I watched a video today called "Does Scouting Work". The video states that young men who have spent time in Scouting have higher positive character attributes. I liked the video and shared it on my social media sites.
I was curious about what words are used to define Positive Character Attributes. I did a web search, and found a list of words from a website that gave words that would define it for me. It listed 292 words. It had everything from Accessible to Zany.
I wondered if the Scout Law was in that list.
Trustworthy, yep.
Loyal, yep.
Helpful, yep.
Friendly, of course.
Coureous, yep.
Kind, definitely.
Obedient. Hmm. Obedient isn't there. I then went to find a definition of obedient.
Meriam-Webster defines it as submissive to the restraint or command of authority. So I looked for synonyms.
Amenable. I looked on the list. Amenable isn't there. Biddable. Huh? Nope. Not there. Compliant, nope. Docile, law-abiding, submissive; nope, nope nope.
Here is one. Tractable. Yep. Tractable is listed among the Positive Character Attributes from the website.
Tractable means easily led or easily taught. I like that.
BSA was started on February 8, 1910. Just over 107 years ago. Certainly some of the words used in 1910 have had a change in connotation or understanding in such a long time. Perhaps OBEDIENT is one of them.
I found another really cool website that compared the words of the Scout Law over time.
BSA Law 1910 - Obedient - He obeys his parents, Scoutmaster, patrol leader, and all other duly constituted authorities.
Baden-Powell Scouting 2004 - Scouts follow directions from proper authorities and obey the law.
I'm not crazy about those definitions even though I fully agree with them. The first category on the page with word meanings states the Knight Code.
The Knight Code states:
Chivalry requires that youth should be trained to perform the most laborious and humble offices (jobs) with cheerfulness and grace, and to do good to others.
I really like that. These words that are used in the Scout law were not invented by Baden-Powell, nor were they a new idea when he compiled them for the Scout Law. He must have used codes of conduct that were passed down through the ages to come up with the Scout Law. The Knight Code was apparently carried down through the essays and poems from the Middle Ages in European History. The period of which I'm speaking would be in the the 1000s to 1200s. I think this is why the Scout Law is so easy to remember. It's kind of like a natural law.
Whether or not you are obedient or tractable, you are always a Scout, and this is a very important character trait for you to have.
