Before the pedophiles endangered one of the finest organizations yet devised for boys, the administrators made the ill-conceived move of opening it up to girls. You mean girl scouting, modeled on boy scouting, wasn’t good enough? Somebody was trying to be “pluperfect,” or too perfect. But mistakes ignored, the rank of Eagle Scout surely remains a worthy goal for Baden-Powell’s followers.
As a former scoutmaster who guided several boys to Scouting’s highest rank, I must say the steps were challenging and promoted character, ideals, and knowledge about the world in which we live. The Eagle Project is a work the scout needs to devote his best efforts to, and included such things as refinishing a private school’s all-purpose room, planting a hillside with special grass to stem erosion, collecting a truck-full of food to help a free food pantry. Scouting does not waste time with Marxist or liberal ideology—these children are learning for a period of less than ten years, and every minute counts.
I am glad I became involved in scouting as a youth, and that two of my sons benefitted from its riches. We little realize the debt we owe the British for Lord Baden Powell’s educative innovation.
Civilization 