Boy Scouts of America was established February 8, 1910, based on the leadership of British military veteran, William Boyce. The organization has undergone numerous iterations and imitations. The latest version, as of May 2024, the Boy Scouts of America announced that it would be rebranding as Scouting America. This designation includes troops for boys and troops for girls. Another big change in this version is that girls can now earn Eagle Scout.
The Scouting program at my church, Embry Hills United Methodist, is flush with Scouting; Troop 15 for boys, Troop 2115 for girls, as well as Cub Scout Packs and Dens. The calendar is full of meeting times. For over fifty years the church sponsored an awesome annual BBQ. A “perfect storm” — capped by the 2020 Pandemic brought it to a screeching halt. Now with the enthusiasm of a renewed (and expanded) Scouting ministry a bright future is glowing.
I am not drumming up business for the BBQ—by the time you read this, it will be too late to sign up for this BBQ. My point is that it is very interesting that a staid, sobersided organization like Scouting can be resilient and thrive, adapting to the living of these days—while staying the course on building character, life-skills, and the joyful pursuit of ethical accomplishment. It way past time that girls should be able to earn the Eagle Scout designation! Learning to cook, make clothes, plan parties, etc. are skills indeed, they are not limited to one gender. Nor are skills like map reading, building rope ladders, and othe Merit Badge rungs in the ladder to Eagle limited to one gender.
When I was a Campus Minister at GSU, dormitories were still single residents. Nation-wide th antie in loco parentis (Latin for “in the place of a parent”) movement was going strong. Basically it was saying—we are adults and should be able to live as adults. While dormitories were single-gender residences, friends the same age as the students living and working already could live where they wanted.
We have come a long way in clearing the way for all young people to persue goals and accomplish dreams regardless of their gender. Scouting America took a major step in opening doors and expanding opportunities for our youth. Having accompanied a family member through the years of earning Eagle Scout, I can say with great Joy, “You Go Girls! The door is flung wide open! (Sign up for Scouting this Fall, if you havent’s already!)”
©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2024