Is scouting slowly dying?

[Venkman]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The more appropriate question is whether LDS scouting is dying?

All I know is that non-LDS troops seem to be run 1000% better. And almost all the voluntary organizational leadership is non-Mormon.

They have this funny system where the leaders are people who actually feel invested in scouting and choose to do it.

Growing up in Utah, I never experienced non-LDS troops. Being a scoutmaster in CA, I was blown away at some of the non-LDS troops I encountered. 50 boys, 8-9 patrols, great leadership, both adult and boy. I like to think my troop was a good one, but LDS troops are hamstrung a bit by smaller numbers, the lack of older boys to be in leadership positions, money, and of course unmotivated adult leaders who hate scouts but didn't have the guts to tell the bishop no thanks.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

Sometimes I think it is. None of the boys in my ward seem to really like it, although they'll go along with it for something to do or because their parents are anal about it. They'll put nominal effort into merit badges and rank advancement. Scouting doesn't seem to occupy the place in the culture that it did a few decades ago. I'm not the biggest proponent of scouting but there were some positives I took from my experiences as a scout:

comraderie
learning about nature, wildlife etc.
developing a tolerance for bad food
not burning down trail signs
turning my pants into a flotation device
swearing in the woods with adults
learning not to screw with bees

Actually, I really got into backpacking from scouting and that lead to my reading up on people like John Muir and Thoreau.

Don't forget learning how to put out a campfire "au natural". This can be a great Father-Son bonding moment as well. Steelblue used to have a great picture I hope that he can share with us sometime regarding this.

[bluegoose]

I agree that LDS scouting is definitely dying. At least that has been my experience in all of the wards in which I have lived.

To those lists previously put together, I would include short tenure of leaders as probably the biggest current factor. In Non-LDS troops, it is not uncommon to have scoutmasters serve for 10-20 years. In LDS troops, it is rare to find a scoutmaster serve more than 3-5 years. This is due simply to the revolving door of church leadership callings. Those that are still supportive of the scouting program may remain in remote contact with the troop as a committee member, but it is really hard for a committee to run a good program if the less-than-enthusiastic scoutmaster is only there because he was called as the Deacons quorum advisor.

IMO, a wise bishop who wants the scouting program to work in his ward would find the one guy right for the job and tell him to settle in and enjoy the ride, because he would be there for 10 or 12 years. Just as Bishops used to serve for 15-20+ years, there's no reason why a good scoutmaster should be released after 2-3 years just because someone thinks his time is up.

[BarbaraGordon]

Dunno anything about LDS scouting.

But I was a girl scout for 12 years and a boy scout for 2.

The boy scouts at least have this advantage: they know who they are as an institution. The oath, law, motto? It's all the pretty much immutable. The uniforms will always be khaki and olive with red accents. The core activities will always be exploration of the outdoors, acquisition of new skills, and occasional selling of popcorn. The Boy Scout population has been stable since 1980 and I think that will continue to be the case...Scouting will continue to appeal to the same segment of the population that it always has.

The Girl Scouts are the ones that are in trouble. Every two years, they change the motto, or the law, or the oath, to try to keep things "current." And then they redesign the uniforms to try to make them look cool. And, as any scout knows, there's no hope in making uniforms look cool. To attempt to do so only makes them that much less cool.

And the GSUSA has moved away from actual scouting activities like, you know, the outdoors, toward "feel good" activities like helping girls dress well.


I kid you not, these are some of the newer badges:
"Looking my best"
"Becoming a teen"
"You go girl"
and
"Sew glam"

ick.

And the GS oath/promise includes this appendix:
"* The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate."

At least there's always the cookies...

[Archaea]

Wow. Way to define yourself into oblivion.

My girls have better things to do than Girl Scouting. Of course, they learn that other stuff at the mall or with their mother.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I'm afraid so.

A scout is:

Trustworty
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Most of the values here are almost non-existent or mocked in today's "me-first" society.

Come one, most of us around here are alll of those things save clean and reverent.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by Venkman

Growing up in Utah, I never experienced non-LDS troops. Being a scoutmaster in CA, I was blown away at some of the non-LDS troops I encountered. 50 boys, 8-9 patrols, great leadership, both adult and boy. I like to think my troop was a good one, but LDS troops are hamstrung a bit by smaller numbers, the lack of older boys to be in leadership positions, money, and of course unmotivated adult leaders who hate scouts but didn't have the guts to tell the bishop no thanks.

You are seeing the difference between compulsory participation and voluntary participaion. You can only fake it so much.

[BarbaraGordon]

Archaea:

Your girls no doubt do more stuff outside with the two of you than they would ever do in Girl Scouting. It was already watered down when I was involved and that was back in, well, you know, it was awhile ago...

I had hoped to be a Girl Scout leader at one point. But now I'm glad I have two boys, because I really wouldn't want to be a GS leader and teach girls "how to look your best." yuck.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Lisa.Kinzer

Archaea:

Your girls no doubt do more stuff outside with the two of you than they would ever do in Girl Scouting. It was already watered down when I was involved and that was back in, well, you know, it was awhile ago...

I had hoped to be a Girl Scout leader at one point. But now I'm glad I have two boys, because I really wouldn't want to be a GS leader and teach girls "how to look your best." yuck.

You sound like a cool mom.

My daughters do a lot of stuff, mostly stuff I can't keep track of. I keep track of school and sports, and some Church stuff. The other stuff is mom stuff, such as Charity League, dates, dances, proms, school offices.

The boys do great stuff, science projects, karate, scouts, church, sports, movies, hiking, soccer, football .... Sorry to hear about your sooneritis. Perhaps a few more trips to Texas can make it go away.

None of them have yet acquired an interest in philosophy, but there's always college for that.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Sorry to hear about your sooneritis. Perhaps a few more trips to Texas can make it go away.

Sooner born and Sooner bred.


Shall I tell you a funny story about OU Texas?

My husband is a software developer and not exactly a football fan.

I dragged him along to OUTX several years ago and he BROUGHT HIS LAPTOP.

Here people pay a bazillion dollars a ticket (if they can get tix at all) and my husband pulls out his laptop - in the stadium - and starts coding.

I have NEVER been more mortified in my life. People were throwing stuff, yelling at us. yikes.

That was the LAST time I take Jason to a football game.

sheesh.