Scouting, Volume 63, Number 4, September 1975 Page: 12
112 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Now the whole movement is launch-
ing itself into its exciting new fu-
ture. Large numbers of volunteer and
professional Scouters have been pre-
paring the launching pad. It's lift-off
time!
The movement has benefited from
all its recent experiences, the good and
the bad. Our lift-off will be greater
because we have all learned so much.
So I invite you now to climb aboard, to
give yourself to helping our success,
and helping the movement move for-
ward in confidence.
We have two equally important
goals now:
• To bring the benefits of the move-
ment to more and more boys and
young people.
• To assure that every single one of
them will derive the full benefit
through a quality program.
There will be no separation of the
two goals. Both will permeate every
plan we make, every method we use,
every project we undertake. It is a
promise for us to make to each other
and to keep.
It is not just a matter of doing every-
thing we have always done better than
we have done these things before. It is
a matter of doing better the things
which will make the most difference.
So here are the things we will spe-
cialize in:
1. To provide the finest roundtables
ever. Every possible step must be tak-
en not only to make roundtables the
best possible show, but to make them
the most helpful resource experience
for Cub Scout and Scout leaders. More
than that, roundtables must be a place
where leaders receive inspiration as
well as information.
Quarterly meetings of Explorer Ad-
visors should be provided for the same
purposes.
2. To provide more and better
training than ever before. This goal has
two sides. First, it is the movement's
responsibility to provide it. Second, it
is the responsibility of every leader to
use fully the opportunities which are
offered. One isn't worth anything with-
out the other. We are enriching the
materials, and trainers everywhere
must improve the delivery of training.
For the unit leader it is the means of
increasing the value of the time given.
For councils and districts, it is the
means of enriching the result.
3. To bring commissioner service to
its peak of effectiveness. There is a
contract for us to keep. It is that the
council will provide a direct contact
IT'S LIFT-
OFF TIME
BY JOHN M. CLAERHOUT
Director of Field Operations, BSA
with every Cubmaster, Scoutmaster
and Explorer Advisor at least once
each month. There is a theory to make
into reality: That each such contact
will make a difference in the effective-
ness of a pack, troop or post. The
keeping of that contract is a test of the
movement's vitality. If we cannot keep
it, we have no genuine vitality at all.
It is a dedicated commissioner who
carries out that service for packs and
troops; and a member of an Exploring
service team who does so for posts. Ev-
ery needed step must be taken to bring
this service to its all-time peak of ef-
fectiveness.
4. To touch every member's life
with exciting outdoor experiences. We
have known through all the years that
camping and outdoor experiences at-
tract youth to join us. Through all that
time we have not brought this part of
our program to enough members. It is
time now to bring it to a peak. We can
do it if we put all our resources to good
use. The Order of the Arrow has
helped for years and its members are
only waiting to be asked to do more.
Every Wood Badge Scouter is an out-
doorsman who is ready to help. The
handbooks of the movement promise
the thrill of the out-of-doors to all, and
it is a promise for us to keep — now.
5. To bring a good advancement ex-
perience to all Cub Scouts and Scouts.
Through the whole history of the
movement, a surprisingly small percent
of boys have experienced the advance-
ment system as we would wish them to
do. We aim to change that now by giv-
ing leaders more help to do it. Thou-
sands of Scouts are handicapped by
the lack of merit badge counselors.
Despite a 16 percent increase in Ten-
derfoot qualifications in 1974, many
more Scouts need this help now than
ever before.
Chapters of the National Eagle
Scout Association, if they accept fully
their responsibility to the movement,
could help recruit merit badge coun-
selors and serve in that capacity them-
selves. Executive boards and other ap-
propriate committees can bring help to
unit leaders to assure a rich advance-
ment experience.
6. To strengthen Exploring. In addi-
tion to all of the above areas of empha-
sis for all programs, there are some
special areas of emphasis for Explor-
ing.
We aim to increase the six inter-
est areas of Exploring so every Explor-
er has a complete experience. We wish
to help each post plan and conduct su-
peractivities; conduct semiannual
council program planning conferences;
and build a strong Explorer presidents'
association.
The day the movement was born, its
founders knew there were twin ele-
ments for its success that would follow
us always: quality program and mem-
bership growth. It's not necessary here
to dwell on what is obvious: that we
have not always kept them in good bal-
ance. But we are leaving a new launch-
ing pad now, and we can and will cor-
rect that.
To do it we must think clearly about
the relationship between quality pro-
gram and membership growth. Neither
is the automatic by-product of the oth-
er. Without a superb program we can-
not attract members. If we cannot at-
tract members into this movement,
how can we make a difference in the
kind of adults youth will become? Ev-
ery Scouter, at every level, must see
the two as the inseparable essentials.
We have changed the whole process
of setting goals and holding each other
accountable. Our goal is clear now. We
seek new members because we know
the movement's capacity to help them
grow; and once they enroll, we will
keep faith to provide the things prom-
ised. So if you care about youth — and
I know you do — then come with us as
we lift off. Give this movement you
love the gift of yourself, your confi-
dence, your enthusiasm, your commit-
ment.
We know where we have been, and
we know where we are going.
Will you come with us? ■
12
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 63, Number 4, September 1975, periodical, September 1975; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth353698/m1/12/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.