ParkMan

I think in our rush to critique merit badge colleges, we're missing out on a key point. These opportunities for Scouts are popular - that's why they exist. Having sessions like this provide opportunities for Scouts to learn things they might not, to advance when they might not. We hold an annual merit badge college. At the event, Scouts spend one day working on one single merit badge. Class size is 10-15 scouts per class. The class runs about 6 hours. In that time, the scouts complete the bulk of the requirements. If there are longer form requirements we assign them as prerequisite

Generally speaking - yes. The BSA needs to be relevant to today's youth. I think the BSA has to be careful in who it targets it's program to. We need to make sure our relevance is to kids. If we target adult sensibilities, that may be good for Cub Scout initial recruitment, but over time we'll still lose Scouts. Make it fun and interesting to kids - and most especially kids in the program.

Would it perhaps be more accurate to describe the BSA as an adventure program? The best packs and troops I know spend a lot of time outdoors and do some mature things, but they are not really nature programs. I learned more about nature in one year of high school biology than 6 years of Scouting. Sure we spent a lot of time outdoors, where we were always doing things such as hiking, camping, and canoeing. Today troops do all those things, but they also go to a lot of other interesting places too. Another light analogy is the national park system. If you explored all of it, you'd

Honestly - I would encourage you to shrug it off. Scouting is a wonderful activity full of very well meaning people. One of the great things as a volunteer is that we get to take on roles outside of our normal jobs. So, you have a CC that is in over his head - maybe even a jerk. Don't let that drive you out of being Cubmaster. You'll learn in Wood Badge about the stages of team development - forming, storming, norming, performing. You all are in the storming phase. It's natural for there to be conflict as you all sort out how to work together. The CC will learn what he can/ca

Glad to hear it worked out OK. I would really everyone to look at this at face value. Explain the situation to families without blame, tell them you need to collect more money, and then move on. I think if we're positive with families, they generally will be positive too. The point of Scouting is to do Scouting. This other stuff about fees, structure, national decisions is all just window dressing. I would encourage us all to focus on the program and delivering that.

Very true and I'm happy to acknowledge that. I'm sure that right den leader can absolutely make a big den work. There were a number of problems with out big den. One was the chaos that this big den led to. Another is that due to the size, the den leader had more adults present. This made the meeting feel more and more like a class. But, the biggest issue I had with that den was that my son never felt he fit in. He's very good with kids in a smaller setting, but not in a large group. To compound things, our den was composed of several different elementary schools. So, there were

I'm really sorry to hear that @Liz. I'm sure you put your heart and soul into making that work. It's really disappointing news. I'd check out that other local pack that is accepting girls myself. Further, I'd hope to find some like minded parents and get a pack program going which is either a) co-ed at the den level, or b) has a minimum number of girls to make viable dens. 4 girls is too small for a pack in the way the BSA is setup. Bare minimum I'd want to see if 4 Scouts per den which would be 20-24 Scouts. I'd prefer to see 6-8 Scouts per den. I saw this with my son. He w

Hi @5thGenTexan, Congrats on getting agreement with the other leaders on where you will and will not focus. That's a wonderful way to get the role right-sized to fit what one person can reasonably do and be successful at! Very nice job also in recruiting others to get involved in the Cubmaster efforts!

HI @5thGenTexan, If you really want to step down, then certainly do so. Having been through burnout a couple of times in my Scouting volunteer time and it's not a fun place to be. From what helped me, here's what I suggest from what you wrote: Go drink a beer (or other beverage of your choice) with some Scouting friends. I've always found that the fellowship of others it really important in Scouting. Take a step back and focus on only role. Of all the things you do in Scouting, what's the most fun and rewarding for you? Shift your focus to the long term. It's s

While I don't know the details here, my first reaction is that the council needs to shut this unit down. How was it that there were opportunities at a Scouting event for this leader to have alone time with a youth? This is exactly what YPT is supposed to prevent.

Very nice ideas. I could get behind those. Some specific comments: #1 - Yes, this whole business of executive board and executive committee feels cumbersome #2 - Agreed. It would make sense for the BSA to have seperate Board Chair & separate President. Let the National Chair be the board chair and the CSE the President. #3 - Yes - I'd like the Chief Scout to not be a career professional, but could deal with it if it were. I could see the Chief Scout being a member of the board who is responsible for the program committee and steering efforts. #4 - I could see 10-20 me

Just curious - what different structure would you propose for this national leadership structure ? How would that improve things?

I get the whole "it's just good he's active and participating. The uniform is just a method" concept. But, I really think Scouts miss out on an important concept about how to present themselves well. To me, that's a big part of what the uniform method is all about.

Maybe it's just me, but I spend much more money on things that I care way less about that I really don't mind the national fee and did eventually get over the $70 for that yearbook. Both national & council may make many decisions that I'd do differently - but at least they're trying.

That was pretty much my reaction was at first too. What??? $70 for a yearbook? I was in high school in the late 80's. Now I think I understand why my dad said: "What??? $30 for a yearbook?"

Oh. Ok. I misunderstood what you were trying to do here. Seemed like you were making a jab at the increase by showing only negative comments or those who disparaged anyone who wasn't negative. Glad I misinterpreted.

A part of me feels like I should be insulted here. I don't see why this list characterizes anyone who isn't appalled by the increase so negatively. I guess by your terms, I'm in the "The look down the nosers ...It's only $5 a month or two cups of coffee, suck it up not knowing the individual financial situation of others or volunteering to pay it for them." As a Cubmaster, Pack Committee Chair, and Troop Committee Chair, I'd literally spend an hour every time it was discussed whether it was too much of a hardship to raise our annual dues by $5. I'm remarkably aware that many families s

Hi @Eagledad, Thank you. This does explain much of what I see. What I see is a sort of tenure system where the district chairs come in and don't replace anyone. Instead they continue with the people from the same before. You're assessment is correct. As well meaning as many of our district leaders are, they are not director level people. I can see that we are doomed to the status quo because we don't have people with the knowledge or skills to lead the efforts that they are being asked to lead. I do think sometime we put district chairs in place with vision - but again, wi

@Eagledad - can you talk about this a little more please? To give you some context. Our district is largely staffed with an "old guard" of volunteers who have weathered many district chairs. This has had the net effect of creating a pretty consistent district experience. The problem though is that our district program is "just good enough" but it's not great. We have some training courses, have a camporee, hold a merit badge event, do some membership work. Not to diminish our volunteer's efforts - but our expectations are just too low. We've had several district chairs come th

I applaud your sense of ownership and commitment here, but I don't think you should pay the extra out of your own pocket. A troop is yours is a community. You camp together, your adventure together, succeed together, and fail together. In an instance like this, I believe you also go back to your families and be up front with them. Ask each Scout to contribute an additional $27 to cover the difference. Offer to find some scholarships for anyone who cannot pay the additional $27. Make it clear that what is important here is continuing in Scouting. Be very clear that you''ll very disc

I'd discourage that. Let the boys earn all they can - just build it into your cost for the pack. It will all work out.

Around here packs own their own track or share one with another pack. The district doesn't own a track. A cost sharing model like that sounds like a creative idea though.

We to love to proscribe blame here for the decline in membership. The country has changed since the 50's, 60's, 70's, etc. I don't know why we would believe that if only we did things like the "olden days" that the situation would be better. All kinds of organizations that continue to do things "the old way" struggle for membership - Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, YMCA, membership groups like the Lions, organized religion, the list goes on. The reality is that we stopped doing things like the "olden days" for good reason. The trick is to find the right "olden things" that are important to conti

Here's the history I could find here: 1948 - 1st Class - 1 night of camping 1965 - 1st Class - 2 overnight trips 1972 - no camping requirement 1976 - earn camping skill award ( 2 overnight trips) 1990 - 1 overnight camp for each rank. 3 overnight camps total 2016 - T-1 night. 2nd Class-3 nights. 1st Class-6 nights If we're at 3 nights now, we didn't even get there until 1990. Seems to me that we've actually gotten more outdoor focused over time.

It's probably worth noting that while Scout wasn't a true rank until just a few years ago, it has been a badge for some time. I received it when I started as a Boy Scout in 1984. Back then, it was pretty much a "gimme". I was an Arrow of Light recipient from my Cub Scout years. So, when I showed up there were a few basic questions and then they handed me the Scout badge at my first meeting. I believe it was intended to be a way of signifying that I had "become a Scout". That I knew the same sort of info present in the now rank made it possible for me to participate actively as a Scou