scoutldr

So, how do we explain the millions of kids who go through the public schools and still manage to turn out OK? I can think of four fine examples...myself, my wife and two sons. When you talk of public schools as being a bad environment...that's my family you're talking about.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/TenWays/Story?id=3585399&page=1

To paraphrase, I remember when "common sense was a common virtue". They don''t teach it in school any more. I once had a discussion with my eldest son when he was despondent over his "mediocre" grades in middle and high school. He was a B-C student. I explained to him that I raised him to be self sufficient and well rounded, and with a modicum of common sense...he was a Varsity athlete, a Scout, active in church, and an all around good person...in fact, his senior year, he was voted "best all around" by his peers. To my knowledge, there were no drugs, booze or tobacco. I told him about the kids I went to school with who had 4.0 averages (that was the best you could get in those days), but couldn''t DO squat outside of the classroom. They knew how to study and do well on tests. That was it. One committed suicide shortly after high school. Another was accepted at all 3 service academies, but in an act of rebellion, enlisted as an E-1 instead. My kid only made it to Star, but at age 28, has his degree and is a partner in his own restaurant (and getting rave reviews), managing a staff of more than 50 people. He has a wisdom beyond his years (and schooling), and that''s what I was shooting for. Nobody really cares now what his GPA was. It''s the results that matter. As my dad (a retired Navy enlisted man) used to tell me..."don''t let all that fancy schooling interfere with your education."

Go to the BSA website and follow the links... www.scouting.org If you sign up, you will be given satellite images of the search area to inspect for signs of wreckage. If you see something, you flag the image and the search coordinators are notified. Pretty cool. Just got my latest issue of Eagletter yesterday, the national magazine of NESA. Inside the front cover was a letter from Steve, the incoming President of NESA. Obviously printed before he went missing.

Just checked out www.callingpost.com ...didn''t even know it existed. What a great idea! Thanks for the info...

Just to clarify, I meant to split the whole pack ... not just the new recruits. The challenge is to find a new CO, CM and CC. But you want each pack to end up with Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webs...if possible. Bigger is not better, believe me. Been there.

Yup...the cup will burn down to the water level then stop. They think it''s magic!

They own the unit AND the money. Be careful that they don''t decide that they need new choir robes or something. Don''t you need a troop trailer? The others are correct, you don''t need to be at zero at the end of the year, but you should shoot for some modest "reserve" to be carried over. I know that all councils want you to sell a million units of popcorn every year, but the truth is, most units don''t need that much money. Your unit budget plan should reflect anticipated income and outgo, with the reserve left over for emergencies. If you are fundraising for a special thing (new tents, trip to Sea Base, etc), I would set up a special account kept separate from operating expenses.

Most cured hams are "pre-cooked", meaning heat and serve. The watermelon would provide a novel way of heating the ham directly on the coals while not drying it out or burning it. Sounds cool! I also like to wow the Tenderfeet by boiling water (or poaching an egg or cooking a sausage ball) in an orange peel...directly on the fire.

I also noted that many of the trails listed on the NTHA web site are BSA or GSUSA historic trails. Why not just get the BSA medal and patch and be done with it? If there is a potential trail in your area, it would make a fine Eagle project (I think) to develop it and the requirements for an award. Also, as was stated before, the only non-BSA awards authorized for uniform wear are the religious medals/square knots.

My own sons are 29 and 24 and no longer registered. I have been in scouting since 1964, with a few years off for college and waiting for my first born to become Cub age. I can''t imagine NOT being in Scouting, but the time is coming ... my two compadres (SM and ASM) are in the same boat, and we are ready to give it up. Recruiting has become fruitless, and the current crop of parents, while nice and very appreciative, show no inclination to take over the helm. The most they will do is show up for meetings, sit in the back of the room, and provide transportation when asked. One is an Eagle, but very shy and quiet, and the others are freshly retired military who are busy going to school and transitioning to new careers (that''s the inherent problem of retiring when your kids are still in middle school!). We will be losing one next summer to a military transfer, then we will be down to five. So, when the time comes, which will be when the current crop either Eagles or ages out, we will throw in the towel, because you reach a point where you (and my wife) say, "why am I still doing this?" (usually in the woods during a cold wet weekend, when the scout''s dads are home watching the game on their plasma TVs). It is not without mixed emotions, but I am nearing retirement from my govt job in a coupla years and also need to be making transition plans...at age 56, I won''t be able to sit at home carving neckerchief slides, since I still have a mortgage and bills to pay. Our CO doesn''t care either way.

I would say, "well, for the next year, he can be a wolf, then he can be a Brownie". I agree with eisely. Who are we to judge? Should the BSA now demand to see proof of a Y chromosome, in addition to being straight and non-atheist?

No, there is no rule. Your scout executive does not run the pack, you do...or rather your Chartering Organization does, and he is off base. Your District Executive should be looking for a way to form a new unit to accomodate these new recruits. They get credit for forming new units as well as increasing membership numbers. The ideal thing would be to register the new cubs in your pack, then split down the middle, like cell division. That way, each unit gets an equal share of genetic material...leaders and age groups. If you are at the max for your meeting space, there might also be Fire Marshall concerns with maximum occupancy limits. I once was CM for a pack that grew to over 150 boys. Pack meetings were 2 and a half hour boring arrow point marathons. We split the pack twice, and now there are three packs and two troops that grew out of that one. That''s how Scouting grows.

We have a small troop and our CO contributes nothing. Every cent (plus a lot of MY money) goes to the boys. If your unit contributes training scholarships, that''s wonderful. I would make it a line item in your Unit Budget Plan and factor that in as an expense. Just means you need to sell more popcorn!

My view has always been, "I am the one who stepped up to the plate, so we meet at my convenience." OK, so that''s a simplification. The choices are clear...if you can accomodate an earlier start time, then fine, do it. If not, tell them so. But make it clear that if they outvote you, you will be happy to turn over the leadership reins to one of them. Everyone has demands on their time, so one person''s demands should not overrule everyone else.

THey will have 72 Virginians waiting for them in Paradise. I hope to be one of them...

I have also seen an adult wearing ALL of his medals (Eagle, Religious, training, etc) ALL of the time. I think to myself, in the words of the inimitable Bugs Bunny, "what an ultramaroon!" and move on.

From the Safety Afloat portion of the Guide to Safe Scouting: All activity afloat must be supervised by a mature and conscientious adult age 21 or older who understands and knowingly accepts responsibility for the well-being and safety of the children in his or her care, who is experienced and qualified in the particular watercraft skills and equipment involved in the activity, and who is committed to compliance with the nine points of BSA Safety Afloat. One such supervisor is required for each 10 people, with a minimum of two adults for any one group. At least one supervisor must be age 21 or older, and the remaining supervisors must be age 18 or older. All supervisors must complete BSA Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense training and rescue training for the type of watercraft to be used in the activity, and at least one must be trained in CPR. It is strongly recommended that all units have at least one adult or older youth member currently trained as a BSA Lifeguard to assist in the planning and conducting of all activity afloat. For Cub Scouts: The ratio of adult supervisors to participants is one to five. From the Safe Swim Defense rules: 1. Qualified Supervision All swimming activity must be supervised by a mature and conscientious adult age 21 or older who understands and knowingly accepts responsibility for the well-being and safety of youth members in his or her care, who is experienced in the water and confident of his or her ability to respond in the event of an emergency, and who is trained in and committed to compliance with the eight points of BSA Safe Swim Defense. (It is strongly recommended that all units have at least one adult or older youth member currently trained as a BSA Lifeguard to assist in the planning and conduct of all swimming activity.) http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/gss02.html#h

Shirts and trousers. BSA adult uniforms are available in 3 different fabrics...polyester/wool blend, polyester/cotton blend, and 100% cotton. All are available by mail-order from www.scoutstuff.com or through your local Scout Shop. Most people wear the poly/cotton because it''s the cheapest and what most Scout Shops have in stock. I have a 100% cotton shirt I picked up on eBay. It''s great when it''s starched and ironed, otherwise it looks like it''s been slept in for a month, and the collar is starting to fray. Poly/wool is the most expensive and IMHO, too dressy and pricey for field use, but they do look good.

Welcome to the forums, Amy. I assume you are the Troop Committee Chair and are asking about how to run a Troop Committee Meeting? Running the Troop meeting is the job of the SPL, under the guidance of the Scoutmaster. Running a troop meeting is up to you...you can be as formal or as informal as you need to be to make it work. Robert''s Rules is probably overkill, but a free for all won''t work, either. Depends on the size of the group and the ability of the people to work together. IN most cases, decision by consensus is best. Consensus means, while you may not agree with a decision or get everything you want, you agree to support it and help the group make it work.

ME too...also getting that popup again.

This is a unit in trouble due to lack of leadership. IN my opinion, it comes under the District Commissioner, rather than membership. Membership should focus on district-wide recruiting efforts, not putting sick units back together. The DE and DC needs to visit the COR and have a heart to heart about the future of this unit.

Ditto...nothing here yet for us mushrooms.

"Must be you guys live in really litigious states." Virginia, the Mother of Presidents, both Union and Confederate. It's not the locals, who are mostly Southern ladies and gentlemen...it's all the "come-heres"...a lot of under-25 sailors with crotch-rockets and tourists from less refined locales. My wife is an elementary school nurse and I am entrusted with boys and young men on weekends...not sure if that factored into it. We also have no protection against uninsured motorists...regardless of fault. My insurance pays the bill. You can get a license while uninsured (if you admit it) by paying an additional $400 fee to the DMV, but the victims don't get any of that. That's happened to me twice when I was rear-ended...once by a 16 year old with no insurance, and once by a young Marine coming off a 3 day bender. Not to mention illegals with no licenses or insurance...

Complete uniforms may always be worn, as long as they are still serviceable. Mixing of uniform parts is frowned upon. As I recall the fold down pocket flaps were for youth only. Adult uniforms had standard trousers.