14 November 2008
Maybe You Shouldn’t Be An Eagle Scout
Posted by admin under: advancement .
Hoo boy. That’s the sentiment found in a letter from Mike Rowe, the star of the television show Dirty Jobs. Steve B. at A Scoutmaster’s Blog excerpts some of the reply and gives you a link to the full response.
You have got to check this out. Mike Rowe, the star of the television show Dirty Jobs, recently wrote a post to his blog in response to a letter written by a parent of a Boy Scout who wants to quit Scouting because it is not “cool” to his friends. Mike, who happens to be an Eagle Scout, wrote an excellent article.
I’ve recently started reflecting on the fact that the Eagle Rank, when properly earned, isn’t really the cumulative effect of all those hours we spend teaching boys knots and telling them to lead and so on. More often, it seems by the boys I’ve seen who earn it, the rank simply reveals the character that was already there as molded by the family and the boy himself. Sure, we have a part in that, but I haven’t often seen kid I thought wasn’t ready, even if they had all their badges and offices earned, turn around and blossom into the kind of man people will assume is an Eagle Scout. The only heartbreak is when you see a boy who is a hard worker and dedicated miss this rank simply because he has spread himself too thin. So, I have to say I kind of agree with Mike that if a boy has to be forced to become an Eagle, maybe it’s not the right goal for him.
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One Comment so far...
Mike of ‘Dirty Jobs’ Shares His Eagle Scout Perspective | Scouting News Says:
15 November 2008 at 10:41 pm.
[...] Hat Tip: BoyandGirlScouts.com [...]
