Parents Guide 

 

Arrowhead District

Daniel Webster Council

September 25, 2000

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?

ORGANIZATION 

          Chartered Organization (Sponsor) 

          Troop Committee

          Troop 409

                   Troop Meetings

                   Troop Activities

                   Adult Leadership

                   Patrols and Patrol Leaders 

          Troop Parents

ADVANCEMENT 

          Advancement Through First Class 

          Advancement From First Class to Eagle

          Merit Badges

          Boards Of Review

          Courts Of Honor

ADMINISTRATIVE

          Rechartering and Fees

                   Annual Registration Fees

                   Fees For Outings/Activities

                   Fundraising

                   Friends Of Scouting

ACCIDENT INSURANCE

TROOP NEWSLETTER

UNIFORM

          Scout Shops

AND FINALLY...

 

“Of all the things you do, probably no one of them -- or all combined are as important as is your personal influence.”

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.

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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. 

SCOUT OATH

SCOUT LAW

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.

A Scout is:

Trustworthy

Loyal

Helpful

Friendly

Courteous

Kind

Obedient

Cheerful

Thrifty

Brave

Clean

Reverent

Since 1910, these principles have been taught in an atmosphere of recreation and fun that 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 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: 

President John F. Kennedy     Boy Scout

Neil A. Armstrong           Eagle Scout

First person to set foot  

on the moon

President Gerald Ford             Eagle Scout

Steven Spielberg              Eagle Scout

Movie producer

J. Willard Marriott, Jr.             Eagle Scout

President Marriott Corp.

William C. Devries, MD   Eagle Scout

Transplanted first artificial

heart

Sam M. Walton                       Eagle Scout

Chairman/CEO, Wal-Mart

Barber B. Conable, Jr.       Eagle Scout

President, World Bank

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 adult leaders, the boys run the show.

The boys in the Troop will be working towards their First Class 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 resumes 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.

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ORGANIZATION

Troop 409 is a participating member of the Arrowhead District of the Daniel Webster Council, Boy Scouts of America.  The Troop’s organization consists of a Chartered Organization, a Troop Committee, the Troop, and the Troop’s Parents.

Charter Organization (Sponsor)

Every Troop belongs to an organization.  The Chartered Organization for Troop 409 is the Salem Lions Club.  The Chartered Organization shares our objectives for the boys and insures that there is adequate, trained leadership.  A Chartered Organization Representative acts as liaison between us and the Lions Club.

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Troop Committee

The Troop Committee functions as an administration and support organization for the Troop.  The Troop Committee takes care of non-program issues surrounding the Troop.  For example: Troop funds, fund raising activities, membership drives and Pack coordination, advancement records, and procurement and maintenance of Troop equipment.  The Committee meets monthly.  The meetings are open to all parents and other interested adults.

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Troop 409

Troop Meetings

Troop 409 meets every Tuesday evening, year round, at the Barron School from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  However, when school in canceled there will be no meeting.  During school vacations, we normally hold special activities.  During summer vacation, we hold our meetings outdoors at the Barron School or other locations.

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Troop Activities

Outdoor activities are an important part of the Boy Scout program.  Generally, we hold two activities each month in addition to our weekly troop meetings.  Parents play a big part in our activity program, from time to time you will be asked to help with transportation and perhaps to participate.  Please bear in mind that we are all volunteers and most of us work full time to support our families, but we do take time to help our sons.

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Adult Leadership

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 409 meetings, trips, or outings.

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Patrols and Patrol Leaders

The Troop is a group made up of several patrols.  Each patrol usually consists of a Patrol Leader and no less than four Scouts or more than eight Scouts.  A Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader lead each patrol.

A Senior Patrol Leader and his Staff lead the Troop.  The Staff and Patrol Leaders, with the Senior Patrol Leader as their head, form the Patrol Leaders’ Council, which plans the activities and runs the Troop meetings.

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Troop Parents

The role of parents within Troop 409 is to be supportive of the Troop’s efforts and to provide the atmosphere Scout’s need to learn and excel.  Parents should try to:

  1. Read their Scout’s handbook and understand the purpose and methods of Scouting.  Parent should attend an informal Boy Scout Fast Start conducted by the Troop Committee.

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

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

  4. Assist, as required, 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.

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

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 ADVANCEMENT

There are many definitions of advancement, but the Scouting definition might well be, simply, “the art of meeting a challenge.”  For that is the 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.  Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle.  The higher he climbs the more challenging his tasks -- and the most rewarding.

Advancements include:

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:

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 himself 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 the three points of the trefoil stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: Duty to God and country, duty to others, and duty to yourself.  The goal of this Troop is for a 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.

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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 should obtain as soon as possible after joining the Troop.  Take a look at Chapter 1.  This short chapter has an advancement summary through First Class.

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Merit Badges

The goal of the merit badge program is to expand a Scout’s area of interest and to encourage the Scout to meet and work with adults in a chosen subject.  A Scout working with a registered merit badge counselor earns merit badges.  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 recognized during the Troop’s quarterly Courts of Honor.

All parents of Troop 409 Scouts are encouraged to become Merit Badge Counselors.  Please fill in the attached Troop Resource Survey and return it to a Troop Leader.

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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 ensue 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.

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Courts of Honor

Troop 409 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 this time.  It is the Patrol Leaders’ Council that plans and conducts 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, family members, and all other interested individuals are encouraged to attend.

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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 review their commitment for the coming year.  The process of rechartering the Troop must be completed by the end of December of each calendar year.

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Annual Registration Fees

How much does Boy Scouting cost?  As little as possible, but nothing worthwhile is free.  The annual cost for each Scout in Troop 409 is $41.75:

Of this cost, the Scout only pays the annual dues; other costs are paid by the Troop.

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Fees for Outings/Activities

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

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Fundraising

The boys through various fundraising activities raise additional funds.  The Troop usually plans to do one or two major fundraising projects a year. Our fund-raisers will be designed so that once the Troop’s budget is met, additional funds raised by your son will be credited toward his individual account to help defray scouting costs.  

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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 (Camp Carpenter, Hidden Valley Scout Reservation, Meade Base High Adventure Base, and Pierre Hoge), the Council Camporees, as well as other Council activities, Local BSA administration and local advertising, and activities.  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.

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ACCIDENT INSURANCE

Each member of our troop and those who take part in our activities and meetings are covered by our accident insurance policy, while at a scheduled event or while going to and from that event.  If anyone is injured, please notify the Scoutmaster.  He has the necessary forms to file a claim.

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TROOP NEWSLETTER

At the last troop meeting of each month, each Scout will receive a copy of the troop newsletter for the following month.  It contains details of upcoming activities and permission slips.  Because newsletters are our main line of communications between the troop, our scouts, and their parent(s), parents will also be mailed a copy each month.  

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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 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

 “Class B” Uniform

Uniform and insignia are worn a certain way.  Troop Leaders and staff at Scout Distributors will be able to answer any question you might have on where to place a badge.  Inside the covers of the Boy Scout Handbook are guides for proper insignia placement.  

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Scout Shops

There are five Scout Distributors in out area where you can purchase scout uniforms and supplies:

Bob’s Variety  Andover Street   Lawrence, MA

Fuller’s Menswear   Main Street   Amesbury, MA

The Scout Shop at Daniel Webster Council   Holt Avenue   Manchester, NH

The Scout Shop   Route 114   Middleton, MA

Yankee Clipper Council   Amesbury Rd (Route 110)   Haverhill, MA    

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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 along the trail to Eagle.

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

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Last Updated: 12/13/2001

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