THE securing of a suitable Troop Meeting Room is primarily the responsibility of the Troop Committee. If the Troop is organized in connection with a school, church or other institution having a building of its own, an adequate meeting room is usually available there. If the Troop is under the sponsorship of some group not having a building of its own, the Troop Committee has the responsibility of locating a suitable meeting room.

National Policy On Troop Buildings

Scouting believes in using the existing facilities of established institutions and discourages Troops from building special housing facilities:

"The policy of the Boy Scouts of America is opposed to the erection of buildings for Scout Headquarters. To raise a considerable sum of money for their erection involves many questions besides the important ones of permanency and proper administration of funds"

What?

The room should be large enough for simple games and for the construction of Patrol corners-yet not so large that the Troop will feel lost.

Attractive enough to make the boys feel comfortable-yet simple enough to make them want to improve it.

Well-lighted, heated, and ventilated, and not too far removed from the general neighborhood of the Troop's members.

Located in a safe building without unnecessary hazards, preferably on the ground floor. It should have, besides a door opening outward, at least one auxiliary fire exit. Available toilet facilities are necessary, and drinking water with sanitary paper cups is desirable (never the community tin dipper or cup).

Fire traps, damp, dark, unsanitary, or ill ventilated rooms, or those that cannot be properly heated are, of course, unusable.

Advance Arrangements

After a suitable meeting room has been found, a definite understanding regarding its use should be arrived at before it is occupied.

If rent must be paid, the amount should be aecided upon, and the Troop Committee should take over the responsibility of seeing to it that it is paid promptly whenever due. It should be established whether the Troop may consider the room its "own" and decorate it accordingly, or must share it with other groups. In the latter case, all Scout decorations and furniture must be removable. Also, it should be understood on what evenings and at what hours the room may be used, so that the noise from games and other activities will not interfere with programs elsewhere in the building; and a definite arrangement should be made with the institution as to how the heating will be taken care of during the cold season.

The decorating of the Troop meeting room is given added impetus if each boy adds the Badge he earned.

Often when Sponsoring Institutions are planning new buildings, Scout meeting rooms are included in their architectural scheme.

Developing The Meeting Room

The development of the Troop meeting room should be placed in the hands of a special Troop Meeting Room Committee (either elected or appointed), consisting of the Troop Quartermaster and one boy from each Patrol, with the Senior Patrol Leader or some older Scout as chairman.

This Meeting Room Committee should have such duties as the following:

1. Gather ideas for the decoration of the room from all possible sources-the boys of the Troop, the Troop leaders, architects or interior decorators of the community, available literature.

2. Decide upon the style of decoration for the room and develop detailed plans.

3. Secure the necessary money for paint, tools and incidentals.

4. Secure volunteers from the rest of the Troop membership to help do the actual decorating.

This committee may encourage Patrols, especially when the Troop is meeting in a relatively small room, to "construct" folding screens with all kinds of designs and decorations which the Patrol uses as its bulletin board and behind which it assembles during the Patrol Period of the Troop Meetings.

The subject of how to decorate the Troop meeting room is so broad and provides for so much initiative that it cannot be treated in a few pages. Therefore, if you are considering the development of a room, it is suggested that you consult the Service Library Pamphlet, Meeting Rooms for Troop and Patrol.