Job Description
To ensure the Historian job is a real leadership position, our troop has included the following responsibilities in the list of duties.
Responsibilities
• Document and archive activities of the troop
• Maintain a high participation rate of at least 50% of meetings and campouts.
• Maintain and add to the troop history record on the web site and monthly newsletter.
• Make sure that plans that are made by PLC are archived from personal drives such as google documents and stored centrally to keep the history of the troop.
• Regularly attends campouts to photograph and record events of the day.
• Write about troop awards, recognitions, advancement, service, and special events in the troop record. This is being done on the web site now but is also printed and stored offline.
• Update troop information, such as new eagle scouts and troop leaders – we have a web page that lists eagle scouts and their projects and a page listing all positions and who held them.
• Publish photographs from troop activities on the web site – a photo gallery package lets the scout organize photos by event. Now that we have a new digital camera, we’re also posting some video clips.
• Submit at least two articles about troop events to local newspapers – in a town of 200,000 the paper is still willing to publish lots of ‘feel good’ articles and photos. When we first added this, they were very surprised at how often the short articles were accepted. It’s great publicity and more clippings to put in the old scrapbook.
• Keep historic items safe such as ribbons, awards, and memorabilia – all this gets stored in scrapbooks and a big box.
• Give a presentation to the troop in the last month of your term about the history of the troop – this gets the Historian in front of the troop and gives him a reason to go through the old stuff and learn something about the troop. It also gives the newer scouts a connection to the past.
• Set two personal goals – the Historian is also asked to develop and fulfill two SMART goals of his own. This might be starting a new scrapbook, archiving old ribbons off the troop flag, or anything else he feels would benefit the troop.
• Submit a written report of your experience to your position coordinator and bring a copy to your next scoutmaster conference.
• Completes Introduction to Leadership Skill Training (ILST)
• Wear my uniform correctly, set a good example, practice the Scout Oath and Law – a standard responsibility of all the troop leadership positions.
• Fulfill the requirements of this position for 6 months – the troop’s chosen term of office
This position meets with your Position Coordinator at least every 2 months to report on his progress towards his goals. This ensures he is fulfilling his duties and will receive rank advancement credit. Use the position coordinator as an adult mentor that you can go to with ideas and for advice.
