"The purpose of the
Boy Scouts of America, incorporated on February 8, 1910, and
chartered by Congress in 1916, is to provide an educational
program for boys and young adults to build character, to
train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship,
and to develop personal fitness."
The Scouting Program is based on the
principle that learning can be fun! Every activity and
outing that your son participates in will off him a new
learning experience. Each scouting
activity, and the manner in which it is planned and
conducted, has a purpose behind it – to develop Character,
Fitness, Citizenship, and Leadership.
Your son will have many opportunities
to learn, to improve, and to set his own goals for his personal
growth. As he advances and improves himself, he will be
recognized.
3 AIMS OF SCOUTING:
The three aims of Scouting
form the basis of Scouting, and underlie everything we do.
To achieve these aims, we use the eight methods of Scouting.
The aims are the foundation of Scouting; the methods are the
building blocks.
-
Build Character
– Developing
the Scout’s personal qualities, values, and outlook:
honesty, courage, integrity, self-reliance, self-discipline,
self-confidence, and self-respect.
-
Foster Citizenship – Training
the Scout on his duties, obligations, privileges, and
functions as a citizen and member of his community.
-
Develop Fitness
– Helping the
Scout to develop physically, mentally, morally, and
emotionally.
8
METHODS OF SCOUTING:
The methods are designed to
accomplish these aims. Thus it is important that you know and
use the methods of Boy Scouting. Other methods are good, but
they may bring different results - results quite different
than we are seeking.
The ideals of Scouting are spelled out in the
Scout Oath,
Law,
motto, and
slogan. The
Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually
tries to improve. The goals are high, and as he reaches for
them he has some control over what he becomes. "Show Scout
spirit," a requirement for each rank advancement, means living
up to these ideals.
The patrol method gives Scouts an experience in group
living and participating citizenship. It places a certain
amount of responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys
how to accept it. The patrol
method allows Scouts to act in small groups where they
easily can relate to each other. These small groups determine
troop activities through their elected representatives.
Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It is in
the outdoors that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to
live with each other It is here that the skills and activities
practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose.
Being close to nature helps Scouts
gain an appreciation for God's handiwork and mankind's place
in it. The outdoors is the laboratory for Scouts to learn
ecology and practice conservation of nature's resources.
Scouting provides a
series of surmountable obstacles and steps to overcome them
through the advancement method. The Scout plans his
advancement and, by participating in the troop program,
progresses as he overcomes each challenge. The Scout is
rewarded for each achievement, which helps him gain
self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a
boy grow in self-reliance and the ability to help others.
Boys learn from the example set by
their adult leaders. Troop leadership may be male or female,
and association with adults of high character is encouraged at
this stage of a young man's development.
As Scouts plan their activity and progress
toward their goals, they experience personal growth. The Good
Turn concept is a major part of the personal growth method of
Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service
projects and do Good Turns for others. There probably is no
device so successful in developing a basis for personal growth
as the daily Good Turn.
The religious emblems program is also
a large part of the personal growth method. Frequent
conferences with his Scoutmaster help each Scout to determine
his growth toward Scouting's aims.
Boy Scouting encourages boys to learn
and practice leadership skills. Every Scout has the
opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership
situations, Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a
boy accept the leadership roles of others and guides him
toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.
The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force for
good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy
Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an
action that shows each Scout's commitment to the aims and
purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Scout identity in
a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals.
The uniform is practical attire for Scout activities, and
provides a way for Scouts to wear the badges that show what
they have accomplished.
top
