Eman

It sure would be nice if they added community strips under the council patch. It would make it much more interesting at district and council functions. Who would we have to express our opinions to about changing this or other parts of the uniform?

Chippewa has the framework of a Venture Crew perfect Leaders under 30 and no youth under 14. I've been trying to find a Venture Crew in our district that actually functions and goes on venture outings. I've found 5 crews that exist on paper, but do absolutely nothing. The biggest reason I've found is the leaders, they're too old!

Our troop tried the Venture Patrol idea and it was a disaster. I as a leader will accept the blame for the failure as we had no leadership to handle this patrol. It created a patrol that was older and did nothing. All the younger boys wanted to join it so they could do nothing too.

I know of 4 old schools that have been sold and are being used privately. One is in NC and it is a country store. The other 3 are in TN, one is a woodworking shop and the other 2 are farm supplys. The schools are usually built and paid for by the county and are the county's to do whatever they please after a new school is built.

Our town does not have an active Girl Scout Troop. My daughter wants to stay in Girl Scouting so she can go to summer camp. The council said they are promoting individually registered girls. They said they have 100 already in the council and have a goal of 300. Has anybody else heard of this? It doesn't seem as though council is doing much to support or create troops.

Merlyn,

Isn't the U.S.Congress the charter organization for the BSA on a national level? And isn't the current president the national charter organization rep. or the national exec. of BSA

I always enjoy reading how the council should work. At one of our district roundtables one of the district commissioners had a list of the merit badge counselors. He said he was quite sure that most of the people on the list were deceased or too old to counsel.

cjmiam,

You make a point about chartering organizations doing nothing and merely being a name on a piece of paper and paying their money. That is one of the problems with Scouting. Charter organizations are the part of Scouting that is there to protect the boys. That is the reason that on the adult application the charter organization has to approve the application. The fact that most don't, and I agree on this, does not make it right. The fact that your troop would change charter organizations if they told you how to run the troop sounds strange. Shouldn't the organization or company that has their name on your flag have at least some input? If you watch the fast start leader training tape they show you how thw charter organization should work.

Merlyn,

I just spoke to a friend who is a Scoutmaster and a government lawyer. When I told him about the charters to public schools he could not believe that any council could be that foolish to let this happen.

Your knowledge of world scouting is interesting. Making the duty to God optional is also interesting. You state that Exploring has removed duty to God, I don't have any knowledge about Exploring so I will ask about that.

I respect your right to be an atheist and I'm trying to understand more about it. From what you've said the only thing you don't associate with is the word God. I always thought that a person had to believe in something. Now the fact that each atheist believes something different is what seperates it from a religion?

Summer camp should be fore watersports and fun, but it turns into merit badge camp. In most cases the merit badges are poorly done and the boy learns very little. The same happens at merit badge university. The truth is though if the adults didn't crash course these kids on badges there would be very few badges earned. The merit badges are supposed to be done by the boy on his own initiative. This is supposed to slowly teach him how to do an Eagle project while learning along the way. Merit badge counselors are supposed to be registered members of the community that don't "teach" the subject, but instead review the boy's workbook. I'm sure the ones that do merit badges on all those Sat. are doing it on their own initiative. Nothing like school 6 days a week to make you well rounded!

cjmiam,

If I was camping I would be having a discussion like this around the campfire!

I was reading a few of your posts and and saw a few things that I didn't agree with. You talked about how the charter organization didn't have any power over the unit. I disagree and if you learn about it you will too. The charter organization is actually the most powerful entity in a unit. If you read an adult membership application you will see that they control the unit.

You also made mention of the United Way. About 8 or 9 years ago I saw a memo from the United Way to the BSA encouraging them to allow more female members (youth) and not discrinate against homosexual leaders.

Merlyn, I'm still confused and would really enjoy pursuing this furthur. In my thinking if I believe in some spiritual power, even though not within the parameters of an "organized" religion, I feel that I believe in God. Even though my idea of what a spiritual being is may differ greatly from what others believe, I still feel that whatever you believe in would fall under the definition of a God.

Now for another question. You say that you were a Scout, are you a Scouter now? Are you involved with the Scouts in any way? Having been associated with the Scouts do you feel it is a good organization for youth? Do you think it would serve more if the "God" requirement was removed? Don't everybody go crazy just yet! This is just a very interesting discussion. I'm quite sure the BSA would stand to lose a large portion of it's membership if it did drop the duty to God, so I don't think it could happen.

Hey dan,

I've got more than one Harley if your keeping score.

Merlyn Leroy,

I understand exactly what you are saying, and I dare say that I would have to agree with you. I understand that the actual school even though it is thought of as a community school uses federal and state funds to operate and therefore should not charter a Scout troop.

I have a question for you concerning atheism that has nothing to do with this discussion. If you choose not to answer it here I will fully understand. I am asking this question in order to give my 2 children an honest answer abot this. Am I right in believeing that an atheist does not believe in any supreme being? And in that case am I right to believe that an atheist considers the scientific answers to all the questions of the universe? In that belief I am led to understand that an atheist has no belief in mother nature or any spiritual beings. As I stated you can choose not to reply to this to avoid ridicule, my only reason for asking is for better understanding.

Schools in my area run FCA groups, fellowship of christian atheletes. This is run at the school by school advisors. I know you don't have to prove your atheletic status, but I'm sure you must be a christian to join.

Didn't George W. Bush get arrested for DUI and Clinton admit to smoking pot?

I am not upset or bothered by a discussion or disagreement. I look and act the way I do because I choose to. I am over 18 and responsible for myself. When I lived at home I had to follow the rules of the house. Which included no tattoos or earrings and long hair. When I left home and paid my own way I could then live my life my way.

My house is now run the way my wife and I see fit. My daughter doesn't have pierced ears yet and she will be 12.

By the way, wearing a helmet is a law not a freedom! I wear one when the law dictates, but like the Obedient part of the Scout Law I try to have the law changed in an orderly manner rather than disobeying them.

KevinM,

I stand corrected, you are right, it is printed in the book but not labeled as such.

Good story another Scouter told me about when he was a young Scout. On the first campout they told him to soap the pot. They didn't tell him the outside of the pot! He's got a memory to last a lifetime.

Wow! I'm 3 for 3 , forgot to mention tattoos. I've got one of an American flag with the New Hampshire state motto on my arm. I've also got a long beard and 2 Harleys. Thank God some of you are not the "morally straight" judges. Do you think I should wear panyhose with my skirt or the kneesocks?

Include it in one of your campouts to the country. We have a merit badge counselor for that badge in our troop, We'd be glad to find a place for you to camp.

I'm a male Scouter that easily remembers Mr. T and Howdy Doody. I wear an earring and have for over 25yrs. I have also had a braided ponytail at times. Aside from the uniform Scouting is very non-conformist. If you read anything by Green Bar Bill you will find that the idea of what Scouts want to do has never been "popular" or conforming. Some of the best Scouts I've ever met are true individuals and have a lot of self confidence.

The Scoutmaster of our troop could give clinics on dishwashing. First all of the dishes are licked or scraped clean. We have 3 washing tubs that nest in each other. First boil some water. The first tub is camp suds with cold-hot water mix so you can use your hands. Next is very hot rinse water and tongs are used to retrieve the dishes. Third is very hot bleach water to sanitize and again tongs are used. Everything is then laid out and either air dried or towel dried. No problems with soap left on anything and no cleanup when we get home. Water is dumped in a sump or a dug cathole.

Back packing is done much like Philmont.

Let's just make it 2002. Some of you might be in areas where Scouting is booming. I hate to say it but there are many areas where it is dieing just like in the 70's. It's not doing great in the area I'm in and my inlaws are 800 mi. away and it's the same there. In the 70's the numbers were honest. In todays world the numbers are being padded. I've seen units that don't really exist being created with double charters. I've seen 40 boys sign up for Tiger Cubs and by the time they go to Wolf less than 5 are still Scouts. I don't agree with a boy doing an Eagle project that benefits BSA, but I say it won't be long until that is changed. Looking at the condition of our camp and all the projects that need doing the councils would push for this in a heartbeat!

I have an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook in my hand form 18-927A. On page 2 under "The Requirement" it states The project should benefit an organization other than the BSA. Notice it says "should" and not cannot.

This is a late post on the subject. If you contact the Silva compass company they have some good aids for orienteering for Scouts.

I don't think the person in charge knows the Admonition because I have never seen it written anywhere ,and he says to look in the handbook.