Boy Scouts of America

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The Boy Scouts of America (or BSA) is one of the largest youth organisations in the US and is part of the worldwide Scout Movement - although in most other countries, Scouting is considerably more liberal and some like to distance themselves from the US branch. Founded in 1910 by William D. Boyce, Ernest Thompson Seton, and Daniel Beard, Scouting was a large part of American culture for most of the 20th century, and survives into the 21st. Their logo is a fleur de lis.

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[edit] Aims and purposes

The BSA has three stated objectives: character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Generally Scouting is associated with the military, having its roots in field training. Politically, the BSA have taken a conservative, patriotic stance, being heavy supporters of war efforts in both World Wars, the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, and the current War on Terror.

Despite the extremely conservative nature of the group, there are many valuable lessons to be learned for a kid who has a strong counterweight to preserve balance on the political side.

[edit] Controversies

Due in no small part to the influence of the Mormon and Roman Catholic churches[1], the BSA, controversially, forbids membership to atheists, agnostics, women and gays; the latter prohibition has led to the formation of groups such as "Scouting for All" that advocate for a change in the membership rules.

The BSA has traditionally "highlighted" so-called "Indian" activities, especially popular in the 1920-1950s. Many tribes have rejected and even protested the stereotypical use of "all things Indian" used by the Boy Scouts without any real respect to the Native American Tribes whose rites and rituals were stolen. Much of this pseudo-Indian woo within the Boy Scouts came from the influence of Ernest Thompson Seton, who saw "Indian" culture as superior and wrote a few books on the subject (one of them, The Gospel of the Redman, attempting to write a religious text based on their culture which contained little of their actual religious practices and much nature woo and claims of superior physical fitness). Seton had earlier started a youth group called the Woodcraft Indians, which he later merged into the BSA. Lord Baden-Powell, who started Scouting in the U.K., was inspired by Seton, but the two later had a falling out between Baden-Powell's more militaristic vision for Scouting versus Seton's pseudo-Indian vision. The BSA wound up incorporating both influences. Seton, Beard, and early BSA leader James West also had a falling out with each other and Seton left Scouting in 1915 to re-establish the Woodcraft Indians.

[edit] Eagle Scouts

The highest rank in Scouting is that of Eagle Scout; there are further, higher awards called the Eagle Palms (which are essentially earned by repeating the requirements for Eagle), and various other honors, but those are not as well-known.

It is estimated that of all boys who join the BSA, less than five percent obtain the rank of Eagle Scout. The requirements to earn this rank include obtaining a minimum of twenty one Merit Badges (including ten from a selected list, and certain required ones, such as "Citizenship in the Nation"), being in the scouting program for about a year and a half at a minimum (to prevent kids from "speed running" the program and cheapening the achievement), a year and a half of leadership positions (which requires more time than the base amount, as it takes awhile before a Scout is going to be selected or elected to leadership), and organizing and carrying out a unique, self-directed community service project, casually referred to as the Eagle Project. Additionally, all requirements must be met before the Scout's 18th birthday.

There have been many famous — as well as infamous — Eagle Scouts.

[edit] The Eagle required merit badges

[edit] Venturing

There is a group within the Boy Scouts called "Venturing" that allows both boys and girls as young as 13, (provided the thirteen year-olds have completed the eighth grade), as well as men and women under the age of 21 to join.[2] The focus is on "High Adventure" trips involving serious hiking/backpacking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and similar activities outside the scope of the normal program. Venturing also has a subgroup known as the "Sea Scouts" that helps youngsters learn safe boating rules and how to operate various nautical craft.[3]

[edit] Footnotes

  1. Cline, Austin. "Mormons Taking Over Scouting?" November 21, 2003. About.com.
  2. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Venturing.aspx
  3. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Venturing.aspx
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