SemperParatus

A jovial interlude (with no offense intended to anyone)... Ode To My Scout Pants I wear the pants of green So tried and so true They ain't the best in the world But to me, they will do The pockets may be small And the material too light The snap is kind of cheap And the fit is not quite right Hey, stop the complainin' Here comes ol' Bob White "Listen up fatsos, lose 20 pounds I know what is true and have all the facts Boo...hoo...sob...sob Time to stop your vicious pant attacks Either get with the program Or just shut all of your yaps I wear what I wear Cause I really do not care" So Barry puts on a new pair of socks Anarchist plugs his cavernous plumber's butt Hunt's innocent post is out of control Fuzzy B wonders if opinions are for naught Wingnut pulls himself off the floor Semper is left with this final thought I wear the pants of green So tried and so true They ain't the best in this world But to me, they will do. Respectfully submitted with fondest regard for all, SemperParatus

IMO, dutch ovens are about feeding people (I have never seen one carried by a lone backpacker) and so the BIGGER the better. I have two - a 9" and a 14" (I think those are the sizes - maybe it 16"). I never use the small one.

Knowing your CO has been uninvolved in the past here is what I would do: 1. Arrange a meeting with the COR (and maybe the CO head), yourself and the CC candidate to sit down and discuss the scouting program, the function and duties that the CO has agreed to by virtue of its sponsorship, and some of the great plans you have for rebuilding the pack. Reach out to them. In the past they have been hands off - they may still want to be, but with the change in pack leadership it is a perfect opportunity to re-establish a better relationship. 2. Have the CC candidate complete the BSA Adult Application as CC and present it to the COR for signature. This can be done at the meeting with the CO, as part of the building of comfort between the CO and pack leaders. Make sure all background checks are performed and the rules followed and turn in the completed and signed app to the council and you have a CC. Clearly though, if the CO wants someone else to be CC then that must be respected. 3. Get the CC trained as soon as possible. The CC should begin building his committee - treasurer, advancement coordinator, etc. and working closely with you to support you CM functions. 4. You and the old CM have obvious issues. You can try and kick him out or look for ways to work with him. Personally, I would sit down with him in a nice quiet place and have a nice long chat with him about the future. Completely avoid the past. Share with him your concerns about 'disrupting' announcements (e.g., PWD announcement) and his continuing in the role of quasi-CM as he sees fit. Discuss how he envisions his continuation with the pack and how you envision where he may be of the most help. From the District Night announcement, it sounds like he is talking about committee work. Treasurer is out, I assume. Activities Chair may be a little too close for comfort for you - he may take that as being in charge of all activities. I would suggest putting his Day Camp experience to work and ask him if he would consider being the Pack's Day Camp Coordinator/Leader. 5. While it may be that many of the parents would like to see him go, you walking around at the PWD asking for each parent to cast a vote of 'no-confidence' on this man would IMO be inappropriate (personally satisfying maybe, but not very scout-like). From your posts, I think you are a very committed scouter with the boys best interests at heart - keep this positive, the boys are watching you too. Best of luck.

I didn't get the impression he was the CC from your first post - I thought a CC had already ben recruited. As nld says, a person cannot proclaim themselves to be CC. He would need to be appointed by the COR, which sounds like they would not be willing to do. Do you have an 'official' CC now? Most of the problems with his performance as CM are in the past, especially now that you are the CM. Is there no hope of reaching out to use the talents that this man has (no matter how seemingly small they appear) in some constructive way to help rebuild your program? It does sound like you need all the help you can get. Granted, he may be a big reason why the program is in the shape it is in today, but surely there is some way he can still help. My suspicion is he didn't really want to retire and he is trying to find his way. Eventually, he will leave on his own as he sees your efforts are making his past 'efforts' look really bad. Any thought on letting time heal rather than descending into an ugly situation?(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

Just a thought (not a complaint)... Isn't complaining about complaining just more complaining.

Why couldn't the Perfect-n chart be projected on the wall so that everyone can see the points being accumulated. The Chart could be extended to the right with columns by car numbers with the placements extended. A person can easily add as the races proceeds and see who is winning.

I'm sorry, but please refresh my memory why this man must be removed from a volunteer position with your pack? Did you get the meeting room keys from him? Was the pack equipment that he supposedly bought with pack funds ever identified and resolved?(This message has been edited by SemperParatus)

I am sure there are different ways to get in, here is what happened in our situation. Our troop has gained some recognition for a particular 'signature' service project we do to benefit a local organization with national ties. The staff of this organization talks up our efforts at their local and state-wide meetings and have publicized our efforts in our community as a model of this somewhat unique private-public partnership. A free lance writer that volunteers at the organization has written some favorable articles for news periodicals with state-wide distribution. She asked me if I would mind her sending in an article idea to Scouter Mag. I said sure, why not. She sent in some samples of her work and the idea. A month later the editor approved the piece and contracted with her for the article (she gets paid for it). We have never sought publicity for our efforts, it really has been driven by the gratitude of the folks at the organization who think so much of our work that they want to spread the word.

"There's a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure truth" ~ Maya Angelou Thank you for setting the facts (ur, truth)straight and for sharing your opinions.

Like EIKY'mon, many counselors in our troop use the worksheet approach as a 'tool' also. The worksheets can be very helpful to the scout in organizing his thoughts and information. When we do our merit badge counselor training we do stress that the worksheet completion can never be mandatory, but rather should be just a tool that can be used to help the scout accumulate his research, thoughts, stats, etc. It should not necessarily be accepted in lieu of the actual requirement. For example, a requirement to 'discuss with the counselor' must still be an oral conversation and not merely an essay that the scout writes on the worksheet. In the past, we have had counselors that relied too heavily on the meritbadge.com worksheets, making its completion an added requirement.

I generally accept notes, pictures, videos, and whatever documentation the scout may provide (e.g., agenda from county council meetings for CitComm) and follow-up with a discussion of the scout's experience/reflection on the activity.

"Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head." ~ Mark Twain Give me an opinion anytime...it is the only way to change a fact worth changing. (BTW I love my BSA pants).

nutz, I would suggest that you and the new SM go out for a nice long lunch to discuss your program and how the two of you, working as a team, can resurrect this troop. With only four boys, I would suspect there is not a whole lot for a SM/ASM to do from an operations point of view. I think there needs to be some strategic visioning in this situation (more so than tracking down tents). Good luck.

Welcome. Congratulations on your achievement of the Star rank and good luck in your position as the Troop leader.

I guess I'm getting a little hung up on this 'spiritual maturity' concept. The OA uses native american legend and symbolism to add an air of mystery to the ceremonies. This is all pretend - I think everyone realizes that. The basis of the OA is joining together in cheerful service - again this is not a complicated or high level concept; it is taught and modeled since cubs and even earlier for many families. I am sure there are those who attach some great mystical power to OA, but most people see it for what it is - an association of scouts who have been recognized by their peers and have the opportunity to be of service to those around them. It was created by a young camp dude looking to provide an avenue to recognize outstanding campers during a week of summercamp. Since then, it has grown and added tradition but make no mistake...there is no great mysterious spirituality about it. IMO the 'spirit' aspect comes into play by providing a scout with the opportunity to understand himself a little better and his relationship to others. If the OA is for only those scouts that have this understanding already (and who can really discern that), then I am afraid no one would be eligible. A life of unselfish service is a never ending journey, always beginning with a first step and is not without detours and deadends at times. For some the OA is that first step, for others it is a reminder of lessons already known. I have known more than a few 'spiritually mature' scouts in the religious sense that have completed their Ordeal and have done no more. They fully comprehend the concepts of the OA (which are very similar to the concepts found in the Book of James) and do indeed, live a life that includes unselfish service to others. They just choose not to participate in OA events for other, 'non-spiritual' reasons. The main reason given is that they don't have the time between family, church, ministry teams, school, sports and scouts. They would probably make the time if the OA offered engaging programming at the local level, but with few exceptions, it does not. While I believe the national programs are of some value, a new Ordeal candidate must be engaged locally first. That is where the arrow is missing the mark. Like you, I have seen scouts not take the Ordeal seriously. However, I cannot chalk that up to the lack of 'spiritual maturity' of the scout. Ordeals are not taken seriously when the purpose and meaning of the Ordeal is not adequately explained and comprehended at the outset and when elang***** fail to uphold the vows and perpetuate a slave labor mentality.

Of course the BSA would never be so clear as to define what constitutes gambling and so we must look to the general accepted definition (e.g., provided by law) or common understanding. Gambling essentially involves three components -assumption of risk of loss, determined by chance, for which a benefit (value) may accrue. In playing poker with chips, there is no risk of incurring a loss or possibility for benefit and therefore, gambling does not exist. Consequently, it would not be in violation of any law and, as a result, would not be an issue of being 'disobedient' to laws (unless of course, the troop decided to ban the activity and a scout played anyway). It can be viewed by some as harmless as 'bet I can beat you up that hill', or by others as just as dangerous as actual gambling since it 'simulates' a traditional gaming activity. I would venture to say that most units would not look favorably on scouts simulating activities prohited by the BSA. For example, pretending to hunt animals using sticks as simulated rifles may be deemed harassment of wildlife, pretending to smoke with candy cigarettes could be considered modeling a generally accepted negative behavior, etc. However, making more rules for the kids to break/follow is not the answer. Boys need to have room to breathe. When a 'simulated' negative behavior is modeled it should be used as a teaching opportunity by unit leadership with the goal of helping the scout(s) understand the difference between the real thing and the simulation, and the potential consequences of moving from the 'make-believe' to the 'real'.

Criminal gambling statutes are based on the concept of a 'bet', which state laws generally define as "an agreement to win or lose something of value solely or partially by chance". For example, here is the gambling statute in Texas. http://www.gambling-law-us.com/State-Laws/Texas/ Playing with chips, where such chips have no value other than a pretend value for keeping score and are boxed up at the end of the day and taken home by the owner, is not in violation of any criminal gambling statute. A person under the age of 21 participating in such an activity would not be breaking the law. And an adult that knowingly allows such activity to take place is not committing any crime either. Now, toothpicks, potato chips, M&Ms, etc. are a different story. Gambling laws do not generally have de minimis exceptions (hence a minor cannot drop a nickel in a Vegas slot machine) and consequently, a law may in fact be broken (depending on the state). The argument over chip-playing poker is not one of legality, but rather of morality.

First, I might suggest a little time to pass before settling on a project. Your son is not yet Life, and he has already identified his Eagle project? That is a little unusual, but it is certainly possible, expecially if it is a project that your son identifies strongly with. While I am sure your son is an excellent young man, very mature for his age, I would offer the caution that a 12 year-old going on 13 is young to be tackling an Eagle project. In a year or two, he may have a very different idea as to what he wants to accomplish with his project. Now, having said that, your son may be really keyed on this idea and this is the one. If that's the case, he needs to make doubly sure by mapping out (pre-workbook writeup) what it will entail in terms of leadership, time and money to ascertain if he is up to the challenge now (or maybe a year down the road). He needs to decide not only that this is a good project to do, but also that it is a project that he can accomplish. Hopefully, your district has a Life-to-Eagle Seminar where the process is explained in detail and where things like fundraising issues are discussed. If not, he should schedule some time with the District Advancement Chair or District Eagle Project Coordinator to get these kinds of questions answered. In our district, the advancement committee has a rule that a scout cannot solicit donations from the usual material purveyors (Home Depot, Lowes, etc) because several years ago, the local manager of the Home Depot complained that he was getting too many requests. Your district may be different and may allow direct requests for material donations from local businesses. If that's the case, a personal visit by your son to the business with a nice request letter in hand will work much better than a letter sent through the mail. Our district does allow a scout to solicit 'grants' from non-profit organizations and your son could have success with that. Identify local churches that may have an interest in the shelter, possible county/state health agencies, other organizations with ties to family/abuse issues. Again, a personal interview will work better than a letter through the mail. Fundraising for the project could include the typical product sellers, carwashes, pancake breakfasts, etc. or you may come up with more interesting ideas that tie into the project concept (e.g., a mini carnival with paying participants and children invited from the shelter who are free). My own son's Eagle project has a budget of $4,000 - half is being raised through fundraising with the other half coming from grants from non-profit organizations. It can be done, but it does take time, effort and the help of others who can direct him to those who may have a strong interest in supporting this effort.

Our troop is glad to have a lil' tyke join us now and then.

Just for fun - we hold the Wacky Olympiad each year over the course of 5-6 meetings. Each night has 3-6 different events that the patrols compete in, like... Puddin' Head - each patrol member slurps down a pudding snack (no spoon) - fastest time wins. Slice da' wiener - patrol that can cut a hot dog up into as many full slices is the winner. Walnut Croquet using a crab mallet. Oreo Cookie stacking - highest wins. Balls Galore - how many tennis balls can one person hold. etc. etc. etc. (let your imagination run wild). The events are not necessarily scout skill based, but a few could be thrown in. Instead, they are designed to be outlandish and fun. Points are awarded for each event based on placement. Over the course of two months, there are probably 30 - 35 events. The winning patrol gets their name added to the trophy and hold it and bragging rights for the coming year. Right now, one patrol just three-peated and I sense the competition is going to be intense next time.

3) Laziness

I am very sorry to hear about your experience so far. I wish I could tell you there is a quick and easy solution, but given this SM has been there for 20 years and has been allowed free reign to do what he pleases, I suspect you will be fighting an uphill battle. First, I would ask around with the other moms to see how much support there is from them to enact change. If you are essentially alone and a new adult, it could be a very frustrating fight. Second, the best person to put this SM in his place is the Committee Chair. I would share your concerns with the CC and ask him (I presume he is not a she) if this has been an issue in the past and how he intends to rectify the problem. It sounds like the SM has developed a reputation (and not a good one) that could be detrimental to the future of the troop. If the CC does not realize that, then he should. If the CC is basically the SM's puppet and sees no problem, then your next step would be to go to your scouting professional, your District Executive, to discuss the situation and what he may be able to do to help. This SM sounds like he has way too much control and I would suspect that other areas of the troop's program could be suffering as a result. Personally, I would look for another troop. While your son is happy at the moment, this SM sounds like he has the potential for making the family's scouting experience miserable, while teaching your son values that you disagree with. An early move is usually the best move, before your son becomes entrenched in the troop.

Cheerio and welcome. Sounds like you are going to be very busy.

Follow Me, Boys!!!!

Here is a link with some instructions you could follow: http://www.arkie.net/~pow-wow/arrow.htm These folks sell a nice kit: http://www.acornawards.com/Arrow_of_light_products.htm Here's another: http://members.aol.com/cubitems/