The Aims and Methods of Scouting

A summary of the development of the Aims and Methods as defined by the Boy Scouts of America over the years.

1913, First Edition, The Scout Masters' Handbook

Handbook for Scout Masters, Boy Scouts of America

Chapter III, PRINCIPLES and METHODS

In a review of the official English handbooks of Scouting, it will be noticed that considerable change has been made in the Scout Oath, Scout Law, and Scout Requirements to adapt them to American conditions. The laws have been increased from nine to twelve. The Scout Oath has been modified and the Scout Requirements changed to make them more representative of American life. All these changes have been made in order to more efficiently help the American boy.

The Third Section of the Scout Oath

It will be noticed that the Scout Oath has undergone considerable change. The third section of the Scout Oath has been incorporated with the first section of the new, and a third section has been added, namely: "To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

It is desired by this latter section of the Oath to keep before the boy the fact that it is his business to keep himself strong, to get for himself an education for life, and at the same time keep himself clean in his resolutions, to himself, and to others, and to his Creator. The desire underlying the change was to sum up all the cardinal things to be brought to the boys' attention in the Scout Oath.

Aim of the Scout Law

The Scout Law is intended to inculcate those ideas which should underlie the life of each boy. The aim is to get the boy to understand the value of his honor, to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Laws 10, 11, and 12 have been added to the original number because it was thought that these things had been touched on in the Scout Oath but had been omitted in the Scout Law. Besides this, several additions and emendations have been made to the original nine, and General Baden-Powell, the author of the original law, has commended the changes and additions.

1927

ADULT AIMS CAN BE REALIZED ONLY THRU BOY INTERESTS

Handbook for Scoutmasters: A Manual of Leadership, Second Handbook

Two sets of Aims are given (pg. 13):
Adult Aims Character
Citizenship
Boy Aims Pleasure
Interest

A Scoutmaster should frankly recognize that the adult aims of citizenship and character are vitally different from the boy aims of pleasure andinterest. Only can the adult hope to effect his aims as he does sothrough the boy's interests. The 'train' of the adult program must 'run'on the 'tracks' of the boy's interests pulled by the boy's enthusiasm.Character and citizenship then may be expected as by-products of what theboy does and thinks under leadership and association....

THE MATERIALS AND METHODS OF SCOUTING (pg. 8),

A. The materials of Scouting are:

Boy Nature
The unknown or unexplored world about him, with its

Woodcraft Skycraft

Fieldcraft Campcraft

Watercraft Healthcraft

and with its larger lifecrafts of character, of service and right living.

B. The method of Scouting is to naturally bring these two together, the boy and the worldcrafts:

Under conditions of pleasure and interest to the boy, recognizing the law that learning aided by interest is more rapid and more permanent.
Under conditions which provide chances for expression, for doing things and learning through direction of that doing.
Under conditions which build character and citizenship habits which are consciously developed thru exercise.
Under conditions of association and cooperation which make for democracy.
Where possible under out-of-door conditions which build for health.

1938

The Third Handbook For Scoutmasters (written by a "Mr. William Hillcourt, Assistant to the Director of Publications"), 1938, talks about The Elements of Scouting, pg. 25:
"Character and citizenship--these are our aims. But they are not peculiar to Scouting alone. So what are the essential elements which contrast Scouting with any other program for boys?

"The answer is best provided in the words of the Chief Scout Executive,Dr. James E. West, who for more than a quarter of a century has guided thedestinies of the Boy Scouts of America:

'In the majority of other programs for boys, the boy is treated assimply a member of a group. In Scouting each boy is an individual....'

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN THE PROGRAM OF SCOUTING

1. The Boy	Individual in uniform Patrol Troop
2. Leadership	Trained Volunteer in uniform
3. Activity	The Scout Motto: Be Prepared Achievement with Recognition
4. Organization	Institutional Local Regional National with Trained Professional Leadership
5. Scout Oath and Law	Ideals of Service

1947

The 1947 Handbook For Scoutmasters (written "by William Hillcourt, National Director of Scoutcraft--himself a long active Scoutmaster"), isthe first to list together the "Aim" and "Methods of Scouting," pg. 10:

THE AIM OF SCOUTING

Scouting trains for Citizenship
by inclucating in the boy,
from within instead of from without,
the qualities of Character
Health and Strength
Handcraft and Skill
Service to Others

THE METHODS OF SCOUTING

The Scout Way	Scouting is a game	1) A Game, NOT a Science
Patrol Method	played by boys in boy gangs	2) The Scout Patrol
	under boy leaders chosen by the gang.	3) Boy Leadership
Men in Scouting	guided by a man	4) The Scoutmaster
	backed by other men of the commmunity.	5) Troop Committee and Local Council Scouters
Activities	Scouting provides byt boy with an active outdoor life,	6) Adventure in the Out-of-Doors
	grants him recognition for mastring various skills,	7) Scout Advancement
	and Uniform gives him a chance to wear an attractive Uniform	8) The Scout Uniform
Ideals and Service	It holds before him the ideals of a true Scout, and	9) The Scout Law
	encourages him to "help other people at all times."	The Scout Oath or Promise Service: Good Turns

1959

The Fifth Edition, Scoutmaster's Handbook (1959) retained the same graphical outline of "THE AIM OF SCOUTING" AND "THE METHODS OF SCOUTING"as the Fourth Edition.

1972

The Sixth Edition, Scoutmaster's Handbook (1972) was the first to list the three Aims of Scouting as we now know them: Character, Citizenship,and Fitness. It included a list of behaviors that suggest evidence of those qualities by which a Scouter could judge the effectiveness of his program:

THE CHARACTER AIM

He is confident in himself, but not conceited.
He is honest with himself and others.
His personal appearance and general actions show that he respects himself.
He has some skills that enable him to enjoy life.
He can take care of himself in emergencies.
He shows imagination and resourcefulness in solving problems.
He is courageous in hard situations.
He can plan and use logic to meet unfamiliar situations.
He shows what moral values he holds high by the decisions he makes.
He is responsible and loyal to the commitments he makes to himself and others.
He believes in some religious concept and practices his belief in his daily life.
He respects other people's beliefs when they are different from his own.

THE CITIZENSHIP AIM

"...If you are making progress in citizenship training, you will observe behaviors like these:"

The boy knows something of his heritage as an American and is proud of it.
He understands to some degree American social, economic, and governmental systems.
He understands and can use skills of leadership to lead a group to a successful outcome.
He demonstrates concern for and interest in others.
He has some knowledge of cultures and social groups other than his own and is able to understand something of what it is like to belong to another such group.
He is aware of community organizations and what they do.
He understands the ethnic and social situation in his neighborhood.
He contributes in some way to the improvement of the environment in which he lives.
He wisely uses property belonging to himself and others.
He explores vocational and hobby possibilities for himself.

THE FITNESS AIM

Physical Fitness

The boy knows and practices good health rules; he has good health habits.
His physical fitness is shown by strength, muscle tone, and endurance.
He has reasonably good physical coordination.
He keeps his weight within healthful limits.

Mental Fitness

Being alert (mentally awake!)
Being able to give and receive information
Retaining and using knowledge
Using good judgment, thinking logically, making sound decisions
Solving problems creatively
Using a questioning approach to problems

Moral Fitness

Courage about what he believes. Being called "chicken" doesn't divert him from doing what he believes is right--or not doing what he believes is wrong.
Respect for other people's viewpoints when they are different from his.
Compassion for other's feelings and needs.
Acting as if the rights of others matter to him.
Accepting others as equal in worth and dignity.

Emotional Fitness

Adaptability--being able to adjust to new or changing situations.
Self-discipline--having self-control
Respect for self
Constructive and enthusiastic attitudes.

THE METHODS OF SCOUTING

The Sixth Edition was the first of two editions to state that the Methods"are *not* listed in order of importance--because they are equallyimportant. There were only seven Methods, however, and the Uniform was not one of them:

Scouting Ideals
Patrols
Advancement
Adult Male Association
Outdoor Program
Leadership Development
Personal Growth

Other Program Elements

"We have considered those parts of Scouting that are so essential to thesuccess of the program that we call them methods. There are, of course,other features and elements--some unique to Scouting, some not. Each contributes its own flavor to the total program.
We note some of these other program elements here, in no special order."
The Scout Uniform
The Good Turn
Adventure
Competition
Activities Among Troops

1981

The Seventh Edition, The Official Scoutmaster Handbook (1981),retained the Three Aims with some minor changes to the behavior to look for in a successful program:

Aims

Character

"He has some skills that enable him to enjoy life" was changed to "He has developed special skills or hobbies that absorb his energies and develop his competence and confidence." "Hard" was changed to "difficult" in "He is courageous in difficult situations." Dropped were: "He shows imagination and resourcefulness in solving problems," and "He shows what values he holds high by the decisions he makes."

Citizenship

"He understands the ethnic and social situation in his neighborhood" was changed to "He understands and respects the ethnic and social relationships of his community." "He resists the urging of his peers to experiment with smoking, drugs, and alcohol" was added here and repeated as an example of "Courage about what he believes" under Moral Fitness.

Fitness (Physical)

Two attributes were rewritten: "The boy has good health habits. Heeats properly, exercises daily, and gets enough sleep," and "He keeps hisweight within reasonable limits."

Fitness (Mental)

"Being able to give and receive information" was dropped.

THE METHODS

...We have considered the aims of Scouting and some of the evidence ofachieving them. There are eight methods we use to accomplish these aims.They are not listed in order of importance because they are all of equalimportance." The emphasis had been dropped and an eighth Method added:

Ideals (was Scouting Ideals)
Patrol Method (was Patrols)
Outdoors (was Outdoor Program)
Advancement
Adult Male Association
Uniform
Leadership Training (was Leadership Development)
Personal Growth

OTHER PROGRAM ELEMENTS

Adventure
Competition and Sports
Team Sports Policy
Activities Among Troops, Packs. and Posts
Anniversary Week Celebration

1990

The Eighth Edition, The Scoutmaster Handbook (1990), continued with the same three Aims and eight Methods:

THE AIMS OF SCOUTING

Aim I--To build character
Aim II--To foster citizenship
Aim III--To develop fitness

THE METHODS OF SCOUTING

Ideals
Patrols (was Patrol Method)
Outdoors
Advancement
Personal Growth
Adult Association (was Adult Male Association)
Leadership Development (was Leadership Training)
The Uniform

1997?

The Ninth Edition: Has anyone heard any rumors?

This compilation was accomplished by Rick Seybour (Scouter Rick), ASM of Troop 108, in Kenmore, NY and Shawn Ashe.

Formatted for the web by Shawn Ashe, Scoutmaster of Notre Dame de Lourdes Troop 26, Lowell MA.

Woodcraft	Skycraft
Fieldcraft	Campcraft
Watercraft	Healthcraft
and with its larger lifecrafts of character, of service and right living.