One Hundred Years of Eagles

One hundred years ago this month, Arthur Eldred received formal notification that he was the first Boy Scout to earn the coveted Eagle Badge.  Since then, over 2,000,000 Scouts have earned the Eagle Badge, the highest rank in Boy Scouts.  Of the boys that join the Scouting program, only about 4% will earn the Eagle Badge.  Director Steven Spielberg, President Gerald Ford, actors Jon Heder and Mike Rowe, and astronauts Neil Armstrong, and Jim Lovell were all Eagle Scouts.

The Boy Scouts of America’s policies prohibiting atheists and agnostics from joining Scouting and prohibiting “open or avowed” homosexuals from leadership positions are considered controversial by some people.  A quick Google search indicates the many believe the Boy Scouts are a hate organization because of these policies.  Some of the Internet articles even compare the Boy Scouts to the KKK or Nazi Germany.  The Boy Scouts says that their policies are in line with the tenets of the Scout Oath and Scout Law and have been in place since the organizations founding in 1910. If the Scouting program is truly a hate organization, wouldn’t that hate be reflected in the Scouts who earn the highest honor?

Congressmen, astronauts, educators, athletes, actors, writers, doctors, engineers, scientists, and Medal of Honor winners are among those who earned the Eagle Badge.   That’s a pretty impressive list of achievers that were part of the Scout organization, but it doesn’t really answer my question.  I did some searching and found a study, that I believe, answers the question.

I found an article at ScienceDaily.com titled, “Eagle Scouts Have Positive, Lasting Influence On American Society, Study Suggests.”  The article (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120410145910.htm) reports on the findings of a scientific study performed by Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion and Program on Prosocial Behavior. The article quotes Byron R. Johnson, Ph. D., Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences, “"There is no shortage of examples or anecdotal accounts that suggest Scouting produces better citizens, but now there is scientific evidence to confirm the prosocial benefits of Scouting or earning the rank of Eagle Scout." Dr. Johnson also states, “The central question of this study was to determine if achieving the rank of Eagle Scout is associated with prosocial behavior and development of character that carries over into young adulthood and beyond."

The study’s findings (http://www.baylorisr.org/wp-content/uploads/Boy-Scouts-Report.pdf) show that:

• “Eagle Scouts exhibit an increased tendency to participate in a variety of health and recreational activities.

• Eagle Scouts show a greater connectedness to siblings, neighbors, religious community, friends, co-workers, formal and informal groups, and a spiritual presence in nature.

• Duty to God, service to others, service to the community, and leadership are traits that are especially strong in Eagle Scouts.

• Eagle Scouts are more likely to engage in behaviors that are designed to enhance and protect the environment.

• Eagle Scouts are more likely to be committed to setting and achieving personal, professional, spiritual, and financial goals.

• Eagle Scouts show higher levels of planning and preparedness than do other Scouts and non-Scouts.

• Eagle Scouts are more likely than other Scouts and non-Scouts to indicate they have built character traits related to work ethics, morality, tolerance, and respect for diversity.”

In this list, I noticed service to others, service to community, enhance and protect the environment, and build character traits related to work ethics, morality, tolerance, and respect for diversity.  Hate isn’t even implied. 

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is “to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.” If an organization, committed to instilling values such as duty to God and country, kindness, helpfulness, trustworthiness, courtesy, and morality, produces accomplished adults with character traits that include tolerance and respect for diversity, where is the hate?

At a time when courtesy is no longer common, dependence on the government is rising, and a sense of entitlement is rampant, organizations that try to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices and produce tolerant and respectful adults and leaders should be encouraged, not bashed.

The moral compass of the Boy Scouts, the Scout Oath and Scout Law, sets a standard of conduct that is conspicuously absent in many in our society.  Scouting builds self-reliance, sets a moral code and finds purpose in our young people.  It’s not perfect, but in 100 years, it has endured to mold successful adults and commended leaders.  Hate has been around a long time.  I pray that the Scouts continue to shine no matter what they are labeled.  Before casting a stone, do your homework and find out what Scouting is really about.