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Scouts Sestym
INTRODUCTION Boy
Scouts,
international movement dedicated to developing the character of boys
and youths and training them for the responsibilities of adult life.
The movement was begun in England in 1907 by Sir Robert Baden-Powell,
who based his program on two already existing American organizations:
Sons of Daniel Boone, founded by the American illustrator-naturalist
Daniel Carter Beard, and Woodcraft Indians, started by the
British-born Canadian writer Ernest Thompson Seton.
Scouting exists in more
than 140 countries. The international organizations are autonomous but
hold membership in the Boy Scouts World Conference, which meets every
two years. The Boy Scouts World Bureau in Geneva, Switzerland, serves
as secretariat for the movement. International rallies, called
jamborees, are held every four years.
II BOY
SCOUTS OF AMERICA
Boy Scouts of America
(BSA) was incorporated in 1910. Each Scout takes the 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.” The Scout
Law calls upon all Scouts to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and
reverent. The movement is without military or political connection and
is not affiliated with any particular religious organization.
Although scouting has no specific religious affiliation, the Boy
Scouts of America bans from membership those who do not profess a
belief in God. The organization also excludes homosexuals. These
restrictions have come under legal challenges in the 1980s and 1990s,
but the court rulings have been mixed and the legality of the
membership restrictions remains unresolved.
The organization
encourages boys to participate in vigorous outdoor activities. Camping
is a regular part of the scout program, which also includes
conservation, forestry, farm work, and aid in community services.
During World War II (1939-1945), for example, the Boy Scouts
participated in a variety of civilian activities. The program also
stresses the development of skill in woodcraft, swimming, first aid,
signaling, and other activities. The Boy Scouts’ motto is “Be
Prepared.”
The Boy Scouts of America, with headquarters in Irving, Texas, is
administered by a national council, which charters local councils.
Local scouting organizations are sponsored by churches, schools, civic
groups, and other bodies, which are represented in the local councils.
III BOY
SCOUT PROGRAMS
The scout movement in
the United States is open to boys and youths beginning in the first
grade or between 7 and 20 years of age. The movement is divided into
four programs: Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Explorer
Scouts, each designed for a different age level.
Tiger Cubs, BSA, is a one-year program for boys in the first grade
or who are seven years of age. Each boy has an adult partner, and the
Tiger Cub program stresses equal participation by the youngster and
the adult. The boy and adult meet weekly for family activities and
monthly for an activity with other Tiger Cubs and adults in their
group.
Cub Scouts, or Cubs, are
boys of eight through ten years of age, organized into packs and
smaller units called dens. The program for Cub Scouts emphasizes
activities in and around the boys' homes. By his mastery of certain
skills, the Cub Scout may advance from his initial rank of Bobcat
through the ranks of Wolf, Bear, and Webelo (short for “We’ll Be
Loyal Scouts”). The Cub Scout uniform is blue, with a blue and gold
neckerchief.
Boy Scouts, aged 11 through 17, are grouped into troops with a
maximum of 32 members; troops are subdivided into patrols with a
maximum of 8 boys. Troops are led by scoutmasters, who must be adult
citizens of the United States and who are assisted by Boy Scout
leaders. Scoutmasters are chosen by local sponsoring organizations
with the approval of the national council. In small organizations that
do not have enough boys to constitute a troop, two to eight boys may
form a neighborhood patrol. A single boy in a community may become a
Lone Cub Scout or Lone Boy Scout and coordinate his activity with
larger scout units by mail. The Boy Scout uniform consists of a khaki
cap, shirt, scarf, and trousers.
After taking the Boy Scout oath and meeting other qualifications, a
boy becomes a Tenderfoot. After further training and successfully
passing a number of tests, he becomes successively a Second-Class,
First-Class, Star, Life, and Eagle Scout. Young men, and young women
also, in general aged between 14 and 20, may become Explorer Scouts.
Explorer posts, organized by business, professional, and various
community groups, provide scout members with opportunities for
guidance in more than 100 vocational areas. Each post is involved in
its own career, hobby, sport, or outdoor program. Sea Exploring, an
outgrowth of the former Sea Scouts branch of the BSA, is the oldest of
these special programs. The Explorer Scout uniform is forest green.
IV PUBLICATIONS
AND MEMBERSHIP
The Boy Scouts of
America publishes handbooks; pamphlets on specific subjects;
brochures; a bimonthly magazine for adult leaders, Scouting;
Exploring, a publication for Explorer Scouts and their leaders;
and a monthly magazine for all boys, Boys' Life. In the United
States there are about 4.2 million Tiger, Cub, Boy and Explorer
Scouts, and 1.2 million adults involved in scout organizations.
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