From First Class to Star through Reptile Study

When Gordon was an 11-year-old scout, also known as a Blazer scout, I was the Blazer scout leader. My motley crew of 6 to 8 boys were mostly older than Gordon, and quickly progressed through tenderfoot, second class, and first class scouting ranks. The next rank was Star, and since they had to complete a certain number of overnights before they could attain that rank, we quickly exhausted the requirements we could do. What next? The only thing left was merit badges.

I sat the boys down and explained the situation. "So, what merit badges would you like to work on?" I asked. After eagerly looking over the poster with all gazillion merit badges listed, they selected one that they all thought would be great. "Whitewater Rafting!"

Um. Another explanation was in order, this one regarding the limitations imposed on the female scout leader: no overnights, etc. I suggested we get some of the required merit badges out of the way while they were still 11, and selecting something a little tamer than whitewater rafting just for fun. In the end, I opted to prepare them to pass the three Citizenship merit badges (which they all did), and they selected Reptile Study for fun.

The scouts sooned learned that Reptile Study required actual study. For one thing, we lined up a merit badge counselor to work with us who was a junior high science teacher in real life, and he insisted on quality preparation for each of our get-togethers. They were soon grumbling about how much work it was, and I had to remind them of how much satisfaction they would get out of actually receiving the merit badge.

The most memorable part, though, was that they had to acquire a waterdog and keep it alive long enough to convert it to a salamander. As a group, we went to a bait shop and got the water dogs. The boys had to have enclosures with water and pebbles, and they had to have food. Raw hamburger was acceptable, but Gordon and I decided to go with crickets. We bought some at the pet shop when they were available, and the kids caught quite a few on the tennis court.

All of the boys had harrowing tales to tell--some of the waterdogs died, some households were nearly asphixiated by the fumes of rotting hamburger, and Gordon's salamander kept escaping and having to be retrieved. But in the end, they all received the merit badge and all agreed that this one, at least, they had absolutely earned.

Right, Gordon?