LeCastor

Yeah, it's expensive but it sure beats having sunburned ears. And there are several places where you could get a Rothco version, but eBay is also good for finding vintage ones. Some aren't even worn and just waiting for you to break it in on a Scouting adventure with your Troop/Pack/Crew.

Just curious how many of you Scouts and Scouters wear the wide-brimmed Smokey Bear/campaign hat with pride. I love my BSA Stetson campaign hat and think it looks snappy...and, yes, I know the wide brim is good to keep the sun off...and snow...and rain...But it does look snappy! Also, it didn't always fit snuggly until I put two books of matches in the back. (That's a tip I learned from Along the Mohawk Trail, a book recommended by Stosh.)

Locally, our Lodge teamed up with a popular restaurant. If you ate there last night or if you eat there tonight and present a specific coupon, the restaurant will donate a portion of the bill to a fund. Arrowmen who have reserved as sport for NOAC and need financial assistance will be able to apply through this generous fund. Personally, I think it's great that the community is getting behind the Scouts and not pushing them away, as has been the case here lately. Just last night I was made aware that they are capping the number of adults allowed to participate in a 3:1 ratio to youth Arrowmen--one adult to ever three youth. Since it's a youth-run entitiy, I can fully understand and support this cap. As for deciding which adults get to go, I wouldn't want to be the one to decide! So, JP, did you change councils yet?

Resqman, I am fully aware that the article is about an older edition of the handbook. When I was 11 my grandfather gave me an old dog-eared copy of the 4th edition of the Handbook for Boys (as in the article). He also gave me his tattered 1st edition with the maroon cover (now in a zip-loc baggie to preserve it). That summer was special for me because I had crossed-over from Webelos and had already gone to one summer camp in GA (Woodruff) and I was in TN visiting Grandma and Grandpa before going to a second summer camp not far from their house (Skymont). Anyway, I read the 4th edition cover to cover--twice. Grandpa took me to the local Scout Shop in town where he bought me Green Bar Bill's 9th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook, which I also read cover to cover. I lived and breathed Scouting and those books--along with my grandpa and his cabin--helped form my love of the outdoors. So my question was rather joking in nature. Of course the Handbook is still important and relevant. Whether the Scouts read it, or the Fieldbook, is debatable. I see many tattered copies floating around our meeting space but I don't really think that is from over-reading or over-use. Now, I will say that I like GBB's books a lot better than the 11th and 12th editions of the Handbook. The 10th was not bad and it's the one I used for the majority of my youth Scouting. As for the medium, I am flexible with that. I'm a paper guy to a certain extent and will always prefer a hard copy of any reference book. Mine are all marked up with ink or highlighting. But a lot of the Scouts today are confused when you ask them to write something down on paper or read from a paper book. Most colleges are now moving away from the traditional textbook, opting for digital books on iPads or whatever tablet you prefer. To be perfectly honest with ya'll, I tend to read a little from at least one edition of the Handbook every night before bed. That's how serious I am about its importance and the need for reading to help in training our youth. GBB's text is easy to read and is loaded with valuable information.

LOL

I have suggested the idea of interpatrol competition to the PLC but they prefer running around outside playing Ghost in the Graveyard. I'm not eve sure what that is... When I was a youth we like playing steal the bacon. And once every year our whole Troop would go to someone's private land and play capture the flag--each patrol was a team. But as far as the Troop meetings...No, my Scouts don't like competitions.

I came across this New York Times op/ed piece about Scouting and the old Handbook for Boys. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/books/review/a-manual-for-life.html?_r=0 In another thread on the Patrol Leader's Handbook, several posters indicated that Scouts aren't going to read it anyway. So if that's true, do we even need a Boy Scout Handbook if the Scouts aren't going to read it anyway? What's the point?

As Scoutmaster, I encourage the Scouts in my Troop to camp at least once per month--that's what we do in Scouting. But not all Scouts are into that much anymore, I guess. Of course, we don't know the whole situation with your son's Troop other than what you've posted here. But it sounds to me that your son's Scoutmaster is too involved in the inner workings of the Troop rather than leaving it up to the Scouts and their Patrol Leaders. Perhaps you could have a chat with the SM and express your concerns? Or find another Troop that suits your son's interests? I agree that he might try to convince his friends to go with him if that is the deciding factor--friendship. Is he in the same Patrol as his friends? As I said in another thread, I stayed in the same Patrol and Troop until I was 18 because my best friends were there. It's really up to your son to decide what he wants.

As long as we're getting into nuances, how about we start calling them Scouts instead of "boys"? :-)

That was my SM minute down below. It's super easy to get caught up in requirements or experiences and lose sight of the reason we do Scouting. Amen, Sentinel!

Thanks for that, Sentinel. I guess I've only ever been in small, close-knit Troops. We each have our own experiences and it's always great to hear what has worked for other units. Love the forum for that great exchange.

Yes! This right here.

Hosting an open house was one of my Wood Badge ticket items. I assigned specific stations to Scouts who had shown proficiency in a certain area: camping, cooking, electronics, etc. Also, I made it clear to the younger Scouts that this would be an excellent opportunity for them to invite their non-Scout buddies--and fulfill one of the 1st Class requirements. It went very well and one of our Scouts showed some guests how to do a Native American dance. There were several Webelos who were integrated into the fold with the Scouts while the moms and dads got an ear-full from our Assistant Scoutmasters. I was able to just sit back and enjoy the awesome show! We didn't get any immediate recruits but those Cubbies remember our Troop and we also made some good contacts in our neighborhood. This open house, coupled with our annual chili supper, is how we reach out to the local community and let them know we are here. I have asked the PLC if they would like to do it again sometime...I'll be a pleasure to see them take off and plan it themselves!

Now that the revisions to Venturing have been fully digested by my council's trainers, we'll be having the Venturing Advisor and Venturing Committee training next month. Having not yet experienced Venturing as an advisor, I'm looking forward to the training. Our chartering org has just given me the go-ahead nod to start a co-ed Venturing Crew and we've got lots of happy sisters! My Troop's Scouts have had to leave their sisters at home for the past few years while the boys went off to Boundary Waters, Sea Base, Philmont, etc. Now we're hoping to open that adventure up to many, many more youth in our community. Have any of you seasoned Venturing folks received the most recent training? What are your biggest concerns? What are you most looking forward to?

Good for you! I think you'll find a lot of folks here who appreciate the uniform method, as long as it doesn't get in the way of the other equally-as-important methods of Scouting.

Wow, that seems a little harsh there, Seattle! From the OP I kind of gathered that the mom was the one misleading this Cubbie. Is the youngster the one we want to punish?

Welcome, Lisa! I guess I would have a sit-down discussion with the mom and try to get an idea for why she is doing this. By calmly explaining the proper procedure for signing off on requirements, you will make your point known and set the ground rules moving forward. Then, in a Den meeting you could just briefly explain to the Webelos, as an aside, how you expect requirements to be signed off for the Den. Sure, this is annoying behavior but you definitely shouldn't alienate the young Scout. It's amazing how much young people hear even when you don't think they're listening! As upset as this makes you, try to remain calm and collected while standing firm to the way you want to see things go.

I think you should do what you think is best.

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2012/04/how-scouts-friendships-strengthen-patrols/ Not our business as Scoutmasters, right? Personally, I think Scouts are more likely to still it out longer if they are in a Patrol with a friend. When I was a youth I was in one Patrol for the entire time, staying until I turned 18, and I know it was because my buddies were there...

When your son becomes a Scoutmaster in 15 years, he'll be able to look back and remember the time his parent bought him a PL handbook. And he'll be ready to implement the Patrol Method in his Troop.

Yup, I've seen this...And it's a shame. Once on a campout a dad disappeared for a while (which was great) and later I saw his son with a Starbucks cup which had obviously come from his father's trip to town. I'm not kidding!

100% with ya, Fred....On both.