Ten Essentials of Scoutmastership 2 - Focused Zeal

The Ten Essentials of Scoutmastership penned by William 'Green Bar'  Hillcourt were part of the Scoutmaster's Handbook for many years.

2. A zeal focused upon one point - the boy’s happiness through his formative years - "A happy boy is a good boy, a good boy is a good citizen."

One point - the boy's happiness. Not his measurement against a standard, not his level of skill or achievement but his happiness. Scoutmasters are neither taskmasters nor drill sergeants.

Focusing on happiness is not removing challenges, discipline or rigor but revealing the genuine joy of achievement, of taking the road less traveled rather than the path of least resistance. Scoutmasters demonstrate the this in their example of joyous service,an attitude of genuine excitement in meeting difficulties head on and freely speaking words of honest encouragement.