Fuzzy Bear

The owners of Youth's Companion were selling flags to schools, and approached Francis Bellamy to write the Pledge for their advertising campaign to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus arriving in the Americas. Francis Bellamy was a socialist author and Baptist minister. So, on September 7, 1892, the original Pledge was published and it read as follows: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. It was seen by some as a call for national unity and wholeness after the divisive Civil War.

Baden Powell's Scout Law had 8 or 9 Laws, depending on BP's own numbering and he later added Clean in Thought Word and Deed, which would be 9 or 10 but they were his own. God failed to make the list not because BP had forgotten either.

Tinkering with the originals have been short-sighted and inconsistent with the intent of both ideals. I suppose someone may lead us to a return to our heritage in these modern times. fb

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Diversity is first an attitude of openness toward others outside a group and secondly it is a legal mandate that provides for that openness. When both parts are not in place, then diversity is little more than a limited action that prevents it from ever happening. One can speak about an action but until the rule of law reflects one's attitude, then it is just words. Those that are outside the group will know that it is only words that are being spoken and will understand fully what is meant by that coded message. Talking about diversity is just that, talk. fb

Although this topic is a refresher from out of the past, it is always good to review. The DAM and the SB are for District and Council participation, not for unit participation. This being said, there is always someone making a good case for just the opposite on both counts. There are those that also feel that it is a "good buddy award" and there certainly is a case for that as well. Heck, I have even known people to build there own resume and give it to a Toady to circulate, much like a school promoting their own player for the Heisman award. One Scouter, an SE, that I knew was against the award system because he felt that it promoted the person instead of the program and sure enough, he was also right. In a way, awards get us to a side of Scouting and ourselves that most of us don't like to recognize or scrutinize and that is, "What reason do we do what we do?"

In the Mid-east, it is my understanding that people are blowing themselves up for 72 virgins, which I personally find appalling and so far removed from reality that one must be crazy to apply but many do. I am unsure about the reason that women have for doing it other than getting away from men that would find that reason attractive. It may be that they don't have a life in the first place or that it is the only way they can find recognition. That being said, one must look closely at any investment of time and effort to figure out the reason(s) that we do anything in this life. Do people work only for money or do they work because they feel that they can make a difference? If it is to make a difference then shouldn't that be enough, all by itself?

In the Christian Bible, people are doing to get a Heavenly re/award. So, I guess, if that is the case, then getting earthly awards are acceptable. I also realize that awards may promote a person to feel like that they are above themselves or, on the other hand, it may just bring them to a place where they begin to accept themselves and realize self-worth/esteem. So, awards can have good and bad reasons to be sought after and given. I guess we could use the gun analogy that guns don't kill people to try and discern the truth about awards but it is messy and it is the present system. I suppose we should just be very careful when using them. fb

Over the few years that I have posted here, I have flown off the handle on any number of occasions. I also try to apologize when I do and when I have wronged another individual. I find that in life or on the Internet that I will offend. It is my hope that people would first be themselves but then also be ready to back it up with an, I am sorry" when it is obvious that there is a conflict. Forgiveness is the act that is generally not used or practiced in such situations. I suppose it is too much to ask and too difficult to learn. So it must remain another religious mystery.

The Dust-bin strategy is only second to the outright fight and is little more than quiet anger that is sustained. Silence is used as a punisher and can repeatedly be used to pummel one's victim into submission more easily than harsh words. The same rule of forgiveness can be applied with this technique as well but it is easier to make-believe that one is not doing it, since it is an omission. Silence still speaks volumes to those that will listen.

I don't see the kind of fights today that I have witnessed in the past. The large personalities that overwhelmed this forum have been asked to leave. They were given any number of times to repent their transgressions but they generally ignored it or retreated to do it all over again. So much of the time, it was the misuse of authority coupled with one's draping themselves in the flag of Scouting that led to the quaint belief that personal rightness always makes one right, that apologies are the mark of weakness and that separation was the reward for being wrong. This downward spiral into one's own arrogance has to be the shortest route to solve the proof that humanity meets all the criteria for the survival of the fittest.

Scouting and religion tries in vain to point us in a different direction. I suppose death best ends the conflict and mankind is a misnomer. fb

Did the Distrcit Commisssioner or any of his hinchmen think to ask poor Little Mark if he believed in a rock before they sent him packing?

When one reads the Selecting District Members bulletin, it distinctly looks like work and it fails to mention Selecting Unit Leaders for District Positions as an option. I have two insights into the last approach of focusing one's efforts on recruiting from Units. One is that taking from the units can only weaken the unit's own program and two that by adding to the District's program from the units can only weaken the District's program. Can a person be in two places at the same time? Heck no. Most people in the District or the units have other responsibilities to their family, work, church, etc. Why would anyone want to risk hurting themselves by neglecting other responsibilities?

Part two: Awards can make people do funny things. The District Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver are two that come to mind when considering carrots that compel the weak kneed into action above and beyond. People love to be called out, given praise and showered with glory. It is this kind of bath that brings people to the table when they should know better. Each person needs to think for themselves and consider that by doing something well, even one job will bring the spotlight their way. It will come more slowly but it will come. So, I would counsel patience.

Part three: Recruiting is not magic and it is not power. A person does not have to be a business leader to recruit. I have been around long enough to know that there needs to be care used when selecting. It takes time and then it takes training. A few that I have known could recruit but failed to take into consideration the other parts that not just brings people to the table but keeps them there. Recently, I co-taught with a guy that I helped train last year. When we "co-taught", he didn't move from the podium. This year, he completed WB and now he is working like a race horse. The problem is that he most likely will burn-out because he has found the Scouting Religion and wants to evangelize. So, I still counsel patience.

Part four: Scouting is friendship and that is what recruiting is mostly about. It is doing something with your friends. Making friends takes time and can only be done over a cup of coffee(s). If we value our friends, then we have to make sure that we don't try to monopolize their time. Keeping things in balance takes patience. In this world of fast, fast, fast; we need to slow down and then recruit. fb

The term limit on any position is one year and should be carefully observed. All offices are to be reviewed and decided on before the Recharter process is completed.

If the CO/COR is active, then it their decision.

If the CO/COR is not active, then it falls back on the Committee to decide on the offices/directions and then the CO/COR blindly accepts their decisions.

A CC could conceivably stay in their position and remain difficult to work with for several years if that is their direction/decision.

But,

When the SM does not have a vote on the Committee proceedings and works with the CC to determine the Agenda of the Committee proceedings, a new dynamic is created. This allows the SM to represent the Scouts and their directions and it allows the TC the opportunity to support Scout's program.

Let's use the example of a CC not supporting the Scout's program by not allowing the SM access to the TC agenda. If the TC is doing their job then the TC proceedings are made known to the Scouts and the parents by public notice of the TC notes. This openness makes peoples positions known and that is not what a CC or anyone would want. This openness allows people to decide that he/she should move into another position at the end of their term/year when they cannot fairly represent the program or allow the S to represent the Scouts program. If the non-support continues, so will the backlash from Scouts and parents.

Keeping proceedings open, keeping term limits in place and sharing leadership helps to distribute the weight a program and helps to maintain program longevity. If you are in a closed system with power centered on a few, the weight is kept there as well and most probably the program will be kept small or fold when one individual moves on.

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Let me understand, the Eagle, in and of itself is not enough? Get your license and/or a car to reward one for making Eagle?

This is something of a mystery. I am supposing that this defines the Eagle as making a person competitive in today's marketplace.

Hurring up to get done with Scouting by getting the Eagle. New Eagle's may now be defined as the first step toward a better resume and top jobs in industry. This may well be a way to push parents into pushing their sons and yet another way to recruit. I can see banners with the logo, "Become a Scout, earn your Eagle. Today's Patrol Leader is tomorrow's CEO." Headlines, such as, "Former Scout makes millions simply by using the knowledge learned from the Physical Fitness MB." or "Many thought this kid would go nowhere but he drove his brand new car while wearing his Eagle lapel pin to glory. He wheeled into a dealership and took over the place. He had learned these skills as the SPL of his local Scout unit." or "He was just a kid with a penchant for the mechanical MB's and now he owns several Gas Stations. He modestly said that he owed it all to Scouting and becoming an Eagle Scout." or "Eagle Scout lands on the Moon! Some still think it was staged but he swears that he put his foot right there in it."

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Just because we have met a stalemate again here in the Forum does not mean there has been a final judgment by the parties most involved. It will be well worth our time to wait and see before we pull the final curtain down on this one and feel all warm and cuddely.

":"P I just had to try it.

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Let me review,

sometimes I did too much but

other times I did too little.

Then there were times that

I did the right amount but

in the wrong areas but when others looked,

it generally was the wrong amount

in the right areas,

which for me was always a matter

of perspective.

I usually find that I have done

the right things but

for all of the wrong reasons which can be blamed

on other things like brillance or patriotism.

It is harder for me to find times

when I did the wrong things

for all of the right reasons but then

I might be in denial because that

probably makes me look bad.

So, what I really need is a judge with

a faulty memory.

a Sunday morning lament

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The results will give us an answer.

How do you do the green face with the tongue sticking out?

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To bring back an earlier point, if an individual does not follow the rules established by the BSA, then the BSA and their insurance carrier will not provide coverage. This is standard procedure and protection for the insurance company as well for the individual. It is an agreement. Stupid behavior(s) is/are not covered.

Read and follow the G2SS.

Train Scouts and Leaders properly and let them know about the consequences of their behavior.

If you do your job as an adult and train others to do the same, then expect coverage, if not, then expect to pay for it yourself.

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Our District has an Advancement Chairperson that has been attempting to do her job to the best of her ability. She has taken the outdated District MBC list and has tried to update it but with little success. We have 30 units that are dispersed over an area that takes 60 minutes to drive E-W and 45 minutes N-S, this does not include time delays in-town or other directions not included. Most units use their own MBCs that have not offically signed with the District or Council. When a Scout sends in his Eagle packet, the names are not checked with current lists due to the fact that it would be impossible to do so.

As for quality control that takes into account a passing knowledge of the specific MB, little exists and is an area probably best left to the honesty of the individuals involved. This also includes MB's earned at Summer Camp which generally are taught by young persons that may possibly have read the MB book or may have invested some time in a hobby or craft which qualified them as MBC's.

As for simply doing what is stated in the requirements, there appears to be gray areas there as well.

I believe that personal ethics based on the Scout Law/Oath curtails many of the abuses. We still see many Eagle candidates that appear to be well qualified despite flaws in the system. not to worry. fb

Our discussions in the past over who is going to heaven has lead us down a slippery slope. It is one thing to search for the truth and it is a totally different thing to already have a belief that corners the market on it. The curtain has not been raised yet but several appear to have peeked.

Here are a few of my own questions:

Consider a perfect God and then try to out guess that same God.

Consider an imperfect being trying to figure out a God that is too big to ever understand.

I am tired.

Goodnight

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Calico,

I will contact the Lodge Chief and the Lodge Advisor (again) and lay this thing out. I need coffee time with the Chapter Advisor. I believe he is out of answers. He also is a little temperamental.

Well, thanks for everyone listening and giving an ear and a voice about a problem I care about. fb

Crew21,

No, I am afraid that the ship has foundered and is dropping like a lead weight. This is being done as I speak right here from my weak managerial state of consciousness. I am hoping that a few phone calls will give it the Breath of Life but I am not holding mine. fb

Calico,

I volunteered to request Arrowmen from the units in our District to come forward to be trained to perform elections. I did not agree to do the elections nor to drive anyone to elections; I agreed to use my phone and email. I am trying to do my part in being in the Weak Leadership and doing my best to live up it. If Scouts just want to wear patches, that is their business. I had my turn years ago and rather enjoyed it.

The Lodge Advisor happens to be aware of our problems and has not said a word. I have an idea that he doesn't have anyone in the Lodge that he can dispatch to our aid, as our ship slowly sinks in the west. SOS. We haven't tried the National Chief, maybe he can give us the spur.

Crew21,

I am happy to know about your problems as well. It is always encouraging to not go down alone. We held elections now for two months running and nobody came forward to take up the mantle of leadership. We had a couple of wide eyed Ordeal members wondering about what was going on in this Society of Honor Campers. I suppose they are thinking that they have just been elected into a group with less going on than what was happening in their own bedrooms back home. I have to admit that the offerings of the last Chief had the makings of more fun than OA. His mixture drew about five to ten to a meeting and most times fewer. He has since moved up the ladder of success. Our Advisor spoke to us about his own dedication to the OA and Scouting and wanted to be buried in his uniform. I was most inspired by this admission. fb

For the past few months, we have had a sharp dip in attendance. Our Advisor has been babbling about quitting and some of the left-over Scouts look mighty young and unsure about how to carry on. I think it is about time for a new breath of life but it looks like the coals are but dying embers. As an adult, I get kind of tired of standing around with my hands in my pockets while this boy-led program is going by the wayside but maybe that is the way of it all. I realize that all other Chapters in the world are running on all four pistons and wouldn't have a clue as to what to say since OA has so many opportunities for growth and leadership but then somebody might have a suggestion.

I also want to point out that we have about 200 Patch Wearers in our Chapter but only about 10 have ever shown up at meetings. I am in charge this year of going out and getting more Patch Wearers elected. I bet we can easily rake in another $1000. in patch sales. I suppose that it is all about collections in the 21st century. fb

Lately we have been having conversations about LNT, so forget the log and campfire and use a plastic trash bag to sit on. You can warm your instant Sanka with a portable campstove. I suppose we can navigate our conversations by the stars while munching on Granola. I guess we can still welcome you to the all new an improved Scouting Forum of the 21st Century. fb

How about this, no adult patches, no epaulets for anyone, no do-dads but with pockets large enough to hold pencil and paper on the shirt and pants. Pants that zip off at the knees that can be worn in for a swim, dry quickly, and be worn into the bushes without being torn. There has always been this military thing about Scouting but it has always been pretty distant. If we are to be military, go bush and desert camo with black strips for office and colored strips for rank, no council patches. Let the kids enjoy hiding in the bushes and running and playing games instead of looking like there is to be a drill or inspection. If people want patches, let them sew them on to banners and carry them like flags during parades or hang them on their walls for show or just toss them in a box. Patch collectors hate it when patches are sewn onto things anyway and they only want to store the hundreds that they have, so it would be a win-win. Council patches are a joke and patrols could make their own. If everyone still wants decoration, then get fancy patches for their collection but keep them off the fun uniform. It is time Scouting came out of the dark ages concerning uniforms. fb

Yes, I have been a DC and here are my suggestions.

Lets see 2/3 of the total units are LDS units that are running their own show, so out of the 188 units there are only 62 units that need UCs to help them achieve quality program status. If you assign 1 UC for every three units, then you will only need 21. You can also allow the LDS people to run their own Round Tables, thus reducing your needs to 1 BS and 1 CS Roundtable Commissioners and ADCs. This is the case unless the total driving time from one end of the District to the other (E,W and N,S) is greater than 30 minutes, then, you may have to double up on Roundtables and ADCs.

Break the 62 units down into geographical areas and then prioritize them according to past program quality status. Check your list of UCs and assign your best to the most difficult units. Make sure to keep a check on units that have more needs than a UC has repair. These units will need help from District Committee, so report to them and ask for their help. The DE doesnt ever want to lose a unit so make sure that he/she knows and let them be the valiant one. As you recruit new UCs, train them and assign them to the best units that are closest to their residence. Also, assign a mentor to each new UC.

Recruiting people to do a job for free is always difficult, mainly because people feel guilty. Guilt also keeps leaders from expecting duties to be performed with excellence.

If you are expecting Program Quality, this takes time because the role of the UC is based on their ability to know the program and their ability to befriend the unit leader. Change comes slowly and then only with the inevitable pain.

I have addressed recruiting in the past and wont go over it again. It is similar to helping people get a job. People wont get off their chair long enough to reach out or they get so burdened with sadness when the one person they recruited backs out so they just stop.

Achieving a Quality District for this first year is a big goal and most likely not achievable, so set your sights on a three to five year plan instead. You probably wont get another patch for your collection if you fail for a couple of years but helping units achieve quality status means that more Scouts will stay in the program longer, an even bigger goal. fb

Good point, now to add it to my todo's.

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How we kept our ship afloat by fb

People will show up to watch a one man show anytime but you will find that the Cubs get really bored.

This is what I call a sinking ship. Nobody, not even the rats, stay on board during that drill.

We had a CM that was good but he did it all. The Scouts sat on tables and watched and so did the parents. I asked the CM over for coffee one night and we discussed using the themes of the month. The big idea was to ask each den to do one part of the meeting only. (Eureka!, No. Show Me you Dodo.) The first meeting was October and everyone dressed in costumes, including the parents. For the next few meetings we followed the themes and dressed up and built costumes, props and had games. Everyone joined in the fray.

This is what I can a ship that is not sinking. When people find fun they want to be a part of it. It is like a party! People like parties.

We began to ask people to do one big thing per year (time limited). We identified a few that were enjoying themselves and they accepted. Their defenses were down but they knew that we were going someplace fun so they wanted to do their part which made it even more fun.

This is what I call a Group that is aboard a ship that is having fun. People like to join a group. People run when they see a few brave souls doing everything. Martyrdom is not fun. People avoid it like the plague or something.

Then we had a few meetings to plan our fun and we called it a Committee Meeting but we made that fun as well. We had cookies and punch and kept the fun down to an hour.

That is what I call a ship that is sailing smoothly that has a destination.

Our activities and plans got bigger and so did our group. More Fun.

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Single parent family or Two parent family or extended family?

Choose one of the above to help do all of the chores.

Choose one of the above to make life easier and more fun.

Same answer in Cub Scouting.

Just in case I was not clear, a committee is like an extended family.

One parent per Scout signs on to do one job, one event, or do one big thing every year.

They get to resign at the end of each year, be recognized and then they get to choose what they want to do for the next year, no exceptions.

The main job of the CC is to coordinate all of the people/work and the main job of the CM is to make sure that the CC knows what jobs need to be filled. They may also work together.

When the CM and DLs do all of the work, then there are more chores to be done by the few and like the single parent family, everything can be done but everyone is exhausted all of the time. Cub Scouting needs to be fun for everyone. It is a great program. fb

Many of the issues that we discuss in this Forum are training issues. It may be that people have not gone to training or it may be that they have gone but the amount of time spent on issues is minimal or the trainers may have cut it short. Achieving the proper amount and the right kind is difficult because people complain of a lack of time all of the time.

I suggest that training be mandatory and that a person be expected to obtain a license by exam before they can engage the program. I suggest that the Commissioner's Corps be expected to check to ensure that the basic Scouting program is being engaged and if it is not, then the unit be put on probation with a mentor until they achieve threshold skills. There is so much leeway in the program now that it is surprising that it works or then may be it does. fb