Wood Carving @ Summer Camp
Haluska Ed (edh@MAILS.IMED.COM)
Thu, 30 Jun 1994 09:00:59 CST
On this thread, Olan Watkins wrote to me...
> ... I have also seen problems with kids signing up
> for wood carving at summer camp and not having their Totin' Chip
cards, so
> they end up not being allowed to do any actual carving.
My first reaction was "oh, yes, that can be a problem, too,"
and sent a note to Olan to post this information to this list (which he
did). But to tell the truth, when I teach woodcarving, I don't
require the Totin' Chip. Three Reasons. 1) The Totin' Chip is not
an explicit prerequisite for this course, 2) The Totin' Chip
focus on wood-tools (ax, saw, etc.) and pocket knives,
none of which I want the Scouts to use for the Wood Carving
Merit Badge. 3) The merit badge has the explicit requirement,
"Show the safety principles for using a pocket knife and wood carving
tool." So I cover the more specific safety rules involved with
wood carving and the tools I want them to use. There is
little overlap between the exact tools I actually try to
have the boys use for wood carving and those covered in
Totin' Chip training.
But this got me to wondering, does a BSA Scout really
absolutely have to earn and carry a Totin' Chip to
use cutting tools or be in a wood carving merit badge
course?
SO HERE IS A CHALLENGE FOR THE REST OF YOU BSA SCOUTS-Lers: At least
for
BSA, what is the official regulatory status of the Totin' Chip? I have
not yet found a rule that says "A Scout cannot carry or use a
pocket knife or other cutting tool unless he has earned and is
carrying a Totin' Chip." The card itself contains the phrase
"Totin' rights", but these are never explicitly defined either.
Now I know we use the card that way, and this may be a real good
rule for a troop to impose on itself, but is it really official
BSA policy? I have checked the 93-95 requirements book, and the
Boy Scout Handbook, 1990, 10th edition, and neither of them
explicitly says this. For that matter, neither of them implicitly
say this, either. The Handbook just contains an illustration of
the card with no explanation of it within the text. The requirement
book generically describes the Totin' Chip (along with the rest of
the "Special Opportunities" as a "special recognition."
I haven't had time to hunt through the adult leader guides,
but if it really is an official rule, shouldn't it be in one of
the Scout's books?
Invitation to Scouters in other countries: Please comment on whether
or not you have the equivalent of a license card for carrying
and using cutting tools. This helps add some additional points of
view to our discussions.
Follow up issue: If it turns out that ownership of a Totin' Chip
is not an official BSA requirement to possess and use cutting
tools, could a Scout "legally" be denied the full range of
activities at a summer camp wood carving course if he does
not have a Totin' Chip?
Scout On,
_____________________________________________________________________
| | |
| Edward A. Haluska | To make fine, hard steel, first the smith |
| 6105 Deer Run | heats the metal red hot, then he pounds |
| Angleton, Texas 77515 | on it with a heavy hammer. |
| U.S.A. | God doesn't make any junk, but sometimes, |
| edh@mails.imed.com | He needs to make some fine, hard steel. |
|________________________|____________________________________________|
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
