Meet the Troop

The philosophy of Troop 457 is to provide an outdoor program in which young men can have fun and adventure in a safe, clean and wholesome environment. The outdoors is the focus of our program and the Boy Scout experience in general. Fun and adventure! There is plenty of this in the great outdoors. Our troop focuses on learning camping and outdoor skills- which will last a lifetime. The outdoors is a place where scouts can learn much about living with others. Scouts face real life challenges and learn to solve real problems. Outside, a scout can get close to the natural world: the land, the wildlife, and the environment. The program of the Boy Scouts of America is unique among youth organizations in its focus on the “outdoor experience”.

The principal aims of the Boy Scouts of America are to provide a program which builds character, fosters citizenship, and develops fitness in both mind and body.

• What is character? It is hard to defne. It is a moral and ethical quality. It is honesty, courage and integrity. It includes the four “self” qualities: self-reliance, self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-respect.
• What is citizenship? It is defined as, “behavior in terms of the duties, obligations, privileges and functions of a citizen.” It is the quality of an individual’s response to membership in a community. Citizenship is about love of country and community. It is understanding government, democracy and our heritage and history.
• What is fitness? The scouting program strives to develop physical, mental, emotional, and moral fitness in young men, and many aspects of the program focus on this aim.

Each scout swears to the scout oath and lives by the scout law of conduct, which pertains to these aims of scouting. In this day and age, what parent could not agree that these are some of the most important principles a young man could be exposed to?

There are several methods that the scouting program utilizes to achieve the aims of scouting. These methods are tried and true and will be discussed in this handbook. The methods include: Scouting Ideals, The Patrol Method, The outdoor Program, Advancement, Personal Growth, Adult Association, Leadership Development, and the Scout Uniform.

So for any who may have thought that scouting is only good hearted adults taking a bunch of kids on a hike or out camping… Welcome to the real world of scouting!

Scouting is an organized, national and worldwide program that strives in many ways to help young men grow up right. It is a fun and important program to which Troop 457 Adult Leaders are simply dedicated parents. As a parent, what can you do to help? If you have any special talents or interests, share them with us. Pick up your scout’s Boy Scout Handbook and look it over. You’ll be amazed and very pleased with what it contains. Encourage your son to read and study his handbook. You’ll be doing him a great service.

Probably the most important philosophy of Troop 457 is the concept of “The Boy Run Troop.” Our troop is organized so that the scouts do the work of running the troop. Boys learn by doing. Scouting recognizes the advantages of learning by making mistakes, practicing skills, and eventually being successful. The founder of Scouting, Lord Baden-Powell, said “Give a scout a job, and then let him do it!” This is great advice for parents and leaders alike. In Troop 457, we give a scout the means, the training, the know-how, and then we let him do the job. This handbook explains how the boys run the troop.