Kahuna

Beavah pretty much has stated my point of view. Having been part of a 65+ boy troop over a period of years, it really does come down to the adult leaders being able to deal with that kind of thing. It definitely doesn't mean the patrol method has to suffer at all. It does mean that training PLs is critical and having an SPL who can handle it. Of course, after a while the PLs and the SPLs don't know any other way of doing things. One advantage of a big troop is that you can have a dozen or so trained adult leaders. Again, the offset is there has to be an SM who can keep them from taking o

"I wonder how common it was in those days?" Not very common at all. I don't recall anyone over 21 getting Eagle in the 1950's & 1960's. In fact, I remember some leaders discussing it in disdainful terms. "It's a boys award." That kind of thing.

"Price: $24.95" And don't forget you still have to buy a binder.

According to National, the new Sea Scout manual is now available from Scoutstuff and whatever Scout Shops that may have them. Price: $24.95. Loose leaf and updates will be downloadable from the net. Apparently, the price does not include a binder.

"Social Security has been the most successful government program in history, and can continue to be so with some modest, common sense adjustements." WHAT?

Sounds like a good time for a sit down meeting with the SE and possible the Council President. I know that happens, and I understand why (I used to be a DE) but it ain't right.

"there any sort of research archives, either for the BSA" As has been pointed out, there are archives at Irving and Philmont. However, they won't let you into the ones at Irving and the people there cannot find anything you ask about. At Philmont you can go in and do your own research. I found a lot of material there.

Prof writes: Bill Murry was at his best in that! That's a fact, Jack!

"Now, does anyone know if there has ever been a BSA Scouter, other than GBB, who had 5 or more WB beads?" I can't name any, but whoever became Deputy Camp Chief for the US after Bill would have.

"Just remember, there was only 1 "five bead" scouter!" Not so, UCF! There have been a number of 5 beaders and a couple of 6 beaders. The Director of Training at Gilwell wears 6, as did B-P. I don't know how many 5 beaders there have been, but Bill Hillcourt had 5, one of which was an original Dinizulu bead.

Well, that's Norton for you.

My thoughts on pushing are very little or none at all. It certainly doesn't hurt for parents to encourage their boys to participate, but I don't think it's up to them or the troop leadership to push them. The troop is there to make the program available and certainly the SM can ask at conference time whether the Scout has plans to advance further. Seems to me it's just up to the kid. Some of them just want to be part of Scouting and have fun and that's fine with me. We were always proud of our Eagles and had a special plaque on display, but we never emphasized how many we had.

Howdy! I'm another Central Floridian and was on staff at the Jamboree - Merit Badge Midway. Welcome.

Shortridge writes: "A Scout first expresses an interest in a particular merit badge by letting his unit leader know. To get him started, the leader may give him a signed Application for Merit Badge (blue card) along with the name and telephone number of a district/council approved merit badge counselor. That's why the assigning, Gary. That's how it's supposed to work." The key word in that excerpt is "may." The point is that the Scout finds a district approved counselor. I have never heard of MBC's being assigned. Nothing wrong with giving him some names and phone numb

There was a discussion about this prior to the Jamboree. I finally bought a pair from Bass. When I got to the Jambo, I found that, of the several people working in my area who wore Venturing uniform, none were wearing the official shorts. I found mine very comfortable and a lot cheaper than the BSA ones.

NJCubScouter writes: but there are some that treat openly gay people equally to heterosexuals. Some have openly gay clergy You can add Buddhism to your list of those who do. Buddhism does not concern itself with sexual orientation.

I may be a bit biased, working at the Stamp Collecting tent, but the boys who left there with a complete badge knew their stuff. They may not be expert stamp collectors, but they knew the requirement. Incidentally, it took them 4-5 hours to finish, which meant they had to come back several times.

I mentioned to several boys yesterday that Obama wasn't coming. Of course, they wouldn't know how much security, etc they would have had to go through, but they were disappointed they wouldn't get to see a president.

My limited experience with two trading posts has been that they run out of stuff and send you to another tp or tell you to come back. There were a couple of patches that were sold only Friday (so they say). There are two kinds of neckers for sale.

Wi-Fi and my Sprint phone working great at the Hill. I haven't heard any horror stories about staff check in yet. Seems to be very quick and friendly. Ticks are reportedly bad and the heat is unbelievable, but Monday is supposed to be cooler as is much of next week. I wouldn't overdo the pre-hydration, but make sure the kids have their water bottles or whatever. There are drinking fountains in a lot of places in the central area, but not further out.

As regards Taoist, Buddhist or boys from other Eastern religions attending "Scouts Own" services, whether they are Christian based or not, I think their reaction would be that they would prefer to be out in the woods alone, meditating. I doubt they would be offended, unless they are very new to the West, because in most places they will have been exposed to Western religious views. They may not understand those views, but they would at least know they have to endure a certain amount of it. The concept of "worship" is foreign to these religions and, as mentioned before, the concept of a deity

Beavah! Others! You are arguing with Merlyn. Maybe you have nothing else to do (which I seriously doubt), but you are really wasting time. It gets so tiresome when these threads get to be about Merlyn's personal idiosyncratic tirades. Merlyn knows nothing about Scouting except what he reads in the legal transcripts and doesn't deserve the attention he gets. It's a mark of the tolerance of this forum that he hasn't been designated a troll and kicked off as he would be on most other forums.

Speaking as a Buddhist, I'd say if we can join, they can join, provided they can in good conscience say the Oath and Law. We have almost the same theological viewpoint regarding a supreme being.

The problem is the Jambo reps aren't in Irving now. I don't know where the medical people are, but everybody else is at the Hill and I would assume they are too. I don't think you're going to get any response next week at all. I don't know if my medical has been approved or not and some weeks ago I was told to bring it with me. Seems to me if you don't show up weighing 500 pounds or having an actual heart attack, you're probably going to get in.

The other event is at the Ramada Inn South in Fredericksburg. Open from 7/23 to 8/3, 1 p.m. to midnite.