RememberSchiff

My understanding, you will not find "Class B" in BSA literature as a company, a BSA licensee, exists by the same name.

...St. Paul Police Officer Jay Curiel and his dog Havoc walked through the door and into the fourth-grader's Cub Scout meeting... http://www.cbsnews.com/news/minnesota-boy-skips-birthday-presents-to-buy-bullet-proof-vests-for-k-9s/ good story

No doubt your efforts helped. "Yes, a scout salute to Mr. Wallace. I am still waiting to see National acknowledge Robert Dick Douglas Jr. of Greensboro, who is also an Eagle and will be 103 in July. He also is one of the Eagle's that went to Africa in 1928, as well as having gone to Alaska twice. He wrote books about the Alaska adventures, and co-authored Three Boy Scouts in Africa. I have given the info to National a couple of times, after speaking with his son last year, who said he was still mentally active. He sent me a copy of his auto-biography last year, and it is very interesting and includes a good deal related to Scouting. He wrote it when he was 90. It can be found in digital form on line; https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Best_90_Years_of_My_Life.html?id=H5o1F2AXTioC&hl=en . " - skeptic May 23, 2015

Agree. The Boy Scouts is no longer a youth adventure, it's a family program.

Thanks for the correction.

http://bsahandbook.org/ https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327240445&mt=8 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29558/29558-h/29558-h.htm <--- 1911 edition

If I may...I keep googling for news of Obama, Bear Grylls, Alaska, boy scouts but nothing. It would be cool if some local scouts loaned the President a Scout Handbook - electronic or otherwise. I know, wait for the episode to air as maybe good surprises await. Maybe the President will show scouts how to make a fire with a Blackberry.

I have read some councils are now giving away free rocket kits if one joins scouting. Some units give a free handbook and/or neckerchief and/or Boys' Life for joining and have done so for years. More and more freebies. Maybe a free subscription to X-box Live is next. Funny how on the opposite side, scouts and their families are balking at any fundraisers. Our PLC told recently told a shocked Troop Committee to forget about popcorn and any "purchased" food, etc for COH. We will see how far that goes. Parents have been pushing for a stated yearly. all inclusive "troop membership fee" with weekly and monthly payment options.

Merlyn, thanks that second article is worth reading and discussing. Wouldn't that be something if the President said to Grylls, "Heh, Bob (Gates) worked for me awhile ago. Lets get him on a conference call and talk. We can grab some salmon with our teeth later."

I wonder if the Secretary of Interior, Sandy Jewel, will also be along? Her knowledge of climate and energy issues and experience in the outdoors are well known and respected. Maybe she can take the President and Scouter Grylls down to Antarctica to retrace her earlier climb of Vinson Massif?

Remember the local uproar in Florida when Cape Canaveral was renamed Cape Kennedy in 1963? In NH, the state legislature attempted to rename Mt. Clay which is in the Presidential range of the White Mts. to Mt. Reagan but the federal mapmakers kept it Mt. Clay. To calm the upset Ohio delegation, perhaps NASA can name a mountain on Mars after McKinley after all he never set foot on Mars either.

My mistake, move if you like. I hope there will be some mention of scouting in the episode.

"President Barack Obama will trek through the wilderness in Alaska this week with British TV adventurer Bear Grylls, the NBC channel has announced. He is due to tape an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls to observe the effects of climate change on the area. He is the first president to appear on the show, to be aired later this year. President Obama is on a three-day tour of Alaska aimed at highlighting the pace of climate change." I wonder if they will discuss scouting? http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34109681 http://www.nbc.com/running-wild-with-bear-grylls Oh and Mr. President, a Scout Salute for renaming Mount McKinley to Mount Denali.

GREAT STORY! Watch video interview with 13yr old scout. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/teen-scout-helps-save-dad-hurt-falling-boulder-rugged-wilderness-n417521 Scout Salute.

If so, consider similar attempts to increase membership from a specific population - Improved Scouting Program with an urban focus, scouting as a "family program", Summit for the 10 per-centers. There are at least three STEM programs in the BSA - the old merit badge program with Chemistry, Electronics, Welding, ... - the STEM/NOVA an embellished merit badge program??? Sorry I don't get it. Why not improve the merit badges themselves. - STEM Scouts which is pilot program entering its second year. I think we will see major revisions in STEM scouts this academic year. My $0.01 for rambling

Money. There are many youth STEM grants to be had from both government and the private sector. As an example, I recently received an email from FIRST asking volunteer help in social media voting to win a $500K award from Microsoft. Some of these STEM grants can fit into a school curriculum, but many would rather be outside, free of teacher unions, Common Core, open to all kids in a community. No surprise Boy and Girls Clubs, 4-H, and Girl Scouts are in the STEM money chase. Acquiring STEM grants is a way for the BSA to get back lost corporate donations. My $0.02

Back in the day, quality control of the BSA program was policed by councils. Their territorial marshalls were called Neighborhood Commissioners who dropped in on units. They looked at the program, troop finances, held uniform inspection, etc. If the unit failed to meet standards, he gave guidance and returned in a a couple of months to repeat the process. Those NC's had the power to dismiss volunteers and revoke charters. Scouting did not need a large number of adults as it had great, experienced adults ("The Greatest Generation"). Council was responsible for the BSA program in its geographic area. But as you know that changed, responsibility for the BSA program was surrendered to CO's. There were other gross mistakes which contributed - change in Wood Badge, Improved Scouting Program, National Leadership... a perfect storm. What I find hard to take are the former scouts who gave up on scouting, who discouraged their sons from joining and otherwise would not help, not even as MBC's. Yeah I wish my sons could experience the scouting of 50's and 60's. Recall a few years ago, NESA sent out postcards to old Eagle Scouts and only got about a 30% return. Bummer.

IMO, good ole troop/patrol meetings are the best means of communication. Miss the meeting and it is up to the scout to find out, not up to the SM, SPL, PL, or MOM to text/phone/email/smoke-signal him. My $0.02,

This.

Are you having fun?

Some of our scout camps have active energy production facilities such as solar arrays and oil wells which under contract with local energy companies. From such a relationaship, Muskingum Valley Scout Reservation in Ohio has partnered with Ohio Gas and Electric and developed a specialty camp program Ohio Gas and Electric Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) "THE POWER PROGRAM: Earn Energy, Engineering and Mining in Society merit Badges during this four day overnight camp at MVSR. Boy Scouts and Venturers will tour the American Electric Power, electrical Generation plant, and the Three Rivers Energy ethanol plant. They’ll visit the gas/oil well site on camp property and explore careers in energy and engineering. With a syllabus co-written by the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) our S.T.E.M. director Kevin Burch promises a fun and educational program." http://www.muskingumvalleycouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/e-blast.pdf Now the interesting part,if news reports can be believed, an Oil and Gas Engineering MB is coming next year. Boy Scouts recently attending a STEM camp at Camp Muskingum successfully completed an innovative oil and gas specific curriculum designed in partnership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) and the Muskingum Valley Boy Scout Council. Based on the success of this camp, and through funding provided by Ohio’s oil and gas producers, OOGEEP plans to offer a full oil and gas engineering merit badge at the camp in 2016. The merit badge is already in its third year at Camp Manatoc near Akron. The exciting program introduces scouts to the oil and gas industry through both classroom and field learning. The badge is designed to: showcase how engineering is crucial to Ohio’s oil and gas industry; explain how companies produce energy for Ohio from Ohio; allow scouts to put their engineering knowledge to work building models; give scouts a first hand looking at a working oil and gas well; and introduce engineering career paths available in the industry. “As an Eagle Scout and current engineer working in Ohio, I’m so proud to have watched this program develop and grow,†said Tim McNutt, General Manager of Pipeline Operations for Dominion East Ohio. “Strong science education is so important and this program teaches science and engineering to Scouts who are eager to learn.†... http://oogeep.org/2015/08/oil-and-gas-engineering-merit-badge-to-expand-to-camp-muskingum-boy-scout-camp/ http://www.coshoctontribune.com/story/news/local/2015/08/24/local-boy-scouts-offer-oil-gas-merit-badge/32254769/

I suppose anything is legallly possible though it is hard to imagine a court intervening or even listening to a case about how a religious organization selects its adult volunteers. Recently a Kentucky parish rejected re-instating a gay ASM, no legal rumblings just a Charge.org petition. Time is short, I think he and his son should transfer to another troop. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/08/06/gay-scout-leader-rejected-ky-parish/31200973/

Okay I see your points except for joining BSA. In his letter he asks Catholics to look at other youth groups Third, I list here for your consideration acceptable alternatives for our Catholic children and youth, should you wish to offer this in your parish and/or school. There are two very good alternatives to the Girl Scouts of America. They are: American Heritage Girls (americanheritagegirls.org), which has a National Catholic Committee; Little Flowers’ Girls Clubs (eccehomopress.com); and Federation of North American Explorers (fneexplorers.com). There are three alternatives to the Boy Scouts of America, which are acceptable. They are: Federation of North American Explorers (fneexplorers.com); Columbian Squires (kofc.org/un/en/squires); and Trail Life USA (traillifeusa.com), which has a National Catholic Committee in Front Royal, VA. I wonder how ND Catholic scouts will earn and be recognized for religious awards. Scout Sunday will be interesting particularly where the Bishop is celebrating Mass. Old Schiff would have that Mass packed with scouts.

Legal reasons? I have not seen that. Not doubting you, but in his public letters I read only concerns about moral issues and a misunderstanding about policy. "...and as expected, the Boy Scouts of America voted to admit openly gay adults into the organization to hold leadership positions. While there are indications that the BSA has a religious organization exception, which each local troop could invoke, that will provide no protection for any of our parishes and/or schools, which sponsor troops. Thus, effective immediately, the Catholic Church of the Diocese of Bismarck and each and every one of its parishes, schools and other institutions, is formally disaffiliated with and from the Boy Scouts of America. If your parish sponsors a troop, your priest has been asked to inform those persons associated with the BSA of this action and to inform the BSA itself of this decision. I regret my decision but, in conscience as the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese of Bismarck, I cannot permit our Catholic institutions to accept and participate directly or indirectly in any organization, which has policies and methods, which contradict the authoritative moral teachings of the Catholic Church." I bolded part of the second sentence above which I think is a misunderstanding of the policy. The troop does not invoke a membership policy, the CO and National do. So the parish or school sponsoring the unit still selects volunteers of their choice. Maybe his concern is with adult volunteers in troops outside of his control? http://bismarckdiocese.com/news/letter-from-bishop-decision-on-boy-scouts-of-america

Part of my question as I am RememberSchiif not RememberBaltimoreCathecism . I was thinking Schism? When the Church boots a group for moral reasons isn't there an implicit assumption that Catholics can no longer be members of that group under penalty of ...?