FScouter

Hmmm . . . Sounds like the Scoutmaster Handbook has it exactly right. You didnt mention what the other five opinions were, nor where the scouting program supports those other views. At one time our committee held the view that the Court of Honor was the correct and only place to present awards. That included rank patches, merit badges, camporee patches, summer camp ribbons, certificates and any and every type of award you can imagine. Since our Courts of Honor were scheduled only 2 or 3 times a year, the boys had to wait a very long time to receive their awards. Sometimes they waited

There was some discussion in another thread about who is and is not allowed to vote in the unit committee. If the troop is boy-led, then the Patrol Leaders Council does the voting. The committee would then assist the PLC in carrying out the things the PLC voted on. What kinds of things do typical committees actually vote on?

How true. I remember shopping for new shoes with my mom or dad. It was always the same. We would go either to the JC Penney or to Sears. There were only two choices, either brown or black. With sneakers it was either high top or low top. Life was simple.

I remember as a Cub Scout that there were official uniform shoes. None of us in Den 4 had them. I had a pair of U.S. Keds. Another kid had PF Flyers. He could run faster and jump higher than the rest of us.

Hmmm... I see those hose and bag arrangements and ask myself, What is the problem that is being solved here, and is this the best way to solve it? The problem is that the human body must be kept hydrated. Water must be drunk before the effects from lack of it occur. The body needs regular intake of water but is not so sensitive that intake must equal usage on a minute by minute basis. A sip of water every two minutes is no more effective than a cup every 30 minutes. I carry a cheap throw-away water bottle tied onto my pack with a length of cord. The cord is tied to a rubber O-

There are a number of comments here regarding the subject of manners and etiquette.

Take a Saturday and do a Troop Junior Leader training. I'd do it for all the boys, not just the ones currently in a formal leadership position.

I love my uniforms. They fit great and are as comfortable as anything else in my closet. The long sleeved shirt has tails long enough to suit me. The second button from the bottom is at belt buckle level, with a full 9 inches of tail below that. My short-sleeved shirt has shorter tails, 6 1/2" below the bottom button. Both are permanent press, 65/35 poly cotton blend, size medium. I wouldn't change a thing.

Consider that the boys "play around too much" because the adults are doing the work to the exclusion of the boys. Have any of your committee persons attended Troop Committee Challenge training or any other Scout leader training?

I'm off the summer camp in about an hour. We're going to Camp Three Falls, in the Lockwood Valley area of Ventura County. Has anyone been there? The boys are excited, though at least two dread having to go through the swim check.

The flag is not clothing, and to use it as such is disrespectful. I also have a problem with the proliferation of pseudo-flags. Banners, windsocks, hats, tablecloths, napkins, print advertisements, or anything else that depicts stylized, red and white bars with a blue star design can be distasteful, depending on how it's used.

bump

scomman: Assuming that "salute" means three fingers to the brow or to the bill of the uniform hat, under what circumstances may Boy Scouts in uniform salute the U.S. flag, in your opinion?

It is sad, but many parents today cannot teach etiquette to their children because they did not learn any etiquette from their own parents. Scouting is a way to learn a few things that you dont have an opportunity to learn at home or at school. If the Scoutmaster can pass on a few tips about etiquette to the boys, so much the better for them. Mr. Spocks observation, with a bit of sarcasm: It was far easier for you as civilized men to behave a barbarians, than it was for them as barbarians to behave like civilized men. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous; i

"Mirror, Mirror". Kirk tries to make a deal with the Halkans for dilithium crystals. Then the ion storm hits ...

It has been my observation that many parents, and even other adult leaders in our troop, are sadly lacking in their knowledge of etiquette and the social graces. Our former Scoutmaster had a habit of regular belching during campouts. He had no trouble controlling himself during meetings and such, but apparently thought it was OK to belch loudly during campouts. His attitude was that manners, niceties, and even cleanliness were superfluous on campouts. Etiquette demonstrates respect for others.

According to the Insignia Guide #33066C, Headgear Regulations: Official headgear may be worn while the unit or individual is participating in an indoor formal ceremony or service duty, except in religious institutions where custom forbids. Typical indoor activities of this type are flag ceremonies, inspections, orderly duty, or ushering service. In any informal indoor activity where no official ceremony is involve, the headgear is removed as when in street clothes.

If the SM wants to request that kind of assistance from one of his appointed SA's, that should be fine as long as the SA agrees. The converse doesn't work as well. I would not consider it appropriate for an SA to insist on performing SM conferences if the SM has not asked him to do so. The CC and COR should definitely not be pushing for this either.

Shirts are not untucked because the boy "forgot". They're untucked because that is the way the boy wears all his shirts. I've "reminded" boys until I'm blue in the face, and it only works until he pulls it out again. A boy with an untucked shirt is out of uniform. The key is to develop a pride in wearing the uniform correctly. Positive incentives work better and last longer than fines or punishment. I've had the most lasting results from pulling a boy aside at an opportune moment just to tell him how good he looks in his uniform, and that I'm proud of him.

You said you expect the father to "bring it up" again. What does he hope you are going to do about his grudge? Dump the CC? I would inform the father that it is unfortunate that he and the CC have a problem, but that it has nothing to do with scouting, and that there is nothing you can do as Scoutmaster to heal their grudge. He will need to work it out personally with the CC, outside of scouting. And to please don't involve the boys.

In our council, all information is mailed to the troop. Nothing is mailed to individual boys. It is the responsibility of the adopting troop to communicate with all the boys in the troop, including a provisional camper. Our troop has adopted provisional summer camp Scouts in the past. We invite the boy to a attend a troop meeting or two prior to camp so that he can meet the other boys and participate in planning. He is no different than any other member of the troop.

Consider that the dad may have other issues regarding the troop or summer camp. Is the CC issue the only problem? Is there any substance to the charge that the CC is a bad person? Discuss it with the CC and ask him if he would call the dad and try to come to a resolution. It would be too bad if you lose the kid. But even if you're able to get around this issue, what might be the next issue where the dad will threaten to yank his kid?

The tone of some of the comments in this tread indicates that the writers think of the Pledge of Allegiance as some kind of pledge to God. It is not. It is a pledge of allegiance to our country. One can be Hindu and still pledge allegiance to our country. The reference to "under God" simply indicates that the most of the citizens of this country believe in God. It is not a statement of an individuals belief in God.

I would bet that the boys won't forget the griddle next time. But they might forget something else. If the parents want to get involved, ask them to write up a check list that could be presented to the PL or SPL. That would be helpful without doing the entire job.

A law (any law) is passed by the legislature in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. By default, the law is considered constitutional. Until an adverse ruling is made by a court, laws are considered constitutional. Time passes and the constitutionality of the law is challenged in court. The court rules either that the law is constitutional, or rules that it is not. In the case of the 1954 law adding under God, no challenge was made until recently. And until last Wednesday, no court had ruled the law unconstitutional. Therefore, the law was constitutional from 1