Difference between revisions of "Boy Scouts of America"

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==Further reading==
 
==Further reading==
 
* Dean, John Isaac. ''Scouting in America, 1910-1990,'' PhD dissertation U. of South Carolina. '' Dissertation Abstracts International''  1993 53(8): 2713-A. DA9239032, 448p.  
 
* Dean, John Isaac. ''Scouting in America, 1910-1990,'' PhD dissertation U. of South Carolina. '' Dissertation Abstracts International''  1993 53(8): 2713-A. DA9239032, 448p.  
−
* Macleod, David. "Act Your Age: Boyhood, Adolescence, and the Rise of the Boy Scouts of America," ''Journal of Social History''  1983 16(2): 3-20, [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3787184  
+
* Macleod, David. "Act Your Age: Boyhood, Adolescence, and the Rise of the Boy Scouts of America," ''Journal of Social History''  1983 16(2): 3-20, [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3787184  in JSTOR]
−
  in JSTOR]
 
 
* Macleod, David. ''Building Character in the American Boy: The Boy Scouts, YMCA, and Their Forerunners, 1870-1920'' (2004), standard scholarly history
 
* Macleod, David. ''Building Character in the American Boy: The Boy Scouts, YMCA, and Their Forerunners, 1870-1920'' (2004), standard scholarly history
 
* Mechling, Jay. ''On My Honor: Boy Scouts and the Making of American Youth.'' (2001) 323 pp.  accounts of how the Scouts work in practice, with much attention to songs, rituals, and games  
 
* Mechling, Jay. ''On My Honor: Boy Scouts and the Making of American Youth.'' (2001) 323 pp.  accounts of how the Scouts work in practice, with much attention to songs, rituals, and games  

Revision as of 07:27, November 16, 2009

The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1910 by W. D. Boyce.[1] It was copied from the British organization founded two years before. See Boy Scouts

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation's largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations. It promotes skills and activities identified with manliness.It combines educational activities with fun activities.[2] The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.[3]. National headquarters is in Irving, Texas.

Scouts1911.jpg

History

The first boy scout troop in the United States was founded in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, in May 1909, as the first international charter of the British boy scouts. The scouting troop was founded by Anglican priest John Forbes Mitchell in Pawhuska while he was on assignment for the Church of England. The formation of the Boy Scouts of America by Congress took place in December 1909, seven months after the Pawhuska incorporation.

Ernest Thompson Seton was the BSA's first Chief Scout (1910-1915); the programs were largely copied from the British models set out by General Robert Baden-Powell, who began the noncompetitive badge system. Even more important was the Social Gospel influence of "muscular Christianity" promulgated by the YMCA in the Era of the Third Great Awakening, 1910-30.[4]


Programs

There are five programs in the Boy Scouts of America. Cub Scouting programs are for boys in first grade through fifth grade (or seven through 10 years of age); the motto for Cub Scouts is to, "Do Your Best." Ninety five percent of all Boy Scouts have participated in Cub Scouts at some time. For boys who are 11 through 17 years of age, or have earned the Cub Scouting Arrow of Light award and are at least 10 years old, or have completed the fifth grade and are at least 10 years old, they can take part in the Boy Scouts of America program. The Boy Scouts motto is to, "Be Prepared," and the slogan is to, "Do a Good Turn Daily."[3] The three other possible programs is Varsity Scouting, Venturing, and Order of the Arrow.

Program Age Range
Cub Scouting 7-11
Boy Scouts 11[5]-18[6]
Varsity Scouting 14-18
Venturing 14-21
Order of the Arrow N/A

Defining America's greatness

Many presidents have praised and addressed the Boy Scouts over the years. President Calvin Coolidge said this to a group of Boy Scouts in 1924:

“ The three fundamentals of scouthood are reverence for nature ... reverence for law ... and reverence for God. It is hard to see how a great man can be an atheist. Doubters do not achieve. ... No man realizes his full possibilities unless he has the deep conviction that life is eternally important, and that his work, well done, is part of an unending plan. ”

Rush Limbaugh said the Scouts are "a microcosm of what made this country great." [7]}}

The Scout Oath & Law

The Scout Oath & Law are the guiding principles of Scouting, and are generally recited at the beginning or end of a Troop meeting.

Scout Law:

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, kind, courteous, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Scout Oath:

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.

Ranks

The requirements and order of the BSA ranks have changed over the years, although the names have only changed little. The current order is as follows:

  • Scout
  • Tenderfoot
  • Second Class
  • First Class
  • Star Scout
  • Life Scout
  • Eagle Scout

Rank of Eagle Scout

The highest rank that may be attained by a Boy Scout is that of Eagle Scout, which 2% of Scouts nationwide earn. [8] One of the requirements for this rank is leading a service project to benefit either the community at large, or a specific non-profit organization, such as a school or a church. Other requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges (including 12 predetermined ones), being active in the troop for a minimum amount of time, holding a position of leadership within one's troop, and appearing before a Board of Review. All of the requirements for an Eagle Board of Review must be completed before a candidate's 18th birthday (although exceptions may be made for Scouts with mental disabilities), although the Board of Review may occur after this date. Some notable Eagle Scouts include:[9]

A-F G-L M-R S-Z

Controversy

The Boy Scouts of America have come under criticism for their policy regarding homosexuals. As stated in a press release from the organization:[10]

The BSA reaffirmed its view that an avowed homosexual cannot serve as a role model for the traditional moral values espoused in the Scout Oath and Law and that these values cannot be subject to local option choices.

Starting in the late 1990s this led to several high profile lawsuits, such as the one brought by the ACLU of San Diego[11], which proposes that the discriminatory practices of the organization should make them ineligible for the use of public funds or public lands.

The homosexual cases culminated in the Supreme Court's Dale decision in 2000, which ruled that as a private organization, the Scouts were entitled to choose their own members. The ACLU lost, but as noted by Robert Bork Jr., spokesman for the BSA and son of the former Supreme Court nominee, the ACLUS "has been trying ever since to have the Scouts expelled from the public square." Gay-rights advocates in dozens of cities have persuaded United Way to stop supporting the Scouts.

Prohibition of homosexual scout leaders is not universal within the BSA, however. The Massachusetts Minuteman Council, for example, adopted a bylaw in 2001 barring exclusion of anyone on the basis of race, religion, or sexual orientation. The bylaw, which resembles the U. S. Military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, permits homosexuals to lead troops so long as they do not discuss their sexual orientation. A few other councils have similar policies.[12]

Atheist Scouts have also been removed from the organization on the basis of the twelfth point of the Scout Law being "reverent". [13]

See also

Further reading

  • Dean, John Isaac. Scouting in America, 1910-1990, PhD dissertation U. of South Carolina. Dissertation Abstracts International 1993 53(8): 2713-A. DA9239032, 448p.
  • Macleod, David. "Act Your Age: Boyhood, Adolescence, and the Rise of the Boy Scouts of America," Journal of Social History 1983 16(2): 3-20, in JSTOR
  • Macleod, David. Building Character in the American Boy: The Boy Scouts, YMCA, and Their Forerunners, 1870-1920 (2004), standard scholarly history
  • Mechling, Jay. On My Honor: Boy Scouts and the Making of American Youth. (2001) 323 pp. accounts of how the Scouts work in practice, with much attention to songs, rituals, and games
  • Tucker, William. "Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Persecuted: Across the Country, the Boy Scouts Are under Attack," National Review Volume: 60. Issue: 17. September 15, 2008. pp 32+ online edition
  • Wills, Chuck. Boy Scouts of America: A Centennial History (2009), popular

External Links

References

  1. ↑ Founders, scouting.org.
  2. ↑ About the BSA
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Overview of Boy Scouts of America
  4. ↑ Clifford Putney, Muscular Christianity: Manhood and Sports in Protestant America, 1880-1920 (2001)
  5. ↑ Those who have earned the Arrow of Light may cross over at 10
  6. ↑ Exceptions are made to the upper age limit for those with disabilities
  7. ↑ Rush Limbaugh. Rush and Roger Ailes Speak at Boy Scouts Awards Dinner, RushLimbaugh.com, November 11, 2009.
  8. ↑ http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0410/d-news.html
  9. ↑ Notable Eagle Scouts (PDF), nesa.org.
  10. ↑ http://www.scouting.org/media/press/2002/020206/index.html
  11. ↑ http://www.aclusandiego.org/boy_scouts/boy_scouts_082800.html
  12. ↑ Mass. Scouts permit gay leaders, Chicago Sun-Times, Aug 2, 2001
  13. ↑ http://www.beliefnet.com/story/116/story_11619_1.html
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