I Miss the Boy Scouts

Today marks the 100th birthday for The Boy Scouts of America. Happy birthday BSA!

I grew up as a scout. I raced pine wood derby cars, went to summer camp, learned how to make a fire, went to a National Jamboree and spent many nights under the stars on a variety of camping trips. The day I was was given my Order of the Arrow Vigil sash is still one of my fondest and proudest memories. I loved it all and know that it had a ton to do with shaping me into the man I am today.

But, the scouts I grew up loving are lost to me now. I can’t find them anywhere.

After graduating from college and moving to Virginia, I looked to get back active with the scouts as I hadn’t done a lot with them during college. I didn’t have kids yet and knew that it would be a great way to give back and have fun at the same time. But, the troops I found were more interested in badges and the latest gear rather then the skills I had hoped to be teaching the kids. As I’ve interacted with scouts here and there since then I’ve found that they don’t seem to teach the same skills that I grew up loving any more. Sure, they are there in the books and you can earn badges for them, but they don’t seem to be as important as they were before.

I know that there are plenty of Scout Masters and troops out there who do still teach kids how to survive in the woods and how to truly camp rather then pulling up, parking and setting up a tent. I don’t want to discount that. I just haven’t found the right group to work with.

But, even if I could find the right troop to work with I personally can’t support the organization any more either. Their rules about not allowing atheists to be members and banning of homosexuals from being involved are two inexcusable faults that will keep me and my son from ever being involved in the program. It pains me to say that, but it it is the truth. I can’t support organizations that openly support discrimination.

I’ve been lucky that Dylan has never asked much about joining the Boy Scouts. Not many of his friends are involved so we’ve never had the tough chat that I figured was coming. I want my children to try out every adventure they wish for, but this is one that I won’t allow to happen.

The Scouts have lost their way in my opinion. I don’t know if it it is just mine or not, but I really hope that someday they change their mind and go back to embracing their root values and teachings for all boys. I firmly believe in the Boy Scouts and what they stand for. I think getting kids away from the computers, iPods and other devices and throwing a backpack full of gear on them and spending a weekend in the woods (multiple times) is a great thing for every kid to go through.

Learning to be a leader and working with teams are vital skills that everyone needs to succeed in life and the Boy Scouts helped teach me that. I’m sure that they are still teaching those skills to a new generation of boys.

I’m not looking to stir up controversy, but when I saw that the birthday was today I had to share my thoughts.

The Boy Scouts of America is a great organization that was a crucial part of my life. I hope that sometime in the future it can be again.

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Tags: boy scouts, boys, bsa, camping

C.C. Chapman is a father of two (a boy and a girl) who loves the outdoors, creating media and playing with technology. When not on the computer he can most likely be found cooking or taking photos. He is also the co-founder of The Advance Guard and a busy public speaker.

greglindquist

Boy Scout Law, 12th Point: A Scout is Reverend
Boy Scout Law, 11th Point: A Scout is Clean

The 12th Point needs no comments from me.
But as a Dad of a Scout I would not like my 17 year old in the woods with a homosexual adult Scout volunteer. No sense baiting the field.

John Wall

Like any organization with a central governing body, if they lose sight of their mission, eventually bureaucracy and pandering sets in. I'm glad to hear of local organizations still focusing on survival and life skills. I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to learn skills through scouting that have served me my entire life - camping, cooking, running an organization, and even skills that make my jaw drop thinking about the legal liability - using power tools and weapons safely. I only made it as far as life scout before sports and school drew me away, I regret not reaching Eagle.

Cup.aJoe

Funny that this came up just now. Every year nearing spring I get the urge to take my son to the boy scouts because of all the good that once was, but I hold back because for the very reasons you mentioned. I want it to be fun for my son, not an empty assignment or an approving platform for discrimination. Makes me sad, but clearly I'm not alone. Thanks for the article.

skipbensley

The boy scouts lost me also many, many years ago, and the cub scouts lost my son at about 8. Kids have so many more choices these days then I did back then. Not sure having all the choices is always a good thing. (ie, computers, TV, online / video games) just know that the Boy scouts / cub scouts don't seem to be interested in going and finding where the kids are online. Maybe a scout world of warcraft character is needed.

Annie Boccio

Hi C.C.,
We're fortunate to have a local Scout troop with dedicated leaders who still teach all those outdoors and citizenship skills. All three of my kids were/are active in scouting, one is close to Eagle rank. My husband and I have been active as leaders. Scouting has been very good to my family. So it makes me cringe whenever this subject comes up, because I agree with you.

I think we're fortunate that our troop isn't affiliated with a church or religious organization. It functions with little support from the local council, let alone the national organization, yet it has survived for 60 consecutive years. I'm pretty confident that if National were to come along and try to run the show, most of the leaders would push back, hard. As you hint in your post- it's more about the local troop and leaders.

Annie

Tyson Goodridge

Great post CC- lots of great comments- wish I had time to read them all! And nice to see so many Eagle Scouts chiming in (hello Doug, Shel and Chris!)

I too wish that the BSA didn't take that massive turn to the right and make such a strong political statement. They need to find their way, ASAP- agree with you on that one.

My boys will soon be of scouting age, and I intend to get them involved. Am going to give the local troop the benefit of the doubt here, and hopefully, by the time they boys are REALLY involved, the BSA will have turned itself around. If not- I pull the plug.

(I too was an Eagle Scout. I didn't do the "race" to Eagle Scout and get Eagle when I was 14, I took the longest amount of time possible to stay in scouting, and snuck in just under the deadline of my 18th birthday. When my friends were off goofing around in high school, I was at Boy Scout Camp, teaching kids survival skills, learning first aid, you name it....)

So, at the very least CC, you've laid the foundation for an interesting idea. You, me, Chris and Doug start an outdoor focused organization here in Massachusetts....?

CS Thompson

Scouts was great when I was a boy. I don't think those discriminations apply here in Australia, at least I'm not aware of them anyway. Its called scouts australia here, boys or girls can join.
I do remember that our activities were starting to be more and more limited, people afraid of getting sued and insurance etc. Just as well they didnt know about the spear fishing and climbing of cliffs on my patrol activities!

JustinEllisNM

Its a shame that your local troops have strayed from the key aspect of Scouting, values. As an Eagle Scout and council volunteer I can't imagine having grown up without scouting. That said, I believe that the tools which are used wether backpacks or C++ are not nearly as important as the lesson learned. Although, what is better than a solid backpacking trip with friends. Regardless, CC I am so proud to see you talk about scouting. It is something dear to my heart, and something I hope to someday share with my sons.

PaulRjMuller

Great article CC, I'm an eagle scout myself and an Ordeal member of OA, never made it beyond that, but I'm struggling with the homosexual stance the organization has. In fact in Philly they lost their beautiful headquarters mainly because the national council wouldn't change to allow homosexuals to be leaders.

I loved the skills the better leaders where able to instill in me as a boy, and it probably stemmed from an extension of my father, who is also an eagle scout. Our family has a ton of very close friends who are homosexual and atheists, and when it comes time to introduce my own son, who's only three at this point to scouting I can help but explain to him that while the organization teaches good things overall they are very flawed in others.

As much as i abhor their stance on those two issues, the rest of what they provide is seriously lacking in todays world. I haven't found a single organization out there without its flaws so I guess an organization thats at least honest about its views is worth something.

ZQP

My son wanted to join cub scouts because his sister is a girl scout. We do not participate in religion (neither agnostic nor atheist), but didn't realize how entrenched boy scouts is in religion until too late. (Girl Scouting is much less stringent.) My son really likes it and it pains me to know that he eventually he will either be forced to believe in something (perhaps that will be his choice), lie, or give up scouts, since as you progress, the rules are more heavily enforced. It feels false to continue, but he's still too young to understand the discrimination.

James Chapman

One more note i still have my Scout Hand book and my grandfather's Queen's Scout handbook it fun sometime to just sit and flip through them the stuuf they taght wouldn't be acceptable int this day and age. I'm going to sit down with my son tonight and share these books with him.
Thanks for bringing back treasured memories.

James

Shel Holtz

To clarify, my view is that the values of the Boy Scouts have changed significantly since I was a member, shifting dramatically to the right and adopting positions far more extreme than existed before the LDS takeover. Without the extreme political views, the BSA managed to produce Eagle Scouts with names like Neil Armstrong, Lamar Alexander, Michael Dukakis, Gerald Ford, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, James Lovell, David Lynch, Michael Moore, Ozzie Nelson, Ross Perot, Donald Rumsfeld, Harrison Salisbury, Steven Spielberg, William Westmoreland and Elmo Zumwalt, to name just a few. Not bad for an organization that placed more emphasis on building individual character and leadership skills than it did on promoting polarizing beliefs. Many of these individuals -- particularly those whose believes would conflict the today's BSA, would never join, and the loss is as much the BSA's as it is the individuals who would not benefit from the leadership experience.

Yes, it's a private organization. But it's one in which I invested many years and owe much, and as they are able to determine their own policies, I am free (thanks to the fact that I'm an American) to voice my contempt for what a purely religious point of view has done to an institution I once cherished.

gorkon

Just so you know Shel, here is the wikipedia entry on the Scout Promise as orginally authored by Baden-Powell: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Promise

To save time, here's the promise:

Before he becomes a scout, a boy must take the scout's oath, thus:

On my honour I promise that---

1. I will do my duty to God and the Queen.
2. I will do my best to help others, whatever it costs me.
3. I know the scout law, and will obey it.

While taking this oath the scout will stand, holding his right hand raised level with his shoulder, palm to the front, thumb resting on the nail of the little finger and the other three fingers upright, pointing upwards:--- This is the scout's salute and secret sign.

This is from Baden-Powell, the creator of the scouting movement. This shows you God has ALWAYS been in it. The American version as it currently stands:

On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.

So, the BSA basically took a stance that since we ask the boys to promise this, it had better be a rule as well.

Anyone really know when the rule took effect? My thought was it's always been in it.

James Chapman

I hear you CC,

I like you grew up a Boy Scout (of Canada) and have fond memories camping, helping the community even remember attending a World Jamboree in 1977. When i became a father i looked them up to see if my son (Blake) could be part of the same thing...there was nothing. Little disappointed i investigated more there were beavers, cubs, but no scouts. didn't seem to be any interest, to many other activities. Still remeber the motto "Be Prepared" and i follow it every day of my life. I hope our kids will have something like this to think back on...

gorkon

You are a little mistaken CC. First, the atheist thing....well I can't argue that point. The main reason is it is and always has been in the books. It was in MY books oin the 70's and 80's. So I am not sure when that change went into effect but I know it's been in there A LONG time. Probably since you have been in the organization.

Next, the homosexual rule isn't about banning homosexuals. Penn and Teller got this wrong. The only rule I have ever seen in the book about this is that they are not able to be leaders. That is it. Form my understanding, you can be a homosexual and be in the scouts, you just can't be a leader.

Is it fair? Probably not. However, the BSA is a private organization that asks you to profess a belief in a superior being. You can be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and I think even Taoism is in there. Anyway, I support them for doing this. It is their right. It is also your right to not support them if you would like.

You could just as easily start a movement called the Free Scouts of America where religion isn't a part of it, but it's not shunned. Where it doesn't matter what you are. Those could be YOUR rules.

Note: I am a Christian and I, for one, don't hate homosexuals and hold some of them as friends. It is not my place to judge. Only Gods.

C.C. Chapman

I'm not mistaken. You've got it completely right. As a private organization they can make all the rules and it is 100% within their rights to do so.

I've just never believed that who you sleep with or who you do or don't worship has anything to do with being a good person and the Boy Scouts currently say it does matter and that bothers me.

The Boy Scouts do a LOT of good for youth. I firmly believe in that and I hope that came across in my post. I just wish they had a more open mind to the world around them.

gorkon

Well at least you aren't asking them to change. I know some who do. Not saying you can opine for something....you can. However, to expect them to change what they stand for because you don't like it is as bad as them discriminating against atheists and homosexuals. It is their rules. You don't have to play and have chosen not to and I respect that.

If you think the change is recent, then you need to go find some of the old books. It's not. It's almost CORE to the BSA movement. I know a lot of troops and packs that just do what the heck they want (unless it's a National Event...). Technically, at the pack level, you can't shoot BB guns any more. Plenty of packs do. Plus my pack just throws the form at you and you fill it out. Then they file it and forget it. Do they ask you if what you wrote is true? No Is it right according to their rules? No, but it happens a lot. Maybe that is why you think it's different today. I think, as a boy, most of us remember the fun things and none of us really pay attention to the rules. Thank God our leaders at least paid attention to the safety regs! ;-)

What IS different today, especially in Cubs, is the PUSH to make sure they get an award every month. My son DOESN'T need 150 metal belt loops to make him feel better. He just needs to work hard and get that rank patch at the end of the year and to HAVE FUN. Period.

rj

I am with you Mr. Chapman. My son was in Cubs and I was a leader but after crossing into Scouts he decided it wasn't for him and now I am glad he did. I agree with you about the descrimination. The world has changed and the organization should change with it.

However some aspects they have changed - less outdoors - which was the core of citizenship building - they just don't seem to get it anymore. The OA has become the Scout Honor Society rather than the Brotherhood of Scout Honor CAMPERS.

The organization has become big business and they only look at numbers. A higher quality program albeit with far fewer members would be much better than the advancement driven program that have today. From what I have observed the past 10 year and maybe longer is that Eagle Scout really means nothing anymore.

Thank you for your post. Happy Anniversary anyway from one old scout to another.

Yours in the Brotherhood,
rj
Star Scout
Brotherhood, WWW

gorkon

So are you saying that Churches need to change and allow sinning to happen within their walls because society sees it as acceptable? Your saying that a PRIVATE organization should change what they stand for because you don't like it? Just saying....

I've said it before: you don't like the BSA, you don't get involved. You can complain all you want. They don't have to listen.

Ian Gordon

Hi CC,
The Boy Scouts were a very important part of my younger years as well. I enjoyed the real camping and though the gadgets like DS, DVD players, and iPods didn't exist yet, we would not have been able to bring them if they had. My favorite camping trips were the wilderness survival ones. Once a year we went to the Everglades for 2 days and survived on what we found, caught and built.

I have daughters now, but like you, if they were sons I would not be able to let them join the Boy Scouts. Sorry, but any group that thinks it's a good thing to exclude those that don't believe, worship or live as you do, will not be shaping the attitude and moral foundation of my kids. Things tend to come around in cycles and hopefully, the Boy Scouts will eventually be lead by men with minds that are more open. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

michellplested

I can understand why this must have been a difficult post for you to write. I am a leader within the Scouts (both Cubs and Scouts) and there is a lot of truth to what you say. I am not a fan of the overarching bureaucracy and stupid rules and total lack of backbone in the rules of Scouting. I also question World Scouting when I hear that scouts in third world countries become the first line of "volunteers" for the next civil war to come along.

So why, with all the problems do I do it?

Let me explain in a short, personal story. We took our Scout Troop out on a winter camp to build survival shelters (yes, we are one of the groups that actually teach survival skills). When we were out there I got a good look at the sky and realized how long it had been since I'd really seen stars. The city lights do such a great job of washing out the sky it had been a very LONG time.

I went back to the campfire and took a good, close look at the kids in my troop and realized that if it weren't for scouting, most of them would never have that chance; I would say more than 75% only leave the city with us.

What kind of life is that?

I didn't join Scouts to fight the politics because if I had I wouldn't be doing it. I did it because I wanted my son to have some of the experiences I had growing up. Experiences he will never have by simply living in the city. In doing that, I've had the opportunity to give other kids I would never have met the same chance.

Am I here to change Scouting? No, I simply don't have the will to do so. But I am here to change the lives of the few I can touch in a positive way.

C.C. Chapman

Having looked around a campfire at boys as you mentioned I can completely relate and understand where you are coming from. GOOD for you on getting them outside, especially in the winter. Some of my fondest memories are from winter camping.

I really like your reasons and why you are doing it. I completely understand and agree with you. Please keep it up!

Shel Holtz

Hey, C.C. I'm an Eagle Scout, too (although I never got beyond Ordeal in the OA, so hats off to Doug Haslam). I got my son involved in scouting and can say at the individual troop level, you don't get much of what the national council is forcing down the organization's throats. But the messages coming from the top were too distasteful for both my son and me, and we abandoned the BSA -- and it broke my heart to do so. But the values have altered to conform to a single religious institution that has become the de facto power behind the organization. Penn & Teller addressed the issue quite effectively on one of the episodes of their series, "Bulls**t" (details here: http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/episodes.do?episod...).

I don't know what it would take to return scouting to its focus on leadership training, outdoor skills and self-reliance, but right now its political and social agenda leaves noplace for me or most of those who were involved when I was a kid. Sad, sad, sad.

rj

Mr. Holz,
Thanks for posting - My heart too is broken. And it realy hurts that the organization that I spent my entire adolescence in ( I was not into to sports) has become what it has. Ironically it was the Scout Law that made us into the men we are today. Friendly a Scout is a Friend to all. Courteous, Kind. I just don't see it in the organization any more. As I said it is now big business.

Regards, rj

jeniene

Totally agree with you. I'm a mom, thus I wasn't a Boy Scout, but I was a Brownie and then a Girl Scout. So much of the agenda/message/incentive for these organizations have changed to the point they aren't even distant cousins to what they once were. The nice thing is that you and Dads like you are out there finding new ways to rear and shape your sons (and daughters) in ways similar to your own upbringing, and in the end, that's whay counts. Stay positive.

Kevin Lawver

Good job, CC! It's very well-written and heartfelt - and I'm in the exact same position. I'm an Eagle Scout, Order of the Arrow, etc... and I just can't stomach what's happened to the Scouts (maybe it was always there and I didn't notice it as a 12 year-old).

My boys are starting to get interested in camping and it's a shame I won't be sharing scouting with them. I guess it's up to me to teach them.

Christopher S. Penn

There's a lot missing from the scouts now. I'm lucky enough to have a vintage copy of my grandfather's 1937 Scout Handbook. Quarterstaff fighting? Serious rifle, shotgun, and pistol? Screw civic pride and self-esteem merit badges. Bring back the real Scouts.

Kimberly Reynolds

Kudos to you for venting because doing so takes courage. I have always found that most organizations do have a child's best intentions at heart, and hope that you do find a chapter that shares yours.

doughaslam

CC,

I'm an Eagle and Vigil Honor as well - so happy birthday BSA!

Having worked with fundraising groups that support my old Order of the Arrow Lodge and Scout Summer Camps, my experience is that the camping and wilderness skills teaching is alive and well, though perhaps that varies from council to council.

What bothers me about the BSA is the socially conservative directives (no gays, because apparently Boy Scouts isn't about sex, except when it is) that have plagued the national organization since HQ moved to Texas sometime (I think) in the 1970s. That alone did not keep me from staying involved in some small capacities through the years-- and my son is not involved largely because his friends and interests are not in the same sphere as the local scout troops.

Lost their way? Only in the way prejudices skew the image of an organization that continues to teach boys valuable life tools.

C.C. Chapman

I'm glad to hear that you found councils still teaching the wilderness skills. I figured there were plenty of them out there, but I just couldn't find them.

And I agree with you that as an organization I do think it is a great one for Boys. Anything that keeps the kids off the couch and active is one that I support, but like you I wish they'd open their minds to the real world around them more.

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I Miss the Boy Scouts