Stosh

If OA is a Boy Scout honor society, how is it that anyone would think it something open to Venturing in the first place? They are two entirely different programs unless a scout is registered in both programs. Even then the double registration is valid only in Boy Scouts because no elections have ever been done in the Venturing program for OA. If a scout registers in both programs and basically does not follow through with a commitment to both, it would jeopardize their ability to get into OA. It would be no different for a scout to be a Boy Scout SPL working on rank and then never showing

One of the problems I have been facing the past few years is summer camps have gotten away from Blue Cards and instead issue a computer printout of the MB records "signed" by the camp director. Generally these records are woefully inaccurate. Some of my boys attended all five days of the MB and got NOTHING checked off INCLUDING attendance in the class. The boy's attendance and some of the accomplishments were collaborated by boys in the unit that did get credit. For all I know some boy who DIDN'T show up for the MB got full credit in the mix-up. Communicating with the camp afterwards w

I don't know if it will get any traction in your troop, but BSA is traditionally boy-led. Maybe it's time to follow BSA policy and this is a simple way to start it out. When my boys were disenchanted with our local council, I simply stated, pick out any camp in the United States you would like to go to. They did an internet search of the internet and came up with Freeland Leslie. At the time I didn't even know it existed. They wanted to go there and we went there, it was only an hour and a half drive away. It was an easy choice for me as SM, because the boys took ownership of the process

I did not come up with the Prancy title for this gal. The situation was brought up to me by my female ASM who used this term to describe the girl's actions in front of the boys. She asked me my advice on how to approach a member of a different unit. Does she go to the girl's leaders or just handle the situation. I suggested she address the issue directly with the girl and I would back her up. We concurred that it should be a female scouter confronting the girl. The girl went back to her camp and came back dressed appropriately and sat quietly in the crowd with her unit. Nothing mo

As I posted in my original comment about the gal's choice of wardrobe, one will notice it was my FEMALE ASM who handled the situation and that was after we had discussed it. We both agreed it would be better if SHE handled it. Yes, one's sex has a direct affect on each and every situation in a co-ed group. It has nothing to do with bullying or condescending comments Prancy Susie goes home and says: "MRS. Smith berated me about my clothing in front of everyone at camp." Mom will probably ask if what she was wearing and how she was wearing it was appropriate. On the other hand sh

One may have an all girls troop along with an all boys troop, same for patrols, packs, dens etc. etc. and great elaborate lengths will be gyrated at charter/recharter time to accommodate all this. But when it comes to any district or council or out-of-council events, it's a moot point. Kinda like the old smoking section of the bar or restaurant, or better yet, the peeing section of the pool. It just doesn't work well when logic is applied.

I don't sew the plastic backing, I snag the embroidered edge and pull it back under the plastic backing. No stitches show if done right.

It's not blame, it's just that Will knows how to do everything!!!

For all those scouters out there, there's a whole new learning curve out there not yet tapped by National BSA. This does not surprise me one bit! The authorities will ALWAYS!!! take the side of the youth. It is as if KIDS CAN"T LIE at this age. YPT two adults AT ALL TIMES whe dealing with youth in a difficult situation. YPT is NOT for the youth's protection as I have said multiple times, it is for the SCOUTER's protection!! Ever get called out of your place of work to "discuss outside" something with the local police department? It's no fun. Fortunately I had multiple w

OA will not be known also as Order of the Amazons.

Last summer.... Scout/Venturing activity at council camp.... Venturing girl wearing short-shorts and t-shirt with knot in bottom... Spent her time "prancing" (not my description) in front of the boys.... Kept it up until my female ASM confronted her and told her to go get dressed and come back when she's ready to behave. It happens, and it will happen again. This is just the beginning. With 45+ year working with co-ed groups, I can assure everyone this is only the beginning.

When one can't debate the topic, attack the other person. It seems to be the new norm in our culture. Kinda sad.

One would also wonder if personal attacks are holding up the integrity of Scout Spirit.

It is my recommendation to my Life Scouts to get a copy of their "official" status with National and then reconcile it before their EBOR. I don't know if it was just good record keeping on the part of the Troop or what, but I never had a boy not reconcile his achievements well in advance of his EBOR. The Eagle committee reviewed the information, but the EBOR never asked for any of that "prove to me you've earned the Eagle, business." Either they earned it or not.... well before they got to the EBOR.

Okay, just a clarification here..... We have helicopter parents..... We have helicopter committee members..... Are we now faced with helicopter EBOR members?

What's the insurance ramifications for "family". Would a non-custodial "step-dad" be covered? How will he fit into YPT? He is not a parent nor legal guardian and not registered as a scouter. Could get interesting.

Only the parents and court designated legal guardians or anyone with blood relations out to the 4th and 5th generation? or how about step-parents? and the list goes on and on. Going to make YPT a nightmare.

Sorry for the confusion.... Public access is not automatic if the land surrounding the lake is a single owner. Multiple owners is a whole different ball game. Then public access completely around the lake is required, thus the trail is public access and the lake is controlled by the DNR, not a single owner.

If one owns the land all the way around a lake or pond in Wisconsin, one does not need to have public access to it. Rivers are an exception, Even if one owns land on both sides of the river, they cannot restrict anyone from traveling across the land as long as they stay afloat. In Iowa if the DNR stocks a farm pond for fishing on someone's property, they have to close it off for so many years and then make public access to it for fishing. One also has to remember that even if the public has access to a lake, does not mean it has access to any private docks or shoreline around the lak

Welcome to the forum. Your experiences are just as valuable on this forum as ours.

Generally speaking, rigging a sail in the BWCA is illegal.

I'm thinking the one patrol troops tend to be either failing troops or new troops. Both exhibit a different dynamic. Failing troops might have an older scout that could help with instruction of the younger boys, but new troops are at a distinct disadvantage. With my new troop I just used the GBB patrol training, gave them the literature (which they basically ignored) and let them struggle through the learning curve, giving support when asked. It's basically like running a NSP with no TG or other POR support. They're getting there. I spend my time training the adults to follow the lea

I thought this was the Issues & Politics section. My mistake.

In a one patrol troop, the SPL's function is very limited in a supportive role, unless that SPL takes on more than just SPL. If he functions as QM, TG, etc, and various other hats in that small situation, I can see a bit more opportunity for the SPL. But as a further caveat to that situation, would he then be taking away opportunities from the various patrol members (under GBB format) of holding those positions within the patrol. I could conceivably see a figurehead SPL that functions as a generalist with many hats, helping the PL, the APL, the patrol QM, the patrol Scribe, etc. develop