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It
has been said that you should always begin with the
end in mind...
Specifically, the BSA endeavors to develop American
citizens who are physically, mentally, and emotionally
fit; have a high degree of self-reliance as evidenced
in such qualities as initiative, courage, and resourcefulness;
have personal values based on religious concepts; have
the desire and skills to help others; understand the
principles of the American social, economic, and governmental
systems; are knowledgeable about and take pride in
their American heritage and understand our nation's
role in the world; have a keen respect for the basic
rights of all people; and are prepared to participate
in and give leadership to American society.
The
goal of the Boy Scouts of America is to help boys
develop into honorable men.
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Every
Scouting activity moves boys toward three basic aims:
Character
Development
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This
aim is to build self-reliance, self-discipline,
self-confidence, and self-respect. The scout
understands and improves himself: his personal
qualities, his values, his outlook on life..
Scouting strives to help a boy grow in the
following ways:
Character
is defined as what your behavior is when
you think no one is looking.
Citizenship
Training
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This
aim is to nurture respect of, participation
in, and caring for community, nation, and
world while fostering a commitment of service
to others and an understanding of local,
state, and national government. Citizenship
refers to the scout's relationship to others
- his obligations to other people, to the
society he lives in, and to the government
of his society. The Scouting
program allows boys to practice good citizenship
by living and working among others in a troop
with rules based on the common good. Each
Scout is further encouraged to do the following:
Mental
and Physical Fitness
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This aim is to develop life-long physical, mental,
emotional, and moral fitness. Fitness includes a healthy,
strong body, a mind able to imagine and reason, and
a spirit of courage, caring, and self-control. People
get the most out of life when they are mentally and
physically fit. Scouting motivates each Scout to work
toward these goals:
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The eight
methods of the Scouting movement are the
means through which the Aims of
Scouting are achieved:
The
aims of the movement can be attained without
these methods, but it wouldn't be Scouting.
Likewise, these methods can produce quality
individuals without the aims. But, again that
wouldn't be Scouting. Scouting is in fact a
combination of these aims and these methods.
Let's
look at each of these methods in turn for a
little more explanation:
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The
ideals are those outlined in the Scout Oath and Law,
the Motto and Slogan,
and the concept of "Scout
Spirit". The ideals define what a Scout
should strive to be: trustworthy, loyal, helpful,
friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful,
thrifty, brave, clean, reverent, mentally awake,
morally straight, physically fit, always prepared.
The Boy Scout measures himself against these
ideals and continually tries to improve. The
goals are high, and, as he reaches for them,
he has some control over what and who he becomes.
This
method permeates everything Scouts do, defining
acceptable behavior, challenging the Scout
to do his best, and even to do better than
his best. Scout spirit describes the level
of commitment a Scout has toward these ideals,
and challenges him to do what needs to be done.
Patrols
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The
patrol method gives Boy Scouts an experience
in group living and participating citizenship.
It places responsibility on young shoulders and
teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method
allows Scouts to interact in small groups where
they can easily relate to each other. These small
groups determine troop activities through their
elected representatives.
The
Patrol is the basic unit of Scouting. It is a
perfectly sized group of Scouts with a common
purpose. When properly formed, the Patrol is
more than a group; it's a team and each member
has a job to do. In a Patrol, the Scout first
begins learning about citizenship, making decisions,
and doing things for himself. He counts on the
other members of his Patrol to do their part,
just as they count on him to do his.
Membership
in a Patrol leads to opportunities for leadership,
so this method is also important to other methods
in this list. Everything in Scouting can and
should be done using the Patrol method, and Patrols
should be more than just a list of names. The
group should be real, and it should have real
things to do. Its leaders should be real leaders,
with real authority.
Outdoors
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Boy
Scouting is designed to take place outdoors.
It is in the outdoor setting that Scouts share
responsibilities and learn to live with one another.
It is here that the skills and activities practiced
at troop meetings come alive with purpose. Being
close to nature helps Boy Scouts gain an appreciation
for God's handiwork and humankind's place in
it. The outdoors is the laboratory for Boy Scouts
to learn ecology and practice conservation of
nature's resources.
Doing
things outdoors are what Scouting is all about.
Scouting is Outing! In the course of
doing the things Scouts do, a boy cannot help
but go into the outdoors. In fact, it's impossible
to properly conduct a Scouting program without
going outdoors. As much as possible, and as often
as possible, Scouts should get out of buildings.
They should follow the dirt trails, camp in the
woods, swim in the lake, and all of the other
things boys have done since there were boys.
A
Scout program that doesn't include going into
the outdoors isn't much of a program. It can't
be much fun either. Scouting is not school. We
don't learn things in Scouting by sitting in
a classroom - we learn them by going out and
doing them!
Advancement
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Boy
Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles
and steps in overcoming them through the advancement
method. The Boy Scout plans his advancement and progresses
at his own pace as he meets each challenge. The Boy
Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps
him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement
system help a Boy Scout grow in self-reliance and
in the ability to help others.
The
advancement method is nearly as pervasive as
the ideals of Scouting. Advancement gives the
Scout things to do when they go outdoors, and
it gives Patrols something to work together on.
Advancement also contributes to a Scout's personal
growth, provides opportunities for leadership
and adult associations, and a reason to go outside.
Advancement
in Scouting is specifically designed to present
every boy with a big challenge, broken up into
smaller and smaller challenges. A Scout learns
to set goals, develop plans for meeting those
goals, to motivate himself to do what needs to
be done, to always try his best and keep trying,
and even that his perception of what he can do
is often wrong. The Scout learns about his personal
abilities and limitations, and ways to overcome
those limitations and take advantage of those
abilities.
Personal
Growth
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As Boy Scouts plan
their activities and progress toward their goals,
they experience personal growth. The Good Turn concept
is a major part of the personal growth method of
Boy Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community
service projects and do Good Turns for others. Probably
no device is so successful in developing a basis
for personal growth as the daily Good Turn. The religious
emblems program also is a large part of the personal
growth method. Frequent personal conferences with
his Scoutmaster help each Boy Scout to determine
his growth toward Scouting's aims.
Much
of what we do in Scouting involves boys facing
unfamiliar territory and learning to cope with
it. This is what we call personal growth. Every
Scout develops greater confidence through experience
and advancement. He learns to have confidence
in himself; to challenge himself, and to learn
from his failures.
Every
step along the way, a Scout is faced with a challenge
that has to be overcome. In the process, he learns
to look at himself differently. He stops saying "I
can't" and begins to look for ways to say, "I
can." As his confidence grows he looks for greater
responsibilities and challenges. He learns to
make real decisions.
Adult
Association
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From time immemorial
youth have looked to adults for guidance. Sons look
to parents for an example to live by. Students look
to teachers for knowledge. In Scouting, this tradition
continues. Adults provide the living example to Scouts
of the ideals of Scouting. More importantly, adults
provide the impetus for a Scout's personal growth
and self-confidence.
Adults
also provide the safety net that allows Scouting
to work. Through guidance and support adults
in Scouting create the environment the Scouts
need to take advantage of these methods. The
Scout learns to work with other adults and develops
the skills needed to navigate the adult world.
Leadership
Development
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The Boy Scout program
encourages boys to learn and practice leadership
skills. Every Boy Scout has the opportunity to participate
in both shared and total leadership situations. Understanding
the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the
leadership role of others and guides him toward the
citizenship aim of Scouting.
Scouts
learn to lead themselves. In Scouting, adults
aren't there to lead the youth. They are there
to guide the youth through the process of leading
themselves. This process begins in the Patrol
where Scouts have their first opportunity to
choose their own leaders. As the Scout's experience
grows, his opportunities for leadership increase.
Leadership
in Scouting includes making decisions and guiding
the troop and Patrol, planning the program, and
conducting meetings. Scouts learn to lead by
leading, and they develop leadership skills by
learning to follow their chosen leaders.
Uniform
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The uniform
makes the Boy Scout troop visible as a force for
good and creates a positive youth image in the community.
Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the
uniform is an action that shows each Boy Scout's
commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting.
The uniform gives the Boy Scout identity in a world
brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals.
The uniform is practical attire for Boy Scout activities
and provides a way for Boy Scouts to wear the badges
that show what they have accomplished. People seeing
a boy in a Scout uniform expect someone of good character
who is prepared to the best of his ability to help
those around him.
The
uniform has always been an important part of
being a Scout. In this day and age, many would
have you believe that the uniform really isn't
all that important; that a Scout is as much a
Scout in T-shirt and jeans as he is in khaki
and green. That's partly true, but the uniform
is more than a set of clothes. It's more than
simply a place to display achievements. It is
a symbol of the boy's commitment to Scouting
- his acceptance of Scouting's ideals and willingness
to live by them.
Scouts
who do not wear a uniform usually do not have
a complete understanding of Scouting or the commitment
they have been asked to make. Many Scouts will
tell you that the uniform doesn't look good,
it doesn't fit well, or it isn't very good for
outdoor activities. In some respects, this is
true, but they are superficial concerns. Perhaps
they don't understand that the uniform is a symbol
of their commitment and, not wearing the uniform
is a sign that they lack that commitment.
The
Right Method For The Job
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Scouting's methods
represent the tools we use, the path we take in reaching
for our goals. In every Scouting activity, some element
of each of these methods will be evident. Sometimes
this will be obvious; often it will not. But the
methods are where we concentrate our attention and
effort. A balanced combination of these will lead
us to the aims.
Some
would say that the methods really aren't that
important, that it doesn't matter what methods
you use as long as you have the same aims and
concentrate on those. That's not necessarily
true. In any effort, if you concentrate all of
your attention and effort on the goal you want
to achieve, you can't be paying much attention
to how you're getting there and whether the path
you're taking will lead to success. Imagine trying
to navigate a maze by maintaining your focus
on the exit. No matter what you do, you'll soon
find yourself lost in the maze.
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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.
On
my honor . . .
By
giving your word, you are promising to be guided
by the ideals of the Scout Oath. Honor is another
word for integrity or trustworthy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
. . I will do my best . . .
Try
hard to live up to the points of the Scout Oath.
Measure your achievements against your own high
standards and don't be influenced by peer pressure
or what other people do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
. . To do my duty to God . . .
Your
family and religious leaders teach you about God
and the ways you can serve. You do your duty to
God by following the wisdom of those teachings
every day and by respecting and defending the rights
of others to practice their own beliefs.
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.
. . and my country . . .
Help
keep the United States a strong and fair nation
by learning about our system of government and
your responsibilities as a citizen and future voter.
America
is made up of countless families and communities.
When you work to improve your community and your
home, you are serving your country. Natural resources
are another important part of America's heritage
worthy of your efforts to understand, protect,
and use wisely. What you do can make a real difference.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
. . and to obey the Scout Law; . . .
The
twelve points of the Scout Law are guidelines that
can lead you toward wise choices. When you obey
the Scout Law, other people will respect you for
the way you live, and you will respect yourself.
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.
. . To help other people at all times; . . .
There
are many people who need you. Your cheerful smile
and helping hand will ease the burden of many who
need assistance. By helping out whenever possible,
you are doing your part to make this a better world.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
. . To keep myself physically strong, .
. .
Take
care of your body so that it will serve you well
for an entire lifetime. That means eating nutritious
foods, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly
to build strength and endurance. It also means
avoiding harmful drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and anything else
that can harm your health.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.
. . mentally awake, . . .
Develop
your mind both in the classroom and outside of
school. Be curious about everything around you,
and work hard to make the most of your abilities.
With an inquiring attitude and the willingness
to ask questions, you can learn much about the
exciting world around you and your role in it.
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.
. . and morally straight.
To
be a person of strong character, your relationships
with others should be honest and open. You should
respect and defend the rights of all people. Be
clean in your speech and actions, and remain faithful
in your religious beliefs. The values you practice
as a Scout will help you shape a life of virtue
and self-reliance.
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A
Scout is:
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Trustworthy
A
Scout tells the truth. He is honest, and he
keeps his promises. People can depend on him.
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Loyal
A
Scout is true to his family, friends, Scout
leaders, school, and nation.
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Helpful
A
Scout cares about other people. He willingly
volunteers to help others without expecting
payment or reward.
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Friendly
A
Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to
other Scouts. He offers his friendship to people
of all races and nations, and respects them
even if their beliefs and customs are different
from his own.
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Courteous
A
Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age
or position. He knows that using good manners
makes it easier for people to get along.
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Kind
A
Scout knows there is strength in being gentle.
He treats others as he wants to be treated.
Without good reason, he does not harm or kill
any living thing.
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Obedient
A
Scout follows the rules of his family, school,
and troop. He obeys the laws of his community
and country. If he thinks these rules and laws
are unfair, he tries to have them changed in
an orderly manner rather than disobeying them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cheerful
A
Scout looks for the bright side of life. He
cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He
tries to make others happy.
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Thrifty
A
Scout works to pay his own way and to help
others. He saves for the future. He protects
and conserves natural resources. He carefully
uses time and property.
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Brave
A
Scout can face danger although he is afraid.
He has the courage to stand for what he thinks
is right even if others laugh at him or threaten
him.
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Clean
A
Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean.
He chooses the company of those who live by
high standards. He helps keep his home and
community clean.BSA Troop 780 Home Page
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Reverent
A
Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful
in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs
of others.
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"Be
Prepared !"
In
various languages, it has been used by millions
of Scouts around the world since 1907.
Of
course, it is no coincidence that this motto can
be shortened to B. P. and Robert Baden-Powell,
the founder of the movement, used to shorten his
surname into B.-P.
In
the third part of Scouting for Boys dated February
12, 1908, Robert Baden-Powell explains the meaning
of the phrase:
The
Scout Motto is: BE PREPARED which means you are
always in a state of readiness in mind and body
to do your DUTY.
- Be
Prepared in Mind by having disciplined yourself
to be obedient to every order, and also by having
thought out beforehand any accident or situation
that might occur, so that you know the right
thing to do at the right moment, and are willing
to do it.
- Be
Prepared in Body by making yourself strong and
active and able to do the right thing at the
right moment, and do it.
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Our
Scout salute and handshake are ancient signs
of bravery and respect. During the colonial period
of our country, many men carried weapons for
protection.
Sometimes
when they met one another, there was an uneasy
moment as each man watched the others right hand.
If it went to his sword or his gun, there might
be a fight. but if it went to his hat, it was
a salute of friendship and respect.
The
left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warriors
whom Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting,
knew almost 100 years ago in West Africa. He
saluted them with his right hand, but the Ashanti
chiefs offered their left hands and said, "In
our land only the bravest of the brave shake
hands with the left hand, because to do so we
must drop our shields and our protection."
The
Ashantis knew of Baden-Powell's bravery because
they had fought against him and with him, and
they were proud to offer the left hand of bravery.
When
you use the Scout salute and handshake, remember
that they are signs of respect and courage.
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- The three
points of the trefoil stand for the
three parts of the Scout Oath.
- The shape of
the Scout badge means that a Scout can point
the right way in life as truly as does a compass
in the field.
- There
are two
stars on the badge. They symbolize truth
and knowledge.
- The eagle
and shield stand for freedom and a
Scout's readiness to defend that freedom.
- The scroll bearing
the Scout motto is turned up at the ends as
a reminder that a Scout smiles as he does his
duty.
- The knot at
the bottom of the scroll serves as a reminder
of the Scout slogan, Do a Good Turn Daily.
Origin
of the World Scouting Symbol
"Fleur-de-Lis"
In Scouting's
early years, critics accused Baden-Powell of
trying to turn boys into soldiers, holding up
as evidence the Scout symbol, which they called "a
spear-head, the emblem of battle and bloodshed".
The Founder quickly replied, The crest is the "Fleur-de-Lis",
a lily, the emblem of peace and purity.
In truth, he
had chosen as Scouting's emblem the sign for
the North Point, universally shown on maps, charts
and compass cards, because "it points in the
right direction (and upwards), turning neither
to the right nor left, since these lead backward
again..." Lady Baden-Powell added later, "It
shows the true way to go."
Baden-Powell
explained the origins of this sign. In the Middle
Ages, mariner Flavio Gioja designed it to make
the seaman's compass more reliable. In Italian,
North was "Tramontana". Gioja used a capital "T" to
mark it, and in deference to King Charles of
Naples, whose crest was the Fleur-de-Lis, combined
the letter with that emblem.
To explain
the meaning of the Scout emblem, Baden-Powell
said, "The two stars on the two side arms stand
for the two eyes of the Wolf Cub having been
opened before he became a Scout... The three
points of the Fleur-de-Lis remind the Scout of
the three points of the Scout's Promise..."
In the World
Scout emblem, the Fleur-de-Lis is surrounded
by a circle of rope tied with a reef knot to
symbolize the strength and unity of the world
brotherhood of Scouting: "Even as one cannot
undo a reef knot, no matter how hard one pulls
on it, so as it expands, the movement remains
united."
The three tips
of the Fleur-de-Lis represent the three main
parts of the Scout promise: duty to God, obedience
to the Scout Law, and service to others. The
two five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge,
and the 10 points on the stars remind us of the
10 points of the Scout law. The ring holding
the emblem together represents the bond of brotherhood.
The symbol
is white on a royal purple background, colors
Baden-Powell chose because, in heraldry, white
stands for purity and purple for leadership and
helping others.
Since Scouting
began, over 200 million Scouts have worn the
Scout symbol, making it one of the more highly
recognized emblems in the world. Today, over
150 World Scouting countries and territories,
more than 16 million members continue to wear
it with pride.
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As
an American I will do my best to...
Be clean in my outdoor manners
I
will treat the outdoors as a heritage.
I will take care of it for myself and others.
I will keep my trash and garbage out of lakes,
streams, fields, woods, and roadways.
Be
careful with fire
I
will prevent wildfire.
I will build my fires only where they are appropriate.
When I have finished using a fire, I will make
sure it is cold out.
I will leave a clean fire ring, or remove all evidence
of my fire.
Be
considerate in the outdoors
I
will treat public and private property with
respect.
I will use low-impact methods of hiking and camping.
Be
conservation minded
I
will learn how to practice good conservation
of soil, waters, forests, minerals, grasslands,
wildlife, and energy.
I will urge others to do the same.
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When
you pledge allegiance to the flag, you promise
loyalty and devotion to your nation.
I
pledge allegiance...
You promise to be true
...to
the flag...
to the emblem of your country
...
of the United States of America...
a nation made up of fifty states and several territories,
each with certain rights of its own
...
and to the republic...
a country where the people elect representatives
from among themselves to make laws for them
...for
which it stands...
the flag represents the United States of America
...
one nation under
God,...
a country whose people are free to believe in God
...
indivisible,...
the nation cannot be split into parts
...
with liberty and justice...
with freedom and fairness
...for
all. ...
for every person in the country - you and every
other American.
It hasn't always
been like that...
The Pledge of Allegiance
was written in August 1892 by the socialist minister
Francis Bellamy (1855-1931). It was originally
published in The Youth's Companion on September
8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would
be used by citizens in any country.
In its original
form it read:
"I pledge allegiance
to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands,
one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all."
In 1923, the words, "the
Flag of the United States of America" were added.
At this time it read:
"I pledge allegiance
to the Flag of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands, one
nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all."
In 1954, in response
to the Communist threat of the times, President
Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under
God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today.
Bellamy's daughter objected to this alteration.
Today it reads:
"I
pledge allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for
which it stands, one nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all."
Section 4 of the
Flag Code states:
The Pledge of Allegiance
to the Flag: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America, and to the Republic
for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.", should be
rendered by standing at attention facing the
flag with the right hand over the heart. When
not in uniform men should remove any non-religious
headdress with their right hand and hold it at
the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
Persons in uniform should remain silent, face
the flag, and render the military salute."
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