Scouts were never a perfect organization...They had quasi-Masonic aspects in Order of the Arrow ceremonies and “great Scoutmaster in the sky” language at camp chapel, emerging from an odd crucible of Teddy Roosevelt-style nationalist progressivism and British Empire civics of the early 20th century. Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book” also inspired Cub Scout ranks...Our family’s relationship with regular Scouting ended around the time our younger son in fifth grade ran to get his copy of Boys Life magazine in the mail only to throw it aside because it was featuring girls, as if photoshopped into Norman Rockwell Scouting art. He lost his enthusiasm, our eldest lost his home troop, and dad didn’t want to send money to a national organization adrift.
Really? OA was never a Secret Organization - all parents can see anything they want to see if they inquire. As for the things "lost" (which, I agree, are not in line with Scouting's core competency of forming men), they strike me as having more to do with laxity on the writer's part. What about fighting for what is good and right?
Dr. Siewers is SOOOOOOO concerned about the morality of Scouting, but he hasn't a problem working for Princeton, a place not well-known for defending the West. I guess that's ok for him...but Scouting, well, they are DIFFERENT. / sarc
I get it....Scouting has lost some of its focus. But, to paraphrase Churchill, Scouting is the worst organization focused on forming boys into men, except for all the others. If people fought for Scouting like Deplorables fought for Trump, I suspect we'd have a success story on our hands.
The author works for Princeton? Then this was an assignment, not an opinion piece.
Single parent families. That’s what’s killing Scouting. Period. Been a leader now for 12 years. Oddly, it’s the single parent volunteers that get it that have been my most valuable.
Most outsiders confuse Scouting with a religion. It isn’t. It’s a place for kids to gracefully fail and learn something in the process. A game with a purpose. Full stop.
Everyone tends to see whatever’s missing in society in the demise of Scouting. The demise in family structure IS the demise in Scouting. Nothing scientific required here.