Straight Arrow
August, 1996

Bare to the waist and shivering slightly, the Boy Scout glumly began shooting his last ten arrows. All week long he had been learning about archery and practicing his shooting in hopes of earning the Archery Merit Badge. On Monday he had made his arrow. First, he had selected a straight shaft, then he attached three feathers, a plastic nock and a steel point with epoxy glue. A colorful crest of identifying rings finished his creation. On Tuesday, he made his bowstring, wrapping Dacron thread round and round two nails, then adding servings to strengthen the end loops that hook onto the bow and the middle where the arrow is fitted during shooting. On Wednesday, he was discouraged because he was still not shooting well enough to get the badge. Also, he hadn't felt like doing all the required writings on archery or preparing for the test on safety rules and the parts of the bow, arrow and string that was to come on Thursday. Still, he thought he just might improve enough to qualify by Friday, and so he decided to do the required studying. Now with the tests successfully behind him, all he needed to do was score 90 points with six rounds of ten arrows. The problem was, he wasn’t going to make it.

I stood behind him and watched. The twelve other Scouts in our young troop were scattered all across Camp Mountain Run, working on their own merit badges. In addition to Archery, one or more of our guys were working on the Camping, Canoeing, Indian Lore, Shotgun Shooting, Swimming, Sports, Wilderness Survival and Woodcarving merit badges, and having a great time doing it. The Wilderness Survivors had slept out in the woods without a tent in a torrential downpour. The Campers had been there too, perhaps a little drier in their dome tents, but just as hungry for lack of a good cooking fire. One of the Swimmers swam 28 laps of the pool, part of it in that same awesome rainstorm, to earn the Mile Swimmer Badge. We lived together in tents at the Erie campsite --- called Lake Erie by some. Troops from Ridgeway, Clearfield, Oil City, Oceola Mills and Youngstown, Ohio lived elsewhere in camp, and together we attended campfires, mysterious Indian rituals, reveille and taps. We all ate in the dining hall and wandered off to the fishing pool, trading post or lake in our free time. Everyone was a Boy Scout --- a “straight arrow.” Each tried to do his best to be friendly or helpful or kind as needed. Each was ready to be cheerful throughout the whole rainy and primitive week. Yes, we all had a great time at BSA Camp Mountain Run, but not every Scout succeeded in finishing every badge that he set out to earn.

My young friend, the archer, found out how that feels. He had started out well enough, once he had taken off the puffy sleeved sweatshirt that kept snagging his bowstring. After 20 arrows, he was half way to the score of 90 required to complete the Archery Merit Badge. Then he started missing the target, which made him so nervous that he began missing the bales of hay that the target was attached to. It was sad to see his composure slip away. After 50 arrows, he was up to 81 and shooting very poorly, still all he needed was some 1’s, 2’s and 3’s in those last ten arrows to qualify for the badge. He shot a 1, a miss, another 1, another miss, 3 more misses, a 1 and another miss. I could see his mood go from apprehension to despair, and then on to resignation and acceptance. With one arrow left, only a shot into the center of the target would be good enough to pass. He knew that was not going to happen this damp chilly morning --- better luck next year. Just for form’s sake he fits the last arrow into the bow and lets it fly. Bull’s-eye!