Eagledad

>> Crikey! Can you imagine the backlog of work the SM would have if he/she got into the power thing, and didn't allow ANYONE else to sign off?!?

Very impressive Beav. I agree with all the post, but as a Cub Master for a few years, I found that families tend to get lost with the differences of troops after about four different visits. I knew we were visiting too many troops when the Webelos were picking troops by the best games they did at their troop meetings. I might suggest you pick the best four to six troops. I used to find out who had the most consistant programs then send our scouts to see an example of the biggest, smallest, most boy run, and least boy run. I also knew which troops didn't mind handicap scouts or troops tha

>>They can experience living with the other 50% of the population and mistakes are expected. No pressure to learn and no exams to pass either. Maybe they will understand women more when they marry one and the divorce rate might drop.

>>Do some troops choose to go with mixed patrols because they can't or don't know how to staff these positions?

Wow, maybe I shouldn't even be clogging up the forum traffic when I don't realy have a good reply, but knowing the kind of person you are, I think you cantrust your heart to start you in the right direction. I've always felt that loving your neighbor as you love yourself is always a safe starting place. Barry

>>We were given strick instructions by the course director to stick to the syllabus and would like to know where I can find this.

>>Eagledad- What are you doing differently than how the BSA guidelines say it should be done?>I dont remember any training where we were told to go ahead and experiment with different things until we found something that works.

>>No, Barry! I insist that it was my bad for making you a "little angry" with me and forcing you to speculate on what my feelings must have been when I made you so, um, "angry."

>>So the advantage of a free market economy is that if you want your girls (or boys) to experience backpacking as a standard part of their Scouting program, you could choose Baden-Powell Scouting which still retains Baden-Powell's original expedition Advancement requirements. These have been dumbed-down and out of the BSA. But look up the First Class requirements in old BSA Scout Handbooks and you will find the BSA's version of Baden-Powell's "First Class Journey".

>>We are experimenting with using temporary "Super" patrols (more than 8 or 10 for a short time) instead of a NSP this year

>>In fact I have found that having girls present brings some reality to the machismo. Being dressed down by a young woman for being a foul mouthed abusive and chauvanist adolescent tends to smarten up the rare twit who forgets what respect means.

>>The boy who has served as a PL (elected, not the one month "trial") usually has great difficulty in that leadership patrol but that makes him a much better patrol member in the future. He can relate to what the PL is going through.

>>Yah, but FScouter, you're making a bunch of assumptions there, eh?

>>Having the boys start together in one patrol and keeping them together gives them the best chance of forming that tight group. This is the foundation of the patrol method.

Hi all. Here is something I wrote on the subject a few years ago based from our experience of growing from 12 scout to 80 in five years. It has been posted on someone elses Web site, which is how I found it again. Troop size and Troop program (Facts & Myths) by Barry Runnels Everyone has a preference and can list the pros or cons of each unit, with regard to size and program. There are some very fine units with all numbers of Scouts. Usually what makes a unit great is a group of adults who focus on what the Scouts get out of the program, not what the adults get. Each one of us

>>I can't help but wonder though, if they keep deferring based on a lack of experience, at what point are they ever going to feel "ready" for that responsibility?

>>When you talk to your Council's Scouting for Food organizer, you might want to ask him to remind Units to attach a note to each bag with their unit # and of course a word of thanks for donating food.

Im one of those who staffed to plant seeds. I think this is one of the best youth programs a boy can take, so I felt the best way to help get more boys into scouting was to train more adults in such a way that they love scouting as much as I do. You are only one person, but what you do at Wood Badge or any course will have an effect on hundreds of our sons. If you dont staff, nothing may be lost, but you wont have a chance to have a positive effect either. I love this scouting stuff Barry

Sounds like your in a really good troop Beav. Have a great day. Barry

>>It is announced that Mr or Mrs So and So will be teaching the Personal Management MB on X night over the next X weeks if anyone wants to sign up. They are always done outside of troop meetings and it is up to the boy to decide to sign up.

I like the sound of your program Seattle, it's a down to earth fun kind of program. You know I was thinking about our troop, just because a troop doesn't do MBs doesn't mean it shouldn't do a couple MBs a month. We tried to sponser to MBs a month in our Troop. An adult would announce to the scouts that he was leading a MB class. He would give them his/her name and a number so anyone interested could call. He then would talk with the scouts and arrange a schedule. Worked pretty well and the troop sponsors at least 24 badges a year. Barry

>>I have a real issue with my son's Troop in that they do MB's at one meeting a month. This is 100% arranged by an adlt leader. The adult's decide which MB's are going to be offered and an adult calls up a councilor (all inhouse Troop councilors) and sets up the classes.

>>One meeting and 2 weekends won't take that much away, and if it comes down to making a choice between working on a ticket item and doing something that will benefit the troop, I'll choose the troop without regrets, and I'll still have the advantage of the course experience.

>>It is amusing to see summer camps offering camping as one of their mb's how do they cram 20 nights into 1 week.

>>Darn! Lost another recruit! Enjoy!