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silver-shark

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Everything posted by silver-shark

  1. Ozemu A sylabus for the Scoutmaster Junior Leader Training Kit that AdvanceOn lists in his post can be found at http://www.netwoods.com/JLT_Prog.html, along with several other options. The official Training Kit lists a few alternative games in addition to those listed on this site, but is basically the same otherwise. This is the troop JLT Training that our troop uses twice a year, around the time of the elections, and as far as I know, is the only Official Troop JLT program that there is. You will see many other options on this site, including something covering the 11 e
  2. Ryon Is the APL of the patrol with the missing PL going to camp? He should be the first one to step into that position. I've always been against merging patrols for one time only situations. It makes it really difficult to maintain patrol spirit if the members are changing from time to time. As long as there are at least 2 people in a patrol I would suggest that you leave it alone. Have the APL step in as the PL or have the PL appoint someone, or have those going elect one for the week. In any case, let the patrols maintain their patrol identity. It's best in the long run.
  3. Great idea KS. I'll look into that one. Could also prove useful to the boys in the troop as well.
  4. OGE, I've got to admit that the first time I read this post I was thinking the exact same thing. Then, I remembered a post a month or so ago about a female who had been a stripper prior to becoming a SM. The jist of the post as I remember it was that if she was currently a stripper that was a bad thing, but if she was a former stripper that would be O.K. That being said, I have to wonder how the BSA would handle a formerly avowed homosexual that had changed his or her ways and perhaps even got married to a member of the opposite sex. Could they be reinstated? Additionally, I'
  5. Bob, great post and one that's near and dear to my heart. Prior to last November, our 48 year old troop had never had anyone teach or take Troop or Council JLT. This is the first thing that I set out to change after joining the troop 15 months ago. Since then another ASM and myself ran the Troop JLT last November, then prepared the sylabus for some of the trained boys to run it this past April. A very valuable learning experience for the boys. The trained boys have already formed a small training committee to write their own sylabus for the next session, following the established fo
  6. Bob I was actually talking about the Troop JLT in my post, but also agree that Council JLT (We call ours White Stag) is essential. The points I'm referring to in the troop version are: 1. Big Boss style of leadership versus Shared Leadership. Is the PLC planning the meetings or just the SPL? Also, what would happen if you let a different patrol pick out a game from the Troop Program Resources for each meeting and ran it themselves at the appropriate time? It's not your responsibility to run every part of a meeting, merely to make sure that someone IS. In other words, DELEGATE
  7. This is a common problem with a lot of troops in my district. Even to the point where our District Boy Scout Round Table Commissioner is looking for ideas for a cookbook that lists everything, including all sides, grocery list and utensils required for a complete meal. Basically, everything for our favorite complete meal. We have already invested in something similar from our Scout Shop called Camp Cookery for Small Groups. (About $3.25 if I remember right.) Although it doesn't list out a full menu, it does have recipes for patrol sized groups including shopping list and utensils require
  8. Ryon, A lot of what Bob is talking about can be found in the Troop Junior Leader Training Program. This is something that I feel very strongly in as a source of teaching new boy leaders how to effectively run their program. It also helps to teach even the boys that are not leaders how to follow. For boys that are constantly interrupting the training, I usually mention to the boys (that's right the boys) that are running the program to include some of the more unruly scouts as presenters of the program, to give them a feel for what you are going through when they don't pay attention.
  9. I know that the boys sometimes become frustrated when it seems that they have done some of the same things over and over, but this is what their practicing for. I'm very glad that their training paid off for them. I'll be passing this story on to our SM at the meeting on Sunday. Hopefully he'll use it as a SM Minute.(This message has been edited by silver-shark)
  10. I don't think that it is either. I believe that prejudice or bigotry of any type, are the result of personal insecurity. By that I mean that everyone has a basic human need to feel good about themselves. The more insecure a person is, the more they have to justify their self worth by belittling others. This comes in many forms, not just racism. It can be about another religion, another countrys beliefs and practices, or even the type of music that someone prefers to listen to. When we make ourselves feel better at the expense of others long enough, we need it to keep us going,
  11. For backpacking I use the Coleman Peak 1 XPedition. It is the 2 burner model. Very little extra weight compared to the added versatility, added stability, and cooking area. It uses the Coleman Powermax canisters which run about $4.25 at Galyans if I remember right for the 10.6 oz canisters. They are just as easy as the propane stoves to use. I originally bought it on clearance for the same price of the single burner model, around $55.00 if I remember right and haven't seen another one since. I usually take an aluminum griddle with me and it works out great for pancakes or french
  12. Hunt You write, The real question is under what circumstances should the organization change those requirements? BSA certainly has changed since I was a kid--it has women leaders now, for example. How did that happen? Surely it happened because society's views about female roles changed--and the BSA responded to those changes. I cant remember a time when female leaders were not allowed in scouting. My mother was a Den Mother for my den as a Cub Scout in the early 70s and I have an old Weblos/Lions book from 1954 that refers to Den Mothers. Did you see women in troops or Weblos dens
  13. To all... Your condolensences are greatly appreciated, and will be passed on to the family. Dan I hope you got a hold of her. I see those that have left us as the lucky ones. Those of us that are left behind have the tough job still to come. This thought process is a result of MANY scars on my heart from having it broken over the years due to lost family members and friends. I've got to re-collect my thoughts and I"ll be back later. Sorry
  14. I've got to ask this question because it is the case in our troop. Does your troop need more people on the commottee? In our troop we have a SM and 11 ASMs in a troop of 49 scouts, but only 5 active committee members. Many of us ASMs have toyed with the idea of switching over to the committee, since we're doing the jobs unofficially already. Also, our Unit Commisioner passed away 2 weeks ago, so one of us will probably have to fill that position. Anyway... I'm just wondering...(This message has been edited by silver-shark)
  15. Permission slips are always a great idea. I've never really thought before about the right to treat clause. We should probably have that added. The main thing we use them for is to know who is responsible for picking up the scout in case of illness or unacceptable behavior, and how they can be reached. I know that some troops put a Behavior Policy reminder on every permission slip, to be signed by the scout and their parents. That has not been that big of a deal to us in the past though so we haven't.
  16. TJ We already had a policy prior to the court case. The issue was forced by those that want us to have homoSEXuality as a topic in scouting. We already were supposed to be steering scouts away from topics of a sexual nature. Apparently some Gay Rights Activists felt that their right to be gay outweighed this policy. Go to page 132 of your SM Handbook, and read the part about The Scoutmasters Resposibility. In it you will see that we are to steer them away from topics of a sexual nature. Additionally you will see that we let the boys "learn about sex from their parents, guardians, or
  17. TJ You just don't get it. You have allowed yourself to be pulled off course by the Vocal Minority that in essence are calling this policy "Gay Bashing". The fact of the matter is that it is not. What it is is "Sex Bashing". Intentionally putting thoughts of a sexual nature into the boys minds is simply inappropriate, and is not now, nor has it ever been a part of the program. The BSA is fighting tremendous odds to keep sex of all kinds out of the program. This is why Mr. Jones is not allowed to tent with Miss Smith at campouts either. Contrary to others thoughts on th
  18. OGE I agree with what you are saying, except for the part about the meeting place. As Mr. LeRoy stated in a previous post, groups of any type can meet in the locations of the current State Run COs. That being said, he is under the misconception that COs are financially supporting the Units that they charter. This is an extremely rare case at best. Of the 10,000 units that he is against, how many do you suppose actually recieve any monetary support from that CO? Very few at best, and if they are, I'm with him on this. How about the other units that he has already helped to ride
  19. Merlyn_LeRoy I gotta tell you... You really honk me off... The fact of the matter is... You don't have a CLUE as to what the BSA is all about !!! 99 and 44/100's of our units (or probably more) are not sitting back and waiting for Uncle Sam, or anyone else to pick up their tab. Our boys are out there busting their humps to provide for THEIR units. True, the Chartering Organizations are the property owners of the equipment that is owned, but it is the EXTREMELY RARE instance when they (the CO) have anything at all to do with how it is earned. I would STRONGLY urge that you
  20. Our PLCs goal is to get any non-refundable deposits, for canoes or equipment, etc... in advance from the boys, and permission slips and food money 2 weeks prior to a campout. For food and supplies we normally calculate $1.00 for breakfast, $2.00 for lunch, and $5.00 for supper and evening snacks, then add about 33% for charcoal and propane for a weekend. This usually works out to $12.00 per campout for food and supplies, and is very close if they are having good meals. On the rare occasion that a scout becomes ill or has a family emergency we will return the food money IF the food has n
  21. fboisseau I've got to go along with what both Mr. Rogan and Mr. White have stated. Whether required or not, that second adult is your insurance policy against the potential of slander from a child, or even being burnt at the stake as was the case at the Salem Witch Trials. This type of behavior has been around for a looooooong time. I am not insinuating that all children are capable of this behavior. I know many have been abused over the years and it's easy to think of their protection only as this policy applies, but it is also there for the protection of honest adults. Regar
  22. Hey folks, Ive got to go along with Its Trail Day on this one when he says; I don't think Scouts have changed, society has changed. I read BSAs policy as that the discussion of any type of sexuality in public does not make you a good role model. Would Dr. Ruth be allowed to be a leader? Avowed is the key. I would not be surprised if there are gay leaders, those who are nudists, who drink or gamble in the BSA. If they keep their comments and behavior to themselves who cares, if everything else is ok. What do you suppose the first thing is that pops into the mind of a boy when he finds
  23. Wasn't trying to get you on a technicallity, but trying to save folks an extra trip to the Scout Store. No games at the end of the last TPF though. You have to have the TPR for that. Unfortunately, I've been a little deeper than I care to be in both sets recently due to the scouts changing games for the last Troop JLT and the fact that we haven't had a full 4 weeks to get in a feature before the next campout in a few months, thus cramming some together. That's the only reason I was up to speed on them.
  24. OGE You're right. The campaign hats ARE spiffy. The summer camp we went to last year had a troop that featured all adults and the SPL in that style hat. The only thing missing was the mirrored sunglasses. Classy look.
  25. Back to the topic... Sounds like the United Way is breaking it's own non-discriminataion policy by openly discrimintaing against the BSA for not changing it's moral stance by bowing to the desires of the "Vocal Minority" on this issue. Should the BSA be FORCED by ANY special interest group to change their policies, thereby giving special priveleges not normally afforded to all. I'm no expert on this particular subject, or many others that face the kids of today, but if the United Way feels that we MUST know where to send these kids, why are they not concerned about where to s
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