From: "settummanque, the blackeagle" (Mike Walton)
Via: Steve Tobin / Scouts-L Youth Programs Discussion List
Date: 15 Jun 1994

Grover C. Gilmore writes:

I read your note on the "Bridge" ceremony. I too would like to receive a copy of the ceremony. Just last week one of our asst. scoutmasters suggested that we should have such a ceremony. It's interesting that the inquiries should appear on Scouts-L at the same time.

If you decide to post the ceremony on Scouts-L, I will simply pull it off there. Thanks in advance for this help and all the other information which you have provided to Scouts-L in the past; it has been very useful.

Thanks, Cleve...I am posting this to you directly, as well as to both Scouts-L and to Rec. Scouting. My deepest apologies for not posting this earlier...it has been really rough around here.

Many Scouters have wrote me about getting a copy of the "Bridge Ceremony" for those Scouts that turn 18. I have used this as a ceremony to bring in new Assistant Scoutmasters to my Troops. I don't claim authorship...this is from a three-page handout I was given during the Transatlantic Council's annual fall program meeting. It's brief, short, and meaningful:

Participants:

• new Assistant Scoutmaster
• Troop or Unit Commissioner
• Troop Committee Chairman
• Scoutmaster

Items needed:

• Assistant Scoutmaster patch
• small universal emblem
• Certificate of Service (I use the BSA Commendation Certificate, since it carries the seal of the BSA on it...any other certificate would be okay, I guess....the certificate is signed by the Council Scout Executive and President/Commissioner of the Council.)
• certificate binder ( the ones I used were green or white...I understand they are now maroon in color).

Scoutmaster:

Tonight, we are saddended to say farewell to one of our Scouts whom has reached the age of 18. As you know, the game of Scouting officially ends for our youth at the age of 18. I have asked our Commissioner (name), to be present this evening in order to assist (name), our Troop Committee Chairman and myself with this presentation.

Will (rank of Scout) (name) come forward at this time and please stand in front of our Troop's flag.

(all participants move toward the flag. The Scout should be in front of the flag, the Scoutmaster and others behind the flag but still visible to the audience.)

Troop Committee Chair:

(Scout's Name), we have seen you grow physically from the time you became a member of this Troop on (date that Scout became a member of the Troop). We witnessed your progress from boy to man through our program. We are proud to have had you serve as a member and leader of this Troop and we would like to present you with a small token of our pride in you and your progress. May you wear it as you make your way through this world, remembering the good times you have had in this Troop and the great friends you have met while here.

(Troop Committee Chair pins the small Universal emblem on the shirt of Scout. He salutes the Scout, and then shakes hands with him. The Troop Commitee Chair stands back and the Commissioner steps forward.)

Commissioner:

(Scout's Name), your involvement in the Scouting program is noteworthy and your progress along the Scouting trail has been noticed by those outside your Troop. As you know, your Troop is one of several belonging to the (Name) Council, and we are proud to have been able to provide you with this great and valuable game. Part of this game that you have played was to learn as much as you could about this great land-its people, its past, present and your future within it. You participated with other Scouts, under leadership from others; and later, under your own leadership, to complete service and conservation projects to benefit others. Your citizenship in Scouting was only a subset of your citizenship as a member of this community, this state and this wonderful nation of ours. We will miss your enthusiam and willingness to serve. On behalf of the (name) Council, I take pride in presenting you this Certificate of Service. May you continue to assist others and "Be Prepared" for the rest of your life.

(Commissioner presents opened certificate to Scout and reads the certificate. The stock certificate reads "The Boy Scouts of America takes pleasure in recognizing (space for name, Troop number and city and state) who has (four lines for "served honorably as a member of Troop (number), (city, state) from (starting date) to (date of his 18th birthday), his final day in which he could serve as a youth member.") the Date is the date of presentation. The line on the left is for the Council Scout Executive, with the person's name and title (Scout Executive, Council Executive) below. The line on the right is for the Council President or Commissioner, with the person's name and title (President, (name) Council, BSA or Commissioner, (name) Council), BSA ). (the certificate number is BSA #3714). After reading the certificate, he closes the cover and presents it to the Scout. He salutes the Scout, and then shakes the Scout's hand. Then the Commissioner moves back and the Scoutmaster comes forward.

Scoutmaster:

(Scout's Name), Anytime a Scout leaves my Troop, I feel a little sad for them and myself. Sad, because I too, remember the great times we have had together and will miss your company here. More importantly, I feel sad because I feel that perhaps I did not have enough time in order to further develop you along character lines. I hope that my personal example to you have given you ample opportunities to see the way I live and apply the principles of Scouting to my personal life.

I also hope that you will continue your Scouting service. There are many ways to do this: by serving as a member of [the College Scouter Reserve] your college's Alpha Phi Omega Chapter; by serving as a volunteer with a local Cub Scout Pack; by continuing your service as an Explorer, a member of a Post or Ship; or with the District here or at school. Perhaps you have grown tired of the game of Scouting and choose not to participate anymore. I surely hope not, and would encourage you to continue to be a catalyst for change through your continued Scouting registration. I am selfish in this respect, (Scout's Name), because I would like very much for you to share your experiences, your enthuisiam and your self with those younger than you. The Troop's Committee has agreed with me and have authorized me to appoint you as an Assistant Scoutmaster of this Troop and to register you, if you so choose, as a member of Troop (number).

(Scoutmaster presents Scout with Assistant Scoutmaster patch, along with any other personal items.)

Scoutmaster:

When Baden-Powell wrote his treatise on Scoutmastership, he clarified his philosophy of Scouting, as it was reflected in this program. He first stated what Scouting was NOT:

"It is NOT a school, having a definate curriculum and standards of examination; it is NOT a brigade of officers and privates for drilling manliness into boys and girls; it is NOT a show where surface results are gained through payment in Merit Badges, medals, etc.; these all come from without, whereas the Scout training all comes from within."

He then explained what Scouting is, and what I, working with your Senior Patrol Leader, your fellow Scouts, your parents, school, church and this community all tried to share with you:

"Scouting is a game in which elder brothers (like you (name of Scout), can give their younger brothers healthy environment and encourage them to healthy activities, such as will help them to develop citizenship. It's strongest appeal is through Nature and Woodcraft. It deals with the individual, not with the Company. It raises intellectual as well as purely physical or purely moral qualities. "

"Happy citizenship, developed through impulse from within, rather than through impression from without, individual efficiency encouraged and then harnessed for the good of the community-that is our scheme."

And that, I trust, (name of Scout), I have taught you. I am hopeful that you will go out from here and teach others, in and through Scouting and by personal example of the Scouting principles.

(Scoutmaster salutes Scout and shakes hands with him. He then goes back and Commissioner comes forward)

Commissioner:

Would all present or past Scouts please stand at this time and face the Troop's flag.

(rank and name of Scout), would you please do us the honor of closing out this portion of this program by facing the Troop's flag, raising your hand in the sign of the Scout, and repeating for the last time the words in which you suscribed to over your time in Scouting.

(waits for Scout to raise hand in Scout sign)

On my honor.....

(end of ceremony).

I hope that this is some benefit and help to those Scouters that want to recognize their long-time members of their Troop. Please note that this ceremony is rather outdated, and will require some modification on your part. There's no more "college Scouter Reserve", nor can 18 year olds serve as members of District or Council Committees as adult members. Also, I removed all references to the National Eagle Scout Assocation in order to make this ceremony more universal than just applying to Eagle Scouts. There are several versions of the Commendation Certificate out there, and your Council may have to look in their "back room" to find the ones with the BSA seal on the lower center of the blank. Finally, when we send the certificates to the Council office (at least in Germany), we didn't get them back for about a month or so. It's not that they lose them...it's just getting the President of the Council and the Scout Executive to sign them and return them to you. In our Council's case, Bob Zadima (the TAC's CE) also sent an unsoliticed letter to the Scout, thanking him for his service to Scouting. Your CE may or may not do the same thing, depending on their time.

Settummanque!

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