Eagledad

I just had and interesting conversation with a couple of friends who are in business for themselves. They are not millionaires by any means, but do well when the oil business is doing well. They are also diversified in other things to ride through the slow oil times. I just saw them walking by at a local coffee shop and said hello. We talked about kids for a few minutes and then I asked a question really just in passing, when are you expecting the oil prices to change?. Boy, that got them going and I didnt get another word or opinion in the conversation because they just started talking and co

>>There's nothing in the requirement that states that the POR has to be at troop level with scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, etc. It does specifically state for some POR's but not all.

I would council the SPL to build the best team possible and then help advise him on what he comes up with from that. Rank and advancement should not be of any concern to him because that doesn't help him or his team. As to a Web Master, I only suggest getting your needs taken care of. If you need a good Web Master, go for it, our troop 90 scouts had two. But they worked hard and were better leaders after the experience. My objective with and kind of leadership responsibility was that the scout grew from the experience. I feel that every leadership opportunity should be a stepping st

Remember your main goal is building men of character. I think you should shift your thinking that PORs are for developing better decision makers through the practice of using leadership skills. They are not to advance a scout's stature. Yes, I know they need it for advancement, but once you start down that trail, its hard to get back, especially with the parents. Scouts should have to earn the respect of leadership so they are chosen to lead, not given it to get another badge. I also think you are risking becoming a trophie kind of program. Create PORs when they are needed and get

We are dealing with the fear of the fear. I have a sister inlaw that work for one of the banks that took the hit, but she saw it coming a year ago. Other then that, most folks we know want to spend money but are unsure because the media keeps saying harder times are a head. I need to replace an old car or consider just a new motorcycle but I can't get comfortable about doing those because of the threat the worse is yet to come. Barry

I would approach it just like adamsdwa listed with doing Lisabobs advise in adamsdwa #1 item. Also keep in mind that scouting is great for boys until the adults get involved. Barry

>>You know, if the Mormon Church wanted to exert a positive influence on this topic......

>>My question is: What do you do with the older boys like me that still want to be active in leadership, but have a job where they can't be at everything and don't want to be in a regular patrol?

Touche Kudu Barry

>>Those children will starve if they are waiting for the Pro-life groups to sweep in and offer to take care of them.

>>In an adult-led program, mixing and matching of patrols may be the traditional course of action, but when it's boy-led and they are making the decisions as to patrol membership, that is not possible.

>>All government can do is make the decision even more difficult and more expensive.

>>Sorry, I just can't get my mind around how scouts can mutiny against their own program? Maybe the question should be: "Is it Okay for boys to take back their program after adults have shanghaied it?"

>>That'll be about 40 boys, most of whom are 11 or 12 years of age. I have only four boys older than that.

>>Why not just take that one boy that IS interested and make him TG/Instructor and quit contriving scenerios that the boys are totally not interested in.

>>I find the NSP boys progress in requirement learning faster than the mixed patrols because they are all focused on the same interests.

It is the next best thing to just putting them in regular patrols as soon as they join like SMT224 does. The only reason I used NSPs was when we had a lot more new scouts then the regular patrols could handle. I found that more than two new scouts per patrol messed up the patrol dynamics unless there was a lot of older scouts in the patrol. We tried a lot variations with NSPs and merging them into other patrols after summer camp worked best. If you wait longer, their growth slows down a lot because they don't have good role models in the patrol for them to learn from. Barry

>>In a slightly-related note, I was a little PO'd that my (then) Tenderfoot son didn't take the opportunity to clear 2C and 1C swimming requirements when he was at camp last summer. In fact, he didn't even try the swimtest, and was labeled a non-swimmer.

>>Back to the tiger in full run -- 30 emails, lost track of # text messages -- in need of snorkle for a breath -- STOSH if the light comes on HOLD ON. It is wonderful and scary to see boys I have know since cubs evolve. Just doing the have you? type list they said yep, yep, yep, here are minutes and other info. My mouth is still open. Now they are talking about a back trip to Cloud Peak as a big trip. Cloud Peak! So glad they picked one of the hardest treks - maybe they can just bury me there. I have moved to the hall of irrevelency ahhh to the hall of just enjoy.

>>He removed the government from the abortion decision. That's what his constituents want. Government out of the reproductive decision making process.,, That is like saying that Obaman didn't flood the fields by opening the dams, the water did. Barry

Interesting, since I have not heard Rush's exact words and you have, what exactly did he say, and how do you think he should have said them? Barry

So how did the meeting go? Barry

Well based from that information, I would just find a place in the agenda and start down your list all the way to the part where the SM replaced you and ask them to justify why you should stay. Doesnt sound like your adults are a team anymore. What does your Charter say about all this? Will the rep be at the meeting? Is your DE any good and can you get them at the meeting? You need some outside witnesses that arent emotionally intimidated for balance. I hate these things. Scouting is great until the adults get involved. Barry

I asked the Venture question because I dont understand why you brought it up. I assume that when the scouts went to Venture, they left the troop? What I meant with the committee agenda was trying to learn the purpose of the meeting. It sounds like it is just a monthly meeting, not a special meeting to deal with the problems. Im still trying to see the problem that you see. You dont like the way the Scoutmaster is leading the program, but what are the concerns? Are a lot of scouts leaving the troop and is recruiting a problem? Are they very many other adults who see these p

Lets fill in some blanks: What is your part in this? How many scouts in the Troop? How many of the scouts want the Venture and why? Why do you think the venture is an issue? What are the agenda items of the committe meeting? Who is the alpha leader, by that I mean who is the one person that will get their way with the the adults? Finally, I understand the goals you listed, but is there any one vision or mission that all the adults could quote? Barry