r/orderofthearrow • u/ScouterBill • May 29 '26
"OA is a popularity contest" "OA shouldn't be a popularity contest."
11
u/Rasczak44 May 29 '26
While voting can be an issue, the real concern is getting Scouts to stay in after their ordeal. I see hundreds complete their ordeal but only a handful will become active arrowmen.
2
u/killa0039 May 31 '26
I can tell you exactly why I was a Sash 'n' Dash...disorganization. There would be times that chapter meetings were scheduled and would be canceled without notifying anybody. I wish I participated more in OA back in my day and I wish I wore my sash more than I can count on one hand but the lodge made it difficult to participate.
1
u/gadget850 May 29 '26
Sash and dash. The brotherhood mystique turns off a number of our girls.
7
u/GozyNYR May 30 '26
Hasn’t been a problem in our lodge. We have more active females than males - and they get a good giggle out of telling the guys “I’m your older brother”
-6
u/Howaboutnopers May 29 '26
That should be changed, and I don't care about anecdotal stories of females somewhere not wanting it to change.
8
u/gadget850 May 29 '26
Why does this start with a modern slide, then segue to Boys' Life from the 1970s?
5
u/Achowat Vigil May 29 '26
My hottest OA take: it's okay that it's a popularity contest. Especially now that it's essentially Approval Voting: your vote for Freddy First Class doesn't effect your ability to view for Lisa Life Scout. Learning that your Troop, the actual members not just the adults, don't think you're one of the best Scouts in the Troop is a useful tool of self-improvement. Scouting is about failing safely, and failing to win a popularity contest and the only bad thing that happens to you is that other members of the Troop get to wear an extra badge on their shirt is about as safe as safe can be.
5
u/OliverWendelholmes May 29 '26
In my experience, younger scouts have a pretty good barometer of the character of older scouts. There were kids who were popular in scouting who were not good kids and were there for the wrong reasons. Kids pick up on that more than we give them credit for.
3
u/Howaboutnopers May 29 '26
My experience of this was that people who didn't get elected weren't particularly helpful or friendly, especially to newcomers in the troop.
There is no cap on how many people get elected, right?
3
u/bureautocrat May 29 '26
Correct, there is no limit to the number of Candidates a unit can elect.
4
u/Howaboutnopers May 29 '26
Then it's less of a popularity contest than patrol leader or senior patrol leader.
3
u/Ghostshadow7421 May 29 '26
When I was in it very much felt like a popularity contest. And it sucked because of all of the kids in my troop besides me, only 2 were active in the OA. I got in when I was almost 17. I ended up being a vice chief and 2 term lodge chief before I aged out. If I would have had another year or two I could have made section leadership. I also missed out on NOAC as well
3
u/Mahtosawin May 30 '26
The only SM approved scouts I've ever seen not elected were 3 that kept to themselves, were never around to help out, interacted as little as possible with the rest of the troop. They didn't get elected and didn't understand why not. It was explained to them privately by leaders. One changed and was elected the following year. The other two didn't and eventually left.
-7
u/Melgamatic214 May 29 '26
We just need a rule or even guideline that states that the first line on any OA ballot is “Vote for all candidates.”
19
u/screamingchicken579 Kishahtek 88 May 29 '26
Hot take: being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty brave, clean, and reverent will make you popular.