eagle90

While the BSA is changing merit badges such as camping, cooking, communications, dog care and such, the Computers merit badge has not been changed since 1993!! In a field where technology is changing while I write this, that MB should have been updated long ago. From the MB Book: " In the near future we may see modems at a speed of 56K"! WOW!!!!!

Either I am very dense or my brain is shut off over the weekend. What is this discussion about? I am confused. PR, publicity? Whats the difference? Let the council and district do it? Individual units do it? BW - You have said - "Let them know your needs, that is what they are there for" "The district has specific responsibilities to help and support the units, and PR is one of these." "Why would each unit extend energies and resources when it could be done better and more efficiently on a larger scale by the support services of the district/council" Now when I

Just for the heck of it I called our DE and asked if the district and/or council has the means to publicize an upcoming Pancake Breakfast we are having. His answer was "NO! We do not have the time to publicize things for individual units. That's the unit's job". So much for asking for help from them!

This has been a problem for umpteen years now, but it is escalating. Years ago there was only Little League in spring. Now we have little league, all star ball in summer, fall baseball, soccer in fall, indoor soccer in winter, pee wee football, basketball, etc. etc. etc. I agree with fotoscout, parents don't have the commitment to Scouting as they do for Sports (Reliving their childhood thru their sons?) ALso, the coaches are to blame, as they demand players attend EVERY practice and game. Miss a practice and you won't play in the next game. Miss a game and you will be benched the

I voted at the local Catholic school. We used to vote at the fire station, but that was changed a few elections ago. My church was a polling place for years, but we declined to have them back a few years ago when they tore up the tile on the stairs moving their voting machinery and then refused to accept responsibility for it. We got like $100 from them to serve as a polling place, and it cost us $300 to repair the damage!

Well said, It's Me!

God forbid, we have any independent thought, and use our experience to change one little iota of the Boy Scout program. I guess 45 years experience in the program counts for nothing if one thing is changed. Maybe we ought to design robots to run our troops and packs.

What is the purpose of this whole thread? For us to come up with ideas where we feel the BSA program has failed for us, and for Bob White to criticize us and to extol the virtues of the BSA program? And of course in his mind that program can never ever possibly be wrong. To me this is a blood pressure raising waste of time.

PN Scouter, you read my mind. Our troop never used the new scout patrol idea, but rather integrated new scouts into existing patrols. Wwe decided to try the new scout patrol one year when we had 8 or so new Webeloes. We did it "by the book", with an ASM assigned to them and a guide. After being in the troop for six months, it was time to integrate these new boys into patrols for summer camp. When doing this, we came to find out our PLC did not even know which scout was which. "Is he the blond kid?" Is he the chubby little one?" On the other hand, the new scouts and their parents felt t

Our troop is fortunate in having a very good unit commissioner. He attends most of our committee meetings and COH's. He acts as a liaison between our Committee and the District and council, relaying news, training opportunities, and activities to us. He has also given us some excellent program ideas from his experience, and has helped mediate some problems between Committee members.

WHITE PANTS??? Are you daft? Ninty percent of the boy's (and leaders) pants would be dirty before they got out of the car on a campout! Mine included! Take a look a the shorts after a week at summer camp. You'd be replacing white pants 2-3 times a year! I agree. Stay with what we have now. I do like the idea of convertible pants that was brought up a while ago tho.

I agree with PN Scouter. This is a job for your unit commissioner and/or district commissioner. Contact them and your District Executive for their help and input.

Beautiful sentiments! I have already begun to incorporate it in my mind for our next Eagle COH in January! I agree with Eagle1973, it would be good to get your name so we can credit you properly. Thanks for the input

We are trying to use more and more electronic communications, but still make use of phone and written and distributed newsletters. Too many times I have heard, "My computer is down". " I didn't check my Email", "I changed my address", etc. Hopefully we can do more and more electronically.

Unc - Sounds like you hit the nail right on the head.

Congratulations to GK. AND NOW ON TO EAGLE!!

Our troop meets at a school, so we meet weekly when school is in session, September thru early June. In summer we have a summer camp training day, Summer Camp, High Adventure trip and usually attend a ball game.

Sounds like a good idea to me, especially in our area. We were camping this weekend and it was 35 degrees in the morning, and 75 degrees in the afternoon! Convertible pants would have come in handy!

I have some friends who pleasure boat on the Mississippi in the Wisconsin/Illinois area. Before your trip, check out the regulations for the lock system as far as priorities in going thru the locks. From what I understand, pleasure boaters are last in line thru the locks and can be delayed many hours waiting in line behind barges and other commercial vessels. Just a word of warning.

In our troop, the troop pays for all adult registrations and training. The adults pay all fees for summer camp and High Adventure trips. On weekend campouts, the adults do not pay unless we are staying in a cabin and have a pricey rental fee for the building. Drivers are only reimbursed for Summer Camp (375 miles) and High Adventure trips.

Our troop was in Galena this year for the Grant Pilgrimage. They had a recortd turnout this year, as it was the 50th Anniversary pilgrimage. The campgrounds were loaded (over crowded). It was a good program.

Just returned from the Illini Jamboree - 6000 scouts and leaders. Camped at the old Chanute AFB, and were bused to Champaign for the Illinois football game. What a great weekend. Prairielands Council should be congratulated for a remarkable job of logistics and program opportunities they offered. Anyone in the midwest, I would highly recommend attending next year's Illini Jamboree.

Spiney Norman????????????????????????? Dale

Lefeber Northwoods Camp in Laona, Wisconsin, run by the Milwaukee County Council also has a working forge and pioneer village called Iron Springs. Also a totally great camp program.

Eamonn - I served as Jamboree SM in 1997. I thought it was the most rewarding thing I have ever done in Scouting, and at the same time, one of the most difficult. It was hard taking 36 kids who for the most part don't know each other and turn them into a well-oiled machine in a short period of time. But when it happened and the Jamboree came off very smoothly, it was so inspirational. It also re-envigorated me and forced me to go "back to the basics" of the boy led troop, which has benefitted me and my home troop a lot. I envy you being Jamboree SM. It's a lot of work, but well w