Eamonn

John, The tale about our District Merit Badge List is a long one. The list had not been updated for many years and was really of no use. Some people on the list had moved, some were no longer active and some were dead and buried they weren't active either!! Several people had tried to update the list and the task was just a monumental one and we ended up with the very same list available in different formats. There were signs of people abusing the system. We are what might be called a rural district but we had people who were signed up as MB Counselors for as many 43 or more different MB's. Two years back we gave notice to everyone that the list was done away with and we were starting from scratch. We also made a very strong recommendation that no person should apply to be the Counselor for more than five merit badges. We didn't say that they couldn't, but so far it is working. We do have a few people who do have more than five, but these tend to be the MB's that you don't see come up very often. We also let it be known that the Appointment or term of office was good for a year. The Dean sends out a post card asking if people want to remain on the list? If He doesn't hear anything they are removed from the list. As for the quality of the Counselor. We have to rely on feedback from the units or in some cases from the parents. I have had upset parents call me. Before a person is added to the list he or she has to be approved by the District Advancement Committee. Our guys do not rubber stamp any applications. In fact our Dean is one of them there bylaw types he would like to see all sorts of rules and regulations. You can imagine the fun we have at some meetings!! I am not sure what else we can do, at the end of the day A Scout is to be trusted and we have to trust that people are doing what they are supposed to do. We will take action if we find out that things are not being done by the book or if the book is out of date. Eamonn.

Hi Beav, If I Pay for OJ to attend summer camp and he decides to quit, I would expect a return of the money I paid less any deposits or that sort of thing. Money raised by the troop was raised in the name of the chartering organization. Just as if the Troop folded the Trailer would become the property of the CO. So even though it may have been held in an account with the Lads name on it to pay for the Scouting program which is an extension of the CO's youth program, it does not belong to the Scout. I know that when I buy something from a Scout that some of the money is being used to further the Scouting program. I can live without a freezer full of frozen pizzas and a cupboard full of expensive popcorn (I don't like popcorn!!) I only buy it to support Scouting. So I think that all money raised in the name of the Troop under the umbrella of the CO should remain in the unit or go to the CO. This would of course be a matter that the Troop Committee takes care of. IMHO,too many Scouter's spend way too much time raising money and taking care of it when they should be working with the youth members. Eamonn.

"First of all i didn't know that we needed a doctor on our camp staff." The list of people who meet the BSA Camp Standard Number M-34 was posted by Adrianvs. "A CIT is not going to see the medical records." I don't think anyone said that a CIT would see the forms, the matter was the sharing of information that is on the medical form. As for "I hope that you don't ever come to my camp! " It was very nice of you to donate a camp to the BSA, but if you still think of it as Your camp? I don't think we want it. I also have some very real concerns about your suitability to work around our youth members. If you are unable to communicate in a civil and courteous manner maybe you should think about seeking employment someplace where there are no children around. The example you are setting is not one which I would like my son to follow. Eamonn.

I am not over weight, in fact I have people telling me that I could do with a few extra pounds. I do have a bad back, which hopefully is on the mend. I know that I'm not as fit as I used to be. I did in my younger days swim the mile and now have a difficult time making Red, White and Blue. I used to play rugby and run cross country, now I watch soccer and walk with Rory. We cover about four or five miles a day. Her That Must Be Obeyed, thinks that I'm nuts for spending money on a new internal frame pack. I will use it sometime this summer, I have it as a personal goal. I do smoke cigarettes so I don't think I will be doing any cross country running again. As for being mentally awake I will think about it!! Eamonn

Hunt, Sometime back my dear Mother-in-law was going through some stuff and I think that something like you describe was a BSA publication. My memory of the book isn't that clear, in fact it is very foggy. It wasn't very big about A4 paper size, the cover was white with orange print and black lettering. The artwork inside was black pen and ink drawings and dated it to I'm guessing 50's or maybe 60's. I think it was titled A Parent's Guide?? I only glanced through it. With so much information on web sites now I'm not sure if there really is a need for such a guide. I do have copies of the BSA Rules and Regulations and the Charter and Bylaws of the BSA, strange thing is people only ever ask to see them when they are upset about something and want to try and prove that they are right and have been treated wrongly. As a general rule they are not much help. I have never been big on the "Information Welcome Guide Book" that some units hand out to new members, I much preferred face to face meetings with the parents and a monthly newsletter. Communication has always been on top of the list when it comes to Leadership, being able to receive and pass on clear information is a skill we teach our Patrol Leaders and our adult leaders. While I like the old KISMIF, Keep It Simple Make It Fun, a pal of mine changed it to: Keep It Secret Make It Fail. I'm sure that he got it from someone else. One problem that I have with these guides is that people feel that they have to add their own 2 cents. I feel the same way about certain web sites, while they do most of the time echo or state what the BSA policy or rule is, they feel that they have to take that extra step. Back a couple of threads back?? We seen the blue card rule posted. There is no blue card rule. Sure it is a good idea for Scouts to finish what they start but we don't know why a Scout isn't completing the Merit Badges that he has started. A guide that states what the BSA Field Uniform is, might be a useful tool, but people seem to want to keep adding the where, when and what parts and then adding penalties for not complying to this what, where and when. The uniform was never ever a part of Scouting that was supposed to be a hurdle for our members. I also very much doubt if the people who are trying to slow Scouts down in advancing are going to put something in black and white that puts them in a bad light. Eamonn.

Hi Bob, I copied from the BSA web site: Varsity Scouts are members of a Varsity Scout team chartered to a community organization, such as a church or service club. It is led by a youth Varsity Scout team captain and an adult leader called a Varsity Scout Coach. The Coach is supported by an adult committee, made up of parents and members of the chartered organization. It is a stand-alone unit, chartered independently of a Scout troop, but the chartering procedure is essentially the same. I think this makes it clear that the Venture Patrol and the Varsity Teams are two different programs and need to be treated as such. As ever I welcome your thoughts. Eamonn.

We as a District rely on Boy Scout Requirements #33215 to keep up to date. A member of the advancement committee, normally the Dean of Merit Badges contacts the MB Counselors and informs them that changes have been made to "Their Badges". He also sends this information to all the SM's. He doesn't go into details. The hope is that the Counselors will keep current. We don't seem to have a problem at the District level, however there has in the past been problems at Summer Camp. With no disrespect to any of the web sites, our District Committee does not use non BSA sites for information. Eamonn.

This weekend was our OA spring weekend. I drove OJ up on Friday afternoon, it was raining really hard. When I picked him up today the grass was covered with snow. He said that he had taken the role of Brother Fox at the OA Vigil ceremony on Saturday. The way he described it the Fox could have been an Arctic-fox. Eamonn.

LPasn Nearly all of the sites at our Summer Camp have a pavilions that has power, you need to bring your own extension cords, but I'm sure the maintenance guys would help you out if you forget. We have provided power at our primitive camp where we do most of our outdoor training's. I have always thought that we are in the business of finding ways of making things work and over coming hurdles. Working together we get so much more done and as a bonus the example we set for our Scouts is priceless. Eamonn.

OA weekends seem to be real big in our Council and I have yet to hear any moans and groans from the adults about them taking away Scouts from the troop program. I have been a member in our Lodge for a very long time, but have never been very active, mainly because I had to work weekends and try to make a couple of dollars and it seemed for the longest time that unless you were a master brick builder or carpenter that "They" didn't have much time or use for me. I am really happy to see the direction that our Lodge is now heading, I think the change from Honor Campers to Honor Scouts was a good one. I am happy to see the Lodge sending Scouts to NLS Training's. Eamonn.

My Thoughts: As a parent I always have the last word. As a SM I would want to see the plan and go over it in detail with the PL. We had a lot of Patrols go Patrol camping in the days before Cell Phones. Now depending on coverage a PL can ask "Can you hear me now?" As a SM I knew my PL's I had trained them, I trusted them and it was time to let them lead. I also cheated, I would look in if I was just passing. I looked for at times reasons to just be passing. Follow Me Boys is a very bad example of leadership, the Scouts end up nearly getting killed!! Boy am I glad it has nothing to do with real Scouting. Eamonn.

You can't run the Varsity program within a Troop. Eamonn

Now I am confused!! Is this a Boy Scout Troop or a Varsity Scout team? http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=xx&c=ds&terms=Varsity&x=23&y=14 States: Varsity Scouts are members of a Varsity Scout team chartered to a community organization, such as a church or service club. It is led by a youth Varsity Scout team captain and an adult leader called a Varsity Scout Coach. The Coach is supported by an adult committee, made up of parents and members of the chartered organization. It is a stand-alone unit, chartered independently of a Scout troop, but the chartering procedure is essentially the same. So is this a Troop or not??? Eamonn The team may be divided into squads, and each squad elects a youth squad leader.

Laurie, Thanks for a eye opening posting. I have seen so many keen ASM's attend training's and learn just the basics, I feel bad for them as I know that when they get back to their home units all the good stuff will never see the light of day the "We don't do it that way" will kick in. It is such a shame. I wonder how many Scouts we lose a year thanks to these bylaw writers? Worse still how many Scouts are asked to leave for not following a rule that should never have been there in the first place? Eamonn.

I'm sorry tradingpostlady I do find your tone and the wording of your posting to be very offensive. Medical information is needed by camps to ensure that campers are up to date with immunization's and will to a certain extent allow properly qualified medical personal perform medical procedures if the person is a minor or unable to communicate for themselves. The forms are needed and a useful tool. Having the medical form reviewed by a qualified medical Camp staff member is also a good thing. All camps have to have a qualified medical person on staff. This person should have access to the forms and take responsibility for the safe keeping of the form and the information that has been given. The problem comes when the information is shared, without permission. Unit Leaders should should review these forms and become knowledgeable about the medical needs of the youth members in their unit. There is no need to share information about a ailment that might cause embarrassment with anyone else. This has nothing to do with shame. There are things should be confidential if for no other reason than the person wants it that way. I have had Scouts that take medication to prevent bed wetting, their body was growing at a faster rate than their bladder. The Lad was 16 and would rather die than have that information get out. I have had adults who are recovering from surgery and had the need to camp by the bathroom because they had chronic diarrhea. Not life threatening but there was no need for anyone else to know. I know people who have had a Orchiectomy, this information could lead an unqualified people to jump to all sorts of conclusions, most of which would be wrong, in the case of a young Lad it could cause a lot of embarrassment. This is one reason why the medical form review is done by a qualified person and not the CIT. Eamonn.

I can see Hunt's point. Let me see what do you think we ought to call the document? How about: Forget all that Scout Stuff and Do It My Way. I also can't help thinking if these people are so big on rules why they don't understand that A Scout Is Obedient. Or have they made so many changes that they no longer think they belong to the BSA? Eamonn

Hi and Welcome, I really do feel for you and do admire that you are going to do something wonderful. This is very important that you look at what you are doing and realize that it is going to be wonderful, even if it is going to take a while. We serve the Scouts that we are dealt!! The Venture Patrol is not necessarily the "Gifted Scouts Program" The best thing you can do is forget about "hand-picked boys that exemplified Boy Scouts" Then toss the book of Guidelines in the fire. Reading between the lines, I think that the Troop may need some help with looking at, understanding and using the methods of Scouting. I have since Christmas been training Rory a Golden Retriever pup. Together we have come a long way we have mastered sit, down, no jump, and are working on Come, stay and heel. I know that he is going to be a big dog and I don't want 70 + pounds of untrained dog making my life a misery. We are working on Stay. Before we could get to Stay we had to master Sit and down. I try to make his training sessions fun and no more than 20 minutes. That being about all he can take without getting frustrated. The Lads in the Venture Patrol may not have had the basics yet and if you try to change everything all at one time they will not be able to keep up with you and will become frustrated. Get to know these Lads, find out what makes them tick the more you know the more effective a Leader you will be. Take the time to really listen to them. Find out what their strengths and soft. spots are. Some wise person in these forums, I think it was Hunt? Posted a while back "More carrot and less stick." I just love this. After listening to the Scouts you will be able to find out if you need to split the group into two Patrols. Yes I know that I have posted that 6 -8 is my idea of the ideal Patrol size, but with these older Lads they might be so busy with other activities that having two Patrols of 7 and only having 7 show up might make a Patrol of 3 or 4 seem silly? Do let them select their own Patrol, they will work better working with people that they like rather than people they have been made to work with. Stop shopping for programs, the Venture Patrol is part of the Boy Scout Troop, it isn't Venturing or Varsity it is what it is. Use the Boy Scout Handbook and the Field Guide. Find out what these Scouts really want to do, listen to their suggestions. There is time this year to pull some things together, but the time is fast approaching when the troop should be making the Annual Plan. The Patrol Leaders from the Venture Patrol need to attend this meeting armed with the knowledge of what the Lads in the Patrols they lead want to do. Maybe one big event will set the agenda for most of the year. If they plan to go to Sea-base there is a lot of activities that they could be doing to prepare for the time that they will be at Sea-base. If the Lads in the Venture Patrol have never been asked what they want to do? before now (Have never really had a working PLC) this will be new to them. You might want to meet with the Patrol Leaders and offer some suggestions. Not bribes for being good - They do not want to be treated like little kids. Don't try and water down the ideas that they have or worse still dismiss their ideas. I always informed the PLC that we would do everything we could to bring what they wanted to become a reality. I tried to explain to them that some things took a lot of hard work and explain that sure we could go almost anywhere and do almost anything, but if they wanted to go to Timbuktu we would need to look at fund raising. If they wanted to go Kayaking in Ireland we would have to build more canoes. I don't understand your question about lecturing? Forget lecturing and start listening, once they come up with an idea of what they want to do, you can lead them to the resources and support them as they prepare to do what it is they want to do. They might need help going over skills that they learned on the road to First Class and you can be the resource that they need. You will find that there are a lot of people in your Council or District that have done activities that you can suggest to the Patrol Leaders and if they find out that this is something they want to do the guys from the Council or District in most cases are willing to explain how they went about doing it. Get them to think big. Fishing is fine, Cub Scouts hold Fishing Derby's. I don't know what part of the country you are in? But I hear the fishing in Canada is outstanding. How do you work with a PL that isn't there? You find out where he is and bring the mountain to him, you counsel him and remind him of his duties, you call him the day before the meeting, E-mail him. Tie a knot in his hankie If all else fails you work with the APL, that's why we have APL's. This Bad Scout thing is a pain. Why is he a bad Scout? Is the program that boring that it isn't holding his interest? Does he not like being lectured? Is he hearing that he is a bad Scout and just living up to expectations? If he is that bad why does he attend meetings? Try and put yourself in his shoes. How do you see the meetings? How do you see what is being done for him? We are Scouter's to serve the Scouts and deliver the program. If he really doesn't want the program maybe he will quit. But I always felt that in some small way I had been part of the problem. I didn't lose sleep over it, but I took some responsibility for a Lad quitting. So you need to take a time out, grab a pen and paper, sit down and read the Vision and Mission statements of the BSA. Focus on the words Fun and Adventure. Grab a Boy Scout Handbook and read what we promise our Scouts when they join. Now write down where you would like to see these Venture Patrols in 3 months, 6 months and a year from now. Then write down ten things that you (Not Them) Are going to do to get to your 12 month goal. My list might look something like 1/ I am going to listen to the Lads in the Venture Patrol 2/ I'm not going to lecture them but will explore and find fun ways of getting my point or the skill they need across to them. 3/ I will attend R/T meetings to explore what other troops are doing. 4/ I will learn a new skill and maybe have them join me in learning it. (Advanced First Aid, white water rafting come to my mind) 5/We will do one outdoor activity every month. Even if it is only for two Scouts. 6/ I will work on how I communicate with the Scouts. 7/I will do everything I can to catch each and every Scout doing something right and will congratulate him. 8/ I will use all the methods of Scouting 9/ I will go out of my way to bring the "Lost Sheep" back to the fold. 10/When I think I have lost my way I will use the Oath and Law to bring me back. This would be my list. Your list would suit the needs of the Scouts that you serve. Eamonn.

BeaverNEIV152, Like you I was very young when I made my first visit to the Happy Land. At that time and place the course was a Boy Scout course and inter-patrol competition was real big. Sad to say I must have been a lot more immature than you seem to be. I got caught up in the competition and a lot of the real meaning for being there was lost on me. I was also a cocky young thing, being the only person on the course who was a Queens Scout, I really thought I was the cats whiskers. On the Staff of the course there was a Scoutmaster (Scout Leader)from my District. He was young by "Staff Standards". He took me under his wing and for a while the two troops that we served did a lot of things together. The Guy became a dear and close friend and I still Hero Worship him from afar. The Last time I was in England being able to camp with him and the troop that he is now with and having my son along was too much for words. Even OJ, was taken in by the great love that Martin (His name) has for Scouting and his insight into this program. Martin is now a Group Scout Leader and we are in contact a lot either by phone or by E-mail. Strange thing is that our conversations lately have been about the ideal age for Scoutmasters, Martin really does believe that young Scoutmasters with the support and guidance of us old folks make the best leaders. He has never said so, but I wonder if he was thinking this 30 years back when he took me under his wing? I can put my hand on my heart and say that he is one of the people who has been the greatest influences on how I see Scouting, sure there were people who opened my eyes as I grew up in Scouting. I really do hope that one day someone will be able to say that maybe, just maybe I have done something for them like Martin did for me. I don't want the hero worship, but if I'm going to have a legacy I kinda think that is what I would like it to be. I was also very interested to see where NE-IV-152 was held as I was the CD for NE-IV-153. I really do hope that you manage to keep on Scouting at whatever level is the best fit for you. I am of course green with envy and wish I was your age and ready to do it all one more time, but that isn't how things go. I made my mistakes and have hopefully learned from them, you have to go out there and make your mistakes and learn from them. This learning is what makes us what we are and who we are. I do hope that like me you find someone who is willing to take you under his or her wing and be there for you. Now you need to get that Ticket done and serve the Scouts in your area. Good Luck. Eamonn.

Sad to have to say that our new DE and myself are not hitting it off. He arrived in October and started the same day as the Field Director left. The new Field Director came on board a month later. At this time we were busy with year end membership. This new DE was going to the Service Center everyday and doing nothing. I wasn't happy, but I thought things would get better when he had a boss and someone to give him some direction. The new FD arrived and still this DE was working 9 till 5 at the office, working is too strong a word. I started sending him E-mails asking him to get specific things done. It seemed that the FD and the DE had no idea how to do anything with FOS and were not doing anything. So I took him by the hand and we got the FOS kick off done and out of the way. He goes to PDL 1. He comes back telling me that he wants to work with Cub Camping. I explain that we as a District have volunteers that look after Cub Scout camping. He isn't happy. We took a real hard hit last year losing seven units. Five Crews, One Troop and a special needs pack. He tells me that Crews are easy to start. I have been working on a crew in our local theater for about six months, they were playing around waiting till they hired a manager. They did an Ex ASM and Ex Cub Scouter. I make the appointment to make the "Sale" Him and his boss arrive nearly an hour late!! Blaming the half inch of snow. The sale is easy, I ask them to give the manager a new unit application, neither have the darn form!! DE tells the manager he will be back with the form and a Venturing Fast Start Video. This was in January. At the District meeting tonight I find out that he never went back. About six weeks back I receive a flyer's in the mail telling me that the District is having an all Night Volley Ball night. He has booked it at a local sports center. The Crews that are active are already doing stuff on the date he picked. I inform him that things like this have to go through the District Activities Committee, about 18 people attend the volley ball thing and we lose $320. The Activities Committee had a District Camporee planned for May at a local Gun Club. But again in the mail I get a notice that we are teaming up with another District for a Camporee. I can't remember when I was so darn mad. Our Day Camp Director and him are good friends. The person who was in charge of program moved on. This means that we have to send the DE and the new Program person to camp school which stretches the budget, tonight I find that he has asked the Camp Director who has three years left on his certification to go with them. This guy just doesn't get it and he is nearly pushed me over the edge. Eamonn

Miami_Chief Let us for a half a minute pretend that you had a contact that could supply the entire crew with the shirt you describe and guarantee that there would be a supply for future Crew members. The Crew could vote on making this shirt the Crew uniform. As far as I know you could do that. But what message would you want your uniform to tell the people who see you wearing it? I don't think the guy who delivers Pepsi is going to drive a truck with Coke painted on it. The Crew that OJ joined and is no more opted to go with a green t-shirt with Crew 160 on it, and yes they were Crew 160. I suppose they could have opted for a Crew uniform that said Pack 666? But that would be silly. Isn't wearing a shirt that tells the world that you are an Explorer when your not the same thing? Eamonn

Her That Must Be Obeyed, watches soap operas that seem to have less drama than this! I got lost when we got to #10 or was it #11.. But I never was that bright. As I see it now we have a Cubmaster that is doing a good Job, at least with leading the Pack meetings. The Charter is a real mess. I don't care if you have been doing it this way since 1930. The Pack is not self-chartering. A group of community minded people can get together and charter a unit. One person will be the Executive Officer. Just as a preacher can have his Son in the pack. So can any Executive Officer. This does not mean that the parents own the pack. They don't. The Executive Officer selects a Chartered Organization Representative. This person is the "Middle man". He or She reports to the Executive Officer and works with the Pack Committee. The Executive Officer and the COR, sign off on the application of the Pack Committee Chair. They "Hired" him or her and they can at will remove him or her. The COR can also be the Pack Committee Chair. In this case the only person within the unit that can remove him or her would be the Executive Officer. While there might be a person in the wings that has been selected to be the next COR. The BSA does not recognize the position of Assistant Chartered Organization Rep. It does not exist. This person could be a committee member or it could be Joe Blow who has at this time no connection to the pack. The choice is the Executive Officers choice. He does not answer to anyone. If you want to become a Den Leader or an Assistant Den Leader and work with your spouse, you can. There is no BSA rule to stop you. But you would have to give up being the COR. As COR you are just about "Top Dog" you call the shots. Do you want to give this up? What is best for the pack ? - Please Note I said Pack not Den. Seems to me that an investment in a few Cub Scout Leader Books would be a good idea. After a good read, if you remain COR it might be time to look at what is best for the pack. Maybe you and your spouse leading the Den is the best thing or maybe it's time to clean house and be rid of what ever numbers are not doing what is in the best interest of the Cub Scouts. I would also look at finding a real Chartering Partner, I would think that the District Membership Committee would be able to help. Eamonn.

Wow, there is a lot of stuff going on. It is great to have a family that is pro- scouting and is active in helping the Troop. Dad being a ASM or ex ASM?? He really can't not see what is happening with his kid?? The SM really does need to talk with the Lad. A Scoutmaster conference is overdue. Am I reading that the Lad really doesn't want to be a Scout? Could be that coming from a Scouting family he just is afraid to tell his parents that he just doesn't want to be in the program. Yes it does Happen!! I had a Lad at the Jamboree in 2001. As we boarded the bus his Mother an Ex-Cubmaster and Ex-Unit Commissioner (The Dad served on the District Finance Committee) Informed me that her Son didn't want to go. Day one at a Jamboree is hard work, there is a lot to do and the heat doesn't help. The Lad seemed fine. Day two I got beckoned to go see the Chaplin, the Lad is with him telling him that he wants to go home. We three sat and talked for a very long time. To be honest the Chaplin was getting in the way. ( A nice man from the Philippines, who didn't speak very good English) It became obvious that we were getting no place, so I told the Lad to phone his parents and tell them to come and pick him up. He said that he had already called and no one would pick up!! He went back to his tent and cut all the patches off his Scout shirt. I went and had a heart to heart with him. He said that he hated Scouting and his Dad said that he couldn't quit till he was an Eagle Scout. I really didn't want a Lad who was going to be a right Royal pain with me for ten days. So I asked him to stick it out till we got home and then I would talk to his parents for him and with him. He tried really hard not to have a good time, but it was too much for him. When we got home I visited his home and explained what had been said. His parents allowed him to quit Scouting. The District lost the Dad who was the person in charge of selling ads in the Council calender. But at the end of the day we do this for the kids - Even those that don't want to be in Scouting. I would forget about the family and focus on what is best for the Lad, even if that means that he quits Scouting and he loses his deposit. Eamonn.

Hunt, I did state in my original posting: There is a difference between information and rules and bylaws. The where and when of Troop meetings is not a rule or a bylaw. Some time back someone posted a link to the tome that was the rule book of the troop in which they served. It contained a mix of BSA policy and made up rules that were far from anything I have ever seen in any BSA publication. I always found that meeting with parents face to face in the home of the Scout worked better that a lot of rules. We backed this up with a monthly Newsletter. Things like what to wear to what were covered. If we were going rock climbing, there was no need for a uniform, if we were working in the public eye we asked those that had a uniform to wear it. The old Boy Scout Wood Badge stressed 1.Communicating 2. Knowing and Using Resources 3. Understanding the Characteristics and Needs of the Group and Its Members 4. Planning 5. Controlling Group Performance 6. Effective Teaching 7. Representing the Group 8. Evaluating 9. Sharing Leadership 10. Counseling 11. Setting the Example This is a mighty fine list, if a Scouter were to learn and use these skills, I think that there would be a lot less of the these bylaws. Eamonn.

Jamboree Troop 412 met tonight. The more time I spend with this bunch of Lads the more I like them, they are going to have a super Jamboree. This is my last try at serving as SM. Hopefully I'll get it right this time!! We are going a day early to avoid the traffic jam that day one might turn out to be. All the Medical Forms are done. Name Plates are ordered. Troop and Jamboree T-shirts are ordered. Gateway is 75% done. Patrol Flags need work. One Patrol is done one Patrol is on the way and two Patrols need a nudge. I will E-mail the SPL later. Swim tests are done. All patches are ordered. No more fund raising - Hooray!! Plans for the shakedown will be finalized at the Jamboree Committee meeting. Our 11th Committee meeting. Loading the truck is going to be a pain. Trying to get all the gear on while there are still Lads going to camp after the shakedown is hard. I still have to work with our Home Town Reporters. Still need to order the Emergency Preparedness Awards. But so far so good. It's going to be great. I'm going to have a blast. Eamonn.

I like to think that I have a really good relationship with the people charged with educating my Son. The School Superintendent sits on the Council Executive Board, I recruited him. We normally sit together at meetings The Principle of the High School he attends is a Member Of The District at Large and we have a Elementary School Principle on the District Committee serving on the Membership Committee.There is another Elementary School Principle in the District who is an Eagle Scout. A couple of years back OJ, attended an OA weekend and won a pie eating contest. The prize was a small pocket knife. He put the knife in his coat pocket and forgot about it. Monday comes and he toddles off to school with the knife in his pocket. He tells a girl that he has this knife in his pocket and asks her to put it in her locker. I never did work out why he just didn't put the darn thing in his own locker. Somehow, someway the girl informs a teacher that OJ has given her this knife. The school has a zero tolerance policy on knives. I get a call and rush from work to the school. Everyone said that they knew that it was just an oversight on OJ's part. They all agreed that he was a twit for not just putting it in his book bag and saying nothing. But the rule was the rule and the penalty was a three day suspension. The Superintendent found out what had happened and called me to apologize but he added the rule was the rule and there is a zero tolerance policy. OJ has learned not to take knives to school. Which is a good thing, I don't want kids carrying knives. But everyone was apologetic, everyone said they knew that it was just unfortunate but the rule was the rule. I hope that I never am placed in the situation that these people were placed in and have to apologize for enforcing a rule where one size fits all and I have to overlook the individual. OJ, served his time, missed a junior high school dance and while admitting that having the knife at school was dumb, he has no respect for the dumb rule. Eamonn.