SeattlePioneer

Joe Bob's comments about the knot program are often dead on.

Thank you SR540Beaver, As a Unit Commissioner, I have a pack with a very weak Pack Committee Chair. That has overburdened the Cubmaster and made it tough to find a replacement. I also have a pack where the Pack Committee Chair is highly experienced and has done a terrific job. Not surprisingly, the pack has grown a lot and enjoys great success. Finding a new Cubmaster for this pack isn't too tough, because the job isn't overwhelming and the program keeps chugging along.

Interesting question. The Scoutmaster runs the youth program, not a Committee Member. Raising the issue at a Troop Committee Meeting might have been a good place to ask about it. If the ice cream had excited envy and jealousy it could be a mistake. But it sounds like it was used and accepted as a means to reward Scout skills and participation. I see nothing wrong with that. Another method might be to announce in advance that Scouts attending the hike and completing the map and compass work would receive an ice cream treat. In principle what was done is no different than handing out a rank advancement or Merit Badge to someone who earned it. Incidentally, it sounds like a fine outing!

I'm with Beavah for openers: > When boys are bored with what is happening they start making their own entertainment. Personally, I very rarely have issues with boy behavior. I did a recruiting meeting Wednesday and we probably had forty or more boys show up, most of whom had never attended a Cub Scout meeting. There were NO behavior issues, and that was because we kept boys busy with things they found interesting and fun to do. (This activity was making and then racing model sailboats --- a Raingutter Regatta type event. Boys and siblings arranged their own races and got a sticker on their Cub Scout Boat Racing License for each heat they won. Often boys quit racing in order to improve the design of their boats by adding sail or whatever. Parents were encouraged to help their boys build their boats and see the start of the racing. When parents were called away to find out about joining the pack, the boys remained fully engaged in the activities at hand.) I usually like to schedule a competition during pack meetings to keep boys engaged. During December den meetings, dens make a Christmas "sleigh" and at the December pack meeting dens compete in a relay race pulling den members around in the sleigh. When we prepare for our June campout, dens compete in erecting self supporting tents at a pack meeting. While we don't advertize it, Cub Scouts ought to be a parenting class in which parents can learn new ways to control the behavior of children. A good Cub Scout Pack should not need to have adults shouting at children to behave. Sometimes I will start a Cub Scout activity with my special flag ceremony. That begins with a recording of naval gunfire played REALLY LOUD, followed by a recorded bugle blaring "To The Colors." No need to announce the beginning of the meeting or to ask for people's attention!

My own answer to this question is that the Committee Chair for a pack or troop is the really key person. A good committee chair will be managing the whole program for success, including finding suitable leaders to by CM or SM, and protecting those leaders from being overwhelmed with things to do that should be done by others. Too often I see Committee Chairs that are weak. That burdens the program and usually dumps a lot of stuff on the CM or SM they shouldn't be expected to do.

While I was SM I attended pretty much all the meetings and activities. But that was probably a mistake. Better would have been to delegate more responsibility to other adults, giving other adults the experience and privilege of being the adult leader and relieving the Scoutmaster of unreasonable expectations and burdens.

So what is the most important troop or pack adult position to fill --- and why?

Washington State Republicans will be electing delegates to the national convention at the state Republican Convention May 30-June 2nd. Delegates to the state convention will caucus by Congressional District and elect three delegates and three alternates to the national convention. The State convention as a whole will elect ten delegates and ten alternates. In my seventh Congressional district Ron Paul delegates have about 85% of delegates, so they will elect the three delegates and alternates. They may elect delegates in some other Congressional districts as well. What will be interesting is who control those ten delegates elected at large. A coalition of Paul, Gingrich and Santorum delegates could control the convention. Alternatively, a coalition of Romney, Gingrich and Santorum delegates could control the convention. My bias is to join in a coalition with the Paul delegates to shut out the Romney boys. There is also some other fun stuff to do, such as electing people to the Electoral College, the people who actually vote for the President of the United States (Should Republicans carry Washington State, which is unlikely). A good article on how Republican politics are shaking out at the state level: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2018262937_bruce23.html

Probably a plugged orifice that meters out the fuel and forms a jet of gas to burn. The orifice is located under where the mantle is tied. You may be able to clean it, or new ones can be purchased.

I have two favorite indoor flag ceremonies --- both quite easy to do since they don't involve marching around. 1) Use a flag on a staff (stick) Have everyone grab on to the flagstaff with their left hand. Salute with your right hand and do the Pledge. Use additional flags if needed. 2) Unfurl a large enough flag. Have everyone participate in stretching out the flag so it's parallel with the floor. Everyone holds on to a piece of the flag with their left hand and salutes with their right hand while doing the pledge. As an added bonus, those who don't know how practice folding the flag when done.

That's very attractive! Usually I find that passers by tend to be reluctant to come up to displays unless they have a clear interest. If you have someone acting as a carnival barker out front to steer people in, you attract a lot more people. Were people attracted to your booth on their own? What specific things did you do or have to attract people in to talk to them? When you say you "signed up 8 new Scouts," did that mean signed applications or what? What follow on activities did you have for your eight new families to come to? In short--- you did very well! Can you provide some additional detail on your methods?

As is so common, BadenP is swinging wildly. I am not Catholic nor am I a member of any church. It must be very frustrating to be BadenP.

I formed a Bobcat Den of all our newly recruited boys after our April 2nd recruiting night. Monday they will have completed their Bobcat requirements. The 1st graders will move into the existing Tiger Cub Den as part of closing out the Bobcat den. The Kindergarteners will form the new Tiger Cub Den, and will be awarded their Tiger Paw along with the beads they have earned during our Bobcat Den activities. At our June 2-3 camp out, each den including the new Tiger Cub Den will make new den flags and a den cheer.

I typically leave three months during the school year without a pack activity scheduled. A date is selected for "Den Activities" on the schedule, althou7gh den leaders can change the date of their activity if they wish. That has worked out well.

My Kelty "Tioga" has an extension bar that reaches about 6-8 inches above the top of the flap covered main compartment of the pack. That allows a stuff sack or bag of pretty much any size desired to be strapped onto that extension. When you want to get into the main compartment, that stuff sack is just flipped over the extension from being on top of the pack to being in back of the pack, allowing easy access to that main compartment. Often I strapped a tent and sleeping bag in that position. On long trips I would strap my food bag there. I once strapped a three hundred foot ferry boat to my Kelty Tioga pack, although I have to admit I never found a way to pick it up. Also, the extension bar made it easy to put the pack on: I did a dead lift of the pack over my head head holding the extension bar, then maneuvered it behind my back while holding it up. Then I put one arm at a time through the straps and dropped it on my shoulders. Nice 'n easy. I really like that pack!

> I didn't say that. I'm not aware of an organized political campaign against Girls Scouts. The Catholic Church seems to have doubts about Girl Scouts. I have doubts about the Girl Scout program, which seems to discourage camping and which tends to be suspicious of having men working in the program, even fathers. This thread is my contribution to the culture war against Girl Scouts, but that's just raising questions not an organized political attack on girl Scouts like those waged by the left against BSA. And in any case, there is nothing wrong with having a "culture war" which is a political dispute about what values should rule in the public square.(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

That is true. I'm having great success by treating new families WELL right off the bat --- insuring that they have an exciting program, and that the Cub Scouting program is explained to them, and being careful to invite them to leader meetings where they are introduced and made to feel welcome. From what I've seen, the reverse tends to be the norm. Once families sign up, they are frequently ignored and it may take them months to figure out the program if they don't drop out. I organize a Bobcat Den of all new boys and parents recruited at our April 2nd recruiting night. We do a well planned hike and hot dog roast April 21st and invite new parents to a reception in their honor at our April 30th parent meeting. Monday all those new boys will be finishing up earning their Bobcat Badge and getting prepared for our June 2-3 overnight camp along with parents. Boys completing the Bobcat will "graduate" into their regular dens, except for Kindergarteners who will be forming our new Tiger Cub Den. The idea is to have one exciting activity after another so that parents experience what a quality program is like ----something they can get enthusiastic about supporting. Several of those new parents will be either leading or assisting with activities at our pack overnight camp. That seems to be the trick and secret as far as I can see.

Hello Twocubdad,

I have a Kelty Tioga external frame pack I bought circa 1976. After several thousands of miles of trail and off trail use it's still in excellent condition. I just checked E-bay. Several are listed for a cost of about $30. Frankly, I've never had occasion to consider the latest and greatest internal frame packs. Perhaps there are advantages to them for some uses --- climbers in particular, I would suppose. But a Kelty Tioga remains a terrific pack that can be had quite cheaply.

Lots of things in Scouting have been watered down. I propose that we do not water down the swim test!

Oh dear. Imagine how stressful it is to DROWN! Water too cold? Better to drown than subject Scouts to such STRESS. Too deep? Too much pressure to be part of the herd being tested? Tough! If Scouts can't pass on day 1, they can come back and try again as many times as they wish. I've always seen the swim test handled quite professionally. It's a reasonable test for boys who may be out rowing, canoeing, sailing or swimming. I like it JUST AS IT IS thank you!

Hello Shortridge, > Of course gay rights groups were well along towards using "nondiscrimination" laws to force BSA to accept their values. Only the intervention of the USSC prevented that. The left continues to wage cultural political struggle against BSA and Scouting. Just as an example, local United Way campaigns often exclude Scouting from funding for political reasons.

The issue was never with the boys. The issue was about finding adults interested in the program and giving them the opportunity, training and experience needed to make it work. My ideas to get things started were pretty good, but now we have people improving over what I could do, which should feed on itself and continue to improve the program.

Just don't call me a USian.

After working 4 1/2 years to revive a Cub Pack that was down to a single boy when I started, it is really good to see parents contributing willingly and things falling into place. At the end of last year, a parent and Den Leader took my place as Cubmaster. I took the Chartered Organization Rep position and as a Committee Member. At Scout Sunday in February, a long time parish members and former Den Mother in the pack said she was interested in serving with the Pack again, so she took over as the Chartered Organization Rep and has been very helpful with that. We've been having well attended committee meetings, and parents have been offering to organize program at our upcoming June overnight camp. Just today a parent said they'd be able to do candle making as an activity. I'm thinking boys will be able to make a candle that can be used at the evening Pack meeting to mark their rank advancement as part of a ceremony. I've taken over as Treasurer to relieve someone who wanted out of that job, and because I have some ideas on things the Treasurer should do. But there are definite indications that the pack is standing on it's own leadership and has less need of the time I've been putting into it. That's taken a couple years longer than I had anticipated, but still very nice to see. As District Membership Chair, all too often I witness units that are falling apart. Watching one fall together is a great experience!