Boy's Life

There has been debate for many years over this one criterion for the National Quality Unit Award. Many Scouters see it as an attempt to turn them into some sort of magazine salesmen. Unfortunately, that's the wrong attitude. Boy's Life is a great way to get Scouts to read, but more than that, it's full of ideas they can use in Scouting and out of Scouting.

It must be noted that in my early years as a Scoutmaster the standard for Boy's Life subscriptions was quite high compared to today. Back then the criterion expected 100% of the Scouts receiving a subscription (or a 10% increase). In many troops this wasn't possible because many parents didn't want more than one subscription if they had more than one boy in the program. If one son was a Boy Scout, it was usual that a brother in Cub Scouts would not be subscribed. Thankfully, the standard now reflects this tendency.

The real reason the BSA includes Boy's Life in the NQUA is because they believe the magazine is good for the boys who receive and read it. It also supports the program and ideals of the Boy Scouts of America. So, is this a criterion placed on troops to increase subscriptions to a magazine? Yes, but so what? Boy's Life is a BSA publication and it can be helpful to the Scouts who read it. If the magazine were an independent publication I might have a concern.

Your goal should be to provide the opportunity for every Scout or Scouting family to subscribe to the magazine. You don't have to sell it, just give them the opportunity. If they want to subscribe they will. If they don't want to subscribe, you don't have to browbeat them until they do. Of course, in my troop they don't get a choice. Every Scout receives a subscription, period. The troop pays for it partly from dues, and partly from fundraisers.