NeilLup

On a few occasions, I have attended the National Awards banquet of the Boy Scouts of America at the National Meeting. It involves: Dinner Presentation of the Silver Buffalo Awards to the top Scouters in the Nation Presentation of the Youth in America awards to some of the top youth in the Nation Introduction of the National Officers and their keynote addresses Major league entertainment (the Oak Ridge Boys one time, Chely Wright another) A reception for the Silver Antelope and Silver Buffalo recipients It normally takes between 2.5 and 3 hours. And everybody there is

With respect, Scouter1960, I believe that you are putting the cart way before the horse. I understand your planning for the Blue and Gold and that not having the crossover would leave a big hole. However, the Blue and Gold and the crossover are supposed to be something done to recognize the Scout's accomplishments. For whatever reason, they haven't finished the accomplishment. It's a little like the high school graduation where they let someone go through and walk across the stage, but they don't get a diploma because they haven't finished. That leaves a bit of a bad taste or mor

It certainly is permitted to have patrols hike and even camp on their own. What has changed in the last 50 years that I have been in Scouting is not Scouting per se, nor the nature of boys. What has changed is the attitude of parents, the legal climate and the generally accepted standard of care for adult supervision. I remember that, as a kid, my mother would say "get out of the house." I would be expected to go out and play. She would stay in the house. I remember a time when, at age 8, a friend of ours and I were taken to a swimming pool about 5 miles from our house.

"The Baby-Boomer's parents did not suddenly stop reproducing in 1961 so as to cause the sharp decline in 1972 as indoor modernists insist." Actually, Rick, I think they significantly did. Our daughter was born in 1973 which was the "trough" year -- the year of the lowest number of births. I believe that the birth rate was less than half the birth rate of some of the "peak" years in the '50s. The birth rate had, I believe, been dropping for almost a decade previous. After 1973, the birth rate started going up but very slowly.

My council has had a very successful Merit Badge University for a number of years but we follow several basic principles: 1) We do not offer Eagle required merit badges. We rather offer the hard to obtain ones. We are fortunate to be able to use the facilities at Harvard University. 2) There are two sessions about 4 weeks apart. The Scouts come on the first week for a one hour session and learn about the merit badge. They have the 4 weeks to do the work. They then come back the second week and, if they have done everything, they get the merit badge. 3) There are three 1

Hello Mike, Technically, the OA requirements do not say "Boy Scout Camping". They say camping "under the auspices of the Boy Scouts of America." This could be significant because the Boy Scouts of America includes Cub Scouts and Venturers. As a minimum, I would say that it would include. - Troop short term camping - Troop long term camping - Troop high adventure camping - patrol camping with no adults present if approved by the Troop and foreknowledge of the Troop adults I would say that it would also include any camping done with a Venturing Crew although th

Just some random thoughts on this thread: 1) As I understand it, part of the problem with attracting Latino Scouts is that in many of the countries from which these Latino families come, there is Scouting but it is an upper-class activity with no particular outreach to the other classes in the society. So that when one talks "Scouting" to them, there is a cultural negative reaction. It may be an imperfect analogy, but it would be like trying to interest most American families in polo. 2) The #1 song in 1965 was "Ballad of the Green Berets." The Green Beret was the symbol of

"I guess I'm just having a hard time understanding why NOT try to get all 20- they are right there for us! Isn't that kinda like telling a boy scout that he only HAS to work on the eagle merit badges, so why try to earn more of them? " Gosh, I looked back at my earlier post and I thought that the reason I posted was pretty clear but let me try again. The reason is that I recommend against trying to get all 20 and having a recognition for all 20 is that my experience has been that boys who do that tend to get burned out and either don't them move to Boy Scouts or if they do become Bo

Hello, With respect to the several other posters who have suggested that the boy earn the Eagle from a Crew. One can do that. No problem. However, if one has spent several years in a Troop, joins a crew and then two weeks later applies for Eagle from the Crew it certainly can cause some furrowed brows. IT would likely provoke some very pointed questions from a Board of Review. I know of Crews and units who would argue that if a Scout transfers into their unit without a reason beyond their control (like moving to another part of the country) they want to see the Scout for

Having read this thread a few more times, I have a thought that is somewhat different from my original posts. Let's say the scenario went like this: Scout: I'm not sure exactly what these requirements mean. I'll ask my Scoutmaster. Scout: Mr. Scoutmaster, I'm not sure what these requirements mean. Do I have to have a Position of Responsibility for each rank or does what I did as a First Class Scout count for Life and Eagle too? Scoutmaster: That's easy and clear. What you did for First Class counts. You don't have to do it again. Scout: Thanks very much.

Hello Lexington76, There are a few assumptions that your units may be making that, while sounding nice, are probably incorrect: 1) If you deny the older boys the opportunity to join the Crew, they'll stay in the Troop and continue to be leaders This may or may not be true. Troops often make the assumption that they "own" the older boys and that the Crew is "stealing" them. Not so. The boys are free agents and if the BSA isn't offering what they want, they'll go elsewhere. 2) Eagle Scouts have a "duty" or "obligation" to give back to the Troop. Be really careful with t

Hello brssakima39, Welcome to the ranks of the adults. And thank you for a very well written, very thoughtful post. I believe that all of us would completely agree with your four points. The tricky thing is to try to decide which more supports the youth: a) Passing him on his Eagle in spite of his not having a POR and risking sending the message that he doesn't need to take responsibility and can blame someone else or b) Not passing him on his Eagle (or "encouraging" him to conclude that he didn't meet the requirements and step down from consideration) sending him the me

"So, while taking them to a museum would be a good thing to do, that a lone would not fulfill these requirements. But giving them a test latter where they need to identify ten pictures could. " Jet, with respect, I disagree with you on this last point. This is supposed to be a jolly kid's game getting youth in touch with the out of doors. I beliee that we are supposed to be getting kids outdoors, doing things in the out of doors, etc. To me the ten pictures doesn't hack it. I want the Scout to identify in the field the real thing. Having said that, when I got my Nature mer

What a wonderful accomplishment, Angelous! Congratulations to you and your father-in-law. This is an extraordinarily rare award. I'm not sure about the 200 since 1924 number but to give you an idea, in a typical year, there are About 50,000 Eagle Scout Badges presented About 2000 Silver Beavers About 150 Medals of Merit About 250 Heroism Award, Honor Medal and Honor Medal with Crossed Palms In a very unusual year, there may be 10 Honor Medals with Crossed Palms; more commonly, I believe the number in a year would be 5 or fewer. I have witnessed a number

Totally concur with Lisabob. Perhaps they could do the museum in the morning, then go out to a local park and find some wildlife "on the hoof." And I don't mean the zoo. The most wildlife we ever had was when we lived in downtown Boston. In our 30' x 30' yard, we had or saw: Skunks (twice) Raccoons Opossums Some kind of water rat rat mouse Hawk Many other birds Squirrel

There would seem to be plenty of "fault" to go around. First and foremost, the Scout. He is almost 18 years old and presumably can read. The requirements have been the same since he joined. He knows that he did not meet the requirements. Second, the SM and Troop Committee. Same comments. They know that he didn't meet the requirements. And finally, the EBOR. Perhaps their decision was correct and in the greater benefit of the human race. Perhaps not. But I would agree with ScoutNut that there is nothing that can be done relevant to this Scout but in the Roundt

There is a new Unit of Supplemental Training -- Introduction to Leave No Trace on the BSA National Web site. http://scouting.org/BoyScouts/TrainingModules/LeaveNoTrace.aspx

There is nothing saying that a Troop has to have a Librarian, Historian, Bugler, etc. If those aren't real jobs, don't have them. As far as Scribe, I would suggest that a more modern name for that could be Webmaster. And most Webmasters that I know consider that very much a real job. Alternately, the Historian could be Webmaster.

At the risk of being inflammatory, how does what OGE described "Physically striking another person because of a comment" differ from spanking? Or to put it another way, do not many people believe that physical violence is acceptable when the person administering the physical violence is a parent and the person receiving it is their child?

Hello Bulldog Blitz, I would suggest the answer is: find another unit. You know, it appears, what Scouting can be. However, Scouting is very different from unit to unit. These parents know what they want. They are well on their way to getting it. The Scouts know what they want too. And, with the cooperation of their parents, they are well on their way to getting it. I very much fear that you stand no realistic hope of changing the culture of this unit and the odds are that when these boys get their Eagle badges and the parents lose interest, the unit may die.

Hello Keoki, I want to clear up something that you wrote so that you and your son won't be disappointed. You said that a troop in another DISTRICT will let your son register. If so, that may not help you as another DISTRICT would still be in the BG council and if someone notices, they may play the same game. The only thing that would help would be if not only were the Troop in another DISTRICT but also in another COUNCIL. If that were the case, then there should be no problem. Is that Troop in another COUNCIL?

Beavah has given good advice. I would only say that I prefer not to put anything in writing over matters like this until I have a pretty good idea of what the result of the letter will be. In other words, don't write the Region until you have talked with the Region and ensured that they will indeed act as we all believe they should. Letters of that sort can have a way of bouncing around long after their planned result has passed.

Check out the 21st century Pioneer Award offered by the Boston Minuteman Council. http://www.tinyurl.com/pioneer21st We specifically had your concerns in mind when we created this award. There are several age appropriate levels of the award, two of which are for Cub Scouts. When the requirements are completed, the Scouts can earn a patch.

1) Thank you for posting the letters. That is most illustrative. 2) You really need to talk to the Region. They should be able to help you. Talk to the Asst. Regional Director who signed the letter. However, you may need to talk to Regional Director and possibly to the National Council. 3) Someone high up in the BG Council REALLY has gotten their nose out of joint. There is something going on and there is an excellent chance that you may not be able to find out what it is. It is even possible that the primary problem they have is not with your son since you indicated

Hello Keoki, You may not want to do this, but there is a certain amount of editing going on here. I have no desire to know names, etc. but I would find it very helpful if you would type into the forum entry 1) The exact words (leaving out names, etc.) of the ENTIRE letter you got from the Region 2) The exact words of the ENTIRE letter you then got from the BG council. That would be very helpful.