Eamonn

Having been a District Commissioner, I took/ take, extra care to ensure that my uniform was /are, as it should be. (Apart from the one where my wife put one of the knots on upside down!!)

But,there are some leaders in some of our packs, that have taken to wearing the pins on a yellow ribbon. Where the idea came from; I have no idea.

But it was one of those things, that I thought it best to take plenty of no notice.

The same goes for Wood Badge beads with activity dress, unless of course it is by a staff member at a Wood Badge course, then it comes under the heading of setting a bad example.

By the way, I have never mastered the art of sewing any thing other then the odd patch on a uniform, my wife does a much neater job then I do. I now have to work on my communication skills.

To answer Yaworski; "Lead us not into temptation"

As a youth in one of better schools in London, I seen a very good friend of mine brandish a knife at another student in the hope of frightning the other boy. Some how, some way he ended up stabbing the poor kid. (Not badly.) Needless to sat the police were called, and the press had a hay day. Mainly due to the fact that both of the my friends parents were members of parliament, and his dad was/is a doctor.

He missed six months school, waiting for a court date. Was fined five pounds (Approx. $12.00, at that time,) His parents made him repay his legal fees. Which were considerable.

This was a good kid, who done something dumb.

Not allowing kids to take knifes to school, is much the same as not allowing young children to play with matches.

As a foot note my friend became a Queens Scout, and is now a doctor,

We would do well to remember that Cub Scouting is home and neighborhood based,and the criterion for cub scouts is "Do Your Best"

In our council, we ask that all boys travel in pairs,even when meeting with a Merit Badge Counselor.

Boy, has this topic hit close to home.

My 14 year old son forgot to take a small pen knife out of the book bag that he also uses as a day pack. He took the darn thing to school,and being a real nit wit showed it to a girl.

She informed a teacher.

I got the phone call from the school.

He got a 4 day suspention.

I have to agree with the school, and admit to being upset at my son. We have covered this time and time again.He knows better.

I used to carry a swiss army knive, but has become such a hassle, at the airport that I now don't. But I do miss it.

I'm all for Scouts learning to the use of sharp tools.

However, I wasn't very happy when a knive was one of the rewards for Cub Scouts, in the popcorn sale. Heck, if a 14 year old can act that dumb,what chance does an 8 year old have.

But then again,my 14 year old was REALLY DUMB.

One good thing is that I get to use the computer a lot more for the next month !!

I must have stuck my head in the sand,up till now I have never heard of a Merit Badge University.

However, I was the Scoutmaster of one of the troops that went to the 2001 National Jamboree. Talk about a Merit Badge Factory. We had boys coming back from the Merit Badge Midway,having passed all sorts of merit badges in a two hour session. One boy completed the Dentisry merit badge in half an hour.

Of course the boys talked to each other and passed the word as to which merit badges were the easy ones,and sure enough these "Classes" were the ones that were filled every day.

ASM7,Has hit the nail on the head. I hate long lists "what is, and what isn't acceptable."The only thing that I normally add as a footnote, is that in our unit, Scouting is a safe haven, where no one gets hurt in body or in spirit.

In answer to the question, raised by Yawosski,

'What is a Wood Badge Cluster?"

This is a group of small councils that have come together to provide Wood Badge training.

I have been very lucky over the years to have been involved with a very large council /county in the UK,and now like Sctmom,I'm here in a rural council. Both have there advantages and disadvantages.And while I question the economic viability,I now think that being small is the better of the two. I really like the fact that even as a District Chairman,I know most of the boys in the District by name. I get to meet all of our cub scouts,and can follow their movements in our great program,from cubs all the way to Eagle Scout.

Also I look at how the rural councils, do in recruiting and we have a greater percentage of the available youth then the big Metro councils do. This might be because there is less for the boys to do, then might be the case in the inner city. However,as a kid who grew up in down town London,when I was a teenager the choice was Boy Scouts or the Boys Club,the only thing that the boys club offered was boxing. My thinking was that I could join the scouts and go camping or have someone beat the heck out of me. Needless to say I opted for the Scouts.

Thanks for the information.

I'm not sure if I agree that it sounds better.But I'm a firm believer that when in Rome.

In answer to the observation by Yaworski,about the size of the council.

We are in a Wood Badge cluster, with five other coucils and of the six we have the largest membership.

How long this will be economically viable,is yet to be seen.

Is it true that there are changes being made to the JLTC ?

If so does any know what they are?

please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.

At times like this.we must thank the Lord for our blessings,and remember to give our kids the hugs and support that they need.

We are all aware of how at times when things cross, that pond that divides England from the US,the name can change. Does anyone have any idea how our Reef Knot, became the American Square Knot?

This question leads me to ask; "How much is our program worth ?

As someone who is involved with the Friends Of Scouting Family Campaign, I'm the lucky fellow that asks the parents of our boys,to dig deep and make a donation.

Our council is a small council with only ten-thousand members, half of them in the Learning for life program. So we in fact only have five-thousand traditional scouts.

This year the council budget went to 1.3 million dollars.(Up from 1.1 million in 2001.)

If we were to take off all the money that we get from the United Way and throw in the revenue we get from, Camping,Sales at the council sevice center,along with the money we get from the community, there would still not be enough money.

However if we were to charge a Council Registration Fee, we could do away with the family campaign, and everyone would share the cost.

I look forward to your thoughts.

Boy how I hate having to think what all these letters stand for.

It has been my understanding that the only person who can hold two positions on a UNIT charter is the Executive Officer, he or she may sit on the committee or be the committee Chair.

Unit Commissioners, are selected by the District Commissioner, and are approved by the Council Executive Board. They are as the title says commissoned officers of the council.

We did at one time consider allowing members of a unit to become commissioners, but when we thought it out it wasn't such a great idea. It just would not work in a conflict situation. It is also my firm belief,that unit leaders have enough to do and the role of the commissioner is to support the unit and the unit leaders.

The fee is $7.00, at present and will go to $10.00,effective Jan. 1, 2003.

I was at one time aware of how long it has been at $7.00, but for the life of me I can't remember, I think it's something like ten years.But please don't quote me.

Many thanks to Fboisseau and Bob White, you are both right on the money.

About 20 years ago, I spent a week just outside Chingford, and every time I asked a question, the reply was always, "Check your resources."

So I opened the up-dated copy of the Cub Scout Leader Book.

Everything is as Fboisseau, has stated.

However, I still want to know who trains the Pack Trainer? The Trainer Development Conference, is a nice course in how to deliver the message, but it does not go into the program.

Also, why is there not a recognition for this position ?

I have to admit that when I became aware of the increase, I thought it was "No big deal."

However, I now have a unit that is very upset, and the leaders are saying that they will not be rechartering next year due to this increase. In fact they are making plans to have all the boys join the Campfire Program !

Do I have, the only unit in the USA,with such feelings, or are there more.

I know nothing about the campfire program, and I'm not going to say a word about it.

The answer to this must be that BEFORE, the camp the PlC, who are planning the program ???Have a time for Lights Out, and a time that the cooks will rise.

What is the role and job of the Pack Trainer?

There used to be a knot that the Den Coach, could earn. Is there now one for the Pack Trainer?

What training is available for a Pack Trainer?

As far as I can see the only training that is available is the new Trainer Development Conference.

Does a Pack Trainer need to attend this before he or she can wear a Trained Patch?

Much as I would love to have gone,it was not to be.I was fortunate enough to be the Assistant Scout Leader of the Central London contingent to Norjamb, back in 1975.

As for trading, it is just like any other Jamboree: Pathes,Uniforms are big "sellers" But it is really nice to have a small token that you or your boys can give away with no return expected, something small like a wooden nickel with your council name and a few wise words.

I really want to attend the Jamboree in the UK in 2007.

The BSA HAS A REALLY COOL TRAINING FOR THE TROOP COMMITTEE, IT IS AS HAS BEEN STATED A 3 HOUR TRAINING. THERE IS A KIT WITH NEWSPAPER CLIPS, A PUZZLE AND A BOOK TITLED

TROOP COMMITTEE TRAINING SYLLABUS (ISBN O-8395-3643-7)1999 EDITION. WE GOT OURS LAST YEAR AND I'M UNSURE IF IT HAS BEEN UPDATED.

AS A COUNCIL TRAINING CHAIRMAN, I HAVE PASSED THE JOB OF PRESENTING THIS TRAINING TO OUR DISTRICT BOY SCOUT TRAINING CHAIRMAN.

AS FOR THE TROOP COMMITTEE CHANGING THE PLC, PLAN, IN MY BOOK THAT IS NOT THE BEST IDEA THAT THEY EVER HAD !