From: danny@ponder.csci.unt.edu (Danny Faught)
Subject: Re: Continuing Scouting in college
Organization: University of North Texas, Denton
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 20:45:33 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.140354.17807@eng.umd.edu> wayne@eng.umd.edu (Wayne C. McCullough) writes:
>I did look at APO when I got into college, and It seemed to me that
>they have driffted quite far from the scouting I was used to.  The
>local chapter (in college park) struck me as a social organizeation
>more than anything else.  I am sure they did service, more than the
>minimum, but in bulk, they were more concerned about the soical
>aspects.
>
>They also seemed to be very political (as in internal chapter politics,
>not anyone elses), and I just can't stand that.  They did not seem to 
>be the least bit interested in outdoorsmanship.
>

As some of the other people who have responded to this post have said,
just as different troops vary widely, so do APO chapters.  Unfortunately,
when a scout decides that he can't stand some of the problems of his
troop, and there is not another troop nearby, he quits scouting and
has a bad attitude of scouting in general.

It is unfortunate when the particular APO chapter on your campus is not
agreeable to you.  Some would say you should join anyway and try to make
the necessary changes, but this is much easier said than done.

My chapter has a very active social program, and some cliques think
that some of the other cliques concentrate too much on the social 
activities.  My solution?  If you don't like the parties, then don't
go.

As far as outdoorsmanship, the few outdoor activities that my chapter
planned were not well-attended.  The primary focus is service, and the
people that this focues draws are not necessarily outdoorsmen.

And yes, politics runs rampant in my chapter and I do not like it one bit.

>All that, and the $80 anual membership, I chose to stay away.
>
Minor point:  social fraternities charge upwards of $50 a MONTH, so in
comparison, APO is a bargain.

In summary, I agree that APO has lost most of its ties to scouting.
In the past few years, APO's national leadership has recognized this
problem and has started taking steps to bring APO closer to scouting.
I do not know how effective this will be. 

Regarding the problem of politics, too much attention on social
activities, no outdoor activities (read: doesn't offer what you
want to do), is this a problem of APO, or a problem that can 
plaque any organization?  My chapter has spent a lot of time
trying to figure out what we can do to make the members happier,
but we haven't gotten very far.

Have you been in an organization that has successfully wiped out
a major social problem, or avoided it altogether?  Please elaborate.
If we can answer this, then we can improve any organization.

To those of you who are still forming your opinion of APO, please 
don't misunderstand me.  I am bringing up these problems so they
can be solved, not to steer you away from APO.  I stuck with APO
through thick and thin, just like I did with scouting.  APO is the
only group that offered an affiliation with scouting that has service
projects as its main activity (how many scout troops can claim that
they do an average of 8 service projects a WEEK?).  And it kept
me in a fairly healthy college atmosphere.

In Leadership, Friendship, and Service


-- 
Danny Faught    danny@ponder.csci.unt.edu
Save this sig - I'll be famous someday
Newsgroups: rec.scouting