Eagledad

>>Best idea keep the new scouts together with an older troop guide

I was the SM Specific trainer for our District for four years and I ran into the very same challenges Kudu mentioned. I also was of like mind with Beav that we couldnt stray away from the subject at hand. There are many important reasons for that, but just staying consistent with the training of other districts was important at the time. We discussed that these courses could not become a lecture about Barry Boy Scout program, or Bobs Boy Scout Program or Carols Boy Scout program. It was the BSAs and we needed to respect that to the fullest possible. I must admit that I was asked to take

I guess it is all relative. I developed the reputation as the most traditional SM in the District. I never really considered that because I was just doing it the way I learned when I was a boy scout. Another SM friend, who was never a boy scout as a youth, called me at work one Monday and asked what his scouts should do on campouts when they get bored with learning scout skills. At first I thought he was joking, but then he explained that he was doing everything that he learned at Wood Badge (old course) and SM Handbook. His agendas were pretty regimented with getting up, eating breakfast, sco

>>Has your PLC considered planning fun activities for Sundays?

I can't ever remember the oath and law not being said at any opening, Troop or otherwise. The "retesting" thing is a form politcal correctness of modern scouting and has lost its true meaning and intent from uses like this. The oath and law are the pillars of the ideals the BSA program uses for building the kind of character we want our sons to take with them the rest of their life. Without the oath and law, we are just a camping club. If a boy gets nothing else from the program, he should at least take with him the oath and law. And they get them simply by repeating it at least once ever

I think ane evaluation is another good source of communication. True, there are the reviews and confrences, but we tend to get in a groove or rut (depending how you look at it) that could leave folks out. We once did something like this for the families so both the parents scouts could rate the troop. We found out that while the scouts were happy with the program, the parents had some questions about the way we did some activities. For example, there was some concern that adults weren't allowed to the PLC meetings. But the policy is any adult could attend if they first called and got permissio

>>I personally don't ever want to be SM, I do think it's important for these young men to have a good male role model... I hang around because I think it's also good for these young men to see that a woman can do all the same things they do

>>And if someone woke me up in the middle of the night and asked me to go watch em pee, I would first wonder if they were serious, second if they were high off of anything, and if they insisted I would probably punch them.

Philmont doesn't really have a problem either. It has the appearance of a problem because the scouting community network is broad spreads news really fast. One incident sets off a pretty big alarm. Im trying to remember, but I want to say that they have had only two bear incidents in the last 20 years with only one of those requiring medical attention. Barry

>>NT in Bissett, MB doesn't use bear bags. The trees that far north just aren't big enough to properly hang a bag. So, bear canoes are the norm. You put the food packs on the ground and a canoe upside down over them, away from the tents. Then stack your pots on the canoe. Anyone hears the pots, rally everyone awake to scare the bear off.

I have always wanted to hike the Mid Alantic area, they say the view is unbelievable. I'll give you a call when we head east so you can point us to best spots. I can see that Philmont is quite a jog from your part of the county. I grew up in New Mexico, so its home to me and Philmont is just a day drive for us from Oklahoma. I'd say we are lucky, but I'm not sure Philmont can beat what you already have. There is the Philmont program of course and that is unique. But as far as a great back county experience, hard to beat the Mid Atlantic. Barry

I guess we are all different in our habits, but I was taught a long time ago that shelter always comes first in the wilderness because a person is a lot more susceptible to hypothermia when they are fatigued. I actually saw this happen to a few scouts on a Northern Tier trip and it certainly made me more aware of the risk. Thatis also what is taught at servival schools. Also the odds to me that a bear will wonder through a bunch of loud campers busy setting up their camp is much smaller compared to being caught in an afternoon rain shower. Ironically the BSA Guides on our Pecos backpackin

I found it interesting at Philmont that the crews very first task after reaching a camp is putting up the bear bag. Back county protocol any other place in the world is set up your tent first incase bad weather sets in. But the bear attacks at Philmont motivated the staff to create an aggressive bear policy. They are so serious about bear safety at Philmont that one adult in another crew was pulled off the trail for being caught not following the bear prevention policies. He was warned once and then asked to leave when he contested the policy to the ranger. The ranger left camp and came back w

>>well the benefit i see to a patrol of 1st years is that they would all be on the same page in terms of advancement.

80 to 90 percent of what a boy learns in a hands-on program like Troops is learned by watching other people perform in natural settings. Boys in New Scout patrols learn about 40% as much as scouts in mixed age patrols because the scouts in mixed age patrol have constant role models to watch. Boys in same age patrols only learn when someone (adult or troop guide) come in to instruct them in a school type format. And the boy scout experience is not near as much fun when you have to sit and listen to teachers all the time just to learn simple skills. Its rare to find a good boy run troop th

Can you explain why you think the buddy system is required in a tent? I'm not saying you are right or wrong, but we only incourage the buddy system when the scout leaves the campsite. I always tried to look at things like this under the definition of: does it help the scouts practice fitness, citizenship and character? Not sure this subject fits under citizenship or character, but I can see it being a fitness issue. One might look at it as a safety where one scout helps another if one gets sick. However, I personally see a boy growing in maturity by practicing independence, self-relience

>> then you should stick with our current Webelos III program

I don't really know the answer, but the most fun I've had with being an adult role model for a boy run group is High Adventure Crews. Now I admit they don't stay together long, but the bonding and character growth that goes on during that week is tremendous. Barry

Yes, I guess we have to agree to disagree, but if you take a look at every scouting youth organization in North America that gave in the political correctness pressure, you find none of those organizations numbers grew after the change. In fact some of them suffered dearly to the point of struggling to survive. So whether or not there really is a public perception problem with BSA stand on gays, history alone suggest change is not worth the risk. I'm not sure that there is a public perception problem. Oh sure the activist have done their job well to bring to light BSA stand, but is the co

You have got some really great advice so far. We started by doing some back packing on campouts and then growing out by looking for camps that customized a trek for our younger group. Camp Frank Rand in New Mexico was a great experience. BUT, looking back on it, the boys aren't as much the problem as the adults. Adults have to be motivated as well to have a good adventure troop program and by starting small, you give the adults time to learn and build experience. High Adventure is expensive just in the gear alone, so you can scare a lot of folks away if you take on to much to fast.

Wow Kudu, I cant put my (bewilderment?) into words. I never read so much, misdirection and hibbery jibbery just to say, Yep, Barry and I disagree. At least I think we disagree, I can't really tell. >>The equal importance theory was introduced to use Hillcourt's invention of the "Methods of Scouting">In Kudu's camp the same thing happens WITHOUT business theory. Scouts don't jump ahead in time machines; it is easy to see a potential leader blossom as he takes on responsibility.>No, Eagledad, "Every Boy a Leader" means a Patrol scaled down to the Cub Scout level.>The Eagledad

>>What faith-based morality have they abandoned, specifically?

>>What would constitute coming back to their senses?

>>The theory that all of the Methods are "equal" was introduced in 1972, presumably to garner respect for the questionable new "Leadership Development"

>>it just looks to me like another org set up to make a political statement, and IMO using children to further politics is the worst kind of heinous.