shortridge

Eagle92, Thanks for the insight! Not to pry, but I'm curious about living arrangements and was wondering if you could shed some light. In most places, when you take a job you rent or buy a house. But when a DE is assigned to basically move in to a cabin at camp for 2-3 months, does the council usually cover the rent or mortgage on the place they're not living in but still have to pay for?

How large is your pack (+ parents & sibs)? Can you meet outdoors, or are you limited to a gym or church hall? I've found http://www.ultimatecampresource.com/site/camp-activities/large-group-games.page-1.html to have some pretty good ideas, though some aren't right for Scouting or a mixed group. Amoeba Tag can be fun.

I think there are some elements that should be standardized - the reporting requirements under YPT come to mind. Everyone should know that you report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to the authorities and the SE, for example. But overall, standardized delivery just doesn't work as a practical matter when you're an organization so decentralized as the BSA. It can take months - years, even - for a rule change to trickle down to the district or unit level. If National is really serious about that goal, it needs to ramp up its internal communications efforts.

In his excellent roundup of the duties of a DE, Eagle92 mentions how during his time as a pro he helped run summer camp. (I'm not sure in what capacity - as program director or camp director or some other job - sorry.) My council has one or two DEs who also do double-duty as summer camp program directors, but for the most part, they're not camp program people. Is it common, in the broad experience of this board, to have DEs switch gears during the summer from fundraising and membership to camp administration? And what advantages or disadvantages have you seen that system bring? (I remember from my time as a Cub that our DE did help run Cub day camp - but that's a different story, as that was a district-run program, and only for a week.)

Best of luck!(This message has been edited by shortridge)

I haven't found a complete start-to-finish, soup-to-nuts plan, but these might get you started. http://www.troop701.org/ferris_wheel_notes.htm http://the.earth.li/~db/photos/World%20Scout%20Jamboree/World%20Scout%20Jamboree%20-%20photo054.html

Considering that Powderhorn is a high-adventure resource course, and not all Venturing Crews are high-adventure outfits, that seems really silly ... if not stupid.

Richard, Can't speak for Beavah, but I did read the link and see the CD you referenced on sale at Scoutstuff. And I think it's pretty ridiculous, given the digital divide in this country, for National to offer the HW training free online for those with high-speed connections - but require everyone else to pay $13.49. (That's the $5.99 CD plus $7.50 shipping & handling.) For what it's worth, I have a high-speed connection, and I *still* had problems with the HW training module locking up and freezing. All the complicated doo-dads put into that session were just too much. The KISS Principle still works online, despite what Flash designers will tell you.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

Seattle Pioneer wrote: "Almost any District Executive would be delighted to have a unit select a unit volunteer to be the FOS chair for the unit. The FOS chair can choose the kind of presentation the unit would like to have, and do it in a way the unit prefers. "So--- select your own FOS Chair and do it your way, or leave it up to the DE to do it his way. Which would you prefer? In an ideal world, yes, that's how it should work. But that still doesn't mean a DE or DD or other professional whose job it is to raise money should be tone-deaf to the position of the audience.

I think this guy has burned that bridge and I don't see any of them stepping up. Right now, all the parents who want to be active have volunteered in committee positions, we're golden there. But none have interest in ASM. I sort of know why and I can't really blame them. So you have several parents who are volunteering to work with the troop. That's great! So use them to shore up the gaps in the program when this guy vanishes during football season. Just because their titles may be "committee member" versus "Assistant Scoutmaster" doesn't mean they can't help organize meetings, go on campouts, teach skills, etc. When he decides to return, the troop will be running smoothly without him and his SPL son, which may be an ego shock; the former Webelos will have the self-confidence of having done things on their own; and the parents will see their sons grow and have the self-confidence of knowing that someone's position patch doesn't determine someone's abilities. That will be a win-win for everyone.

I've always thought the moniker "Friends of Scouting" was kind of silly. There should be two primary fundraising pitches in a DE's repertoire, and they should be based on the audience. The first would be a true "Friends of Scouting" presentation, to a community group, fraternal organization, corporation, past donors, well-heeled church ladies, etc. Talk about the broad benefits of Scouting, the outreach it does in low-income and disadvantaged communities, the sheer numbers of Scouts and families it serves. Hit them with that can't-we-do-more-for-these-kids communal-good-feeling softball. The second would be to "Parents of Scouting," customized for B&G banquets, unit parent meetings, COHs, etc. That should emphasize how much Scouting really costs per boy, the true cost of camp, the behind-the-scenes organizational work that goes on that few people see and isn't covered by dues or popcorn. Both presentations, but especially the parental one, should be as transparent as possible. The presenter should have extra copies of the council's detailed financials available upon request. They should also be able to answer questions such as "How much did we spend on the new summer camp motorboat?" and "Why do we keep forking over money to hire and train new DEs who don't last more than a year or two?" And they should talk with unit leaders beforehand to get a good idea of what the unit actually pays for, to be more sensitive to those local conditions. Just my two bits. All goes back to knowing your audience.

The Silver level does mention Leader-Specific Training for "all." So the SM and ASM must be trained as well for their positions - not just committee training.

This doesn't exactly meet the standards of the original (rhyming and meter were never my strong suit), but it might work. Goodnight sun And goodnight moon Goodnight campfire and the sneaky raccoon; Goodnight pots and goodnight pans Goodnight lights and goodnight hikes; Goodnight birds Goodnight trees Goodnight stars Goodnight breeze; And goodnight to the old Cubmaster whispering 'Quiet, please' ... Goodnight tents And goodnight parents And goodnight to all good Scouts Everywhere.

I'm with Eagle92 - my favorite uniform is the "Class B" camp staff outfit I wore for five summers as a youth and adult. We had khaki shorts (at first BSA issue, then L.L. Bean after Supply dropped them) and dark blue logoed T-shirts and polo shirts. The polos were the best - cool and comfortable, and the collars helped wick away the sweat rolling down our necks. Sturdy, too. I don't recall a single shirt ever tearing or snagging, unlike my Class A. I wore ODLs as a youth. Meh. They were OK. Didn't like the shorts - the stupid little pockets in front were too small to hold anything. My first troop wore the red berets and red neckerchiefs; my second wore neither. I liked the panache of the berets. While in the OA, I added the dangling old-style black-and-white arrow patches to my temp pocket (Brotherhood and then Vigil). (Bought them both at a conclave while still Brotherhood from the guy running the conclave shop who looked at my two-bar sash and smiled.) Still like how they look. My favorite uniform piece that I only got to wear once was the garrison cap. I obtained an old one while working on camp staff one summer, and wore it to the final retreat ceremony. It was a small hat, though, and I grew out of it quickly thereafter. I'd seen pictures in old Boys Life editions and in the ads in the backs of the old Handbooks, and still think it looks really sharp for parade-ground activities. (Impractical for everything else, of course.)(This message has been edited by shortridge)

Fun, ain't it? The raw enthusiasm and limitless energy of Cubs at camp is always a nice balm for whatever ails ya. The outdoors really is kids' natural habitat.

Taxes as confiscatory. They say, "Give us your money or we will come and throw you in jail". That is violence. No, it's not. Go check your dictionary. In a civilized society, we have to follow the rules. Our rules are set by our chosen representatives. Nearly 100 years ago, they chose to adopt the federal income tax, even putting it into the Constitution. Was Republican President William Howard Taft a "violent" man for supporting it? ... as well as wonderful activities like war. I'm fairly certain the U.S. waged war before the income tax came along.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

That you would advocate violently taking money from others just because you don't want the government to live within its means is morally reprehensible. Maybe I missed something, but is the topic Robin Hood? Who's advocating violence??

I've found that the badges I remember most clearly all had lots of hands-on work. Lifesaving - The instructor was a big burly summer camp lifeguard who believed in water time - very little standing on the side listening to him talk. We surface dove for those weights again and again, and had to wrestle out of his death-grip for rescues. Hardest and best MB I've ever done. Wilderness Survival - Again, lots of hands-on work coupled with an incredibly memorable overnight. The instructors were young first-year staffers who shouldn't have been teaching it anyway but nevertheless knew their stuff (one later became National OA Vice-Chief). Computers - For several weeks, a Scout friend and I visited a neighbor of his who was a tech guy at a local chemical company. We wrote BASIC code, he showed us his laserdisc player (cool!) and we visited and toured his company and saw the gigantic tape recorders turning, looking like something out of WarGames. It was great - hands-on and real-world. Environmental Science - An awful experience. One utterly bland instructor for about 40-odd Scouts crammed into the nature lodge at summer camp. The only reason 95 percent of the Scouts were there was because it was Eagle-required - there was no attempt to make it interesting. I was so uninspired I didn't do the observations and never earned the badge. Basketry - By far, the instructor* of this merit badge was the best I've ever had. He was on top of his game, knew his stuff and inspired his students to greater heights. He managed limited resources (two stool-weaving kits for a group of 20 Scouts) and put on a truly excellent class. ===================================== * Me. I had to learn myself Basketry in about an hour, having never done it before being assigned to "teach" the class as a summer camp CIT. I got a big boost of self-confidence, but I'm sure the class was atrocious for the students.

How large is your pack?

Twocubdad hit the nail on the head. A Court of Honor is a Court of Honor. This thing we call an Eagle Court of Honor is just a local tradition that has ballooned into something bigger over the years thanks to - IMHO - //begin rant// pompous, ceremony-happy adults who get off on writing elaborate and meaningless symbolic rituals and passing them around for others to use. That just perpetuates the cycle and leads to questions here such as "Does anyone know a ceremony for presenting the Marbles Belt Loop?" //end rant// There's no protcol manual involved with an ECOH. It's not a presidential inauguration. Just ask the Eagle what he wants to do.

I've found this document to be extremely helpful in outlining just how Scouting sees interfaith services (formerly known as a Scout's Own). From the Interfaith Service training syllabus: "An interfaith service is a brief worship or meditation, specifically designed for Scouting events where there may be members of more than one faith group. The intention of an interfaith service (formerly known as a Scouts Own) is to provide a spiritual focus during a camping experience that does not reflect the views of a particular denomination or faith. An interfaith service can be defined as a gathering of Scouts held to contribute to the development of their spirituality and to promote a fuller understanding of the Scout Oath and Law, with emphasis on ones Duty to God. Lets take a look at what this definition means. "As explained herein, the goal is to provide an uplifting and positive experience for all attendees. It is not necessary to attempt to account for the sensitivities of every conceivable religion on Earth; rather, seek to account for those religions whose members reasonably might be expected to be present. As promoters of the religious emblems program, unit leaders should have a good sense of the religions of those unit members present on a campout. For larger camping activities, such as camporees, all unit leaders could be asked about members religious preferences to ensure that reasonable care is given to inclusiveness."(This message has been edited by shortridge)

Not only a double post, but eagle beat me to the point.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

Adults just get WalMart cards, while Venturers get iTunes? What's up with that? Beavah - The youth application does have a space for parent/guardian email address. I'd wager that National got the youth members' addresses because they were written down in that space instead of the parents'. Not sure how it would have gotten them otherwise. National doesn't strike me as organized enough to obtain and compile contact info from council VOAs, etc.

www.scouter.com Testing: "Format this post" function worked OK for me. Never used that before. I had to install some ActiveX controls or some such technobabble, but it's fine. You can also use HTML code directly in your post. I may be a philistine, but I really like this forum system. My employer's parent, a large media company, uses two different forums across multiple platforms, and I don't care for either of them. They're either too difficult to follow or far too visually cluttered for my tastes.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

Don't know if this is what you're looking for exactly, but here are a few teaching topics I've picked up that I'd be sure to recount to the instructors: - Teaching a group: Consider your approach, your physical position to the group, speak clearly, demonstrate so all can see, your use of props/visual aids, etc. You're putting on a show! - Teaching one-on-one: Especially when demonstrating a skill such as knots, evaluate the position and placement of your hands. When facing someone, you're reversed, and so are the whole left/right elements. - Always ask if the students have questions. - Have "stuff" sitting around to handle and play with. Never, ever simply lecture. - Ask them what makes a class in school boring. Suggest that they should do the exact opposite of what their boring teachers do.