Eagledad

>>This goes back to the question, to what degree is the boy let troop boy led?

>>In our troop, the PLC in the past has had little to do with the COH. The preveous scoutmasters have done this. This goes back to the question, to what degree is the boy let troop boy led?

Wonderful friday All Personally I don't think you should focus on the number of scouts, whether it is one or two or whatever. I look at the requirement as Oak Tree writes: "As the requirement is written, it seems like it's wanting one person to write the script and serve as emcee." If you feel you can get all four of the scouts to achieve that requirement, then you are OK. That is the way I counseled the badge. Now, I know by using Oaks definition that more then one or two scouts at a COH sounds unreasonable. But have you been to four Eagle Ceremonies at one time? Many tr

HI All >>I would suggest starting with a meeting that includes CC, CM, COR, and see if your BSA district representative is available.

Well, if he is as Gern discribes, I would let him stay. There is a lot of game playing in divorces today and this situation is surprisingly common. And I think myself very picky about adults who role model my sons and my scouts. Barry

Chuck it up to any drill and cut them down with a file or sandpaper. Ive never had to narrow them down as much as you want, but Ive trimmed and tuned many wheels with this method. I dont think it will take you very long with a heavy grit paper and then you can smooth them out with smaller grit when you get close to the width you want. Each wheel will be very balanced. Even with narrow tires, I think most or your speed will still come from how you dress and polish your axles. Barry

Hi All A good friend of mine who had been a SM for about year once called me and asked for advice. He asked me how I made campouts fun. He then told me how their troop works on scouts skills all weekend long and the scouts and the other adults were really starting to hate it. I asked him where he got the idea that scouts were supposed to work on scout skills the whole campout. He said at Scout Leader Training. I can kind of see that with his troop. Neither he nor any of his adults were ever scouts. The Scout Master Training (before the now present syllabus) was a full weekend of skills an

Great Day All >>There can be times when it crosses over to leadership, etc. teaching the other scouts the correct MB book check-out or maybe talking to the other scouts about correct advancement recording.

>>On whose plate resides the responsibility to make Scribe, Historian, Chaplain's Aide et al a viable position that teaches leadership and responsibility?

>>Do a Google on Perfect N or Partial Perfect N races. They run every boy on every lane, and if you have the time, against every other boy. If you are running a 3 lane track, each boy runs at LEAST 3 races, usually 6 or more. They have fun, don't get bored and everyone goes home happy.

While I would not lay this problem on the back of a scout, I do think there is an opportunity for the troop here. Maybe its time to ask an adult develop a Sunday service for scouts to lead. Im not much on Scouts Own because they are rather bland (boring) and seem to miss the point. Instead I have seen great responses with troops that do a service of a different religion at each campout. As for the mother, I think there is information in your Wood Badge stuff that you can show her. Barry

Happy New Year All >>I typcially talk to the parents and the boy separately and get them to agree to make a commitment without causing pain and suffering along the way.

Hi all >>As noted, they are not likely to "grab the bull by the horns so to speak". Why should they? In every other aspect of the lives, adults run the show, and that's their expectation.

Blessed New Year All I think this is a great question. My personal goal for our troop (all the adults and scouts knew this) was to develop a troop where the scouts could run the program for a full month without the adults ever showing up. We didn't get there while I was SM. While I think that vision is rare, I know of a lot of adults across the county with that same goal. You can't really take the adults out of the scouting program because wisdom from life's experience is a required ingredient to fuel growth. However, you would be surprised how little adult interaction is requ

Happy New All >>the scoutmaster himself would cook the first meal of the next outing for the winning patrol (He was a REALLY good cook!)>> The Scoutmaster who replaced me did kind of the same thing except he wasn't a great cook. So he did the Patrol's KP for Saturday nights dinner. It worked very well. Ahhh I love this scouting stuff. Barry

Potluck cobbler

Beautiful Sunday All >>and we have more boys age out of the troop (at whatever rank) than just Eagle-and-out, which says something to me about the appropriateness of the level of adventure.

Happy Snow Days All >>Kids may not have changed but their behavior has and much of that is the fault of the parents.

Hi jwall. Is there another troop that you would consider? Go out and get a SM Handbook to get better idea of what the BSA expects from the SM. Unit Adult dynamics are interesting. It is hard to understand why we behave the way we do, and I've been amazed how blind we can be to our own distructiveness. Without really knowing your unit or adults, I can say usually if the CC and SM think as one and the COR allows it and you can't live with the present situation, I think it is time to move on. I would, however, call your DE and District Committee Chairman and give them the facts.

Merry Christmas All >>When yeh consider the merits of a policy or program, I don't think it's enough just to consider its intent. Yeh have to also consider it's unintended consequences.

>>I do of course do my best to remember that we are dealing with young people and while life is better when everyone pulls their weight, doing what they should, this is an educational game where we learn as much from what goes wrong as we do from things that go well.

Merry Christmas Everyone >>She really has a hard time allowing the Scouts (One is her Son.) sort things out for themselves and take responsibility for what they are supposed to be doing or have done.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays All >>I can see myself on the Committee, I guess. Husband has been asked twice lately to take a role on the District. We have both found merit badges we could counsel. Does that sound about right for leaders who move from Cubs into Boy Scouts?

>>I sorta figure that criticizin' the government, even in very pointed terms, is always fair game . One of those First Amendment, American-type things. Especially seein' as how I'm a fairly conservative, Republican-type voter who helped get 'em elected.

Happy Holidays All My bad Beavah, you meant Incompetence, bumbling idiocy, Near total disregard, No strategic sense whatsoever, dodge the last war and fail History class, neo-con chicken hawks, current line of clowns, blind followership in the good way. Folks say our society has become too polarized. Maybe it's just a communication problem. Have a great scouting day all. Barry