Scouting's Ideals

The Rocky Path

There is probably no more controversial aspect of Scouting than its ideals. Since the mid-1970's the Boy Scouts of America have been in a battle to maintain it's long-held ideals as described in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Since that time, the BSA has also been criticized from within for already compromising those ideals. It seems no matter what the organization does, it's criticized.

The national organization has had the same Scout Oath and Law since they were first printed in the first handbook. To be sure, the words used to describe these ideals have changed from time to time over the years, but the actual words that constitute the promise each Scout and Scouter makes have not. Scouting's detractors often use this occasional change as evidence that the ideals are not as "set in stone" as the BSA and its supporters would have us believe.

Scouting, as a concept, needs these ideals as much, if not more, than anything else. That's why one of the eight methods of Scouting is the ideals of Scouting. But, how exactly are the ideals a method? Well, used properly the ideals give each individual a standard of conduct. They tell him or her how to act, what's expected of them, and how they can expect to be treated. Without these, Scouting is just another youth organization - one without much focus.

Maintaining Focus

There are times, however, when the ideals seem to be missing from a unit's program. It's not hard to imagine that this is not something done consciously. No, when the ideals are missing, it's usually because of some subconscious effort on the part of the adults involved. Recognizing when this has happened is a lot more difficult than fixing it though. There are lots of ways the ideals of Scouting can be missing from the program. In fact, they can be a part of every troop meeting and still be missing! Would you say the ideals were firmly in place if you saw a troop where the adults never trust the Scouts to do anything? Such a troop could open every meeting reciting the Scout Oath and Law, but never actually live them.

That's the key. Scouting's ideals are not meant to be memorized or given token attention. They are meant to be lived. It's one thing for a Scoutmaster to announce, "A Scout is trustworthy." It's another thing for a Scoutmaster to believe that a Scout is trustworthy. But the ideals are not a part of the program until both the Scoutmaster and the Scout act as if a Scout is trustworthy.

A Scout may learn the Scout Law, but he won't be motivated very much to live the Scout Law until he's shown how. This is one area where leadership skills have a huge impact. We know from our memories of our school days that it's not hard to memorize something. Memorizing something doesn't mean we've learned it, though. It simply means we are capable of reciting it, not that we understand it. The end result of Scouting is that each and every youth ends up with an understanding of the ideals of Scouting. They come away from Scouting knowing that these ideals represent a good way to live, and at some level they will continue to live by those ideals.

Timeless Values

The ideals are missing from the program when we, as Scouters, fail to reinforce them. When we accept mere memorization of the Scout Oath and Law, and never challenge a Scout to understand or define them for himself. When we don't hold our Scouts to the commitment they make. When we ourselves don't show them how to live by those ideals.

A recurring example of this involves merit badges at summer camp. How many of us have complained about summer camp merit badge counselors? How many times have we heard about an counselor passing a Scout on Soil and Water Conservation after a two-hour gab session and a 400-word essay? This is the result of ignoring the ideals of Scouting. At some point in his life that counselor memorized the Scout Oath and Law. He may even have "understood and intended to live by" them. But at some other point in his life he learned that he wouldn't really be held to that standard. He quickly realized that Scouting was more about getting badges than it was about being trustworthy.

The end result is that the counselor sees nothing wrong with ignoring requirements. He believes he's a Scout because he continues to wear the uniform, but he's not really a Scout. He's lost his commitment to and understanding of the ideals. If he still had them, the thought of passing Scouts on a merit badge without actually completing the requirements would never have occurred to him. Of all the things to be missing from Scouting, the ideals are the ones with the direst consequences.