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jmcquillan

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Everything posted by jmcquillan

  1. Our Council has been rather unsuccessful to date in getting one of the new WB courses off the ground. It would seem that the 3-day (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) issue is the problem. Getting that Friday time off from work is pretty much a no-go for many, and the courses aren't filling up to the minimum. Anyone else seeing that?
  2. With regard to High School sports, as the SM, I had a policy whereby Scouts would not be required to make the choice between Scouts and sports. When Scouts in High School came to their sports season, they all knew, for I told them, that they were free to take the time and give 100% to their sport. I was, and still am, a believer in giving of yourself 100% in a few things, rather than trying to accomplish many, and only being able to give 75% or less to each. They were required to simply advise me by written note or letter, in advance, that they would be absent from troop activities between the
  3. Well, as I remember it, being responsible for ones own actions, needs, and schedules is something we attempt to instill in the boys who participate in scouting. That doesn't happen overnight, of course. My policy used to be that New Scouts and younger Scouts were watched and "reminded" by older experienced Scouts, ASM's, and perhaps other interested and trained adult participants at first. As time went by, These new and younger Scouts were left more and more to their own devices to carry the weight of personal responsibility. Of course, that trail left plenty of room for error and failure
  4. I'm not particularly religious in the standard "organized religion" sense. My wife and I both grew up in a Congregationalist Protestant church and were even married there. In the years since, we've grown somewhat distant from the "church", but not from that which we call God. Our God is not defined in strict terms as organized faiths may define him/her...but he/she is there for us all the time, and we've never questioned his/her existence...just the terms by which he/she might be defined in organized religion. Something is there. Something watches over us. Something guides us, if we ask for gu
  5. Well, I guess the kids I've worked with over the years didn't fit the BSA statistical mold. Sure, we had kids reaching First Class by first years end, but we didn't preach it, and we didn't make it our most important goal. Practically all of our boys made first class by the middle of or end of the second year. And we hardly ever lost a Scout. Our program was pretty impressive, IMHO, and it kept the boys coming back for more, but of course, I'm a little prejudice there. :-)
  6. I may be wrong on this, but it was my understanding that the new policy on merit badge counselors required that names, addresses, and other pertinent information for each and every merit badge counselor be sent to the Council offices both for record, and for distribution to the districts. The districts could then use this information for keeping their lists current and active. It was also my understanding that merit badge counselors could, at their own request and instructions, be listed as "district" counselors, or strictly "troop" counselors (their own troop). Do I have this correct?
  7. Bob said... The BSA doesn't say a boy who can't self administer is on his own. They are saying to parents that if your son cannot self administrate,. the leader is not required to, YOU should go camping to help meet the medical needs of your child. Ed said... Requiring a parent to go on camping trips just because their son needs his medication could be punishment for both the parent & child. It could also be detrimental to the Troop. I think we need to make a distinction here between levels and types of medication, and perhaps talk about self-adminstration. At the
  8. I have never been a fan of door to door sales. Neither were any of the adult leaders or other parents in the troop. So...we never did door to door sales. We did, at one time, do candy sales outside places like supermarkets, post office, banks, etc. But never popcorn. We always sold candy. We had the benefit of having Scouts who knew how to make the long, sad face that seemed to say, "Please help us...we're homeless!" Quite amusing to watch, and we did sell a lot of candy, and we did generate a lot of donations. But, as time went by, we sought other methods of generating funds for the troo
  9. In other words, I have no idea....but the above makes as much sense as reality most likely.:-)
  10. The art of setting boundaries (gerrymandering) is an ancient political art form still practiced by both the United States Congress, and the House and Senate of each individual state. The object of this practice, is to avoid, at all costs, any logic or sense of continuity. None, on the face of this planet, have mastered the practice better than those who count themselves among the legislators of this great country. The traditions, though, are passed down from those great halls to countless agencies and organizations throughout the country, and the BSA has made the practice of the art a fascinat
  11. le Voyageur Might not this also be a simple case of name recognition? Red Cross and YMCA have a better name recognition out there in the great American public. They've been doing the Lifeguard thing publicly for quite a while. The BSA has been doing it for quite a while, too, but my sense is that we haven't been doing it as publicly. Perhaps within the framework of any proposed change to the program, a greater exposure to the public eye of just what the BSA Lifeguard program entails might do wonders for public and private acceptance of the certification?
  12. Rooster, So, we are to assume that a pedophile priest is a heterosexual? If we were going to assume anything about his "orientation", it seems to me it would be he is a homosexual. These guys are molesting boys not girls. Regardless, if my presumption is unfair, your presumption is doubly unfair. My point, if made badly, I apologize, if made well, then....was to illustrate that painting the gay community by virtue of the wrongs done by a few is not acceptable, just as painting the Catholic Church by virtue of the wrongs done by a few would be wrong. You have already made the choice t
  13. Rooster, 1) Your "100 fold" statement isn't very factual. You're absolutely correct, it's merely a guess on my part. And that guess is based on the local and national news I read everyday. And that news contains far more crimes against children and adults by heterosexuals than gays. Lately it even contains more crimes against children by priests than by gays. But you right, I have no facts to back up my 100 fold guess. 2) While you and others can point to various case studies and make claims about the homosexual community, only those specific families know what is going on in t
  14. OGE My Question is, does anybody know if there has been a study on the sexual orientation of the children of gay couples? And next, depending on the outcome would that prove/disprove the inborn trait/consious choice argument? Did you have a chance to watch the entire show with Rosie O'Donnell, et al? During that show, the couple you refer to was interviewed, as were the children they've adopted (outside of Florida) and the foster care children they have, including the one the state is trying to take away. A couple of "experts" interviewed during that program stated quite unequivocall
  15. Anyone care to take a stab at a comparison between the various programs (YMCA, Red Cross, BSA, and others)? I'm no expert in the area, and would be quite interested in how the BSA program stacks up against the others. Where do the others surpass the BSA, if at all? Where does BSA do a better job? Etc?
  16. I don't know of any BSA prohibitions on serving in both capacities. In fact, I know two gentlemen here in Massachusetts who do just that. They're both retired, though, and have ample time to devote to the needs of the positions. As FScouter indicated, it's a whole lot of work to commit yourself to , even if you're blessed with a multitude of others willing to serve as Assistants to you. Good Luck, but be sure of how much you're biting off, here.
  17. The lack of individual testing at your summer camp is less a comment on the valitity of the BSA merit badge methods and more a question of the quality of instruction allowed at your summer camp. Remember there are hundreds of summer camps in the country and most follow these rules without any problem. I do not doubt that there are summer camps out there that have sufficient staffing to provide the individual attention necessary during merit badge sessions, and testing. I've seen at least 3 that would qualify. But I also know, from personal experience, having visited 27 summer camps in my
  18. "The problem with group instruction is that it often leads to group testing and evaluation. The Advancement Policies states specifically that all testing is to be done on an individual basis." One wonders how this can be, in light of the standard "group" merit badge instruction associated with just about every BSA Council Summer Camp? I would agree that individual testing is best, but would also argue that individual testing at summer camps, while desirable, is not reality.
  19. LongHaul, Do you have a direct link to information that would support the statement that BSA policy says that earning Eagle required merit badges within the troop is NOT encouraged? I did a quick websearch and only found a reference by the following statement: "Working with a merit badge counselor gives Scouts contact with an adult with whom they might not be acquainted. This is a valuable experience. The Scouts could be shy and fearful in this new situation, so the counselor must see that the counseling session is relaxed, informal, and friendly." That statement would indicate
  20. There are a lot of services like that out there, but I don't have one with me. They're referred to as "Scouts Own" services, and can be found on the web quite easily by using those keywords in any good search engine. Here's a link to one: http://www.macscouter.com/ScoutsOwn/
  21. I'll second Bob's last post. The goal is not to fill each and every position available to the Scouts...especially in small troops. Small troop, and all troops for that matter, should focus on the positions that are quite necessary for the running of the troop. Bugler, Historian, and Librarian are not quite as important as SPL, ASPL, and PL. If the troop gains sufficient numbers to man all the positions, that's wonderful. Otherwise, focus on those that are necessary, and the number of Scout available to fill them. Let the others go until numbers and experience are available for them. Doubling u
  22. I'd have to agree with the others. Don't do it. We don't even assign ASMs to "active" duty with patrols...any patrols...not even new patrols. We're blessed with quite a few Scouts, and our retention of older Scouts is good. Our SPL has 5 ASPLs, and 8 Troop Guides. The Troop uses the Troop Guide position as "older Scout mentors" for each and every Patrol Leader and the New Scout Patrol. Boys leading boys. There is one ASM who is asked to keep an eye on the New Scout patrol, but from a distance so the Scouts can perform the duties of their positions. Adding Dad's to the mix only drags alon
  23. As for A & B, these things are going to happen all the time, especially with new scouts entering the troop yearly, and others not yet being quite up to snuff on procedures. Having witnessed these things myself, I've simply asked the nearest Scout to find the SPL and ask him to see me. Then I'd explain what I had seen, and ask him what he thought should be done, and if I agreed with his assessment, I'd ask him to see that things were fixed, and that the guilty parties be shown the correct ways of doing things, so that they might not do it again, and explanations be made regarding sanitation
  24. The only time I've ever "appointed" and SPL was when I was asked to serve as SM for a troop other than my own to try to help save the troop from an oncoming demise. Circumstances, that I will not go into, left a troop in a nearby town with little but first and second year Scouts, and their parents. Some of the parents had gone to training, but none were ready to "jump-in" and follow the trail alone. I was asked to help. So, along with two other volunteer adult leaders from my own troop, and two older Scouts from our troop, we jumped in feet first to get them back on their feet. At the first me
  25. Boy...I'm glad I'm not in troops where you guys are. There seems to be an awful lot of attendance to the "nobility" of the SM...and the sacrifices made by the SM....what about the "nobility", and "sacrifices" made by the young man who has worked hard to get to the point he's at? What about a little respect for the Scout that has all but made it? Or, is that respect only earned at the point of a pair of scissors? How sad that some feel that way. Just what does any of that have to do with the Scout and his long hair? Please...tell me. Are you saying that although the Scout is admirable and
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