By Steve Calechman
TAB Staff Writer
There was a time when Boy Scouts would go hiking and fishing
and then gather around the glowing light of a campfire to talk and tell
stories.
They still do such things, but Weston scout leaders would like to see members of Troop 157 also gather around the glowing light of a computer screen to talk and tell stories. Technology makes such communication possible, and the local troop has proved its members have mastered that technology by maintaining a Web page of their own. Scoutmasters see the site as serving the double purpose of drawing in new members with easy access to information and allowing current members to make scouting an integrated and continuous part of their lives.
"Scouting has had a reputation as not being very cool, and being at the edge of the technology revolution-the boys think that's cool," said Assistant Scoutmaster John Sallay.
The page was created in December 1995 by Scoutmaster Roger Lee, who as a patent attorney said he works with software packages all the time. He said when the page started, "a lot of people didn't know what I was talking about." But now, he said, access to the Internet is growing and so too is the troop, noting that there are now 24 scouts in the troop, ranging from fifth-graders to seniors, and by the end of the year the number could grow to 30 or more.
Boys can join at any time of the year, Lee said, and he hopes word of the Web page will attract new scouts. The page includes text on upcoming events, a schedule of meetings and information about how to advance through the scouts. "It's a great communication tool," Sallay said, noting schedules and newsletters can be sent in the mail, but accessing the information through the Internet is more fun. "It's almost like playing a video game," he said.
But the page is not limited to words as it includes photographs of the troop rock climbing, skiing and kayaking. The photos are attractive to prospective scouts and, Sallay said, also bring a certain stardom to the members.
"The boys not only like to see the pictures, but it's accessible internationally," he said. "It's exciting to have your pictures beaming all over the airwaves."
Sallay said he has checked out scout pages from around the United States, and he is confident when he says Weston's is "one of the best in the country," with its breadth of the information, graphics and constant updating. Recent additions to the page include information about a camping trip to Sudbury this weekend; the requirements for members working on their cooking merit badges; and details about a parent son fishing trip to Nonesuch Pond in the southwest corner of town in April.
Sallay said he can't imaging the Web page being any better than it is, but he can still see some ways to expand its use for the troop. One "terrific advance" would be to have some of the boys write articles for the site. As of now, the page is pretty much the domain of Lee.
Sallay also sees the page and email as ways for scouts to keep in contact and "feel more wired into the troop." For many of the kids, scouting is just the weekly Monday night meeting and an outing or trip once a month. "The technology can make scouting more of a continuous experience in their lives rather than just a couple of hours a week," he said.
Troop 157's web site address is: www. brewster.org/troop157.
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