SeattlePioneer

As I understand it, Scouting usually works because it is a group of boys and adults who like to go hiking and camping. The natural consequences of that common motivation is that a wide variety of skills need to be acquired if boys are to be able to take THEMSELVES camping, along with adults to make sure things are safe. This past month, we had skills training in the Tenderfoot knots ---two half hitches and a taught line hitch. I found that many of the older Scouts had forgotten these knots and were embarrassed to admit it and didn't want/weren't able to teach the younger Scouts. Last Saturday, we had a day hike. It was a winter hike involving 4 wheeling three miles or so up a Forest Service road with 4-6" of new snow, and fairly heavy snow throughout the trip. Our first activity on the hike was to construct a tarp shelter using ---the taught line hitch and two half hitches. The new and old Scouts got a chance to practice those skills, and the older Scouts learned that such skills are important for more reasons than getting a rank requirement signed off. As an added bonus, the ground was frozen which made getting stakes in the ground a challenge. Despite that, we had a measure of protection against wind driven snow and 20 degree temperatures, something the Scouts found useful and valuable. After constructing the shelter, we had a nice hike up what had once been the main line of the Great Northern Railway through the Cascade Mountains (Google "Iron Goat Trail", if interested), and we got to the mouth of a long tunnel that had helped the trains get through the mountains. You could imagine the trains coming out of the tunnel and running you flat! Pretty impressive in the winter conditions. Scouts had an opportunity to get wet, freeze their hands and bodies, or they could learn to keep a stocking cap on, their hoods up and stay dry and warm ---take your pick. Once we got back to the shelter, the new Scouts were invited to build a fire using the wood and paper in a cut down metal barrel. Shucks --- they didn't have the skills to do that! The older Scouts did, and taught the new boys how to cut kindling and build a fire in difficult environment. The adults had brought along some soup and hot chocolate to heat up and hot dogs to roast, and the Scouts thought it was worthwhile to have some hot food rather than just the sack lunches they had brought. After the meal was over, it turned out that a young child had been lost in the wilderness and the Scouts were asked to help find him before he froze. The lost child was wearing red, with "Lays Potato Chips" on the front of his blouse. The Scouts searched up the road indicated, and located the lost child tied to a tree, learning that they hadn't organized their search as well as they might have. The chips were enjoyed by all. To me, Scouting skills are not primarily something to get checked off to meet advancement requirements. They are useful skills that give people the freedom of the hills to hike and climb in the backcountry. When I organize a hike, it's not just a walk in the park. The aim is to make it an adventure which is going to require the use of Scouting skills to solve the problems that the Scouts will encounter during the course of the trip. Next month we are planning a snowshoe hike. At our next troop meeting, we will probably have a discussion on how to build igloos or snow caves if the PLC wants to schedule that instruction. On that hike, the Scouts will be expected to travel to a location specified on a topographic map, use their Klondike Derby sled to carry firewood, tarps and such, and figure out how to set up a tarp using deadmen anchors in the snow rather than tent pegs, among other things. If they don't pay attention to the igloo building instruction, that may be a fristrating experience, and if they can't use their map and compass skills, they may have a hard time too. In my view, the beginning of good character is discovering that actions have consequences. Seattle Pioneer

This has proved to be an interesting thread. While some writers have been critical of the Scout for lying about his motivation for not wanting to wear the uniform, I'm inclined to wonder why he felt he couldn't raise the issue honestly and get a fair hearing. Perhaps it would be appropriate for a chartered organization to require uniforming if they really felt strongly about it, that would be rare I would suppose. I don't think it's appropriate for the adults or the Troop Committee to impose a uniforming rule on the Scouts. I suggest that's something the Scouts should decide through their PLC. Give this Scout an opportunity for a hearing before the PLC to make his case. Perhaps some acceptable compromise can be found. Seattle Pioneer

The comments about the depth of training commonly offered by Scouts is interesting. I recently attended the district ALOST outdoor skills training for adults Boy Scout/Venturing leaders and had a similar experience. The map and compass training went over all the skills through first class in an hour. For me, it was an interesting review, especially since it was taught by an engineer with an professional competence in the subject. But for a lot of people, I'm sure much went over their heads ---too much presented to be really able to learn much. Then we did a nature study segment and the show was on the other foot. An expert Boy Scout took us on a hike and identified scores of different kinds of vegetation, with detailed explanations of each type ---- that went 'way over my head, and I learned very little. In my experience, most Scout training is quite good. But it's not design to make experts out of beginners. The best approach is to offer a basic introduction to a subject to people who are new to that subject. When people are through with the training, they should expect to do more reading and practice if they expect to develope real competence with the subject. Isn't that the kind of training we offer most Boy Scouts for advancement? The boy who gets signed off on doing two half hitches will forget that skill unless he uses it and teaches it to other Scouts. IF people would carefully read the literature available, much Scout leader training would not be necessary. But most people need a teacher to help lead them through complicated material, and there is "local knowledge" about how to apply general ideas that is also a part of such training. I took the Cub Scout Baloo training on how to do Cub Scout camping last spring. Despite the fact that I have loads of camping experience, it was very valuable in learning how Scout rules apply to Cub Scout camping, pointers about how to adapt general camping practices to young boys, and ideas about local resouces that could be tapped to help with Pack overnights. So it was valuable, especially since we were just gearing up for our Pack overnight at the time. So I don't expect most Scout leader traininbg to make me an expert. I am happy if it provides me with the fundamentals I need to plan a good a safe program which will allow me to learn a lot more through experience. Seattle Pioneer

Good idea there Proud Eagle. I think you have identified a Scouter skill not subject to any training. However --- after turning down the request of the DE to be District Membership Chair, several months later I attended the district awards banquet and found myself listed on the program ---as Membership Chair, a job I continue to do today. I turned it down on the basis that it was a job I wasn't especially suited to do by personality, and that I already had two Scouting jobs which monopolized my free time. Doing more would wind up blighting my life instead of enhancing it. That's all proved to be true to at least some extent. On the other hand, the DE has helped compensate for some of the things I don't do well, and I have managed to do things that otherwise would not be done. It has pinched my time, especially this fall, when I was doing recruiting for a Cub Pack, Scout Troop, the district and being defactor Scoutmaster. Fall is the busy season for my furnace repair business as well. Seattle Pioneer

Hello, Cubmaster Jerry--- Good comments in your post. As District Mewmbership Chair, I've been working to develope a working relationship with at least one adult leader in each Pack who takes responsibility for recruiting ---usually the Cubmaster. We had a good training meeting for how to do fall recruiting in August, with the next one scheduled for June 15th. The June 15 th effort will have multiple efforts to promote it, and we are encouraging Pack leaders to find adults who don't have a role in Troop leadership to thatr training so they might become trained in the arts of recruiting, and take the load off the existing leadership. So one of my aims is to anticipate problems that Pack leaders have, and find ways to help them. Rather than adding to the burden of Pack leaders, my aim is to reduce them. Of course, that's just theory and/or good intentions so far. Over time, perhaps Pack leaders will start paying attention to Membership programs if they see value and good ideas they can use. I see plenty of promotional literature and ideas wasted, just as you suggest. That's reduced when there is a training program that shows how the material can be used and how it will benefit the Pack/Troop. Also, I take comfort that in Scouting we are only expected to Do Our Best. Seattle Pioneer

I am District Membership Chair in my district, which means I'm responsible for encouraging the recruiting of new Cub Scouts. A few weeks ago, the District Executive gave me a breakdown of packs in the district and the number of Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos Scouts in each Pack. There were some obvious "holes" in those numbers, with several packs having zero, one or two boys as Tiger Cubs or Wolves in particular. Having holes like that means a weak program, since you don't have the critical mass to have the best program. It means weaknesses in the pack in future years since you wont have the boys and aduly leaders you are going to need. So we put together a "peer-to-peer" recruiting kit for Cub Packs. This consisted of ten (10) "Lance Armstrong" style wrist bands, ten postcard sized pieces of recruiting literature, five Cub Scout applications, a handout I wrote up on how to use your existing Scouts to recruit new boys, and out first announcement on our fall recruiting Kickoff scheduled for June 15th (got to get things promoted early!). I called leaders in all the Cub Packs with holes in them to invite them to the upcoming Cub Roundtable where they could pick up their packets and hear our training on "Peer-to-Peer" recruiting. At Roundtable, Packs signed that they received their packet, and I gave a ten minute presentation on using the recruiting cards as a Den activity: The existing boys in a Den would first be asked to identify a friend or classmate they would like to have in Cub Scouts. Second they will decorate one of the recruiting cards with that boy in mind, inviting them to an upcoming Pack activity or outing. The Cub Scouts who attract a new boy to that event get one of the wristbands for themselves and the boy they invite. The Cub Scout membership applications are there to sign boys up at that activity. I was pleasently surprised that most of the units came to the Roundtable and picked up and signed for their packets. Today I'm sending the remaining three Packs their packets in the mail. I'll be interested to see if we get new applications back in the next few weeks indicating that this effort paid off in new Cub Scouts. Seattle Pioneer

This is an interesting thread to read through. There are lots of good explanations on why people leave and why they quit. I'm pleased to be able to say that my District has an outstanding DE and excellent leaders, who are constantly searching for new people they can recruit to help with district level organizing. Identifying new leaders is a part of the agenda at each monthly meeting of District Commissioners. I was interested in scoutldr's post on his experience as District Training Chair. That sounded like an unfortunate experience, but I wonder if it could have been improved if scoutldr had used somewhat different methods? Our District Training Chair is run ragged, but promarily because she is busy organizing her roster of volunteer trainers to do a prodigous amount of training. She uses a lot of good unit leaders such as Cubmasters and Scoutmasters to do training, not overwhelming anyone but cycling people through. Occasionally these trainers get a little fixated on their special interests (high tech camping gear is one weakness I recall) or not being throrughly acquainted with current BSA rules (Pack camping rules at Baloo training was a sore point of misinformation) but by and large things go quite well. The audience for training can help provide some balance in situations like that --- when the high tech gear guy got rolling along too well, I brought up that a lot of cheap gear and clothing was available at thrift shops. When the Baloo camping rules were being improperly explained, I and a couple other people in the audience raised sharp questions about what we were being told until we identified the correct information. (I got my ears pinned back by the DE for being persistant on that one). In short, don't let the goal of having excellent training drive good trainers and good training away. If someone is a little too fixated or out of date on one subject, perhaps they can be counseled to improve or find another way to utilize their talent and energy. We need to DEVELOPE and TRAIN our leaders, not just presume they will walk in and do an excellent job. The usual model for Boy Scout leadership is: 1. Do an inventory of available people and identify the best person to do a task. 2. Ask that person to do the job that needs to be done 3. Get that person the information, resources and training they need to do the job. 4. Check up to be sure they are prepared to do the job and have the information, resources and training they need to do it. 5. Thank them and arrange for suitable recognition after they have performed the job. There are more sophisticated leadership techniques to be learned. But these fundamentals will take most people a long, long way, and they are routinely ignored even by sophisticated leaders in large organizations. Trying to do everything yourself is a classic formula for failure. The search for new leaders and volunteers is one of the most impoirtant parts of Scouting, and too often neglected. Seattle Pioneer

Thank you, VeniVidi, for your examples and comments. They are very much along the lines I was thinking. A lot of Scouting is about training boys and adults in the fundamentals of leadership. Part of that is learning how to motivate people to do things you would like done. A good Scout leader (adult or youth) will look for ways to use the natural interests of people to get them to co-operate and work together on activities and projects. Using guilt as a motivator is one technique I suppose, but not one I'd care to use very much. Positive appeals built around the genuine interests of people are far more powerful. So I think that a prospective Eagle Scout who wants to attract Scouts to work on his project should look for positive ways to encourage boys to participate. Looking for ways that Scouts can qualify for advancement seems like a perfectly legitimate way to motivate Scouts ---- after all, that's what is motivating the prospective Eagle Scout! The other angle on the example given at the beginning of the thread is to look at the kind of Troop the prospective Eagle Scout has helped build during his time in Scouting. If the program the Scout helped provide doesn't motivate boys to help him, perhaps that Scout deserves a measure of the responsibility for that failure. In short, I continue to resist the idea that ADULTS should help the Eagle candidate out of his problem. I'd talk to him about it, and offer him some ideas about how he might solve it. But providing the leadership that gets people to turn out to do the project is the responsibility of the Eagle candidate. If adults do it for him, then he's just another boy who didn't deserve Eagle but was carried into the Eagle's nest by adults who wouldn't permit him to fail. I spend a lot of my time working with and encouraging young Scouts to complete First Class. After that, I don't push 'em and I don't pull 'em. Why bother? Unfortunately, there are 'way too many parents and adult Scouters who will do that. Seattle Pioneer

Anyone have the designs for these PVC cannons? Seattle Pioneer

I find it amusing that the ADL recommends that children be required to get written permission from parents to attend a religious club in a school that probably makes referrals for abortions without notifying anyone. Seattle Pioneer

Our Council had a three hour class a week ago on using GPS receivers taught by a Scoutmaster of vast experience. It was very well done. He began with a discussion of the fundamental skills of using a map, compass and altimeter for routefinding. I thought that was a good idea. Hw went on to discuss how the GPS system worked, including it's strengths and weaknesses. A discussion of the UTM coordinate system that makes it fairly straightforward to locate your position on a map from co-ordinates, or to do the reverse was practiced. A discussion of map datums and their importance was discussed, and everyone had a chance to set their GPS receivers to acceptable settings. A short hike gave participants practice in setting waypoints and then using a compass to navigate back from waypoint to waypoint, rather than leaving the GPS receiver on all the time. Very well done. Probabably 100 people or so, including some youth members attended. Personally, I just need a map about 90% of the time to find my way. Another 9% of the time I use a map and compass. Less than 1% of the time do I need my GPS receiver, usually in fog when I'm boating or whiteout conditions in the backcountry. But having a command of skills associated with a GPS receiver is useful, m and I learned some usefull skills at this training. In the future, I'll probably take the time to set more waypoints as I travel, even if I don't expect to need them. I've decided they are cheap insurance against problems. So--- When do you use a GPS receiver, and how sure are you of the skills needed to use it accurately and effectively? Seattle Pioneer

Again-- Let me set the scene I am concerned about. Last summer, we had a nice tour of a major Navy refueling Depot. The Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge has as an option visiting a Federal facility as a requirement. It seems to me perfectly reasonable for the Advancement Chair to have a Cit/Nation blue card for each Scout, even a Tenderfoot, and note the date that this requirement was completed. Perhaps they'd want to make an additional note that describes in a bit more detail how the requirement was completed. It's fine to suggest that boys should do this for themselves, but it would be a rare Tenderfoot Scout who would be aware of all the different Merit Badges and be able to imagine all the requirements they might be completing. We did a boat camping trip a couple of weeks ago. Scouts completed several of the Motor Boating Merit Badge requirements in the course of the trip, but unfortunately it wasn't an organized part of the outing. Those achievements will likely go unrecognized. Many Merit Badges have different typoes of requirements. Some kinds of requirements amount to basic theory, others ask to demonstrate practical ability with basic skills, others ask for performance based experience. If a Scout completes a 25 mile bicycle trip on an outing, is there really anything really wrong with making a point of recording the date of that achievement so the Scout receives credit for that when he gets around to seriously earning the Merit Badge? In summer camp, a number of Merit Badge classes routinely issue "partials" because while the basic theory and skills have been demonstrated, the experience type requirements can't be met in camp. If the boy brings a blue card with those requirements already clearly met, it should make the honest completion of the Merit Badge easier to certify. In our recent district Merit Badge Jumboree, the basic skills and knowledge needed for bicycling was taught, but the experience requirements for 25 and 50 mile bicycle trips could not be met, so partials were given. I'll bet if the instructors had good evidence that those requirements had already been met they would have been glad to sign off the Merit Badge as being completed. I'm not suggesting this approach to the basic theory and skills training that is commonly a part of Merit Badge requirements. There is no reason not to demonstrate those. But the experience requirements e.g. 50 mile bicycle ride seem like naturals to keep track of so that Scouts receiove credit for requirements they have completed. Seattle Pioneer

While I think The Scout's comment that Scouts should have the responsibility of managing their own cards and advancement requirements has merit, that's not, strictly speaking, a requirement for obtaining a merit badge. Hunt and Long Haul's posts lend support for my bright idea of issueing and managing blue cards for and on behalf of new Scouts. If requirements specify that work must be performed after talking to a MB counselor, that should obviously be respected. But it doesn't appear to be a requirement, and helping Scouts get merit badge requirements signed off as they are done, even when the boys aren't aware of the advancement implications of the things they do seems well established as a good Scouting principle. I appreciate the carful thinking and analysis of the people who posted. Seattle Pioneer

Interesting thread. As I understand it, the COR can fire the Scoutmaster, but can't impose dietary rules on the Troop. The Scoutmaster has control of the program, including Scout menues. I also agree that visiting the Institutional Head to discuss the actions of the COR is the right thing to do. If I were an adult leader in this Troop, I'd get the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair to talk turkey with the COR and IH. Either they back off or the Troop finds a new chartering organization. Seattle Pioneer

I have occasionally thought it might be worthwhile to "issue" a new Scout with a collection of Merit Badge cards when he becomes a new Scout. Often, troop activities allow Scouts to meet merit badge requirements, but no blue card has been issued and the opportunity for credit is lost. If that collection of Merit Badge cards is maintained by a Troop Advancement Chair, those requirements could be recorded easily enough. Loss of blue cards would be minimized. As an example, our Troop got a nice tour of a major naval fueling depot last summer. "Visiting a Federal Facility" is one of the optional requirements for the Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge, if I'm recalling correctly. With the system I describe, those Scouts would have that requirement completed and recorded, even for a Tenderfoot Scout who hasn't begun to think about that Merit Badge. Comments?

Hello Olf Grey Eagle--- Yes, Scouting has national rules for advancement. But it is also a program owned by each chartering organization as well. Scout Troops develope their own personalities, culture and standards, and that is acceptable within certain limits. I have no problem with District Advancement Committees who play a duel role in trying to maintain reasonable standards for Eagle as a challenge to the Eagle Mill troops and also moderating Troops that may throw unreasonable burdens in front of Scouts. It's a balancing act that must require good judgement and a steely spine. Frankly, I get tired by seeing so many parents and Scout leaders carrying boys into the Eagle's nest. It also makes me tired to see parents who zealously seek to give the Heir Apparent every possible advantage in advancement, while often ignoring other boys in a troop who need help to get to First Class. What we really need in this thread are some people who have sat of strict Eagle advancement committees to tell us of the goals they try to achieve, and the kinds of challenges Scout Troops present them with. Seattle Pioneer

I'm with those who would leave the responsibility with the Eagle Scout candidate and not try to influence or coerce Scouts into participating. Several people have suggested that young Scouts need to be thinking about the help they may need in a few years. I prefer to look at the young Scouts and see them as a reflection of the leadership provided by the Life Scout in question. If they don't have a sense of Scout spirit and brotherhood, where was the Life Scout when the Troop program was being developed and carried out? Perhaps the Life Scout should have been thinking about the help he might need. Or perhaps this project isn't an especially good Scout outing as it is presently set up. Has the Life Scout considered which boys need Merit Badges and pointed out how participation might meet Merit Badge requirements? Perhaps the Life Scout needs to include some fun activities or Patrol competitions to spark interest among the Scouts. In short, the problem belongs to the Life Scout, not the adults or even the rest of the Scouts. If he can't solve it, he won't be an Eagle Scout. I get tired when I see parents and adults carrying boys from rank to rank. There's an argument for some of that up to First Class, but after that boys should be left largely to themselves to decide if they want to pursue higher ranks. Seattle Pioneer

In my view, the Scout and Scoutmaster should define the expectations for activity as a part of the Scoutmaster conference or as needed. I see no reason why such expectations shouldn't vary to meet the differing needs and situations of different Scouts. And they should vary depending on the rank the boy will be working on. A scoutmaster is expected to use good judgerment in dealing with Scouts --- that is both his privilege and obligation. In deciding on thoser expectations, the aim should be to challenge each boy to do his best. Seattle Pioneer

Hello Fleetfootedfox, D-I-V-O-R-C-E. The obvious solution. Seattle Pioneer and yes, I'm teasing.

Umm. I think thius thread illustrates that there could be legitimate reasons to delay the Eagle award as well as illegitimate ones. I can't say I'm impressed by a parents who are ready to explode when a temporary imediment obstructs the advance of the Heir Apparent. Rather than legalistically investigating their "Rights," I would have suggested that they encourage their son to make an honest inquiry about the reservations of the Scoutmaster, and find ways to meet those objections. If that took a few weeks or months, it would be a good lesson about the realities of life, in my opinion. It would also keep the Scout among his friends in his troop, rather than beginning new relationship in a new troop for what appears to me to be trivial reasons. Seattle Pioneer

Hello Sue-- Thanks for the comments, and encouragement. I have worked with this Scout for more than a year now. He attends most troop meetings and outings, and so does his father, who is a doting father and a pretty sophisticated person (journalist). The boy is intensely interested in music, and says he has aspirations to be in entertainment. He also demonstrates an interest in being a leader from time to time. When I suggested that our one patrol troop needed a cheermaster to plan and lead entertainment and campfires, the Patrol Leader naturally thought of appointing this boy to that position. And it was exactly because this was keyed to the boys interests that I had, and have, hopes that he will learn to do the job. As I observe it, this boy is coddled by his parents and in the Scout Troop, and not held responsible for doing much of anything. Personally, I think he's better than that low standard, and I'd like to create an environment in which he could do his best. He might suprise himself and other people, but it wouldn't surprise me. The campaign to accomplish this began last month with his appointment as Cheermaster. I then made up a notebook of material on campfire planning including worksheets on how to plan a campfire in detail. I gave that workbook to the boy and explained that we needed to have a campfire planned for our Oct 29-30 camping trip. His father then supported that plan by saying, Well, I guess we know what we need to do." The result was nothing. By itself, that doesn't discourage me. It simply means we ought to go back and explore with this boy why things didn't get done and figure out what kind of support he needs to get these kinds of tasks accomplished. I'd be glad to have an Assistant Scoutmaster or his father work with him to provide the structure he might need to accomplish this kind of task. And he loves to sing and perform. Carrying out the plan should be the least of the problem. Getting the planning done is the hard part. However, the Scoutmaster wants to intervene and discuss things with him. That's fine, but it cuts me out and the Scoutmaster has \about the same ability to plan things out as this Scout, unfortunately. He may well simply be permitted to drift on to becoming an Eagle Scout, with other people doing most of the work for him. In my view, that's sad. He's headed for a world that will make him very unhappy with his current skills and attitudes. Anyway, I've given this Scout my best shot. Seattle Pioneer

So Hunt --- how does your Troop mulch sale work? Twenty years ago, the troop where I was Scoutmaster had an annual Christmas Tree sale. The largest grocery store in the area gave us space, and the troop met all its financial needs from the sale. Scouts did a lot of the tree moving sorting and sales work, while adults supervised. That worked fine. Seattle Pioneer

I wear the uniform to all Scouting activities, including district and council events where doing so is rare. I would want to talk with the parents and perhaps a church leader about what motivates this objection ---it might simply be a misunderstanding about what the uniform represents. ] For example, are church members who work for U.P.S. permitted to wear the UPS brown uniform? What about other uniformed organizations? If it turned out that the parents were correctly understanding their church's position on Scout uniforms, I'd accept that and permit the boy to do Scouting without a uniform. I think I'd be inclined to do that even if the troop required uniforms for attendance. I don't see any reason why such an exception couldn't be explained to the Scouts --- saying that this was Scouting's way of respecting the religious beliefs of the Scout and his family. Seattle Pioneer

The issue of what "Active" means is a live one for me right now ---I just spent 45 minutes talking about the expectations we should have for a Life Scout. This is a boy who has a mental deisability, "asperger's syndrome," a variety of autism as I understand it. The Scout is 14 and six foot and man sized. His father has carried him through the Scouting advancement requirements so far, and shows an intent of carrying him through Eagle as well. This Scout has very little self discipline and occasionally shows flashes of anger that can be frightening to people who witness it. He won't do any work on campouts unless his father or an adult leadere is standing over him, and usually prefers to just stand around when work needs to be done. On our campout last weekend, he failed to return to camp after securing permission for a restroom visit Saturday night. The Troop mobilized and began a formal search for this boy. He was found socializing at the camp of a neighboring Troop. All the Scouts in our Troop were advised that the buddy system was now going to be enforced. This boy loudly objected that it was insulting to him and he would refuse to co-operate. The next day when we were packing up, his father packed up his pack and the Scoutmaster packed up his tent. Last year, his leadership position for life Scout was Troop Bugler. He performed in that office once at the Sept 2004 Court of Honor, but did nothing for the next twelve months. When I made a point of getting hime the opportunity to bugle for the Camporee and other chances to perform, he wasn't interested. Indeed, he is so out of practice that his performance is a lot closer to that of a wounded goat than "To the Colors." I haven't liked this and the Scoutmaster hasn't liked this. But the Scoutmaster isn't disciplined enough to hold him accountable. Last month this Scout was appointed Cheermaster, with the understanding that he would have a song at each Troop meeting and plan a campfire for the campout. To support that, I prepared a short notebook with ideas for campfire planning and worksheets for campfire planning. The result was that he produced NOTHING. No songs, no campfire. My 45 minute conversation with the SM involved several topics, but the main one was how to hold this Scout responsible for performing as Cheermaster. My suggestion was to hold a meeting with the Scout and his father, to explain that since he hadn't performed last month as expected, he would receive no credit towards Eagle for holding the office of Cheermaster. Then the expectations for perfomance in November would be laid out. He would have the opportunity to decide if he wants to do that job, and offered the opportunity to have an Assistant Scoutmaster offer him some encouragement and help in meeting those expectations ---leadership training in how to make and carry out a plan. This Scout has never had any authorized waivers due to his medical condition. I have seen him perform when he is motivated to do so, which is rare. Most of what I see is that he is constantly let off the hook and expected to do little or nothing. Anyway, that's my method of deciding whether a Scout is "active." Have an explicit statement of what your junior leaders are expected to do and achieve. Evaluate their performance each month and let them know if they are meeting those expectations or not. If they aren't, find out what the trouble is and get them training or help so that they have a reasonable opportunity for success. How does that sound to people? Seattle Pioneer

Boiling would certainly work, but I'd consider using a Dutch Oven and some charcoal. Roasting might produce a tastier result, and you might showcase the method to improve your sales. Seattle Pioneer