Oldscout448

In my pack the Den Chiefs inspected each others dens at pack meetings about three times a year. The DC agree on a standard before the meetings, call each den to attention ( more or less) and walked down the line of cubs, checking off shirt, neckerchief, pack and den number,etc. Patches sewn on a bit off center, a missing button and the like were not counted, hey they are cubs not Marines. The entire thing took 4-5 minutes. Then some sort of prize was given to the highest scoring Den.

I agree moose. or perhaps tried the AoG Royal Rangers program.

Sheesh and I thought James was your biggest problem. I'm afraid I don't understand, I have been in and around "mainline" christians all my life, attended Baptist, Assembly of God, Methodist, and some others. What does taking a gun away from a student have to do with being fit to be an ASM or whatever he was? What does it have to do with being a christian? Sounds to me like the kind of guy I want to camp with! Or do the new parents want the troop to consist of just them and their kids? if so why didnt they just go and start their own?

Have the troop committee watch Eddie Haskel on the old Leave it to Beaver show. Eddie was the best behaved, most polite kid on the planet, whenever a parent was watching. In real life he was a cheating, lying, backstabber who took a perverse pleasure in stirring up trouble. I am not saying that James = Eddie but such people do exist. They are smart, charming, and very very good at not getting caught This needs to be stopped now, if James follows the typical pattern he will need to keep upping the ante to keep getting his thrills. He seems to be targeting the weakest while trying to undermi

True that! I have two sons in their upper 20's now, both in scouting until 18, both SPL, OA etc. One eagled the other stopped at first class. The first class son is by far the better, axman, shooter, (rifle, pistol, or bow) he moves through the woods like an Indian. I listen to them talk of their time as scouts, and I can not say who got more from the program

Just finished the 134 merit badge thread. So I an sitting here wondering why such a huge emphasis on getting 21 merit badges and a project done? If I somehow mention that I was a scout back in the day, it's 10 to 1 that the next question will be " Did you earn your Eagle?" Well ya I did But that was only a small part of scouting. If I close my eyes and drift back in time I find I don't remember any Courts of honor. I do remember... sunrise on the tooth....the Ordeal night....learning to be a den chief...then a patrol leader....listening to the owls calling to each other across the rive

As a dad of five home schooled kids, I admit we used the scouting program a bit. They make wonderful ready made mini lessons. But I must admit I just can't see how I could have used ALL 134 of them. An old truism " Ya get out of something what ya put in" most of the scouts in my old troop got leatherworking at camp. made a key ring or something. I went to a guy who did leather for a living. He made me EARN that badge. He added nothing to the reqs. but I had to do it right! not some slipshod, halfway attempt. Needless to say that's the merit badge I'm proudest of. I can't help but wond

The brotherhood, hmm well there is one part I have wanted to change for a long time. Still it will be hard memorizing a entirely new ceremony at my age. Guess I should have gone to the conclave, but I have things I keep putting first ( read job, wife, kids, church) I might be able to get a copy from the lodge, but in the past sending them requests has been like throwing bottles with notes into the ocean, some times a reply- mostly just the sound of waves. qwaze your offer of a symbolic espresso is gratefully accepted

Well, I just got back from my 27th (I think) ordeal. My first in 8 years or so, the coffee was worse than I remembered, But it was very good to talk with some old friends, make some new ones, and hear the legend again. While there I heard that there is a rumor that the entire friday night ceremony is to by revamped. Now the rumor may be just a rumor, but it was done once before in 1977 I think. Can anyone shed some light on this? I was offered the high paying job of coaching the ceremonies team and would hate to see the team spend days working on a part just to discard it Oldscout

Hi there 110, I am just north of you in Frederick, Tigers didn't exist when my boys were in cubbies, but I was once a cub, a den chief, a den leader, etc. If I can be of any help, give me a shout. Oldscout PS If you sew a den leader patch on each knee of your pants, they won't wear out when you are crawling around cleaning up after the meetings!

Back in the early '70s, bsa had a tent that looked like an pyramid, about 8x8 and 7 high. Might have called the miner. It was great for camping in snow or high winds. My troop had just one that was always reserved for the spl. Call me senile but I miss the smell of canvas it just doesn't feel like camping without it. I have been trying to find some one who still makes 'em or could send me a pattern to make my own. But no luck so far. Anyone know of a source? a lot of the scouts think retro is cool and come to meeting with their Dad's uniforms on (no red berets yet) I think they would get

Welcome to the "campfire" Be_Prep! always room for another. I guess some scoutmasters were never told that the word scout master is like unto school master. to wit a teacher, a mentor, a friend, not the lord and master of all scouts, sad Oldscout

O yes, We thanked the SM for all he hours and work he had (and has) given the scouts. and parted on as good terms as possible. He really thinks having no OA is best for the troop. I still think he is 180 degrees wrong but it;s not worth getting into a barn burning vendetta over. I suspect a number of scouts may be looking for some changes as well

just to tie up loose ends... Son passed his BOR for star last night, and promptly told them he was quitting. Effective 9:00pm. He didn't make a big fuss about it, but all the older scouts know why. He plans on joining a nearby troop that his older brothers belonged to lo these 11 years ago. I guess I'll tag along, Ya just gotta do what you love, and the scouting bug bit me hard a long time ago. I hope I'm not to old to help out a bit. I'm pretty proud of my son tonight

1 They are not MY standards, they are the BSA standards. I have never added anything to any req. nor will I subtract anything. (unless the scout has some handicap which renders him unable ) If the book says demonstrate then I expect a demonstration not " I listened to some guy at camp talk about it. He said that it would count" 2 If that makes me "negative or pompous" in your eyes, I guess I can live with that I guess I should add that if a scout comes to board of review, and has no clue how to do something he has been signed off on, I do not fail him for that. ever. But I do

A gold bordered eagle? For doing it the right way? If we could figure out how to document it, I'm all for it. I could tell story after story ..... but them so can most of us here

Base, you are my hero of the day! My old SM was a huge gruff old WWII vet who loved us like his own sons and would go to hell and back for his "boys", but God help you if you lied or cheated. 20 years after I aged out I was passing through the old neighborhood and stopped by to see/thank him. I was a new DL at the time so I asked if he had any advice for me. He replied " Do what is RIGHT and don't worry about what other people say." that's wisdom I've tried to follow for the last 18 years as a scouter

Based on the scant data here, as the SM I would have had a very serious talk with that older scout, There may very well be issues we dont know about (is the spl dating his little sister? stranger things have happened ) If so try to get them resolved. But you never argue with another officer in front of the troops. never. It's not about the spl as a person it's about the office he holds. If he loses the respect of the troop as a whole, you are going to soon have a much bigger problem

The early morning mean streak was the second most important thing I needed as a bugler, the first being an ability to dodge heavy objects flying out of tents at "O dark hundred"

Many thanks to all here, you have been more help than you know. My son asked if I knew of other troops nearby, so I guess he is considering a move too. He turns 18 in about 15 months, did Philmont last summer with this troop, so leaving his buddies can not be an easy thing for him. If I'm honest about it it isn't easy for me either. Well gotta go, there is a different troop meeting that starts in 24 minutes

Update: Had troop meeting last night, Son went into the room, I stayed in the hallway. was pretty clear the SM and CC were not going to budge, and if I stayed I would be seem to be giving my support to their position. Figured it was best if I just moved on. I had told my son he was old enough to make his own decision, and he seemed ok with that. CC came out and asked me if I could sit on a tenderfoot BOR. told him no ( that was a first for me ) since I was leaving I didn't think I should. two of the ASMs overheard this and asked me why. Figured I owed them an answer, we had hiked mo

ah, I understand the confusion. My mention of the 10% referenced those scouts who do much more than attend the ordeal got a lodge flap, a sash and are nevermore seen at any lodge/chapter event. unlike the other 90%. Frankly I had forgotten the old percent election rule. I think that has been done away with for some years now

JoeBob true, but a slim chance is still better than no chance.

elect the SM?!?! I would just love to see the look on his face. Doubt he would go on the ordeal though

Ya mean like appointing the patrol leaders? Yep