Glenn

Thanks for the responses. How do you create a barrier without hanging the material from the ceiling? I am assuming that we would have to bring some type of 10 foot poles and lash them?

We only have one camping area nearby that has separate rooms in the cabin. This would satisfy the requirements. However, the boys would be bored to do the same area November, December, and January.

If we choose to tent camp during these months, I believe a lot of the parents would not allow their children to attend. Perhaps we as leaders need to be better informed on how to successfully tent camp in cold temperatures. Ideas on this would be welcome also.

P.S. My replies will be limited as I will be traveling for work this week. Hopefully I can dial in a couple times to read and respond.

For those of you who Cabin camp during the winter months, I have a question about a requirement in the "Guide to Safe Scouting". The guide states that adults and children of the SAME sex may share a "sleeping room". So unless the cabin has separate rooms, this means that any woman that wishes to camp, must have a separate cabin. For the women volunteers of this forum, is this how your troop functions? Again, I find this requirement overly restrictive, and will limit our winter camping choices.

Thanks again for your thoughts and responses.

For those of you who Cabin camp during the winter months, I have a question about a requirement in the "Guide to Safe Scouting". The guide states that the men(women will be addressed in a separate thread) and boys must be separated by a temporary wall of some sort (the guide suggests hanging sheets). My question is how many troops actually do this? Some of the cabins we camp at have very high ceilings, which would make this requirement hard to fulfill.

I feel that as long as we follow the two deep leadership and minimum # of scouts, this temporary wall is not needed.

Thanks again for your thoughts and responses.

Once again, thanks for all of your input. I sent a link to this thread to all of our committee members to read. Hopefully, some of them will sign up and become active forum members.

I will post the outcome of all of this once it is decided and after this den crosses over (to our troop or some other one).

Ed (evmori),

I realize it's the boys decision but this leader told us his boys are moving as a group (after voting on which one to join). I am not sure if all the boys agree with this or not.

To all others,

This will be our second year of 15+ first years. The truth of the matter is we do not NEED this den. However, the leader is actually an Eagle Scout, quite knowledgable, and very involved in Scouting. Therefore some committee members really want him to join our troop.

Something that I forgot to mention, is the Webelos leader called our council to ask about this. If the 9 year old registers in cub scouts (even without attending any den meetings), he will be covered by insurance so our troop liability is limited.

Once again, thanks for all the replies.

The committee meeting was held yesterday and the Webelos leader came in and made his pitch. I was wrong in one regard. The boys have a parent that is uninterested in their kids doing any type of extra-curricular activity and it is actually the grandmother who believes strongly enough in the Scouting program to bring the boys to Scouts. She also has attended every campout her two grandsons have attended and is asking for separate accommadations when we do cabin camping (twice a year).

I agree with everyone above the problem was started two (or more) years ago when the younger boy was allowed to join his older brother's den. But the facts are that the boy has basically done the requirements for the Arrow of Light. Whether the pack actually awards him this achievement remains to be seen. Since the boy is still in third grade, he should not have been allowed to do this.

Some suggestions were given to the Webelos leader:

1) Wait one year (for either the younger boy or both) and then join the troop.

2) Asked if help driving the older boy to and from the meetings would alleviate the grandmother's concerns. Not really because there are no plans for having the younger boy "re-join" a Webelos den.

3) We explained the difference in maturity between a 9 year old and a 13 year old (let alone between him and older scouts). Wasn't a concern of the Webelos leader or the grandmother since the grandmother planned on attending all campouts.

Since the committee meeting was running behind, no final decision was made. But I am sure the Webelo's leader (by the way, this leader made it clear that it was all of his boys or none) and the grandmother would like a decision quickly. I am going to share this thread with the committee members so they can peruse all of your thoughts. Hopefully, we can then come to a decision next meeting.

Thanks again,

Glenn(This message has been edited by Glenn)

First off, thanks for the responses so far.

To answer some of the questions, the mother (single mom) does not want to have two different meetings/campouts for her two sons. She does not feel she will be able to transport them to two different weekly meetings.

Secondly, the Webelos den leader has let the boy attend his meetings for the past two years. So I believe the 9 year old will have received his Arrow of Light. Whether this is actually legitimate or not, I have no idea.

Thanks again,

Glenn

We had the Webelo's leader tell us that one of the boy's mother will not let her older son (11 years old - Arrow of Light) join a Troop unless her younger son (9 years old) could also join. We are going to discuss this in our committee meeting tonight (2/10/2003) and would like know the official policies.

I have a few questions:

1) Am I correct in stating that there is minimum age before registering for Boy Scouts? Which manual is this stated in?

2) If only the older boy joins the troop, can the younger boy attend campouts? What are the insurance ramifications of this? If the younger scout is registered as a Cub Scout, would he still be covered by insurance? Again, what manual deals with this?

3) Has anybody else ever dealt with this?

It is my opinion that the 9 year old is too young and the Troop should flatly state that we can not allow him to attend any meetings and/or campouts.

Lastly, I believe this was discussed about a year ago but I could not find the thread. If any of you know which thread it was, please point it out instead of repeating information.

Thanks in advance,

Glenn

Thanks ASM for reminding us of the reason for the season.

And thank you NJ for your wishes. And may you have a happy holiday season.

According to Dr. Laura Schlesinger (no Jewish expert but definitely an orthodox Jew), the Menorah is a religious symbol.

In fact, if you re-read the article, it mentions that the Supreme Court has ruled before that the Menorah is a religious symbol.

Rooster,

If I understand correctly, the Muslim people are supposed to be descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Agar (an Egyptian I believe). Ishmael was promised by God to "have a great nation". As you know, Isaac was the future of the Hebrew people. Ishmael's "nation" became the Muslim people.

I couldn't find the BSA descriptions, but here is one troops description and requirements:

http://www.usscouts.org/clipart/scoutdoc/troops/trooppositions.doc

I think the biggest reason to give them the badges is as Eagle74 said, it may bring them back. Probably not, but they did earn them.

Sorry, can't seem to get the previous post to look correct. Hopefully, you can find the first aid document's url in that mess.

As a merit badge counselor, I have always liked to give the scouts the worksheets found at www.usscouts.org (the first aid one is First Aid doc ).

I tell them they do not have to fill the form out, but it would be helpful for THEM to do this so they know the material when I meet with them. Also, I let them know if they have problems with any area, call me and we can discuss it.(This message has been edited by Glenn)

OGE,

Great story. And it's also great that your son handles his situation so well.

As one who worked in Asheboro, NC for three years, I can tell you it is a typical small southern town. Fairly conservative and active in the Bible Belt leanings (whole county was dry - twice in my three years there they voted against allowing restuarants serving alcohol).

As for the guard, I feel he was being insubordinate. As someone else mentioned, he should have petitioned the state to allow the flag(s), and should not have begun to wear it without permission.

Mike,

Congratulations Mike. Children are certainly a blessing from God.

A couple questions Bob.

You listed getting first year scouts to First Class in one year. Would this include those boys that only show up 50-75% of the time? Our troop provides an opportunity for each boy to earn First Class within 1 year IF they attend all the outings and meetings. But if a boy misses a meeting, we leave it up to them to complete the work. Do you behave differently?

We have semi-annual Courts of Honor. Is the quarterly COH necessary or helpful? Do you hold these in place of the regularly scheduled troop meeting or on a different night?

ASM,

I believe you are describing adaptation, not evolution. A species will "adapt" to their surroundings and gain or lose features. However, evolution teaches that one species can "evolve" into another species.

In our troop, the adults do not pay for food for weekend camping. The troop picks this up. They do pay for their own gas except if the trip is long (150+ miles). Then the troop pays for their gas. If there is a fee with the trip, then the adults pay all of it.

For special trips like Philmont, the adult is responsible for all fees. If we drive to somewhere like that, all car riders must share in the cost of gas (boys and adults).

God created the universe. God created each and every species that exists now or has ever existed. Two special humans, Adam and Eve, were given souls and the freedom of choice to listen to God or not. We continue to have that freedom of choice.

No proof has ever been given that one species evolved into another species. Within each species, adaptaption (i.e. development of a characteristic to enhance their survivability) does occur.

Our troop welcomes any and all parents who wish to attend. While camping, the boys are exptected to function within their own patrol. No parent is allowed to "take over" but if they wish to help the newer scouts (help pitch a tent, etc.) they are not discouraged.

Our Scoutmaster will eventually ask the parents to get training if they regularly attend the campouts. But he does not require this before they camp with the troop.

We find this is the best way to get willing drivers. If I was asked monthly to drive 6 hours over the weekend without the benefits of camping, I don't believe I would remain with the Troop very long.(This message has been edited by Glenn)

I have helped out on two different Eagle projects this past year and the Scoutmaster was not present at either one. If he/she does attend, it should be as a helper, not a leader.