The Following review was contributed by: Molly Martin
The Scouting Way is divided into thirty daily segments, a preface, how to use the book, message from the Chief of Naval Operations Eagle Scout recipient Jay L Johnson, Baden-Powell’s last message and a note about the authors. The various daily offerings include notes, hints and tidbits from a wide variety of public figures including Astronaut Tom Jones, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Shelton, Coach Joe Paterno, Cartoonist Hank Ketcham to name a few. I particularly enjoyed Day 18 with a quote from Dave Thomas when he discusses his mistake in dropping out of school at age 15. Wendy’s founder Thomas exhorts us all to Continue to Learn and in 1993, 45 years after leaving high school Mr Thomas received his GED and High School diploma. He said he felt it was one of his greatest accomplishments.
As a long time Scouter serving on Pack and Troop Committees, District level training sessions including Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leadership training, JLT, District Round Table, Director of Cub Scout Day Camp for Meridian District Southern Sierra Council, Kern County, California during the 1970s and 1980s and now as a Unit Commissioner her in the Bartlesville area of Oklahoma I am delighted to have a chance to read and review The Scouting Way. Both of my young adult sons are a product of Scouting, each completed his Eagle Project and both declare that their experience in scouting has prepared them to meet the challenges of the adult world.
I found The Scouting Way highly readable, interesting and well thought out. I like the daily reading format. Writers Sandra and Jeff Schwartz’ enthusiasm for Scouting is obvious in their writing. The final offering in The Scouting Way, The Promise, embodies much of what most of us who are or have been active in Scouting believe, think and know about Scouting and The Scouting Way.
Reading and living by the tenets offered in The Scouting Way will enhance the lives of readers whether Scouts, Scouters or ‘civilians.’