Eagledad

I have not been on the EBOR board, but I have attended many as a Scoutmaster. One that sticks in my mind was the EBOR for a deaf scout. Our scouts personally set up their EBOR dates with the district EBOR Chairman, but I called the chairman to remind the board members to look strait at the scout so he could clearly read their lips. I guess I started the conversation wrong because the 91 year old chairman cut me off and said that he didnt want any information that would give the scout an advantage even if he was deaf, and he hung up without giving me a chance to give another word. OK, that was fine by me and I admired him for his stand to be fair. After the brief converstation with the chairman, I felt comfortable that the board was prepared for a deaf scout, but I was wrong. When the scout gave an answer that was completely off topic to their first question, the board members sat with a deer in the headlights look. Even after the earlier introductions and usual small talk to calm scouts, they had not realized he was deaf. The chairman must have forgotten as well because it was obvious he hadnt told the board. Realizing what just happen, I stood and explained to the board that the scout could read lips very well and that he will be fine. I then got my scouts attention and repeated the first question, more to calm the board members then to get the scouts answer. But the board members were so shook up that they only asked three more questions. I was disappointed because this scout worked hard to prepare. The scouts family was so excited when the board announced that their son was an Eagle, they spent the next 15 minutes taking pictures of their son posing with the board members. One member told me later that was the first time he was ever asked to pose for pictures. He still laughs about it even today. I talked to the board members a few weeks later and explained that I had tried to prepare them for a deaf scout. They understood and said they needed to figure out a better protocol to prepare for scouts with unusual circumstances. I love this scouting stuff. Barry

>>Folks who live in white-collar and strongly religious communities may have a very strong aversion to incidental use of 4-letter words.>This has nothing to do with morals

>>However, it is simple enough to do and costs nothing. So why not file one anyway to cover all bases.

Hi All You guys are missing a very important part of April's post. >>we will all be going separately and just sitting together to watch the race.

You will get several answers because each council is a little different, but our council would say no you don't need a permit. Probably best to Call your scout office. Barry

Hi All >>My observation is that parents (around here, anyway) are anxious about letting 13-year-olds go to the mall without adult supervision. A lot of the parents are anxious about letting their boys camp overnight WITH adult supervision.

>>What a wonderful day.

>> Anyone know anything about the Suzuki Boulevard? I have yet to hear anything good or bad about it.

>>He was appointed by the old Scoutmaster as a JASM, but that is causing some members of the Troop Committee heartburn. (The old Scoutmaster left abruptly. We have a new Scoutmaster who is still getting up on the learning curve.)

Have you'll looked at Triumphs lately? I've a got a friend who took me to look at the new Rocket Tour he is thinking of trading for. Very nice bike, big and fast. But all their bikes have a romantic old school flair about them. I do remember the BSAs. Havn't seen one in a long time. Of course I haven't seen a Datsun Roadster like I had in high school in several years either. le Voyageur, did you get the zeros wrong? 75000 in one year? Very impressive. I drive 60 miles round trip to work each day and can't rack up that kind of mileage. Barry

I'm riding a Harley Road King Classic. Had a bunch of bikes when I was younger but took a break to raise kids and do scouting stuff. Now two of the three are on their own and I wanted to get back on the road. I have lived on HW66 most all my life and still do. So while this part of Oklahoma is flat, the riding is good. Barry

>>I grimace when a scout leader says "my scouts are not ready or able to do activities on there own." What they do not realize is that what they are saying is "the adult leaders of our troop have not seen to the development of the scouts we are supposed to be serving".

>>I truly believe that some are so intent on not liking what the scouting program is that they do not actually take the time to read posts that support the program methods.

>>You format your post using the "Format this post" link below the Your Message on the left side of the message input screen. << WOW! That is really cool. Thanks John. Barry

Great Scouting All >>It isnt an either or- Just more Its ME than Bob White.

Great Friday All >>I would think that this issue would be the #1 goal of every leadership program.

>>I think a good compromise........

>>I dunno. That sounds to me like youth lead the program, eh? In fact, I'm not sure we could find a place in the SM Handbook that suggests otherwise.

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 the lesson and complete the mission by proving his skillmenship. While we don't use Morse code much these days, it is at first and even second glance a complicated if not scary to learn. But when one does master the skill, the confidence gained from it is huge. I know because I remember my struggles to master it quite well. My PLC use to laugh at me on our March camp outs because I prayed for rain as we drove out to camp. I found that while we don't give it a second thought, new scouts can be pretty quiet thinking about setting up the tent in cold rainy dark. But once they get it done and realize how easy it was, well they are standing three feet off the ground for the rest of the week. And, strangely we got rain on our March camp outs more often then not. Thinking on this, my motto to our JLTC staff was: "We are not here to teach, we are here to build confidence. With skills we can brag. But with confidence we can move mountains." I love this scouting stuff. Barry

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?