You are proud of your Eagle Class Badge. It stands for your Scouting adventure, the skills you have acquired, the service you are prepared to give to others.
One in One Hundred earn The Eagle Scout Rank
To the people who see your badge it means that you are someone to be relied upon.
You are older and probably wiser than when you where a Tenderfoot, and you realize how much more there is still for you to learn, and that the more you learn the more you get out of Scouting and out of living.
Maybe you once thought as you started up the Scout Trail that you could never hope to reach the Rank of Eagle. But you are now standing on the top of the mountain.
The requirements for the higher ranks state that idea very directly. Star, Life, and Eagle ranks are not recognition for Merit Badges alone. Merit Badges are only one-fourth of the requirements. These ranks are given in recognition of three other achievements - practice of Scouting principles, active service, and leadership effort. These are sometimes call the Scouting Spirit!
The judgement of people who know you well is required as evidence that you are trying to live up to the Scout Oath and Law as you promised when you became a Tenderfoot.
Your attitude shows what Scouting has meant to you.
You are judged from your actions.
And one can only estimate the influence of Scouting upon you.
Your leadership ability...
You were modest,
keep your sense of humor, and remember some of your own troubles when you were new in the Troop.The Eagle Board of Review did not re-examine you, but questioned you on what you have accomplished. It has been said that out of every one hundred Scouts, only one makes Eagle.
Of any one hundred boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year. Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but in later life all of these will remember that had been Scouts and will speak well of the program.
Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge. Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no church. Through Scouting, these twelve and many of their families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all their lives. Six of the one hundred will become pastors.
Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting. Almost all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives. Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degrees profit from their Scout training. At least one will use it to save another person's life and many will credit it with saving their own.
one of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least 25 percent of the Eagles will later say that he valued their Eagle above their college degree. Many will find their future vocation through merit badge work and Scouting contacts. Seventeen of the one hundred boys will later become Scout leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys.
Only one in four boys in America will become Scouts, but it is interesting to know that of the leaders in this nation in business, religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts.
This story will never end. Like the "Golden Pebble" of service dropped into the human sea it will continue to radiate in ever-widening circles, influencing the characters of men down through unending time.
Scouting's alumni record is equally impressive. A recent nation-wide survey of high schools revealed the following information:
85% of student council presidents were Scouts 89% of senior class presidents were Scouts 80% of junior class presidents were Scouts 75% of school publication editors were Scouts 71% of football captains were Scouts Scouts also account for:
64% of Air Force Academy graduates 68% of West Point graduates 70% of Annapolis graduates 72% of Rhodes Scholars 85% of F.B.I. agents 26 of the first 29 astronauts