Introduction
Excerpted from BSA Troop Committee Guidebook
For Successful Troop Operation
Copyright 1998, Boy Scouts of America, ISBN 0-8395-4505-3
Welcome to the family of Scouting. As a troop committee member, you can help enrich the lives of boys and make a difference in the kind of men they become. Since 1910, it has been the mission of the Boy Scouts of America to prepare young people to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
Boy Scouting works toward three aims. One is growth in moral strength and character. We may define this as what the boy is - his personal qualities, his values, his outlook.
The second aim is participating citizenship. Used broadly, citizenship means the boy's relationship to others. He comes to learn of his obligations to other people, to the society he lives in, and to the government that presides over that society.
The third aim is development of physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Fitness includes the body (well-tuned and healthy), the mind (able to think and solve problems), and the emotions (self-control, courage, and self-respect).
To accomplish these aims, Boy Scouting has developed its program using eight methods.
  • 1. IDEALS The ideals of Scouting are spelled out in the Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan. The Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve.
  • 2. PATROLS The patrol method gives Scouts an experience in group living and participating citizenship. It places a certain amount of responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it.
  • 3. OUTDOORS Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors. It is in the outdoors that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with each other. It is here that the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive with purpose.
  • 4. ADVANCEMENT Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps to overcome them through the advancement method. The Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he overcomes each challenge. The Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a boy grow in self-reliance and the ability to help others.
  • 5. ADULT ASSOCIATION Boys learn from the example set by their adult leaders. Troop leadership may be male or female, and association with adults of high character is encouraged at this stage of a young man's development.
  • 6. PERSONAL GROWTH As 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 Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service projects and do Good Turns for others. The religious emblems program is also a large part of the personal growth method.
  • 7. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Boy Scouting encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills. Every Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared leadership and total leadership situations. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership roles of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.
  • 8. UNIFORM The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout's commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals.
    • Our youth must make mature decisions about many things that their limited experience with life has not prepared them for. Many of these decisions will have long-term consequences. The ready availability of drugs and alcohol and the rising number of youth gangs are situations our youth face daily. The number of single-parent households, the effects of the seemingly never-ending change caused by the impact of new technologies, and the increased amount of time parents must spend away from their children to ensure economic survival are all factors that make the Scouting program so vital to our nation's future.
    Boy Scouting has successfully assisted more than 98 million members since 1910 to develop the character and peer group associations to make ethical decisions and become role models in their communities.
    The Scouting movement has also developed special programs to educate our youth regarding drugs, child abuse, literacy, the new world of careers, and hunger in America.
    Working as a team in support of the troop and its Scoutmaster, you can help your youth members to develop the confidence, skills, character, and mental fitness that will allow them to give quality leadership to a changing society.
    The resources listed on page 43 will be especially helpful as your troop committee members begin to understand their role in troop organization and successful troop operation.
    Last Revised 8/22/02
    John D. McCarthy