Leaderboard

Camp (not the council’s crown jewel, an older — maybe oldest — land trust) was full this weekend. Our neighbors, about 200 yards off, were new girls’ troop. The usual female who camped with them was not available so the SM’s spouse came along. She was no fan of camping and this was a brutal weather even for those of us who were. It wasn’t warm enough to stay thawed, nor cold enough to keep the precipitation from crawling through your clothes. I praised her effusively for coming along with her scouts. However I’d write, it would have to include high praise for such people. Related to

When I was a trainer, I gave new Troop leaders the SPL Handbook and PL Handbook, and suggested they use those very simple handbooks to guide their program along side their scouts using the same handbooks.. I don't know if the BSA is still publishing those handbooks. In the pack, I highly suggested that the committee recruit an adult for every task and responsibility. Burnout is the number one problem with packs, so making sure everyone only has one responsibility helps reduce burnout. Our pack would even recruit parents for Blue and Gold, and Pinewood Derby at the beginning of the year so

I wanted to expand my comment about STEM. In the back of merit badge pamphlets there is a useful bibliography and list of merit badge committee (or is it subcommittee?) members (experts) who authored the content and requirements. In the field, we have merit badge counselors whose expertise ranges from hobbyist to expert with perhaps a few wannabees. Never shall the two groups communicate directly. Sure a MBC could fill in Form 512-130 with her/her comments, send it to National, and ... But why not set up a direct online dialog between the Committee members who authored the merit ba

When I was a Troop Guide for a patrol, one of the participants wanted a private ceremony. So we met at a steakhouse and with his wife and mom there, I did a small meaningful beading on the patio. Same patrol, another gentleman asked for his beads/cert/necker to be sent to his house. Did 3 others at either Troop meetings (2) or Roundtable (1) The last course I staffed, they seem to like the group beadings, so the Course Director sets up a day and anyone that was staff or a participant come to the local camp and those that are "finished" get beaded. This one usually includes a pot

Years ago one of my scouts, in uniform, was at a restaurant with his father before our meeting. An elderly gentleman as he was leaving said "If you can recite the Outdoor Code, I will pay for your dinner" The scout stood up and proudly recited the OC. It has been part of the opening in the troop for generations.

Part of my Wood Badge ticket was to improve my troop's opening ceremony, and I added the Outdoor Code to the ceremony, and some years in, it is still being recited.

In my 36 years being involved with Boy Scouts/Scouts BSA, only 1, again ONLY 1, has ever said the Outdoor Code as a part of their opening and/or closing ceremony. They do keep the Scout Sign up for it.

They do... https://www.scoutshop.org/patrol-leader-handbook-647788.html https://www.scoutshop.org/sr-patrol-leader-handbook-647789.html We provide them to our PLs, APLs, SPL, and ASPLs. But, they mostly go unread and unpracticed. As for adults, most don't get or won't read the SHB...

I believe the biggest issue is lack of adult leaders with the time needed to create and nurture a robust unit program. At each unit, I would start a separate 501c3, similar to "Troop XX Booster Club", and that corporation would hire a full time unit leader called "Scoutmaster'. Each member has a fee and/or fundraising goal to support this. Then, I would hire someone ( like a retired veteran) who is already financially independent (or nearly so) so they wouldn't have to rely on their unit salary to live, but that salary would cover ALL costs associated with their unit functions. Limit uni

In the 80's the BSA did just that when we worked with the Bureau of Land Management to formulate Leave No Trace (LNT). The BSA had the opportunity to lead LNT but did not. In the 90's, NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) took over LNT with the US Forest Service. Other government partners joined. Government funding of these education programs was always a problem. which lead to the creation in 1994 of LNT, a non-profit educational program which marketed courses to many groups including the BSA. More details at this link https://lnt.org/sites/default/files/Leave_No_Trace_Histo

Sadly, it has missed a great opportunity to be the nation's guide to the outdoors, most tragically during the pandemic. There are so many partnerships that could have been leveraged with NPS, conservation groups, and reimagining the outdoors as the scouting world's classroom. So many struggling scout camps that could have become scouting branded community outdoor resources for recreation and learning.

We do the Scout Oath, then the Scout Law, and then the Outdoor Code. The sign is up for all three, as they are done consecutively.