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From a drawing by Baden-Powell

Boy Leadership

This is where the real difference begins. To quote a Scoutmaster we interviewed, "Small troops are run by adults and large troops are run by boys." Sixty-one percent of larger troops plan troop program in the patrol leaders’ council, versus only 16 percent of the smaller troops. Seventy-one percent conduct monthly patrol leaders council meetings, the foundation of our democratic process, while only 26 percent of the smaller troops make this happen.

How do you, the Scoutmaster of the eight-boy troop, make the patrol method work? At best, you will have only two patrol leaders and one senior patrol leader in the patrol leaders’ council. It’s hard to get the group dynamics working with only three Scouts. What is the solution? More Scouts!

Contents:

Introduction
Are You Delivering the Promise?
Adult Leadership
Outdoor Program
Boy Leadership
Forward to the next section The Image of Scouting
Upsizing Your Troop
The Attributes of a Good Troop
Ask Yourself the Question

Adapted from Delivering the Promise, No. 18-251, Boy Scouts of America, 1993

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Please write to: Lewis P. Orans