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LATEST POSTS
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By RememberSchiff · Posted
Update 08/17/2025: Pine Tree Council says they are no longer actively looking to sell Camp Bomazeen. Instead, they’ve resumed using it for some scouting activities and are currently contemplating the best use of the lakefront property moving forward. More details particularly the Maine Supreme Judicial Court requirements for sale in keeping with donor's 1944 deed at source: https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/08/17/belgrade-boy-scout-camp-no-longer-actively-for-sale-but-future-remains-in-limbo/ -
@Armymutt, I certainly tried to get patrols to do their own thing. We had 60 some scouts (6 to 8 patrols) and I pushed for meetings on their own, service projects on their own and activities on campouts by patrol. If there was a hike then the patrols could hike on their own, if they could prove to me they were prepared. I refused to mix and match patrols unless there were less than 4 scouts in a patrol and that's what they wanted (they usually didn't). The scouts understood the point of all of this. The adults were the problem. They constantly said it was more efficient to have everyone do the same thing. The only thing they didn't fight was to let the patrols do on their own was cooking. Within a year after I stepped down cooking was the only thing they did on their own. They started mixing patrols for each campout. By now there is only one patrol on a campout anyway and on some campouts the adults and scouts cook together. If I were a better leader I could have convinced the adults that efficiency doesn't teach leadership. Rather, dealing with problems teaches leadership. But I was never very good at teaching the adults. I tried. -
Yes, focus should be on patrol activities. As far as adults, transportation etc... the numbers still work. 2 cars to transport a patrol is 2 adults. I firmly believe the slow methodical demise of the patrol method is the demise of scouting to truly achieve its aims. It is within the patrol, as a functional member where the lessons which develop the scouts character are born, bred and raised. -
Until we fix the legal system in the United States, as if that is even likely, much of what made Scouting so beneficial to youth growth into citizenship and focused lives has become basically impossible. The swarms of black birds continue to circle overhead, not just over Scouting, but over anything that could lead to public outrage and legal settlements that make the lawyers rich, and incrementally destroy the positive elements of society. -
By RememberSchiff · Posted
Depends on the SM and availability of trained adult leaders. Our senior patrol still plans and execute 1 or 2 outdoor patrol activities a year. Back in my day, patrols hiked locally without adults provided their SM approved. I would say even then, councils did not recognize patrols. Council events and camps required troop registration even the patrol competition Klondike Derby required troop registration. IMHO, skilled, experienced patrols should be allowed to trek Philmont without adults. As an alternative to an Eagle service project, I favor allowing Eagle Scout candidates to plan and lead a patrol trek without adults in attendance or a "project handbook". We once trained scouts to reach a level (First Class) of outdoor competency such that they could "scout run" themselves without adults present. My $0.02,
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