Most people don’t realize girls have long been a part of the Boy
Scout organization worldwide through the Venturing and Sea
Scout programs. The big news here is that this is the first-time
girls in America will be allowed to earn the rank of Eagle Scout,
and the first-time girls will be added to Cub Scouting (ages 5-10
in single-gender dens.)
While this program change is welcome to many families, there
are some people who will still need to be convinced. These folks
will no doubt see the value of reaching more children and families
with the values-based Scouting program which has been the
backbone of BSA since its inception.
Chances are you probably know an Eagle Scout. The Scouts
who earn the rank of Eagle have typically been shown to go
on to rewarding leadership and career opportunities. It’s been
said that having Eagle Scout on your resume can boost your
chances at that dream job because employers know the hard
work, dedication, and leadership skills required for that rank.
There are stories of employer’s hand-selecting candidates based
solely on the applicant being an Eagle Scout.
Need more proof?
• Only 4% of Boy Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout.
• As of 2017, BSA has approved roughly 2.5 million Eagle Scouts.
• Of the 301 NASA astronauts, 180 have been Boy Scouts and
39 achieved Eagle Scout.
• In the 113th Congress (2013-14), 189 members have been Boy
Scouts, 27 are Eagle Scouts.
• 85% of FBI Agents have been involved in Boy Scouts.
• Recent nationwide survey of high schools revealed the
following: 71% of football captains, 85% of student council
presidents, and 89% of senior class presidents were Boy Scouts.
What about locally? According to the book, A Century of
Scouting – The History of Boy Scouting in Manatee County by
Colonel B. J. “Red Dog” Maynard, between 1929 and 2015
(when his book was published) 716 boys in Manatee County have
become Eagle Scouts. An estimated 11 boys a year complete
the rigorous requirements to earn their Eagle Scout rank, which
includes earning 21 merit badges and completing a community
service project.
So, what was scouting like in the beginning? When was the first
troop raised in Manatee County? Let’s look back at 1910 when
Boy Scouts kicked off in America because it was in September of
that same year that records show a troop was chartered and led
by a school teacher by the name of Charles Maus in Bradenton.
The troop met at the old frame Manatee County High School
that stood at the corner of 9th Avenue and 14th Street West. This
troop and several others came and went over the next decade,
and yet scouting took solid root thanks to enthusiastic boys and
adult leaders taking up the cause and trying their best to keep
troops afloat.
The oldest troops in Manatee County today are Troop 10 and
Troop 22. Founded in 1949 by the Oneco Rotary Club, Troop 10
has remained active in the community thanks to the continued
support of Southern Manatee Rotary Club. Troop 22, founded in
1963 at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church in West Bradenton, has
been one of the area’s largest and busiest troops for 55 years.
Boy Scout Troops like these (and later the addition of Cub Scout
Packs for elementary-aged boys) have turned out countless
young men who have gone on to use the skills they acquired in
scouting to become active members of their community.
In 1929, local leaders desired a full-time dedicated Boy Scout
camp. So, many individuals put their heads together, raised the
necessary funds, and found a perfect 140-acre property for sale
on the Upper Manatee River in East Manatee County. At the time,
this was 16 miles from the city of Bradenton and considered far,
far away from “civilization.” Most boys (and their supplies) arrived
at camp by boat via the Manatee River.
Camp Flying Eagle, the oldest Boy Scout Camp in the State of
Florida, will celebrate its 90th birthday on January 15, 2019. It