scoutldr

Heard this one on "Most Haunted" the other night: "Puke" = "Babysick"

Correct me if I'm wrong...One disadvantage of having inactive scouts on the charter: You have to have more than 50% of the registered scouts present in order to have a valid OA election. If you have 25 registered, and only 10 show up...no election. One reason parents may continue paying registration...it looks good on a college application or job resume - "Member, Boy Scouts of America".

"It could cause moral problems." How true.

The Pack Treasurer should prepare a simple one-page balance sheet type budget for Pack committee approval...Income on the left and outgo on the right. You would show $X registration fee as income and the same amount on the right as being paid to Council...net of -0- to the Pack. Other expenditures to list would be awards, leader training fees, B&G banquet expenses, PW Derby expenses, etc. On the income side, list income expected from planned fundraisers. For every pack activity planned, there needs to be a revenue source to fund it. Make sure every family gets a copy at recharter time. No such thing as a free lunch. There are BSA publications available to assist with unit budgeting.

---

As far as the Council is concerned, bucks are bucks. They won't really care. What I would NOT do is credit the sales to the scout UNTIL the cash has been turned in. The top seller should be announced based on who has turned in the most CASH as of the deadline date. Coming up with it 3 weeks after the deadline shouldn't count.

I have scouts who are in all-city band at the High School level, and I can't get them to come to me to get Music MB signed off. That would be a gimme, but they're just not interested enough to ask me. I refuse to spoon feed them.

The BSA patches are made in China, so the difference is probably for transportation and import taxes.

Over the years I have spent thousands of dollars on camping equipment. That which I wish to remain "mine", I take home with me and store it in MY shed. That which I have "donated" goes to the troop shed. One suggestion would be that whenever someone "donates" equipment, give them a written receipt "for tax purposes" which itemizes the gear and it's condition. Leave it to the donor to assign a value. This also protects the unit (and CO), by establishing ownership. If the stuff disappears, you have a written record that it was donated.

It is incumbent on the SM and SPL to ensure that all requirements have been fully completed before recommending a scout for a BOR. The BOR is not the place to discover this.

I can't quote chapter and verse, but I seem to recall from a previous discussion thread that you must join the Lodge in the council where you are registered. And flaps may be worn only by Lodge members in good standing.

So it's "mandatory" that a scout's membership "may" be revoked? Sheesh.

Agree that there would be few valid excuses...severe illness or death, or weather conditions which prohibit travel are about all that come to mind. Even in the event of illness, the chapter should have attempted to find substitutes from within the Lodge. I would send a letter to the Chapter Chief, copy to the Lodge Chief and Chapter Advisor expressing my displeasure with their definition of "Trustworthy" and "Service".

If the lad is well liked by the others, and you deny him membership, don't be surprised if you lose some of the others in the process, who may decide that they don't want to belong to an organization with what they perceive to be anachronistic "morality". What would I do? I would welcome him with open arms and not make a big deal of it unless he does. One alternative would be to switch your charter to an Exporer Post and keep on gettin' down! I still find it odd that the BSA maintains such blatant dual standards.

Flags were not worn in the 60s. The only thing on the right sleeve was (for youth), the patrol medallion and optional 6 merit badges on a long sleeved shirt. There was also no AOL knot at that time.

My issue is getting the cloth rank badges on the shirt at all. We always present the pin as "immediate recognition". THe cloth badge and card are saved for the COH. That's usually the last we see of the cloth badge, and the pin remains on the shirt wherever it was first pinned on....if it survives the yearly washing. My suspicion is that the shirt is balled up and thrown under the bed where it remains until the next meeting night.

Agree with Eamonn and Crew21. I didn't say that the crew/ship program had to revolve around Boy Scout advancements. Once they join a crew, they're on their own. When they are ready for the BOR, they can let you know. MB work is supposed to be done mostly outside of the unit program anyway.

Hmmmm...possession and brandishing a handgun by a minor, threatening bodily harm, verbal assault using profanity. OK, let's give him a second chance. Sounds like Eagle material to me. You don't mention if the above acts were committed in a Scouting environment (meeting, trip, campout). If I were the victim's parent, you and the Scout Executive would be hearing from my lawyer and/or the police. Sorry...you need to draw the line somewhere.

Writing up the final report of the project is part of the "work".

Everyone's opinions notwithstanding, the youth crew members can NOT elect to disallow national rules. The national rule (currently) is that a male Venturer can continue the trail to Eagle if he is at least First Class when he joins the crew. The Crew Committee is obligated to provide BOR and Advisor conferences to allow for that. Those who disagree can make their opinions known to the National Venturing Committee at BSA. Meanwhile, you must deliver the program...even the parts you disagree with.

If LFL is separate in every other way, why don't they have their own budget? In my opinion, LFL should be self-sustaining, if they are to have different membership requirements. So, if I read Eamonn correctly, my FOS money supports LFL whether I am intending to support that program and it's standards, or not.

The OA Chapter Advisor is an ex officio member of the District Committee under the Camping Committee. The purpose of the OA, among other things, is to promote unit camping and provide service to the Council, District and Units, the nature of which is decided locally. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules...it's whatever you agree to do in a cooperative manner. The things you mentioned are just examples of how the OA can provide "cheerful service". If there is to be a tapout (callout) at the camporee, it seems reasonable that the OA be in charge of the campfire. From the publication, "Camping Committee Guide" (#33083C), The Order of the Arrow should be related to the entire enterprise. Their contribution will be to cooperate with the Camping Committee in organizing: - A "Where To Go Camping" guide for all units - Work parties to improve camp facilities - OA members to work with district Scouters to visit units to tell the camping story to youth as adults tell the story to adults (This message has been edited by scoutldr)

Welcome to the forums, knottedplace. But you are incorrect. If a Boy Scout is First Class when he joins a Crew, he may continue the trail to Eagle. He does not need to maintain dual registration. Please check your facts.

Lest the youth become demoraticalized, I say let them earn Eagle if they're of a mind to. As a 14 year old Life scout and SPL, I transferred to an Explorer Post and continued to earn Eagle in 1970, due in no small part to my Post advisor's encouragement. During that time, the Post went co-ed, and almost without exception, the girls were also Sr. Girl Scouts and went on to earn their First Class awards (the highest GS award at that time). After joining the Post, I completed 3 50 miler trips, and completed the same training that volunteer firefighters and rescue squadsmen took. Without that program, I probably would have dropped out, because the troop I was in had no older scouts, no high adventure program, and nothing left for a 14 year old Life scout to do, except teach knots to the incoming Webelos. FWIW, I think the current proliferation of Venturing awards is excessive and almost ludicrous.

Professor, thanks for your efforts and idea! While the caution expressed above is understandable in light of recent reports of widespread fraud in Katrina relief funds, I really can't see a huge profit motive in collecting used childrens' books. And the growing illiteracy problem among our young people is one of my pet peeves. I am going to forward your request to units in my district, my wife's elementary school, and the District Advancement chair. I see the makings of an Eagle project here! Thanks again.