Courts of Honor - Some Thoughts

Courts of Honor are crucial elements of a good Troop program.

Understanding the intention behind them and shaping the presentation to refelct these intentions is crucial to their success. Here are some posts from Scoutmaster on the subject; Andy at “Ask Andy” writes in the post More Eagle Scout Thoughts ; On “coronations”… A Court of Honor recognizes advancements that Scouts have earned since the last court.

Courts of Honor, in my opinion, need to remain this way.

I don’t personally accept the notion of “EAGLE Courts of Honor,” because while this rank is significant, so are Life, Star, and, Yes, Tenderfoot. Each one marks progress; each one deserves to be acknowledged.

Besides, from a purely practical point-of-view, many fewer Scouts and parents attend “Eagle Courts” than do troop-wide Courts of Honor, and without these Scouts and parents, how can this rank be used to help promote the idea of advancement overall? The plain fact is: It can’t. From the post Courts of Honor ; Courts of honor are for scouts and must speak to them, not just their leaders or parents. The tone is one of honoring achievement formally. If scouts are laughing up their sleeves at the florid theatrics of an overblown ceremony it may be time to rethink your program.

Likewise if the court of honor is just a slog through calling names and handing out badges it is missing something. As in most things the answer lies in the Scouts themselves.

Given some parameters and presented with the task of writing a court of honor what will they come up with? My experience has been that Scout-aged boys appreciate tradition, brevity and meaning.

Ceremonies outside of Scouting whether religious or secular usually follow an established ritual framework that allows some personalization. When we go to commencement exercises or weddings we expect some common elements to be part of the proceedings that reflect a shared concept of what the ceremony celebrates. From the post Eagle Courts of Honor " When I was a boy and got my Eagle (that would have been in the nineteen thirties) I went to a troop meeting, my scoutmaster handed be the badge and shook my hand.. " At this point Ken raised both hands as if in benediction and concluded with; “… that was it.” From the post Ceremony ; Don’t underestimate the important role of ceremony in scouting.

Whether it is the presentation of awards, the raising or lowering of the flag, opening or closing a meeting ceremony is, indeed, “a book in which a great deal is written”.

Ceremony says; stop, listen, participate: this is an important moment, something is being communicated, a story is being told.