In the defense of Scouting

                In my 25 years of experience I have found that Scouting is for all kinds of Boys; be they young, old or even handicapped. All boys need something worthwhile to strive for. Boys want to participate in Scouting because they find it fun, not because it has quality leadership. Boys want to get away from it all, to prove them selves, find a sense of belonging, and find a place to be boys. These modest benefits found in Scouting were not even thought of as part of Robert Baden-Powell’s early vision in 1908.

                Many of our boys sit at home watching television and playing video games while the easy life saps their ambition and spirit. Others look for belonging in gangs with rights of passage that break the law, or are contrary to good character.

Scouting offers boys a safe and sane right of passage. There are a minimum of 90 positive experiences just from the ranks of Tenderfoot to Eagle, that a boy can pit himself against and win. Boy Scouts do not have to lose where it matters, if they do their best. In boy scouting, a boy can prove himself in spite of any problems he or society may have.

To recap Scouting has many benefits:

*A feeling of belonging and equality in a gang with direction and supervision, a feeling of self worth by giving him something to shoot for and giving him recognition for doing it.

*It gives him a sense of adventure while he learns to master the elements and therefore himself.

*Scouting gives him a place to act-up with rough jokes, snipe hunts, and snowball fights without adults getting too mad, A place that he can talk about girls while not having to talk to them … while still being supervised.

*Scouting is a parental approved form of escaped, a place that scouts do not have to be athletic to prove themselves, and a place where they can find acceptability because younger boys look up to them and older boys find them tolerable.