TROOP 881

sponsor - John Wesley United Methodist Church

Cincinnati, OH

Pathfinder District

Dan Beard Council

Parent Guide

March 1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2

INTRODUCTION 3

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT? 3

ORGANIZATION 5

Chartered Organization (Sponsor) 5

Troop Committee 5

Troop 881 6

Troop Meetings 6

Adult Leadership 6

Patrols and Patrol Leaders 6

Troop Parents 6

ADVANCEMENT 7

Advancement Through First Class 7

Advancement from First Class to Eagle 8

Merit Badges 8

Boards of review 8

Courts of Honor 9

ADMINISTRATIVE 9

Rechartering and Fees 9

Annual Registration Fees 9

Fees for Outings / Activities 10

Fundraising 10

Friends of Scouting 10

UNIFORM 10

SCOUT Store 11

AND FINALLY 11

All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind are convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.

--Aristotle

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Boy Scouts of America! By becoming a parent of a Boy Scout, you are setting your son out on the grand adventure of Scouting. This is a tremendously important and rewarding endeavor that you will be able to share with him.

What is it all about? What will you be expected to do? What does it cost? We have prepared this booklet to answer these questions.

The following pages describe the organization of a Troop and the advancement pattern that each boy will follow. Reading this will help you understand how your boy can progress through the ranks with your help. It will help you understand how you can help and what the various adult volunteers are doing to help the Troop.

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

There are three aims to scouting:

· Aim I -- To build character

· Aim II -- To foster citizenship

· Aim III -- To develop fitness

 

These three aims are the bedrock of the American Scouting movement they represent the long term outcomes we want for every boy.

It is the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people, and in other ways to prepare them to make ethical choices over their lifetime in achieving their full potential.

The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Boy Scout Oath and Law.

Since 1910, these principles have been taught in an atmosphere of recreation and fun which allows young people to develop self confidence, leadership and moral character. More and more men, trained as Scouts, are taking their places in today's world as responsible adult leaders. Men who earned badges as Scouts, sit on the Supreme Court and in the chambers of Congress. Others hold important offices in our government, business and industry. Most of the members of congress were Scouts, as well as most of the astronauts who have walked on the moon. The long list of famous scouts includes:

The Boy Scouts of America is the largest youth oriented organization in the United States. More than 4 million boys and leaders are currently registered in the Boy Scouts of America.

Unlike Cub Scouting, which many of you are familiar with, Boy Scouting is a youth-lead organization. The boys learn how to organize and lead the Troop. After training, and with supervision from the adult leaders, the boys run the show.

The boys in the Troop will be working towards their 1st class and then Eagle ranks. As they travel on their trail to Eagle they will not only learn how to lead a team to a goal, but they will actually lead teams of scouts in a number of situations. Many Eagle Scouts put their accomplishments on their résumés and find they are often considered in obtaining acceptance into college or the work force.

Boy Scouting also provides for growth of moral strength and character, teaches citizenship, and enhances the development of physical, mental and emotional fitness. This is all done in the spirit of fun and adventure.

Please take a few minutes to read Chapter 1 of your son's Boy Scout Handbook.

ORGANIZATION

Troop 881 is a participating member of the Trailblazer District in the Dan Beard Council, Boy Scouts of America. The Troop's organization consists of a Chartered Organization, a Troop Committee, the Troop, and the Troop's Parents.

Chartered Organization (Sponsor)

Every Troop belongs to an organization. The Chartered Organization for Troop 881 is the John Wesley United Methodist Church. The Chartered Organization shares our objectives for the boys and insures that there is adequate, trained leadership. A Chartered Organization Representative acts a liaison between us and the Church.

Troop Committee

The Troop Committee Functions as an administration and support organization for the Troop. The Troop Committee takes care of the non-program issues surrounding the Troop. For example: newsletters, Troop funds, fund raising activities, membership drives and Pack coordination, activity permits and coordination, advancement records, procurement and maintenance of Troop equipment.

The Committee meets every other month. The meetings are open and attendance is encouraged by all parents and other interested adults.

Troop 881

Troop Meetings

Troop 881 will hold meetings weekly. Meetings are held every Monday, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Changes to the meeting schedule will be announced as early as possible to allow for proper planning. Troop 881 does not have regular meets on the last Monday of every month. This Monday meeting is reserved for the Patrol Leader’s Council Meeting (P.L.C.) which only the youth and adult leaders are required to attend.

Adult Leadership

At least two registered adult leaders, or one adult leader and a Scout parent, both of who must be at least 21 years of age, are required for all Troop 881 meetings, trips or outings.

Patrols and Patrol Leaders

The Troop is a group made up of several patrols. Each Patrol usually consists of a Patrol Leader and between four Scouts and eight Scouts. The boys in a patrol elect their patrol leader who in turn appoints the assistant patrol leader.

The Senior Patrol Leader is an elected position. The Senior Patrol Leader selects his Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. The Patrol Leaders, with the Senior Patrol Leader as their head, form the Patrol Leaders’ Council, which plans the activities and runs the Troop meetings.

Elections for Patrol Leaders and other officers are held in August of each year. Elections for Senior Patrol Leader will be held the spring, with the newly elected SPL taking office in August.

Troop Parents

The role of parents within Troop 881 is to be supportive of the Troop's efforts and to provide the atmosphere Scouts need to learn and excel. Parents should try to:

1. Read their Scout's handbook and understand the purpose and methods of Scouting. Parents should attend an informal Boy Scout Fast Start by the Troop Committee as well as a Parent / Leader group meeting.

2. Actively follow their Scout's progress (or lack thereof) and offer encouragement and a push when needed.

3. Show support to both the individual Scout and the Troop by attending all Troop Courts of Honor.

4. Assist, as requested, in all Troop fund-raisers and other such activities. All such assistance lowers the cost of the program we offer to the Scouts and, therefore, lowers each family's cash outlay for their Scout(s).

5. Be aware of the Troop program and annual calendar.

ADVANCEMENT

There are many definitions of advancement, but the Scouting definition might well be, simply, "the art of meeting a challenge." For that is exactly what the Boy Scout advancement program asks the boys to do. The Boy Scout advancement program provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at his own pace. As he acquires these skills he moves up through a series of ranks, for which he is awarded badges. Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. The higher he climbs the more challenging his tasks -- and the more rewarding.

Achievements include:

· Learning skills that qualify for Scouting’s more rugged and exciting outdoor challenges.

· Developing body and mind, growing self-confidence, and helping younger Scouts climb the advancement ladder.

· Discovering how it feels to go further -- in so many ways -- than he ever though he could.

 

We don’t look at advancement as a goal, but as a natural outcome of a planned, quality Troop program.

There are four steps of advancement:

• The Boy Scout Learns.

• The Boy Scout is Tested.

• The Boy Scout is Reviewed.

• The Boy Scout is Recognized.

 

Advancement Through First Class

From the time the Scout enters the Troop through the time he earns advancement to First Class, he is learning basic scouting skills to enable him to camp, hike, swim, cook, tie knots, administer first aid, and perform other tasks in the outdoors and to work as a member of a team. With those first steps the scout begins to build themselves physically, mentally, and morally. He will start to live with the Scout Oath and Law. Soon he will learn the symbolism inherent in the Scout badge; he will learn that there are three points of the trefoil which stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: Duty to God and country, duty to other people, and duty to yourself. The goal of this Troop, is for the Scout to achieve the rank of First Class within his first year in the Troop. This is a sign that the scout has mastered the fundamentals of scouting and can begin to start the long process of learning to lead others, refining the learned skills and learning additional skills.

Advancement from First Class to Eagle

From the achievement of First Class through Eagle, the Scout will be demonstrating leadership, performing service projects, earning merit badges and using the skills learned while achieving the rank of First Class. The next ranks he will earn are Star and Life. These ranks are harder to obtain than the earlier ranks, but are also more interesting for the older scouts. Upon completion of all the requirements for Star and Life the Scout will be eligible to work for Eagle. The original principals, the Scout Oath and Law now have fuller meaning for the Scout and their understanding of them is much greater. The final steps towards Eagle are filled with leadership experiences.

Details for advancement are contained in the Boy Scout Handbook, which every Scout gets when joining the Troop. Take a look at Chapter 1. This short chapter has an advancement summary through First Class.

Merit Badges

The goal of the merit badge program is to expand a Scout's areas of interest and to encourage the Scout to meet and work with adults in a chosen subject. Merit badges are earned by a Scout working with a registered merit badge counselor. The Scout is required to contact the counselor to arrange for times and places to meet with the counselor. When the Scout completes the work on the merit badge the counselor will inform the Scoutmaster that the Scout has completed the requirements for that badge. Merit Badges earned will be presented to the Scout during the Troop's quarterly Court of Honor.

All parents of Troop 881 Scouts are encouraged to become Merit Badge Counselors. Please fill in the a Troop Resource Survey and return to a Troop Leader.

Boards of review

When a Scout has completed all the requirements for a rank, he appears before a board of review composed of members of the Troop committee. The purpose of the review is not an examination. Rather it is to determine the Scout's attitude and acceptance of Scouting's ideals; to ensure that the requirements have been met for advancement, to discuss the Scout's experiences in the Troop and the Troop's program, and to encourage him to keep working towards advancement. A Board of Review may also be held to counsel a boy about his lack of progress toward advancement.

Courts of Honor

Troop 881 will conduct a Court of Honor once a quarter. The Court of Honor recognizes all Scout appointments, elections, awards, and advancements since the last Court of Honor. Adult recognition may also be presented at the Troop Court of Honor. It is the responsibility of the Troop's Patrol Leaders’ Council to plan and conduct the Troop Courts of Honor. The Troop Committee will support the Courts of Honor as requested.

The Court of Honor is a public ceremony, and is a chance for the Scouts to be publicly recognized for their achievements. Parents and all other interested individuals are be encouraged to attend.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Rechartering and Fees

The process of rechartering is the annual collection of registration fees for the Scouts and Leaders. The Troop also makes a formal visit to the chartering organization to renew their commitment for the coming year. The process of rechartering the Troop must be completed before the end of March of each calendar year.

Annual Registration Fees

How much does Boy Scouting cost? As little as possible, but nothing worthwhile is free. The annual fee for each Scout in Troop 881 is:

$50.00

· $7.00 for national BSA membership

· $1.25 insurance

· $7.80 for Boys Life magazine (We feel that this publication is not optional. It is very enjoyable, and gives the Scouts ideas for activities and outings.)

· $33.95 for Troop dues (Pays for badges, awards, equipment, and other expenses incurred by the Troop as a whole.)

 

Fees for Outings / Activities

Individual activities may have fees associated with them. If so, the parents will be notified.

Fundraising

Additional funds are raised by the boys through various fundraising activities. The Troop plans to do one or two major fundraising projects a year. Our fund-raisers will be designed so that once the Troops budget is met, additional funds raised by your son will be put into his individual account to defray scouting costs. Details on this year's fund-raisers will be available at future Troop meetings.

Friends of Scouting

Each year, the Council operates its Friends of Scouting (F.O.S.) campaign to raise money for the Council operations. The Council is responsible for maintaining the Council Camps, the Council Jamboree, the Council Camporees, as well as other Council activities, Local BSA administration and local advertising. Contributions are voluntary, but the Troop has a good record of support for this activity. As years go by, F.O.S. is becoming a critical source of BSA funding.

UNIFORM

The Scout uniform helps to achieve the objectives of Scouting. The uniform by itself can not make a good Scout or a good Troop, but its use has been proven to improve both the Scout and the Troop because it is a visible symbol of Scouting and unity. Each scout is required to have and wear, within a reasonable amount of time after joining the Troop, the following uniform items:

"Class A" Uniform

· Tan scout shirt with appropriate insignia and patches (Dan Beard Council strip, red shoulder loops, and patrol emblem.)

· Troop numbers (obtained from Troop)

· Olive Scout pants or shorts. (Optional)

· Boy Scout Socks, for wearing with shorts. (Optional)

· Boy Scout Hat (Optional).

· Scout web belt and buckle. (to be worn with Scout pants or shorts)

· Tennis shoes or hiking boots. Socks are required.

 

Activity or "Class B" Uniform (worn, as instructed by Troop leadership, when activities may cause damage to the "Class A" uniform).

· Any scout related T-Shirt.

· Tennis shoes or hiking boots. Socks are required.

 

Uniforms and insignia are worn a certain way. The Troop Leaders and staff at the Scout Store will be able to answer any questions you might have on where to put what badge. Inside the cover of the Handbook there are guides for badge placement.

SCOUT STORE

There is a Scout Store in downtown Cincinnati, at the Scout Center. Call or visit to purchase scout uniforms and supplies:

BSA Scout Store

2331 Victory Parkway

Cincinnati, OH 45206-2865

(513) 961-0500

(Even though it’s in the Scout Center, the store is not associated with the Dan Beard Council. Council patches must be abtained from the information desk outside the Scout Store.)

AND FINALLY

You are joining a great organization that includes tens of thousands of adult leaders, interested parents, and the BSA professional staff. Scouting is much more than enjoying the outdoors. The Troop teaches leadership skills and community skills. Scouting also shows the boys how they can keep themselves strong and healthy and make the most of school. With hard work and dedication, your son will be able to serve as a leader in the Troop and advance in rank along the trail to Eagle.

Above and beyond anything else said in this package, the boys and us "big kids" are in Scouts to have fun!

For more information, contact:

e-mail to troop881@pcscomputer.com

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