IT is one thing to start a new Troop, and another, quite different, to take over an old, established Troop. Is it easier or more difficult? That depends on a number of different factors:

Are you new to Scouting or have you had previous experience as a Scout, a Patrol Leader or even as a Scouter?

Is the Troop you are to lead known as an exceptionally good Troop, a good Troop, an average Troop-or is there a doubt in someone's mind that it may even be classified as average?

What type of Scoutmaster was the previous leader?

Was his leadership extraordinary, good, fair, or was he just tolerated by the boys? Did he make possible hiking and camping? Did he help his leadership by wearing the Scout Uniform? How are the Patrols functioning? How is the boy leadership? How is this and that and all those other things?

As you see, there are many items to be considered and studied before you begin your leadership in the place left vacant by a retiring or transferring Scoutmaster.

Get Training First

If you are new to Scouting, by all means get a certain amount of training first. Study the official manuals to get a working basis. Then visit, with the advice of the Scout Executive and the District or Neighborhood Commissioner, a couple of good Troops that are run along the lines advocated as real Scouting. Talk over Scoutmastership with other Scoutmasters. Sit in at Troop Leaders' Council meetings. Take part in a Troop hike if you can manage it. Go through a Local Council training course if one is available at the time.

But What About The Troop In The Meantime?

The Troop will not suffer, even if you have to postpone its meetings a couple of weeks. As long as the boys know that something will happen, they will be there when you call them.

Meet With The Troop Leaders

You have already, of course, met with the Troop Committee and discussed with it the Troop and its membership, and secured an estimate of the previous leadership. Now the time comes to have a conference with the Troop's boy leaders and Assistant Scoutmasters, if any.

Patrol Leaders get together to plan and work out with the Scoutmaster their part in the success of the Troop. Give them opportunities.

Make it a friendly conclave. Get the Patrol Leaders at their ease. Show them your interest in their activities and let them feel your trust in them. Get them to tell of their activities, of their boys, of the grand experiences they have had in the Troop. Learn something about the Troop's traditions, its ways of doing things, its meetings and outdoor adventures. But don't attempt to "pump" the boys, or they may be less free with the information they volunteer.

Then settle down to discuss the glorious future of the Troop in general, and the next Troop meeting (your first with the boys) in particular. Plan it well, decide upon activities and assign leadership. Finally, dismiss the Leaders with a Scout Handclasp and a request for their cooperation: "I depend upon you to make our Troop the finest Troop possible."

Before Your First Meeting

In the interim, before the meeting, make a thorough study of the Troop Records and the Troop Roster. Study the attendance and the advancement, and try to memorize as many names as possible. You will find it effective to be able to say: "Oh, are you Bobby Jones? It certainly is wonderful that we have a Life Scout in the Troop!"

Then call the meeting, preferably by sending a personally signed postcard to each boy.

Your First Meeting

If well planned with the Patrol Leaders in advance, your first meeting should be a success. It will be well to have present a member of the Troop Committee, with whom the boys are familiar, or a Local Council representative to introduce you officially as the new Scoutmaster. If this is not feasible, you will have to introduce yourself. In any event, you should use a part of the program to tell your boys of your enthusiasm and interest in the Troop, of all the good things you have been told about them, and of your hopes for a great future for the Troop, which will be assured through the combined efforts of everyone.

After the meeting, make a special attempt to meet the boys separately for short friendly chats.

"Familiarity Breeds Attempt"

As the novelty of your presence wears off a bit, there is the possibility-nay, probability-that the boys may attempt to test you out to see how much you will let them "get away with." Be a sport. Let them feel that there are certain boyish pranks which you consider entirely innocent, but let them also learn promptly that at a certain point you draw the line, and that they had better not try to cross it. Be friendly and firm. Take the "Scouty" attitude, and remember that if you keep the program full and saturated with boy-interest features, you will have few problems of discipline.

Study The Troop

As you become familiar with the boys and with the leaders, you will be able to chart the future course of the Troop. You will discover the efficiency-or lack of it-of the leadership, and will learn to what extent the Patrol Method has been used. If the Troop organization is strong, you will naturally make every effort to further strengthen it. If, on the other hand, the Patrols are only "sham" Patrols with figurehead leaders, you will set about to reorganize the Troop.

But go slowly, so as not to antagonize the present leaders or the boys. Take up the matter of reorganization at a Troop Leaders' Council, and either secure the Patrol Leaders' promise to improve their Patrols and their own leadership, or their cooperation in undertaking the reorganization. This, then, may be done along the lines suggested in the Chat on "The Patrols and Their Leaders."

The Program Of The Troop

The program of the Troop should be made a special consideration at Troop Leaders' Council discussions. There may be many remarks such as "That's how we do it in Troop 1" that should be heeded. On the other hand, do not follow slavishly the previous procedure of the Troop. Certain features may be a success under one type of leader, but not under another. Anyway, the boys will expect new things from a new leader. Set up objectives to reach and decide upon a long-span program for the Troop.

"A Scout Is Loyal"

As you gain the confidence of the boys they may start to speak unguardedly to you of their old Scoutmaster. This will become the greatest test of your tact and diplomacy.

The previous Scoutmaster may have been good, yet may have had human frailties or certain peculiar characteristics which the boys may like to recall and elaborate upon for your edification. Make them realize from the start that you do not stand for gossip. Make them understand the unfairness of attempting to ridicule a man who gave of his time and his efforts to serve them. Make them see that they owe loyalty to their old leader.

On the other hand, the previous leader may have been exceptional and beloved by every boy in the Troop. You may feel humbled at times-maybe even a bit jealous-because of their frequent mention of their old Scoutmaster, and their continued tendency to idolize him. This is perfectly natural. But by all means, do not let the boys sense this. Turn their hero-worship into an asset to the Troop. There may be many instances in the beginning when a tense situation may be straightened out with a soft spoken: "Do you really think Mr. So-and-So would have been proud of you for having done this and that?" Eventually, as you grow in your boys' estimation there will be fewer and fewer references to their old leader.

Then it may be you who may bring up his name from time to time, and thus add his remote influence for character-building and citizen-training to your own and make both vital in the lives of your Scouts.