Eagle Scout

[vpalango]

I think this is one of the cases where we can enjoy the differences in traditions between troops. When I did the Unit Commissioner's job for a year I got to attend different Eagle COH, and went to both Lavish and understated courts. Both were good in different ways, and I think it's simply a matter of taste/choice and individual traditions within a troop.

Saying it again, I think this is one of those places in scouting where the differences and freedom to choose between units/scouts/parents should be embraced.

[MisterChris]

Well, I didn't come up with the idea , but I do support it.

The lavish production was started around 1948 by our SM then, Buddy Irwin. (He was SM from 1937 to 1989 when he passed away of a massive heart attack.) - He put in over 50 years in the Troop and I certainly wouldn't buck much of anything he did. There are hundreds if not thousands of scouts from our troop who remember him with great fondness.

There's good motivation for the younger boys, to see the praise and ceremony doled out on someone who attained this rank. It causes many to put in just that extra effort required to 'get there'.

Making Eagle was never intended to be EASY, just DOABLE. I agree with a poster elsewhere who stated that a Troop should encourage EVERY boy to make Eagle, and that if a troop has 100% Eagle output that's a GOOD, not a BAD, thing.

Still, the amount of work involved, in body, mind, and spirit, is sufficiently deserving of some praise.

When I received my Eagle (in Troop 23 in Memphis) my parents paid for it out of pocket, it was a significant and memorable ceremony, the person who came to deliver the Challenge was recently the County Mayor here in Memphis, Jim Rout.

A friend in High School named Preston also made Eagle, I found out one day in ROTC. At the Troop PLC, his SM came up to the table, dropped his black metal case with Eagle medal, badge, and card, on the table in front of him, and said "Congrats, son, you're now an Eagle."

I'd much rather have some ceremony than have 'Scouting's Highest Honor' thrown to me over a table at a Leaders Meeting.

If you read over the material at www.usscouts.org on the Eagle Ceremony, it's not supposed to consist of a handshake and a wink. It's supposed to be a separate event from the Troop Meeting as a general rule (there's provision for Eagle Ceremonies at the Troop COH though) and the Troop is supposed to be present, family and friends.

I won't say that I've ever seen another Troop out there that goes 'ALL OUT' like ours seems to, but I'll bet they are out there reading this and might be willing to say "yep, me too."

I believe that there's only One who deserves our Worship, but there are many deserving of our praise and honor. And maybe we DO go a little 'overboard' but we have fun with it and it serves good purpose, makes a good memory, and the scouts don't forget it.

[JazerNorth]

While I was in Scouts, as a YM, we used to have these huge courts of honor. Every 3 monts (once a quarter) all troops (about 20) from the area would combine into one big court of honor. At the end of each court of honor, we would have an Eagle court of honor. Everyone would stay. I think the boys would be in awe as all the Eagles would go to the stand to be in the Eagles nest. Family, friends, relatives, etc from all of the troops would attend both the court of honor and the Eagle court of honor. Wasn't quite the production stated earlier, but still put quite an impression on all boys attending.

It was great fun.

JazerNorth