I agree with the comments made about the ugliness and immorality of predatory leaders, and how National has "lost its way." But as I also noted, there were about 40,000 rabid rank-and-file Scouts who LOVED Trump's red meat speech to them a few years ago. It is THOSE people who are the heart and soul of Scouting: to wit, did we declare America dead when Obama and his retinue were in command of the Executive Branch?
Scouting is more a mindset and collection of values than it is an organization. Thankfully, many adults and Scouts are ignoring the noise from National and the nattering nabobs of negativism and continue to form tomorrow's leaders in the well-worn path established over a century ago. It ain't easy, but then again the Scout Motto isn't "give up when things look bad."
Yes, but when you measure youth membership only, the troop program membership peaked in 1973 and has been declining ever since.
As I wrote elsewhere, I suggested (and was ignored...) that BSA try to examine what "worked" during the Reagan years …
What happened in the '80's was that BSA saw its folly during 1973-1980 when it tried to urbanize Scouting, i.e., "BSA took the 'outing' out of Scouting" during the 1970s. This was the same period when CBS executed its "Great Rural Purge" during the 1970-71 season when it cancelled still-popular rural-themed shows with demographically skewed audiences and the still popular variety shows. BSA re-tooled the troop program and went back to being more "old school", i.e., emphasized camping.
… and try to replicate that vs assume that just because BSA had 100 years of success in forming young men that BSA can simply whip this program on girls with great success.
Actually this is exactly what BSA did in 2018 with the creation of all-girl packs and troops (not co-ed, i.e., boy and girls in the same unit). BSA introduced Learning for Life, Tiger Cubs, Webeloes Dens, Varsity, and Venturing (co-ed) units during the 1980s. So total membership (youth and adult combined) bumped up but then declined again during the late 1990s.
...But as I also noted, there were about 40,000 rabid rank-and-file Scouts who LOVED Trump's red meat speech to them a few years ago. It is THOSE people who are the heart and soul of Scouting: to wit, did we declare America dead when Obama and his retinue were in command of the Executive Branch?
Scouting is more a mindset and collection of values than it is an organization. Thankfully, many adults and Scouts are ignoring the noise from National and the nattering nabobs of negativism and continue to form tomorrow's leaders in the well-worn path established over a century ago. It ain't easy, but then again the Scout Motto isn't "give up when things look bad."
I commend your positive attitude. No doubt there are still many units out there delivering the program. Sadly, the historical decline of Scouting in other countries, particularly Canada and the UK, slightly preceded our own and I don't think it has recovered there either.