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RememberSchiff

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Posts posted by RememberSchiff

  1. 45 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said:

    ...BUT to pull this thread back on track...what I think SOME of it represents is IF BSA is going to inject new things like BSA4G and 'Family Camping' THEN they need to DOUBLE DOWN on the traditional, outdoor oriented, mixed age patrol, youth led method or Scouting will lose it's way as some experienced folks leave (as I am seeing locally) and they are replaced by less experienced new folks.

     

    I agree. and have seen it.  Our solution has been our SM selects who comes, another tool he uses is a Family outing is not Scout outing - no advancement, lets just go have fun. No parents chasing after PL's or ASM's to sign-off.

    Another $0.02

    • Like 1
  2. Argh. That requirement needs some rethinking.  Time to be disobedient and change requirements. :rolleyes:

     

    When I counseled this mb, I asked scouts what needed fixing at their house and then told them what needed fixing at my house. Plenty of tasks as we get a house ready for winter. So a list was made like the following and we went from there. 

     

    replace furnace filter

    replace batteries on fire/smoke alarms

    weatherstrip door/windows

    replace door bell

    replace door locks

    replace light fixture

    install under sink water filter <-- scout learned about town water quality

    install dishwasher  <--- yes I had a scout remove old dishwasher and install replacement.  Scout was happy, Mom was thrilled.

    install kitchen under cabinet lights

    replace warped cabinet shelves

    fix door closing problems

    attach TV stand, dressers, etc to walls or floor to prevent fall-over <--  very popular.

    install child-safe house features

     

    My $0.02,

     

    P.S.  If it ain't broken don't fix it.  :)

  3. On 11/28/2017 at 1:39 AM, TAHAWK said:

    B.S.A. is one of many Scouting organizations that appeared in the U.S.A. after BP's books hit the streets in January, 1908, and hardly the first.  I would be surprised if B.S.A. could say which troop was the first started under its auspices or first chartered with it, but the first Scout troop predtaed the B.S.A.  Ninwty-nine troops were in existence in the area that became the Cleveland District of B.S.A. when B.S.A. arrived in Cleveland in 1912, including five claiming to be Cleveland Troop 1.

     

    The 1st Glasgow Scout Group in Scotland holds the earliest known registration certificate, dated 26 January 1908, issued by the Scouting Association.

     

    "Burnside, in south-central Kentucky, is believed to be home to the first Boy Scout troop in the United States. In 1908, two years before the Boy Scouts of America was officially organized, Mrs. Myra Greeno Bass organized a local troop of 15 boys, using official Boy Scout materials she had acquired from England. A sign at the edge of town declares Burnside "Birthplace of Boy Scouts of America", and an official state historical society marker commemorates the troop.  Burnside is now part of the Blue Grass Council.

    Boy Scouts of America Troop 1 in Frankfort, Kentucky was established in 1909 by Stanley A. Harris. There has been a long-standing belief that this was the very first Boy Scout troop in the United States. ...  Troop 1 was originally formed under the British Boy Scouts and the charter was destroyed in a fire around 1920. Nonetheless, Troop 1 is still active and is sponsored by the First Christian Church of Frankfort, Kentucky."

     

    So the first US scoutmaster was Mrs. Myra Greeno Bass?  :blink:

     

    6189800191_eec6fa0d3e.jpg

    • Like 1
    • Haha 2
  4. Ah you want local option. :)

     

    This software is a surprise to me as well. Another blog that I frequent made a similar upgrade to improve mobile viewing.

     

    Give it a try. I like that members can now change their votes and there are more vote choices - up, down, haha, confused, sad.

  5. When I read Judge Pregerson quote, I began to recall some 60's campfire discussions about Vietnam and the draft we would be facing in a few years. The minimum voting age was not yet 18.

     

    There are many, more current examples of protest in America. IMO some discussion of peaceful and respectful protest should be part of Citizenship in Nation.

     

    Scouts have seen that writing to their representative often results in a canned response. Two of our scouts had the same written response to two different concerns.

     

    Our scouts have discussed NFL players taking a knee during National Anthem and whether it is respectful, focused, and the proper venue. Those who play high school football know they will be removed from the team. Some interesting discussions.

     

    We also had a discussion of President Trump's visit to Summit. If you attended a that speech and disagreed, do you boo (as scouts at previous Jambo), quietly remain out of respect for the President, quietly leave, or something else.

     

    My $0.02,

  6. Hmm.  I think the examples you give show that Change #2 does not necessarily follow Change #1 by "a few years."  "Den Mothers" were first introduced in 1932, and 56 years later there were female Scoutmasters.  That's an awfully long time for someone to walk through a crack in the door.  (And I realize there were some interim steps along the way like women becoming troop committee members, but 56 years is still a long time.)  Then, from the "crack in the door" in 1988, it will be 30 years (2018) before non-Venturing female youth members walk through the door.  Also a long time.

     

    My point was the crack naturally opens wider because there is a crack. Time is relative.

    • Upvote 1
  7. I thought some of the comments on the video like the one "what can I do this year to integrate girls to my troop" was exactly what some folks were concerned about. Those folks will be lauded by National for rolling things out ahead of time and if some girls get credits for camping outside of BSA they will look the other way if it produces a feel good story. 

     

    Agree. I was taken aback by the answer to the last question, "22. The change is happening. How can we encourage other Scouters to embrace it?"

     

    If I can paraphrase the answer 'Talk about it and you will come around.'  

     

    I was expecting an answer such as, Good scouts and scouters may disagree on this issue as they may on any other issue but  all of us will follow the Scout Oath and Law.

  8. Ugh. I remember being blindsided by that 1988 decision. The BSA had won in the courts (1986, 1987) and it seemed the BSA was going to continue as a male-only program. But fewer men, particularly former scouts, were stepping up  and instead of determining the problem(s) and fixing them, the BSA sought female adult leaders.

     

     

    In retrospect, I will say that having female leaders has not hurt the BSA.  A female Scoutmaster may be good or bad, just as a male might be. 

     

    I'll be starting as Cubmaster for our Pack this month and I'm looking forward to it.   My Wood Badge course director is female, she had an incredible, hard working team and the program was thoughtfully planned and well executed.  

     

    That 1988 decision made me first aware of some of National's oddities and I would be reminded of them several times over the years.

     

    1. National believes they can have it both ways in all things. The nod and wink. They will open the door a crack and say that's okay, that's an exception. Sure enough, a few years later that exception is argued away because the door was opened in the first place. Female scoutmasters is okay so why not female scouts. This can be seen in membership, advancement, safety, and disability issues. Is this good, bad, contradictory, wasteful, odd, foolish, all, or something else?

     

    2. National or Council will fight a protracted and expensive legal battle, win in the court, and then cave on their winning decision in the light of bad publicity.

     

    3. National has no clue about publicity, advertising, scouting opinion, public opinion.

     

    I will stop there.

     

    Speaking of female membership in the BSA when did National first open the door a crack? IMHO, it was when Den Chiefs were replaced by Den Mothers in Cub Scouts.

     

    In 1930 when Cubbing began, the original concept was to have a Boy Scout in charge of the Den.  His title was Den Chief.

     

    By 1932, it was recognized that the Den Chief needed the assistance of an adult and the Den Mother became an official part of the program as a co-leader with the Den Chief.  By the mid-1930's, it was evident that dens with a Den Mother functioned much better than those with only a Den Chief.  In 1936, BSA approved the optional registration of Den Mothers.

     

    https://www.sageventure.com/history/cub/DM.html

     

    My $0.01

  9. “My conscience is a product of the Ten Commandments, the Bill of Rights, the Boy Scout Oath and the Marine Corps Hymn,†the (President) Carter appointee said during his Senate confirmation hearing. “If I had to follow my conscience or the law, I would follow my conscience.â€

     

    Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Harry Pregerson who passed last week at age 94.

     

    http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-harry-pregerson-snap-story.html

     

    Profile: Choosing between the Law and His Conscience

    http://articles.latimes.com/1992-05-03/local/me-1882_1_harry-pregerson

     

  10. And the Nominating Committee?

    My :confused: understanding...

     

    At Council level,  the Council President appoints, with the approval of the Executive Board, active members to serve as the Nominating Committee. The Council Scout Executive (CSE) serves on said Executive Board but has no vote.

     

    The CSE serves at the pleasure of the Executive Board.

     

    Another interesting aspect about unanimous votes is the quorums can be just a third, 10%, or even 5% depending on the Council  bylaws and state law.

     

    Confusing yes and not to say the Council political reality may differ from its bylaws, just like units.  :eek: 

  11. But you do know that the majority of CO's were opposed to the recent changes, don't you?  If the CO's in BSA have so much power, then why did the execs feel so free to ignore them?

     

    Is that on topic?

     

    Yes, that brings it back on topic. My understanding, the Executive Board "approved" the decision. I do not know if Council reps at the National meeting or CO's locally had any voice or were even notified.

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