Issue 658 – December 1, 2020

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Just drop a line to me at askandybsa@yahoo.com.

THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE! A surgery to repair a severely injured right shoulder rotator cuff three months ago put my right arm in a sling 24/7. Despite physical therapy, I haven’t been able to write well or use a keyboard accurately until about a week ago (and I still have at least three more months of PT!) So here we go…

We Scouting volunteers know how much this marvelous movement helps youth cope with and often master the rigors and intricacies life as they move toward adulthood. Scouting helps our daughters and sons gain the strengths and insights needed to become strong, contributing citizens, in ways that only Scouting can!

Nobel Prize awardee James Heckman stated in his paper presented to the National Academy of Sciences that CONSCIENTIOUSNESS is the fountainhead of a successful life.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS, Heckman says, is the result of PERSERVERENCE, GOOD STUDY HABITS, and The ABILITY to COLLABORATE.

These three attributes–perseverence, good study habits, and the ability to collaborate–are essential to a successful school experience through 12th grade, and even more so beyond high school.

But none of these three critical attributes is actually “taught” in school!

They’re not taught in the classroom, which is otherwise “run” by the teacher from a position of dominance in the classroom. So they need to be acquired somewhere else. Where? In extracurricular and varsity sports, where the starters and bench-warmers are all directed by their coaches, who can keep and cut players at will? In band, orchestra, or choral, where the music director is similarly in charge? Nope—these won’t do. How about parents? Yes, they can encourage, but that’s really about it.

As a parent, I learned the hard way that “speechifying” rarely if ever works. It’s like that famous Gary Larson “Far Side” two-panel cartoon that shows a man and his dog, Ginger, curbside on a busy street…

In the first panel, the man is speaking: “Now, Ginger, always stop when I stop. Don’t ever go into the street, Ginger. Stay safe, Ginger, by staying next to me when we walk.”

In the second panel, Ginger is hearing the following: “Blah, blah, blah, Ginger, blah, blah, blah.  Blah, blah, blah, Ginger, blah blah blah…”

Sound somehow familiar?

So where do our sons and daughters acquire these important attributes? Let’s check out this scenario…

“We’re almost done, Scouts!” says their Patrol Leader. “It’s been a tough job, building this bridge over the stream, but we’re almost there, thanks to you Scouts using the Buddy System to find the right logs, cut and saw as needed, and assemble all the pieces just right! La Rhonda and Erica, thanks for doing the research on how to build a log bridge with handrails and sketching it out—we couldn’t have done this without you two!”

And this one…

Well, Scout, you’ve just completed your board of review for Star rank, and I’d like to be the first to shake your hand (or bump fists). You had a pretty steep trail in front of you, and you stuck with it till your reached the first major step on your way to Eagle rank. You can be proud of your accomplishments and we all hope you’ll use what you’ve learned to help other Scouts along the way. And if you ever get stuck, I want you to know that, in addition to your Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, and Scoutmaster, any one of us here in this room would be happy to help you get un-stuck, anytime!

Nuff sed? I think so.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!
Happy Scouting!
Andy

When you write to me, please include your name and council. If you’d rather be anonymous—if published—just say so and that’s what I’ll do. Also, although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 658 – 12/1/2020 – Copyright © 2020 Andy McCommish]