbed dowm, well, this is one instance where it has gone the other way, and quite frankly, I’m not a big fan of.

I come to this perspective from a unit bent. In most years, scouts transition from the cub program in February, but it’s not uncommon for then to come over in March.  Now, with our final court of honor in June, this leaves only four months to get the boys from joining to Scout.

Generally, I’m not one to force rank on a scout, but the Scout rank has always been one to move all the boys up to Scout together. It was kind of like a jumpstart to their scouting career, and it allowed the new scouts to participate in the Court of Honor in a meaningful way, but earning rank.

With the new requirements for the last couple of years I have moved heaven and earth to get boys to Scout, and with the new crop of scouts moving in in February, I am seriously considering abandoning the end of the year goal.

I’m thinking of this for a number of reasons, chief among them, is that it has become a class session, similar to the cub program, where there is a leader in the front and the boys participating.

When Scout was simple, this wasn’t really a problem, the new scouts were used to it, and it only took the new boys out from the rest of the troop for maybe three sessions. This past year, it was a weekly occurrence.

From a program perspective, the boys should be learning from other boys, and they should be integrated into the larger meeting with the rest of the troop.

While I think it still makes sense for a leader to review the troop structure, the patrol system and explain how merit badges work, as well as setting the boys up to work as a patrol developing a name, yell and flag. I think past that it should be put back on the boys, with some nudging from the adults, with the perspective that most won’t achieve scout by end of year.

Take what you like and leave the rest, and as we say in Woodbadge, feedback is a gift, leave yours below in the comments, with the hope we can all learn together.

I’m Scoutmaster Dave, and this was a bit on Scout rank.