qwazse

No your Missing the Point. Order of the Arrow was started to keep the Older Youth involved in scouting. To Give scouts who at the time had reached the Highest Rank Time (First Class Scout) something to do. To Offer Opportunity to socialize and Serve at the Same time. You would make all Youths suffer based on Your poor Lodge ? I see Oa as a Whole folding because of Lack of Participation unless they start Doing stuff besides requiring Membership to WORK WORK WORK. Lodges that survive and Thrive have Fellowships..be it Movie Nights, Pizza Parties, Camping Trips, and other social Events. There is More to OA EVENTS than just dressing up as "INDIANS". Last SR2-3N Conclave we Had Tug-a-war, Dodge Ball, Archery, Rifle Shooting, Even shot off a Cannon. We had Banana Split Eating Contest, We had someone Bring out a Collection of King Snakes, We carved a Totem to be placed at the Camp. Yes the was a Pow Wow for the Dancers, however the was a Ice Cream social at the same time for the NonDancers. Everyone was not forced to participate in the Pow Wow. Nor was everyone forced to take part in the Ceremonies competition. Maybe we need to Organize a National Camping Society inside scouting for those who like to Camp and Not Dress Like Indians or a National BBQ Society in side for Scouting for those who like to BBQ instead of Dressing Like Indians or a Zoological Society for those who Like Animals instead of Dressing like Indians or a Civil War society for scouts who want to Dress like Soldiers instead or we could continue with just one Honor Society, adapt and allow the Youths to participate and Socialize. Embrace the Membership and Welcome New Membership with Fellowship, not just Hard Labor all the Time. National OA is always considering closing poor Lodges..there is a Reason Lodges Fail, just ask Membership who have stopped coming why they did. The biggest Reason BOREDOM KDD, that ordeal weekend is the one thing that interests our boys in OA. They eat up the opportunity for a unique personal challenge. For most of them it's not the meager rations, hard work, or night under the stars, but the 24 hours in silence that was the real challenge.

It could be entirely possible you got a bunch of guys who mesh well together, and they truly cannot envision one combination better than the other. It's more likely there is a little oil-and-water, but because they haven't made much effort to work as tight patrols, they've avoided the adversity of having to deal with a bad mix. (Kinda the difference between shacking up and tying the knot, only less dramatic -- although with some of my boys, I wondered.) If you get no other input, sort them by age to the day (then alphabetically) and count off. Show the older boys the results. If neither they or the direct-contact adults see any "ticking bombs, " run with it for 6 months. That should give you and the boys a chance to switch up before summer camp, maybe even before taking on any cross-overs.

I like the schedule. Things to pay attention to: Budgets. Make sure you all are raising enough funds so you can shave the cost for everyone involved. Gear. Collect gently used equipment so new scouts can start in on stuff without too much initial expense. Training. You've already touched on this with your in-troop rapelling resource. It's not always the certification that matters, but how long the fella has been leading climbs. Moreover, one instructor for an entire troop can make for a slow day. (For example, I had four from my crew and myself with one guy for the whole morning and he was busy ... even with one of my venturers assisting him.) Regarding troop/crew stuff, if at all possible, get your SM and advisor around the same table/campfire so that they can "talk shop" about how things might work. There's always, hiccups, but if you've met a guy once or twice it's a lot easier to deal with them. To prepare for: Changes and cancellations. When you make a schedule this far in advance, some things change. Always be an encourager, especially to the boy who was really working hard to make something work but for whatever reason his event has to be rescheduled.

It is a collective noun, like fish - fishes. Either your are talking about many of one strain (a "virus"), or a variety of strains, thus "viruses" as you correctly used in your statement.

It's very amusing ... (and sad on many levels) ... my old OA literature (can't remember if from lodge or national) provided ideas for events, including a dance to which girlfriends and sisters were invited, at the time it seemed to me a rather odd activity for an "elite secretive boys club". My interest in the opposite sex (or was it their interest in me?) had not really kindled, and my interest in lodge life slowly waned. Later in college I met a girl who was invited by an Eagle scout to such an activity. The impression I got from her was that she had an enjoyable evening, although she came to conclude that the Eagles were a peculiar lot. Anyway, I have not seen our Lodge promote co-ed activities like that ever since. I think many boy scouts have an attitude that they should keep their distance from venturers. Most of my boys are in OA to simply be of service when called upon, and although I do believe the answer in many cases would be "yes", I don't think it would even click with them to think "Hey, can I invite the girls in my crew to this project?" Maybe at the next campfire, I'll ask a few what they think. But even if each venturer who is currently an arrowman were to see some benefit to his lodge incorporating (even on an informal basis) the best youth from his crew, he'd have his work cut out for him pitching it in the current climate. We have a long way to go ...

Seems to me the problem is that, more than ever before, we have boys with extremely diverse interests and extremely diverse family situations. That's not changing anytime soon. So padding a patrol with 10 boys so as to get 6-8 for a given event might not be a bad idea. The down side is the more boys on the patrol roster, the more likely a boy will think he's not essential to he program.

I like it. To the argument of fairness, you've added simplicity! I'm afraid that still does not make the case to the constituents who would effect change. The young arrowmen need to conclude en masse that they would be better off with female youth venturers in thier order.

My council folks are pretty good about making the phone calls. They might be able to put you in touch with someone in your district who has had the same situation, and you can compare notes. If you don't hear back in a couple of days, make another call. This time point out how much fun the kid was having! Still, my knots are on working with the scout and his parents.

If it's the 11th injury, the one he doesn't know how to treat ... I'll take the knots!!!! Seriously, this is a red herring. First aid, especially wilderness first aid, requires a cool head and resourcefulness. If you have to THINK about how to stabilize an injury because you aren't sure how to tie off a sling, or shore a splint, you cost your patient pain. If the square knot is second nature, you can focus on your patient while the hands do the tying automatically. If you know what it takes for a lashing to hold, you won't build a rickety stretcher. The list goes on ... First aid isn't about knowing how to use a kit. It's about understanding an injury and using some rope, cloth, and a few sticks (ideally with a kit but sometimes without) to stabilize it and proceed with a rescue.

I try not to laminate myself ... makes it hard to breath. I bought mine at the scout shop. I bet they can be found in most sporting goods stores.

Knots are not second nature. In this age of velcro and buckles, boys (and girls, if they never braid hair) easily forget how to tie them. I forget them constantly, and am pulling out my spare chord and working the ones I use least often. But, when I throw a tarp and some rope down and say "Rig us a Tarp/Tent/Changing Station/Latrine ..." or when breaking camp say "All guy lines in chain knots, please" youth who can't tie, lash, and splice waste my crew's time. Knowing your knots means I can count on you to get the job done when the rolls of velcro, belts, stays, and buckles are out of reach. It means YOU took the trouble to be prepared. It means you took the trouble to STAY prepared. It commands my respect. Failing to retain that knowledge is up there with thoughtlessly leaving your gear behind. It's a disgrace.

My collection of essential reading: Waterproof New Testament and Psalms Laminated Track and Scat Guide Laminated Guide to Edible Plants Laminated Star Chart It's rare that a weekend goes by without a youth asking to borrow one of the above. Other stuff (even my espresso pot ) may get swapped in and out depending on conditions. For example, it's swiftly becoming the season where orange pinafores get tied to any gear covering backs or heads.

Our troop will not countenance any glossing over of requirements. Boys come home with partials. We're fine with that. Cloudy all week? Nobody earns Astronomy. Too much lightning? Nobody earns Lifesaving.

Definitely drop SPL position until you have 3 (maybe more) patrols to coordinate. Use PL and ASPL. If you have a skewed age distribution (e.g. one boy over 16 and the rest below 15), consider letting the oldest boy(s) be Jr. Assistant Scoutmaster. A JASM has a lot more freedom to stick around with the old farts and map out the rest of his life, but then bunk with the lads, offer to teach a skill to the first years, coach the PL, etc ...

Hmmm Americans not interested in world affairs, who'd a thunk it? Aside from a very serious decades long crisis in geography education ... It's marketed to older scouts, of which there are fewer. You effectively go as a Venturing contingent, for which many SMs still have no love lost. We've just come off of a National Jamboree, which continues to only attract about 4% of eligible members. Wallets are drained. (Keep in mind that your most likely prospects from the BSA will have spent more to go to their own National event than it would cost them to go to the World Jamboree.) The brouhaha about not kicking gay boys to the curb has many of our pros just counting heads instead of finding volunteers to promote program. So yeah we are a little partied out, but hopefully will perk up by the time World Jambo rolls around.

So yours is outdated. Evidently someone took the time to come to conclude against conferring an undue sense of authority on a guard. I spent my guard duty while recertifying twirling a rescue tube on it's strap. A little tougher than a lanyard, but the only way I could think to protest.

Yep, trust your pros, because they always get it right ....

I'll have to ask our Eagle advisor before I make an informed vote. Maybe he knows he's a coach or not? I'm confused. Missed one too many roundtables I guess.

Yours probably doesn't have the section about how lifeguards shouldn't use whistles.

There is some chatter on "former JW" sites about how they are not allowed to join. Clearly, your boy's parents didn't get that memo. I think you need to talk to the parents about what they think the real boundaries are, then work with the boy. I think the requirements are worded so as to give you a little "wiggle room" with this. But I think it's important to avoid anything that seems like "trickery" to the parents. What's most important IMHO is that the boy understands what the PoA is, why it is important to most Americans, why his religion opposes the recitation of the pledge, and how he can still refrain from the pledge (and, maybe the salute) yet still be a productive citizen.

When I was thinking of recognition, I was thinking of things less formal ... things like: "I really liked how your Foxes handled formations Saturday, would you provide the color guard for tonight's opening?" "Bears, since you nailed the knot requirements for everyone in your patrol (including the Turtles you adopted) last weekend, how about picking what our next challenge will be?" "Crows, that was a side-splitting skit! Will you be our program patrol for the month?" Sure you could have little totems for success in this, that, or the other thing. And the boys can hang them on their patrol flag with pride. But, I think the best recognition is appropriate responsibilities. And yes, it might be "Apes, you turned in a messy cook kit, so tonight I need you to report to the QM and help him polish a few pans!" But, I'm pretty sure most of the time the SM will have nothing but good words for his boys!

Hurrah! Actually, those are about the right numbers for an enjoyable trip. More than that, and you have to start thinking about multiple contingents with different hike plans. That's really not as terrifying as it seems. It happened quite naturally even in your small group. There's always a good bit of planning with these things. So, yes, adults need to share the load. You also need to share your thought process with the boys and vice versa. Hopefully a couple of gung-ho boys will add this to their list of "do-it-again"s and partner with you in the next round of planning.

I'm not concerned about advancement as I am about accountability. Son #2 has been ASPL, SPL started evening classes on meeting night, and let us know in advance to let Son #2 prepare. He had soccer events on the first couple of nights (one event was optional IMO), I strongly suggested he call SM and his buddies to arrange coverage. (And keep calling until he was sure everything was arranged.) He didn't. Last meeting was SPL elections. Two other boys got the post until January. That's kind of what I expect from members at every level.

In this case, I would always give credit to the patrol that provides the largest contribution of members. E.g. They are not the Fox/Bear patrol on the campout.If there are 4 Foxes or 3 Bears they are the Foxes for the weekend. The Bears only get credit for participation if they represent as a distinct patrol. (If numbers are even they can decide among themselves or the SPL can call whose patrol they represent.) I'm not saying you have to build a whole system of awards or whatever to make this work. You just recognize the patrols by the flags the boys choose to fly under.