Eagledad

While I have not experienced not using a SPL, I have experienced the scouts doing what is necessary to ease their burden of running the troop. Troops tend to get too heavy or to lean and adjustments need to be made to improve the program. Once the scouts realize that you really have given them permission to run the program the best way they can, they will adjust the leadership structure to fit. If things are going well right now, I think I would leave it alone and let them find the need for the SPL. If and when they do get one, the position will likely be more efficient and substantive for the

We always had a lot of adults go with us, but I guess the reason it was no big deal was because we typically camped at least 100 yards from the scouts, and we didn't feel the need to keep adults busy doing scouting stuff. We encourage them to go fishing, hiking, biking or something like that. Many just hung around the campfire reading, but the adults were not encourage to hang with the scouts. It may have turned into a camping club thing for some of the adults, but the only time our scouts might see most of the adults was during the campfire. Barry

Of course you all are right in most cases, but I remember when Lisabob brought up the problem of the adults not letting the older scouts camp or hike by themselves. If I remember correctly, it wasn't so much a matter of trust, but a matter of parents having an excuse to go camping or hiking. Add that the SM is indifferent to the boys needs and adults needs, I think this is a different and more difficult problem. As was said by the other poster, the adults are not stating their goals to the scouts very well, so there is confusion. But when you have a SM who doesn't have goals, then it turns int

>>but there is a fear that I am too serious about the job to lead..

What do you mean by support him? In the big world, his misleadership should be enough for the rest of the patrol to not support him back. If they do, then this is an indicator of a bigger problem with the patrol method. As for the scout, did he grow at all in his position? There hopefully is something to salvage there that can be used to push him to reach a little higher in his future scouting experience. I have had some scouts who just don't seem to care or react to counseling of their performance. I remember one such scout who told me during his Eagle COH that he earned the Eagle

>>As a Scoutmaster, I view my main job as making sure these crazy scouts don't hurt themselves.

>>While I would hope not to judge others, it seems a little daffy that we would not allow two loving parents to join our organization, but have no problem allowing a guy who out and about cheating on his wife. If we really do believe in living by the golden rule? How would we feel if we were being discriminated agains

Well, Ive been there and done that and personally I think you have done a pretty good job so far. Good Work. A few thoughts as best as I can reflect: Just be careful the goals are realistic. Even though a good Scoutmaster instills a scout to envision that kind of scout he can become, the Scoutmaster has to resist giving the scout the scoutmasters vision. We must instead guide the scout to set and reach his goals. One small step forward is better than two steps back. Many adults get hung up on the scout not making progress toward the big goal when the small steps are big for so

Hey the Who are like what, 100 years old. They did manage to hit some high notes that surprised me. Im really glad they didnt have any wardrobe malfunctions. Ewuuu I like the Betty White add the best, but I agree this wasnt one of the better years for commercials. Game was OK, but we didnt have a dog in the fight, so we just ate a lot of good food. I had to ride my wifes stationary bike after because I felt guilty. Barry

>>BSA's policy is going to force alot of Scouters to either starve or not be able to go on trips w/the sons.

My troop did this when I was a youth with chickens and turkeys. We also did a hog, but that really turned into the adults doing it. I don't know what the BSA would say about it, but we really enjoyed it and it is a very good learning experience and a real good confidence builder. I do know that folks raise rabbits just for eating, so I'm sure you can find them as well. You might check with a Chinese restaurant to find a source. I think that was where our adults found them. Personally I think cleaning and skinning a rabbit is easier than the chicken and someone could use the fur for tanni

>>I have sent a couple in the last few weeks. I sent one to Beavah, Old Grey Eagle and Scoutdad.

>>Scoutmaster is no little thing, and is far more than what you think you are signing up for. For me, the best Scoutmasters have big hearts, a well-developed sense of fun, a nose for adventure, the ability to give and get respect, an almost unquestioning dedication to both the program and the Scouts, and a sense of how to hang back and let the boys lead without interference from him/herself or other adults. They need to play the role of teacher, of taskmaster, of gatekeeper, of mentor, of public relations man, of referee, of car driver, and of parent, and a million others on top of that.

My observation is a little different, but then I started as a CM and ended as SM. I fully agree that the job of CM is completely different than the SM. A good CM is very hands on with the boys while a good SM is very hands off. That is a big shift, but not hard if the SM has a vision. Strangely, I think the adults who are a bit of an attention seeker make a pretty good CM but make a horrible SM. I think adults who have a bit of the clown or entertainer make are good CM qualities, but again horrible qualities of a SM. A good CM has to be Johnny on the spot because there

I'm seeing the parent managing thing and need to reply, I don't think we managed parents that much. I think it was because because they are always informed. If they had a specific need like money or information of activities, they usually went to that person in charge of that task. If they needed some information about their son, they typically talked to one of us after the meetings. However, we tried an idea that kind of worked. We had one of our senior scouts meet the ASMs every week to brief them on what happened at the PLC meeting. Our PLC meetings were a half hour before each Troop

Good questions. I have two meetings a year after each election where at least one of the parents is required. That is where I spend about a half hour explaining the program and a little bit about the next six months. Its mostly a Aims and Methods kind of meeting explaining how it all works. It is intended to help everyone understand we expect from the scouts and what they can expect from us. This I found answers a lot of questions from parents who have questions about how the program works, but for some reason hasnt asked. Advancement is always a topic of new parents. I spend most o

Hi Jane There is no easy way to answer the questions without knowing the program. Honestly, Five POS could easily run a troopof 25 scouts, so more information would help. But not allowing a scout to give up some responsibilities doesn't really make sense, so there is some questions. What hasn't been mentioned, but was hinted, is how agressive the less agressive scout really is. Its always difficult to understand if a parent is pushing harder than the the program is designed, or just concerned with a program that is not giving each scout a fair chance. Assuming your a mother concerne

I learned through the years that the Scoutmast should spend 50% of his time working with the parents. I teach that at scoutmaster training. Barry

One year we had 20 tigers that were very good friends. We decided to break them up into two dens because that was theoretically the right thing to do. My son was in that group. They hated it and reminded me about it over and over for the next two years. Well come their Webelos year, I retired as the CM, combined both dens and became their Webelos leader. I felt it was the least I could do since they put up with the split for two years. Everyone was happy again except me because at that time 16 boys was a lot to plan for. I was also a very active ASM of a fairly young troop at the time. So what

I agree they are ugly, expecially the Eagle Patch. However, they will be big collectors items in a few years. Barry

>>I hate to break the news to you, he goes there Monday - Friday. It's called school. And some of us pay to send them there.

I agree ACCO, but the other difference I didn't mention between Eagle Mills and other troops is Eagle Mills tend to push the methods on the group where as boy run programs push them on each scout depending on the method they are weak at the time. The Eagle Mill SM will tell all the scouts at once how they should dress. The Boy Run SM will leave it up to the SPL and PLC to enforce. The SM then will work with the scouts who struggle with their choice of how they decided to use the uniform. Not because of looks, but because of their choice. When the methods are enforced at the boy level, eac

Troop programs are defined by how the adults interpret and/or apply the eight methods that BrentAllen listed. I can give you a simple example of just how two adults could have two different programs, I don't agree with about half of how BrentAllen defines each method. Its not that one of us more right than the other, its how our lifes experiences define each method to be used for our personal interpretation of scoutings goals and vision. For example, I would never use badges and inspection to define how I applied the Uniform Method while I was SM. I used it to drive character developmen

I rarely called the other scoutmaster nor do I remember one calling me when scouts changed troops. You are right that it would be a courteous, I just don't remember feeling one was needed from either troop. I did talk to scouts to find out why they left or joined our troop, just never occurred to me to call the other SM. I once warned a SM of an adult who left our troop for his. He made the same call a year later to the next SM that the adult eventually transfered into. Barry

>>At Boundry Waters and Quetico the Rangers on both sides of the boarder appreciate the tons of garbage that the boys bring back from BWCA. Not to mention the numerous times boys have added a lost or injured paddler.