slontwovvy

Chippewa29, I agree with you. Some of the finest Scouts I've known are the founders of the "Life for Life" Club. Rank is not everything or the only thing (as one famous and well-known Wisconsin person once said). The ones who get the most out of Scouting are often the ones who do not achieve its highest rank.

Our troop has little policy on this. We wear uniforms to church, in meetings (though most do not), at summer camp, and on long trips. Other than that, we have an almost-anything-goes policy when actually camping, figuring that the boys need to be in comfortable clothes in order to be able to concentrate on much else.

Ah, how great to be in America, where you can give your money to everyone except who you want to when the ACLU is around. There was a case in Wisconsin a few years ago where campus fees were used to fund a homosexual activist group. We're lucky that at least some place is staying sane.

Yes, the leaders do need more training. It is disappointing to me that I am hearing more and more of the 12-year-old Eagle stories every year. People are so materialistic that they get the patch without realizing what it should mean or what truly working for it is.

Exactly, Eman. What has a Scout learned if he has received Eagle at age 12? Very little, in my opinion. Isn't learning and growth what we want from our Scouts, though? A rank badge means very little if it is not backed up by training. It is sad that many troops seem to have forgotten this, and instead push for speed and ignoring the long-term interests of the boy and the benefits that slowing down might bring.

Botany was a good badge. It's a shame that they took it away for such obscure reasons.

I just have not seen any twelve-year-old able to show true leadership. They need a lot of grooming and help before they are able to really hold a true leadership position in the troop, and to really do anything in that position.

This may all be true, but I still have my doubts about any 12-year-old Eagle Scout I haven't personally met. But when such leadership-devoid positions (in my opinion) as librarian, historian, bugler, and others are considered leadership positions, I wouldn't put anything past anyone.

If I recall correctly, there is something in the Scout Handbook about it. Look under "Scout Motto."

I also believe that if Mr. Jedadiah really received all 123 merit badges in five years, something must be wrong. It would be difficult to find counselors for them in five years, let alone earn them. I mean honestly, my council doesn't have counselors for about ten merit badges. Again, I suspect pencil-whipping. Unless he signed up counselors that are less than qualified, I don't see how he could have done it.

You need to search around a bit for it, but you might find some merit badge statistics on meritbadge.com....at least I think that's the address. Other than that, I mainly agree with Rooster7. The training strip is a valuable sign of leadership training. The American flag...hardly needs to be said. World Brotherhood...valuable, and should be worn by all scouts, but not as important as country.

I am sorry, but I have to agree with our esteemed Mr. Riddle. I have yet to see a 12-year-old so exceptional. Not saying that he couldn't, but usually with boys so young, they rarely get anything out of the experience. A badge, sure, but rarely do they do any leadership in their project. Eagle is more than just a badge. It is a certification that you are skilled to lead, that you are prepared and have devoted time to your troop. That tends not to ring true in this case of a paper eagle. I think that most of the troops that these incidents happen in are rather weak ones. Their leade

I'm not sure if this is national policy or not, but I seem to recall hearing something that one could not do his Eagle project for the BSA. Again, maybe it was a local thing. I think that there is, however, a large leadership component in almost all areas of summer camp. You need to counsel badges, have a thorough knowledge of what you counsel, and be able to teach. Such abilities sound like a leadership activity to me.

And amid all this uniform crisis, let's not forget the exorbitant cost national pushes upon us for those wonderful wall tents and other equipment...

I agree with Dedicated Dad. There is little chance that Jedadiah could have actually had any life outside of Scouting. Sadly, when so much time is apportioned to "collecting merit badges" I don't think he had any spare time for his troop. In addition, if I recall correctly, you need a minimum of 16 months just to get from First Class to Eagle. Add that to the time it presumably took to get to First Class, and you have a time in which it would be almost impossible to get in less than two years. However, I must admit that I am not very shocked. After several years on camp staff

I might as well add something to the forum I started. Wisconsin has some excellent camps and trips. The Apostle Islands are a great sea-kayaking trip. Camp Tesomas (Samoset Council) has quite a bit of stuff to do, as does my beloved Bay-Lakes Council in the form of Camp Bear Paw (surrounded by a national forest) and Camp Gardner Dam (next to a Wild and Scenic River to go tubing and canoeing on). Come, discover Wisconsin.

Collecting merit badges? Something about that doesn't ring true. And I'm hoping that Jedadiah meant woodcarving instead of woodwork. Carving something and getting woodwork just doesn't strike true also.

You make a good point, Eman, but I still think that it could make the boys the same despite the background, become a tool for neatness and pride, and be used for public recognition without one requiring a loan to buy one.

Our council has five major camps (over 200 acres) and three minor ones (less than 200 acres). I realize that this is not typical of all councils, but in the past 5 years they've built a new dining hall at one, a climbing tower/COPE course at another, a new campground at the third, a new Webelos camp at the fourth, and a new all-purpose building at the fifth. They use their money well.

I've never seen any problem with them. Usually in our pack the parents save the vests. If their Scout attains Eagle rank, they transfer all of the cub patches onto a blanket. It's a neat idea, I think. Gives something to Cub Scouts to be proud of.

Well, training is a good start. A couple more ideas... I'm not sure how "involved" these dads are, but have them to have a mission for the troop. Giving them responsibilities and unofficial titles can help ease them into ASM-ship. Helping boys to plan an outing, serving on boards of review, etc. can help out. Tell them you need them. Just go up to them and say that you need uniformed adults to help set an example for the boys. This "show of need" can be influential. Just two ideas, the second one wasn't the best, but it worked for our current committee chair... Enjoy.

My PLC wants to go to a summer camp or a high adventure camp far away from our home in Wisconsin. I would like to make this a forum for anyone having suggestions as to places to go--maybe places off of the beaten path, but that are unique or especially fun destinations, council camps worth the drive, etc. Thanks for the input!!!

Glad to help, sctmom. I've found the handwasher can work wonders for sanitation. Somehow, it's just "cool" to wash your hands with them.

Sorry, Dedicated Dad, we still refer to water fountains as bubblers, and Lambeau Field as the frozen tundra, but I've never heard a Wisconsinite talk quite the way you've described, though it is true that the Packers are going to win this weekend. Some of the more recent suggestions might help our problem. Generally, of the forty-odd boys in our troop, we consider 20 or so active (3/4 outings, 2/3 outings, etc.) However, our past Scoutmaster had beliefs different than my own. He would bring along young, immature Scouts to PLC's where they would often cause problems and require babysitt

Ah, those beloved Venturing shorts. You could deluge them in fabric softener for years, and they could still stand up on their own accord. I don't have a problem with newer Boy Scout shorts (remember to chose the size carefully), but those Venturing shorts are something else.