Getting dirty, working with their hands and learning how to be handy around the house are a few of the reasons why some Naperville girls said they wanted to spend four hours of their weekend with a local plumber learning about pipes as part of their new participation in the Boy Scouts of America.
“I think it’s fun,” 11-year-old Addy Boulware said about operating a pipe-threading machine while earning her plumbing merit badge recently in Naperville with 21 other kids who belong to the Boy Scouts of America.
The event included four different Scout troops: two traditional troops of boys, and two new, all-girl troops welcomed into the program for the first time in February.
“Boys aren’t the only ones who get their hands dirty. Girls can do anything a boy can do. I cut a piece of pipe. I like working with my hands,” 11-year-old Evy Boulware said.
The Boy Scouts of America began offering girls the option of joining Cub Scouts (for kindergarteners through fifth-graders) last year, and the chance to join Scouts BSA (for youth 11 to 17 years old) on Feb. 1.
“You know who swears about this being bad is guys my age and older. I’m 64,” said Stephen Brockman, owner of Expert Plumbing Heating & Electrical, who said he didn’t adjust any instruction or hands-on practice for the plumbing merit badge because his Scout audience included girls and boys. “That’s the point, to do nothing different.”
Each Cub Scout den or Scouts BSA troop must have a single gender, but boy troops and girl troops belonging to the same council often participate in activities together.
“Scouting is staying committed to its core values but navigating a changing landscape,” said Paul Whitlock, whose three boys, ages 12 to 17, belong to Scouts BSA Troop 133.
While girls have had access to similar opportunities for character development, outdoor pursuits and merit badges through the separate Girl Scouts organization, parents say girls have been pushing for years to be part of Boy Scout troops that were run by their mothers or fathers or included other family members.
“Girls came with boys, because it was their brothers. We always let the girls in” to watch or even compete in the Boy Scouts’ pinewood derby, said Brockman, current district commissioner of the local Boy Scouts council.
Brockman captured the attention of the 22 girls and boys at his Naperville plumbing shop as he told them about the history of plumbing, dangers of the profession, changes in materials and the modernization of the field before demonstrating how to solder copper pipe. He then let the Scouts try it themselves.
“I will give you basic repair tips before you leave. I want you to walk away saying you learned something,” Brockman said.
“The skill of plumbing is going to be useful for me later. I like to be handy around the house and help my mom and dad,” 12-year-old Bridie Strowe of Naperville said. “I joined Scouts in February. I am a huge feminist and think we should be able to join Boy Scouts.”
Addy Boulware said she was previously a Girl Scout Daisy and Brownie before joining Cub Scouts last summer in a pack “with boys and a few girls. It’s different. There are more campouts.”
“I say absolutely,” Dave Lipien replied when asked what he thought of the organization opening up to girls. The parent volunteer said his 12- and 14-year-old sons have been involved in Boy Scouts about seven years.
“I love it. For us it’s brought a whole new perspective and level of energy, and it’s exciting,” Lipien said. “My son and a girl (from the girl troop) are working on their theater badge over spring break. A year ago I don’t know that he would have found anyone interested” in working with him together on that badge.
“It’s fun, different,” added 12-year-old Matthew Lipien. “I was a little confused. Why are they joining? It’s good now.”