Eagledad

Very few knots are practiced by the average person today. Even scouting is getting to be a tougher place to practice knots in this bungycord/velcro society. But teaching skills is not the vision of the BSA. The vision of scouting is to help boys guide their lives into becoming men who make moral decisions based from the oath and law. We do that by building the confidence to attack and overcome obstacles. All adults do is start them in these habits by giving them skills that in first glance look difficult or even a little scary. Even in the square knot the scout practices to set a goal, pursue

So, how doe's tying knots and lashings build character? Barry

Sunny Skies all >>I am in a bit of a quandry over this issue.

>>Yah, just to be clear, I haven't posted anything on this thread yet, eh?

>>For the most part I'd agree with Beavah's list of pros and cons, except for the bit about longevity.

>>Yeah Webelos is broken, just look at how many scouts drop-out during the Web years. The excitement is elsewhere.

>>Is this typical at many camps? Just curious to know whether I ought to be concerned or not, what do you think?

Great day all Aw to be your son. Getting backpacking equipment was always wonderful experience for me. My dad wasnt all that active with my scouting, but I we spent a lot of time together finding gear for my first backpacking campout in Colorado. I suggest external frame packs for the younger scouts. As John said, your son is going to be growing and external frames adjust easier to growing scouts. They are also easier to pack, unpack and adjust on the trail if needed. They can take a lot of punishment and are little cooler to wear in the summer. New scouts like to just throw things in

Beautiful Weekend All >>Contacting Barry off-line in hopes of stemming further problems. BW>Thank you gentlemen.

Great Camping All >>I usually have a raft of questions I have stored away so as to keep the conversation going and the boy taking. Otherwise it is designed more for the boy's reflection rather than information gathering on my part.

Beautiful Saturday All This really sounds great Gwd. I always look forward to your post. I would like to throw out one thing. I think our culture today is struggling with personal one to one communication with each other. We dont seem to know our neighbors as well and our youth mainly stay in touch through all the latest in technology gadgets. Because one of our Aims is citizenship, I look at Scouting for Food and other opportunities for scouts to personally meet the folks in the community. Not only that, in a time when Scouting needs to put its best face forward, the community needs

>>Your answering for me isn't going to work.

Happpy Friday aall Sorry about the accidental unfinished post, fat fingers? Lets try it again. >> Barry, I have no idea how you come up with your conclusions about what Bob posted. He never said he was developing the Venture Crew to take ALL the 14 y/o and older Scouts. Please tell me how YOU arrived at that conclusion.

>> Barry, I have no idea how you come up with your conclusions about what Bob posted. He never said he was developing the Venture Crew to take ALL the 14 y/o and older Scouts. Please tell me how YOU arrived at that conclusion.

>> No Barry, we can't let it go there,

Great Scouting All >>Barry, Can you honestly say that a troop of 150 is not heavily adult run?

>>Nice post derf56 Barry

>>Shame on you Barry! Why don't you buy something American made, such as a Toyota, Honda, or Subaru?

So John, I take that as a no on the corvette. Barry

Yes I understand, but ideally what you are attempting to do is end your Troop program at age 14. And really it isnt 14, it is 13 because 14 is the age the scouts can join the Crew. You cant imagine my amazement with this suggestion. Even if an older scouts goal is to stay and practice leading, managing, planning, guiding, coaching and teaching scouts, your program really isnt conducive to it because in your mind, your oldest scouts are 13. And you keep referring to the Eagle as if that is scoutings primary purpose to exist. I have so many questions. And I cant put down the words tha

Another Happy Cold Oklahoma Scouting Day All >>Before a troop grew to that size I would help organize a Venture Crew and train an Advisor, and we would graduate older scouts to the Crew to continue working toward Eagle if that was their goal, or follow special activity interests.

>>If you don't know where your Webelos are coming from before the cross over you =have a communications problem not a unit size problem.

>> I have never gotten a call with 25 new scouts at one time. Normally what would happen is a month or more before the crossover webelos Dens would vist the troop.>I would simply explain to the other Webolos and parents that due to space and resources we find it necessary to limit the trop size, and we would be happy to recommend other are troops for them to consider joining.

>> I know to what Beavah is referring... its the underlying attitude in some posters responses that the person is wrong or should be ashamed, or should leave scouting or his/her current leadership position.

>> When I give a SM Confrence, i make notes in the margins and blank spaces of the boys book. This give him a place to reflect on the goals we've set for him and gives him some idea of what his SM looks for in a member of the troop.