Re: Merit badge "overnighter"?
Andrew Hagemann (hagemann@VISI.NET)
Thu, 27 Nov 1997 11:01:44 -0500
Win Quakenbush wrote:
>
> Hello, the list!
>
> We have just finished a district weekend "merit badge college", with many
> different badges offered in a Friday-Saturday time frame.
>
> This raises the question - have any of you done a "merit badge
> overnighter" within your troop, where the scouts come in Friday night,
> leave Saturday, and knock out one merit badge? Please let me emphasize, I
> am _not_ interested in becoming a merit badge mill, or doing less than
> 100% of the MB requirements.
>
> Your comments would be appreciated.
>
> YIS,
> <snip>
I have recently done something very like this. The Troop's November
campout (we camp once a month, rain or shine) was a Wilderness Survival
Merit Badge course. We slept in tents Friday night since it was dark
when we arrived at our campsite. I had the boys leave the tents set up
just in case it rained or they were afraid to sleep alone in their
shelter.
Saturday morning was devoted to breakfast (individual cooking over a
large wood fire that the adults built to speed up the process) and the
"lecture" portion of the badge (priorities, first aid, proper clothing,
how to find water in various terrains, etc.). By mid-morning we were
working on the three ways to start fires other than matches (no butane
lighters either). After that came shelter building with the SPL
demonstrating how to use pine boughs as shingles, and the Scout's
erecting their individual shelters. Supper was cooked on the Scout's
final fire, again individually. Taps were called at 10:00.
Sunday morning was individual cooking again, followed by Chapel.
Immediately after Chapel, we struck camp and packed the trucks. As soon
as we were packed, we started testing the Scouts on the previous day's
"lecture" material. All of the Scouts earned the badge before lunch.
After lunch we went home.
The other three adults and I had a blast. So did the six boys whose
mother's were brave enough to let them come. We organically had fifteen
signed up to go, by a rainy period mid-week scared the Moms away. Our
weekend was beautiful - blue skys and mid-sixty degree weather. There
were a number of highly disappointed boys at the next Scout meeting.
Food for thought....
YiS,
Drew
--
Andrew Hagemann <hagemann@visi.net>
SA, New Scout Patrol, Troop 6
Colonial Virginia Council
A "Charging" Buffalo, SR-158
Jamboree '97 Metal Work MB Booth Coordinator
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
