fgoodwin

JD, they're not MY stats -- they come directly from the article. But I agree that its hard to know the causation behind the correlation. And it turns out that BSA has had similar losses over that time period: 1985: 4,845,040 (http://www.bsa14.org/history/1980.html) 2003: 3,200,218 (http://www.scouting.org/factsheets/02-501.html) diff: 1,644,822 or 34%

FS, that's not what I said. The SA is clearly different from BSA in at least two ways: they allow girls, and they allow gays. I don't know when they began doing so -- but I don't think the result is anything we (BSA) should strive to emulate.

JD says "here's an opportunity to learn what might happen if we were to step beyond our prejudices and grow in a new direction". What "might" happen? To learn what actually DID happen, simply read the article: "In Britain, 1% of the 400,000 Scouts are Muslim . . ." ". . . the number of members in the UK has fallen from more than 650,000 in the 1980s." What actually did happen was a reduction in membership of almost 40% in 20 years -- is that the "new direction" we want to "grow" into?

The essay, and a photo of Mr. Witcraft, are available here: http://www.scoutingaround.com/boy_scouts/power/ The quote that started this thread has been "Politically Corrected". Witcraft's original words were:A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a boy.

The Scout Association printed a denial that Scouting is open to atheists, as was reported in the Times article above:We are aware that in some newspapers an incorrect statement is made that Scouting is open to atheists. This of course is not true and we have gone back to those newspapers to clarify this point.http://www.scouts.org.uk/noticeboard/latest.htmSo the Scout Association continues to bar atheists, although they do admit homosexuals.By the way, the Times article is also available here:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1650843,00.html(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

I just completed redoing the online YPT in preparation for the Jamboree (my last card was two years old and I re-did it because I wasn't sure how old it could be and still be considered valid for purposes of the Jamboree). Anyway, after I entered my information, I got an email-copy of my YPT card within minutes. I know others have complained that they never got their card, but I think the difference in my case is that I entered a valid member ID number. I know you can take the training even as a non-member of BSA (meaning you would not enter a member number), but I think entering a

By the way, the study mentioned in the article above is available here: http://www.aeoe.org/resources/research/AB1330/OEeffects-finalreport.pdf http://tinyurl.com/b5drc http://www.aeoe.org/resources/research/AB1330/OEeffects-appendices.pdf http://tinyurl.com/8pjuz Unfortunately, the study did not look at the effects of Scouting as an outdoor program -- it focused strictly on school-based outdoor resident programs for science. I've never heard of such programs (I'm pretty sure there are no such programs in my son's middle school or school district). But the study

In the following article, the author claims outdoor experience increases kids' math and science scores: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/louv/20050607-9999-lz1e7louv.html'>http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/louv/20050607-9999-lz1e7louv.html This looks like a perfect opportunuity for Scouting to partner with schools for the betterment of all kids! --------------------------------------------------------------------- No child left behind in the woods UNION-TRIBUNE June 7, 2005 MILWAUKEE, Wisc. A few weeks ago, Paul Zettel, a health education inst

You're welcome -- actually, I've never seen a Troop flag with a gold star on it. I hope that means none of the Troops I'm familiar with have ever lost a Scout in military duty. But more likely it means Troops aren't aware of this option for honoring their fallen members, or they know of the option but they don't know what's become of their members who've gone on to military duty. As someone mentioned in another thread, this would be a great project for a Troop Historian -- to track down former members who've gone on to military service, and find out what's become of them, and then h

GOLD STARS (MEMORIAL) Gold stars may be affixed to the unit flag indicating members of the unit who died in the service of their country. The stars should be placed along the staff edge of the flag, parallel to the staff, with the bottom star 6 inches from the staff edge and 6 inches from the bottom edge; subsequent stars to be placed proportionately on that line, up to the place assigned to the veteran insignia, No. 11117. Ref: Insignia Guide, page 49 (2003-2005 edition)

Trev, this practice is consistent with the Uniform & Insignia Guide (p49 of the 03-05 edition). There was a thread about this a couple of years ago: http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=39406 There were also two very brief threads about this on SCOUTS-L: March, 2003: do an archive search for "Patches" July, 2004: search for "Gold Star on Unit Flag" Fred G.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=48456 Boy Scouts of America Recognizes National Safety Month; Nation's Leading Youth Organization Offers Suggestions for a Safe Summer 6/7/2005 9:02:00 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------- To: National Desk Contact: Claire McLarty of Boy Scouts of America, 512-478-3335 or claire.mclarty@edelman.com IRVING, Texas, June 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In response to America's more than 2.7 million accidental youth-related injuries each summer (see Note 1 below) the nation's leading youth ser

Two more suggestions: (1) find out when & where your district holds its monthly Roundtable; make it a point to attend regularly and bring as many of your leaders and parents as possible. Your district and Council may sponsor many activities that will take the load off of your Pack to come up with so many things on your own. (2) find out who is your District Commissioner and ask him or her to assign your Pack a unit commissioner. Your unit commissioner can be a great resource to act as a neutral third party in dispute resolution, to suggest program ideas, to be a shoulder to lea

At the National Meeting, Supply Division had a sample copy of the new book, "Cub Scouting: The First 75 Years of Doing Our Best". The part no. is 34473. The retail price is $19.95 (plus shipping + tax). Advance orders may be submitted now; ask for form 70-196 at your Scout Shop. Fred Goodwin Alamo Area

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/11783614.htm By Bill Cotterell DEMOCRAT POLITICAL EDITOR The moral values taught by the Boy Scouts are vital in combatting terrorism, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card told a Tallahassee audience Monday night. About 400 supporters of the Suwannee River Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America sat in rapt silence as Card told of "my most memorable day in the White House" - three days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. That was the Friday when President Bush attended a memorial service at the National Cathedral, fle

"Perfect" attendance is not the intent of the pin. See page 12-6 of the Cub Scout Leader Book: ATTENDANCE PIN AND BAR: a gold-colored pin that Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts may wear to recognize good attendance at den and pack meetings . . . Requirements for this award are determined by the pack committee.

"The elected representatives have no power, for example, to limit free speech . . ." NJCS, I'm sure you know this, but it bears repeating: the right of free speech under the First Amendment is not absolute. Local, state & federal governments can and do restrict freedom of speech all the time. A most obvious example is that we have no First Amendment "right" to lie under oath in a judicial proceeding. Companies have no first amendment "right" to publish false advertising. We have no first amendment "right" to slander or libel another person, etc. I'm not sure what any of

acco40: if you don't think Scouting positively affects the lives of boys, then tell me why are we all wasting our time?

That's a fair question, but misplaced, I think. The comparison isn't whether ex-Boy Scouts make better decisions than ex-Campfire youth; the question is, do ex-Scouts make better decisions than people who were not Scouts as youths? I think the study does a good job of answering that question.(This message has been edited by fgoodwin)

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=47864 Boy Scouts of America: New Study Reveals Youth Unprepared to Make Challenging Ethical Choices 5/24/2005 9:32:00 AM --------------------------------------------------------------------- To: National Desk Contact: Claire McLarty, 512-478-3335, for Boy Scouts of America, 512-478-3335 or claire.mclarty@edelman.com IRVING, Texas, May 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A new Harris Interactive study shows that while many of today's youth are unprepared to make moral and ethical decisions, Americans who participated in the Boy

I know its bad form to follow-up your own post, but I had to add this comment: Many of you will no doubt disagree with everything Bill Lawhon of LNT says above. You have that right. But whether or not you agree with the LNT guidelines, it is clear that no one is in a better position to interpret those guidelines than LNT itself. So if you continue to burn your trash because you disagree with the LNT Guidelines, you are free to do so -- just understand that you do so with the knowledge that LNT itself says otherwise. Fred G.

I put this question directly to the LNT organization, and here is their response: There are several reasons we advocate packing out trash (and leftover food) rather than burning it: It generally takes a very hot fire to adequately burn trash and/or food completely which can create other problems such as out of control fires, wildfire, etc. A Sierra Club study headed by H.T. Harvey found that incinerating leftover food (and trash) requires nearly 30% more wood than cooking the food to begin with. Trash that accumulates in fire rings and pits that is not completely burned can be a very

http://www3.knoxnews.com/kns/family/article/0,1406,KNS_308_3794120,00.html http://tinyurl.com/a2l7g May require registration

What are the requirements in order for a Troop Chaplain Aide to wear the "trained" strip? Does anyone have a training syllabus they could share with me? Our local Protestant Committee wants to offer Chaplain Aide training; we'd prefer not to reinvent the wheel if another Council or Religious Relationships Committee has offered such training and has a syllabus available. Thanx, Fred Goodwin Protestant Committee on Scouting Alamo Area council

I'm not an expert in the BSA Physical Fitness Award -- I simply posted the press release. If you have issues with the BSA requirements, its probably better to take it up with them directly, rather than posting to a public Internet forum, where you may (or may not) get any reliable answers. Sorry I can't answer your questions. Good luck, Fred G.