SSScout

I would HOPE one would click on the website and see the rest of the cartoon.... https://www.gocomics.com/thebuckets/2025/06/18

Let's see... Cub Scouts? maybe... Camping? ummm no.... Scoutmaster Minutes? nnno... Working with Kids ! ,,,, Okay, Open Discussion, by default..... https://www.gocomics.com/thebuckets/2025/06/16

So I am pleased to report that the CPR/AED training went well. However, (whatever?) with six weeks of various bush beating, we had one Scout, one Scout parent, one person from Meeting and 8 teens from a local private school. The trainers were happy to have been there, and so we will see if we can schedule again in the fall.

This past saturday, I was on the porch of our Meeting House, tending to some maintenance, when I looked up to see a young man walking by (we are at the north end of a county "history " trail. ), and I said hello. He was carrying a backpack, looked to be fully equipped, he had two hiking "sticks". We spoke for awhile. He said his Scout Troop (!) was going to Philmont, and he knew he had to do some "training". We talked about gear, distance (he did not know the trail he was on , except it was "in the neighborhood". It was the first time he had been out with his new pack (it looked new!). I shared some of my hiking history, and counseled him about the distance of this trail (you can do a five mile loop, good for the Second Class requirement), and encouraged him to "get tired now" so you won't be as tired later. It sounded like his Troop was going the last week in July.... I

Funny you should mention.... I have been trying to organize/schedule CPR/AED training for some time and by chance at a recent IOLS/BALLOO weekend, met a Scouter who does such things. We got it scheduled, and it will occur tomorrow. There is a fee, which I find reasonable for what is offered. He remits his share BACK to the org that he works with. We have publicized it in local Scout Troop, District and Council Campfire sites, and in our local newspaper and in our church. One of the rationales for this is our House of Worship is FINALLY to buy/install an AED. Now to the frustrating parts... 1) we have been greatly underwhelmed by the sign ups. We shall see how many they have from the internet sign up.... 2) One Scout enquiry was to ask about "the CPR Merit Badge Class, and what rank requirement it met". I had to respond that it was NOT a "Merit Badge Class" (they might have thought it was First Aid?), that it was instruction in the skill, and as to what, if any, rank requirement it fulfilled to ask his Scout Master. 3) Since I work at a Retirement Community, I am required to take just this sort of training. I can say that since my Paleolistic days as a Scout, up to my present state, I have learned no fewer than five techniques to deal with loss of breathing/heart attacks, each an improvement on the prior. I can claim only two times when this training has been of value, one very good, one not so. I tell people it's like wearing your motorcycle helmet or your auto seat belt.... you may only need this training once, but which once?

Very nice. Would that translate to " Neckerchief on a Bike"? Goodluck for the visibility and recognition ! Such an Eagle project idea !

"It depends".... Nat Jamboree, 2013, they issued nice offishul duffles as part of the deal. Staff (Chaplain), I brought a foot locker, but discovered it would not fit in the tent with the cot they issued/assigned. We Adapted ... As SM, to summer camp, I brought one to help organize my stuff and stuff and stuff,,, The Scouts were not required , some had duffles, some had small locker/boxes.... If the dimensions are known, to slip it under the cot, that is good. If there is room at the end(s) of the cot and still stay in th tent, that is good. Where will it be? In the halcyon days of my yooth, everything was in the backpack or we didn't need it. Then too, we didn't have TRAILERS full of stuff....

SA/BSA did the right thing, PAUSE and THINK... The time for panic is later. The time for concern is now. Someone is shot thru the head and Total Archery Challenge CONTINUES ? ? As a past CSDC Archery Range Officer, I have stories, but thankfully nothing like this. Avoidance of accidents is the goal, but sometimes "things happen". People don't want to walk all the way around 6foot tall stakes and yellow tape . People want to get CLOSER to get a good photo of Sammy Scout.... I trained my staff to PAY ATTENTION, and they did. The Cubs listened and PAID ATTENTION. Was I strict? You betcha. Overly so? You betcha.... I remember a Jamboree where a too tall tent pole met a too short electric wire over an area where camp should never have been assigned....

Ya got three kinds a Scouts. Those that want Merit Badges and those that want to EARN Merit Badges, and those that just wanna go camping and hiking. We will not discuss those that are not Scouts, but in the "civilian"" group, you can find the same approximate type of kids. Merit Badge Books are great middle school introductions to the subject, we all know that. The bane of the MBCounselor's existence is the WORKSHEET. Whoever developed those is not someone who wants MBs to be EARNED so much as Wikipedia'd . Cut and paste. Fortunately, many MBs can't be work booked.... Knots and lashings have to be DONE. Bugles have to be played. You ever get the impression when you ask that leading question (Socratic Method?) that the Scouts are sort of waiting to discern what answer YOU want to hear? The ebooks are a great leap into the great compooter world to come (has arrived?) . Stock preprinted books for a price, or get a iPad or Kindle thingy, or print it out yourself? "That's alot of paper and expensive ink !!" Yes but.... Lithium batteries, or $15. book? ummm ebook can be edited with a keystroke. Shades of the Ministry of Truth..... Permanent paper book can't be changed . My 1960ish MBbook is a historic artifact, reflective of the society. My Hilcourt 1956 Fieldbook shows a shirtless Scout correctly felling a 20" diameter Poplar (I think) with a nice axe. I tell my Woodtools class at IOLS that we don't have enough trees for our Scouts to practice correct, safe felling , hence today's Fieldbook doesn't have such a picture. But come the nexr Carrington Event.... Oh, don't get me wrong, if the iPad reader is handy for the Scout to read (!) the MBbook, and learn thereby, go for it. All 138 MBs in one handy Lithium Manganese battery packed Apple core, great. Maybe the signal will be better on THAT rock face....

I have just been "led to believe" by a Scout in my circle, that in his Troop, any Eagle project proposal to be considered by the Troop Committee should be (?must be?) done with a Power Point Presentation. Now, I have no argument that such a thing is wonderful and a sign of our times. I have sat in on many Eagle Project discussions that had detailed pictures and photos and diagrams and charts, but never, up til now, a Power Point. Seen 'em at work, in other venues, but in a preliminary Eagle Proposal? It sounds like the Troop is requiring this, but as a Commisher of the District, I have not approached anyone else as of yet. Thoughts?

History Montgomery is the organization that promotes and seeks to preserve the history of my home area, Montgomery County, Maryland. Here is a recent video presentation about Troop 33 of Takoma Park Maryland, and the founding of their Camp Schmitt..

Aye, the work is imdeed done by whoever shows up. Consider the recent case of a District Commissioner. Wonderful Scouter, bleeds khaki, as they say. He covers all things Scouty in our District for several (several!) years. Comes the new DE. He checks the record, confers with his fellows, and declares that the DCommissioner in question has been DCommissioner long enough, and as of xx date, he will be "retired", thank you for your service", and recommends (?) that Assistant DC be promoted. Assistant DC says "what?" Present DC says "WHAT??" When this news is spread, the rest of the District's ADCs and UCs say ""WHAT ? ? "" Scout politics occurs. 90% of the District's Commissioners threaten to resign. DE et al declare the policy is.... and that's that. The District's ADCommissioners , UCommissioners and Committee Chair et al all stomp their metaphorical feet, read the fine print and note that the DC must be APPROVED by the Council Commissioner, but can be (can be) elected by the District Commissioners and/or Committee. After alot of back and forth, our aged DC agrees to step down, but not quite yet. A dedicated ADC agrees to be DC, and is elected by acclamation at the next District Meeting which happened to be the Annual Meeting, when such things should occur. This ADC is not the one the DE announced, to no one's surprise but relief. The DE and CCommish (on ZOOM) both nod in agreement, revolt/resignations averted. Camporee in four months...

YinYan: Thank you for "Being There" (a very good movie by the way) for our youth. You will eventually be glad you did. Going over this once more. I retired from local gov't service about umpteen years ago, and we had a similar program. I could (and did) donate money to a charity , and got the appropriate tax benefit, and my employer also donated an equal amount to the charity. The charity got twice the money, I got a tax bene, All good. The charity does good things, so I support them. I might even , eventually need the service they provide, but did not seek to use it in any way. The charity gets to decide what to do with the money to serve the purpose they serve. In YOUR situation, what I hear is this: Parent would donate money to a charity , in this case, his Scout's Troop, thru the CO apparently, and his employer would send an equal amount to the Scout Troop too, thru the CO. All good, Scouting gets twice the money, the parent can use the tax benefit as allowed. They are BOTH "Charity donations", yes? BUT... Parent now wants her/his donation credited specifically to his/her Scout's benefit to pay for fees, dues, etc. This is not right or appropriate or legal in many ways, and I am surprised the parent does not realize this. Or do they? Donations to any charity must be done with no expectation of a personal benefit in return, no Quid Pro Quo.... That makes it a business transaction, not a DONATION. Our Scout Council has several properties that are named for the donor that paid for them. That is the only "quo" I see in that. Did their son or Grandson or Great Grand daughter get any direct benefit? I don't know, but the name is on the gate and above the door. Your parent wants both a charitable donation AND paid Scout fees from the same bag of money. Tain't funny, Magee....

If it is a regular Bugle, that slide can serve three purposes. 1) it is used to tune the Bugle to the exact tune of other instruments. All wind instruments have something similar. Watch a band or orchestra "tune up". 2) it also can be used to lower the tone. Being a trombone player (Bass clef) I never worried about this, but I was told the Bugle (Treble clef) was a G instrument and pulling out the slide makes it an F instrument. 3) you take the slide out to shake the spit out and when washing out your horn... Green gunk.... As to your other comment , ALL of the "work" is done with the lips/mouth.... This is called one's "embouchure". and it is, indeed, the biggest stumbling block for young would be trumpeters or Booglers. Buzzing, alot, SQUEEEEZE and get that high G.... Ain't no valves or slide to change the tone. Yes, the "echo" effect is wonderful when done well. The Bugle can be heard a mile away over open land, less thru the woods. bouncing off mountainsides or lake.... Taps is known, but the Tatoo , can be either an Army thing to getthruquick or played with some mellowness and emotion.

Inquisitive Scouter says it. So let it be written, so shall it be... Sorry, recently watched Yul Brynner as Pharoah... I am often sadly amazed at the neglect of the Scout Law and Promise. Not to mention the Golden Rule and (nudge nudge) the desire to find ways around personal and societal limitations. This sort of thing makes me think about how things have changed , and/or stayed the same... A Scout is Trustworthy (1948 Fieldbook): A Scout's honor is to be trusted. If he was to violate his honor by telling a lie, or by cheating or by not doing exactly a given task when trusted on his honor , he may be directed to hand over his Scout badge. ((Scout Handbook, 2016): A Scout tells the truth. He is honest, and he keeps his promises. People can depend on him. A Scout is Thrifty (1948 Fieldbook): He does not wantonly destroy property. He works faithfully, wastes nothing, and makes the best use of his opportunities. He saves his money so that he may pay his own way, be generous to those in need, and helpful to worthy objects.. He may work for pay, but must not receive tips for courtesies or Good Turns. (Scout Handbook, 2016) : A Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for the future. He protects and conserves natural resources. He is careful in his use of time, money and property. The IRS has a purpose, often overlooked, and that is to make (some of the monetary playing field even. Donate money and then to claim it back for personal use just on face seems wrong. Thru the company's largess, that this parent wants to help the PURPOSE of Scouting along is wonderful, but the way that is requested is jut wrong. If the parent wants to establish some funds in his Scout's Scout Account (which idea I personally have never liked) is fine, but that is not what the company would understand, I bet. Oops, can't bet. No gambling in Scout fundraising... Company matched donation? To CO for use of Scout Units? Wonderful;. Buy a new Troop Trailer, a new Cub Pack Pinewood Derby track, new pop up tents, cook sets, camp stoves for the Patrols. Renovate, repaint the meeting rooms. New sign out front "HOME OF CUB PACK AND SCOUT TROOP XYZ< MEETS FRIDAY 7PM>>>>" Send the whole Troop to Philmont. Send the whole Cub Pack to overnight on the USS Constellation in Baltimore. But not for one Scout....