jmwalston

I would have to say Karnak was right. 7 years is the amount of time for those presently registered in Scouting to age out.

"We could throw money at the problem!" How will this help? You apparently are under the impression that this solution hasn't been tried before. The U.S. government has spent billions on social programs and can't eradicate it. Money doesn't overcome the mindset. "We did get one great kid who really enjoyed it. The problem was that most of his African American friends really made fun of him for being a Scout." A big part of Scouting is acceptance and friendship. The example above shows you how the mindset came defeat the program regardless of the money available.

In the case of my post, which apparently raise some ire, all the Scouts in the Troop are former Webelos. The Den Chiefs attached to the Webelos dens of the feeder packs work with the Den Leaders on making sure all Webelos have completed Whittlin' Chip, even if already taken previously.

We have it in are area (District). It is hard to get a grasp on the program. It was started with through the auspices of a prominent Hispanic spokesperson in our community. But apparently, there is only a desire to do the soccer part, not incorporate any Cub Scouting into the program. Our DE has mentioned that there is a marked indifference to push the Cub Scouting angle.

I just came back from the National Scout Shop near my Council. There are only canvas switchbacks presently in stock. This shop is attached to the National warehouse in Charlotte, NC. If it doesn't have it, they aren't out there. Looked over the shirts, if you are a Commissioner who has the Arrowhead Award, get long-sleeves. All the short-sleeve shirts, regardless of size, have the shoulder pocket attached just above the sleeve cuff. No room for the award unless it is sewn on top of the cuff. The staff at the shop were wearing the uniform, doesn't look that good after any activity in it.

I must say I'm not sure on my feelings regarding the new uniform. I've seen several posts in this forum about how good it actually looks, that it is very similar to the older one being replaced, etc. But every picture I've seen of it on the Scout Stuff site is pretty bad. And what is up with the weird Zoolander BSA image? All the boys wearing the uniform look like they've just walked down a modeling runway and given the audience the "look." Then when you click on the ordering site, the uniform really looks like a poorly fitted item. The Webelos switchbacks also look like the older shade

"If you think all your kids can hang for 17 miles, and you think it will add significant value towards the Cycling Pin, go for it. Are your kids conditioned such that a 17 mile ride isn't going to have parents reaching for the muscle ointment the next couple days?" Good question. Next one would be are the adults conditioned for the ride? I have noticed on some campouts that the Cubs have reserves of energy the adults are lacking.

"THIS JUST IN Posted yesterday by jmwalston: "I thought Whittlin' Chip taught proper use and safety of a pocket knife. Totin' Chip taught proper use and safety of a bow saw, hatchet, and ax. In the Troop I work with, Scouts must have Whittlin' Chip to use or carry a pocket knife on outings." Refutation: http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/advancementandawards/meritbadges/totin.aspx Key sentences from the website: 2 Demonstrate proper handling, care, and use of the pocket knife, ax, and saw. 3 Use knife, ax, and saw as tools, not playthings." John, 1. Fo

I thought Whittlin' Chip taught proper use and safety of a pocket knife. Totin' Chip taught proper use and safety of a bow saw, hatchet, and ax. In the Troop I work with, Scouts must have Whittlin' Chip to use or carry a pocket knife on outings. Troop works on Totin' Chip yearly. We don't cut corners on cards, SM has offenders spend a couple of hours on camp service clearing underbrush on trails.

"I'm working on getting the patrols to utilize skills in their games. But a patrol would rather play basketball than bring the material to splint 8 arms. "Steal the Bacon" takes no planning, having a contest involving lashings does. When I try to steer them to something than might require a little effort I get cries of "I thought we were boy led!"" If that is their choice, then so be it. However, as noted, they are not checking off advancement requirements, therefore they will not advance. Only applies to 2nd Class and Tenderfoot trying to advance, what about the others? Have your SM C

Trev, That doesn't guarantee anything. Even the Amish let their children reflect and make a life choice when they reach adulthood. And did you know that the Klan charges dues to be a member? Hate ain't alway free.

"I agree, but that assumes that the Scout learned the skill in the first place. What I'm trying to say is I have Life Scouts who cannot build a fire, bandage a sprained ankle or stop an arterial bleed. Someone signed them off on all of these things. I can't take their T-2-1 away from them and I can't stop them from earning their Eagle. But it would be irresponsible for me to allow them to sign off other scouts on S2d-f, S6a and F8b. I can provide them an opportunity to learn these skills and create a culture were these skills are regularly used. Making sure that PLs know these skills is only a

Can't say it makes them "regressive." Just proactive in their child's (children's) exposures. You can teach equality, you can teach morality, you can teach tolerance. You can demonstrate them repeatedly. But ultimately, the child will decide what he/she will accept as their personal standards.

There is actually a MacLaren sett for a kilt. http://stores.channeladvisor.com/Stillwater-Kilts/Items/swk-sk-ml?&caSKU=swk-sk-ml&caTitle=Men's%20SWK%20Standard%20Kilt-%20MacLaren%20Tartan%20W/%20FREE%20Flashes!

"What message? That you should know a skill if you want to test people on it. I'm not sure how that is bad. Looking over the Patrol Leader Handbook I see that the Patrol Leader is to "Encourage patrol members to complete their own advancement requirements". What I don't find is anything stating or implying that they would be testing the members in the patrol. Of the four steps of advancement Learning is primarily the PLC's responsibility (either within the patrol or as a troop), Testing is the Scoutmaster's, Review is the committee's and Recognition it the troop's. I will not preventing anyone

If you choose who can be SPL (the SPL chooses his ASPL), then it isn't a boy-led troop. You are determining who can and can not be a leader, not the boys. If it is a matter of experience and training determining who can be elected, then it comes down to who gets the training. Just because you are trained doesn't mean you are the best for the job. Experience isn't necessarily an indicator either. Otherwise, Barak Obama would be the wrong candidate for the DP. If a Patrol elects a PL who you determine isn't qualified to check off on rank requirements, then how is the Patrol method goin

Change the PLC meetings. They currently meet for an hour before the committee meetings, which forces them to finish in an hour. "I'd like to move the meeting to a different night, start with a half hour "Greenbar Patrol" meeting to help teach them how to conduct patrol meetings and to give them a way to try out new games and ways to teaching skills. Then allow them to have their hour planning for the month ahead." That sounds reasonable, it will also let the boys have time to pause and reflect. "Have the PLC plan the month using the Troop Program Features. I suggested this to t

"So I have eared in my program in developing a SPL with a strong sense of the patrol method. No amount of death by power point, SPL manual reviews, one-on-ones will change this scout's opinion that the Patrol method is a flawed method. He is a transferred scout who entered my program 8 months ago as a tenderfoot at age 14 with no PL or POR experience. I am tempted to ask for a contact at his old unit to see if they actually did disband the patrol method." He must have been a heck of a popular Scout to get elected SPL. Point out to him that boy-led is an inclusive term, meaning all the boy

Pack 212, The Bobcat before any rank requirement was instituted this past year. It wouldn't be in an older addition Tiger Cub book.

Oooooh! Or we could bring back the olive gaiters to wear over boots with them!

jet526, I really like the kilt. They even have in a close shade of olive.

I have to disagree, Brotherhood. To begin with the statement that maybe the handbook is in error is odd. To contact National because you want a concise, exact ruling sounds more like you want the OA sash to take precedence. It is an honor society, but the handbook is clear, the sash is worn when representing the OA for special services. A special service at a troop function would be, IMO, a call out or when asked to tell the troop about the OA and its services. I always assumed we wore flaps when active, and the dangle to denote membership, whether active or otherwise. "For Arrowmen

"My son wore his first six merit badges on his sleeve." As did mine. Then again, not a lot of Scouts have long sleeve shirts in the South.

"I didnt think there was such a thing as a Venturing Roundtable, A Venturing Forum perhaps but a rose by any other name..." I wasn't aware they were called Venturing Forums. In my District, they are referred to as Venturing Roundtable. They do meet on a separate night and at a separate location from the Cub and Boy Scout Roundtable.

The knots that may be worn on a Scout's uniform are, I believe, the Youth Religious Program knot, the Honor Medal knot, the Medal of Heroism knot, the Medal of Merit knot, the Hornaday Medal knot, the Venturing Silver Award knot, the Venturing Leadership Award knot, and the James E. West Fellowship knot. I am not sure about the Quartermaster knot and the OA Distinguished Service Award knot.