SSScout

Some other posts mentioning chainsaw projects and cotton sleeping bags makes me wonder if a thread about how WE did stuff in Scouting, way back when, and isn't it a wonder we are here to tell the tale... I will start off with a story I heard (because I was too young to participate) about. Our CO had a Cub Pack, a Scout Troop AND a Sea Scout Ship. The Ship was well known around the council, it being led by an old Chief Mate. One summer , they decided on an adventure, so they built a wood raft with 55 gallon drums lashed under it . Sailed down the Potomac and out into and up the C

aww, it was an incomplete..... It was a tail dragger...

*sigh* So much philosophical water under the metaphoric bridge. Way back when I was working on my Stegasaurus Husbandry Merit Badge, my Troop was a very active outdoors Troop. Like I am sure many of you, our adult leaders/parents were veterans of the Great Depression, WW2, Korean war.... I remember one winter campout, snow on the ground, we were going to the back woods of one of our leaders. And just before, we were told we would have a "guest Troop" camping with us. A GIRL SCOUT TROOP. Who'd a guessed? All the Girl Scouts I knew back then sold cookies and held fashion part

Never hurts to ask, but if it's a recognized Scout uni, Sea Scout version (!) , and you are so trained/awarded/recognized, I would think it's appropriate. But that's just lil' ol' me.... 😉

Welcome aboard. I would see no problem with the Offishul Commish round patch. What is the concern ? Too "red" ?

Ideas (if you don't have them already) 1) An Orienteering course. "Scout's Honor", this can be a self run activity after the Scout gets some training in Map, and Compass. 2) Find "specialists" to do Merit Badges not always done at summer camp. Pros could come in , one day and do, say, Surveying, Bugling, etc. 3) Fishing... if you have the lake, stream front. In addition to the usual waterfront stuff, time out activity. Prizes for what's caught. Sell supplies at the Trading Post. 4) I hope yu have the trails well marked (Eagle project?), distances, places/

Yes yes and yes, they responded quickly ! I have had a nice email conversation with the MB Committee volunteer(s). They will consider my concerns when next they have their meeting next year. Ho hum... ]

Thank you, Schiff, I'll let you know their response, if and when...

Well, I must be behind the times. I just went on line to National to check something I heard a rumor of, and sonofagun, it was true. Bugling Merit Badge Requirements were changed, and the National BSA web page is incorrect.... The page claims "most of the music uses only four notes. " . And they changed the requirement from "Sound the following bugle calls" to "sound ten of the following calls" Therefor, "Call To The Colors " (raise the flag) and "Retreat" (take the flag down) are no longer necessary (you need five notes), and six are a good Bugler's range. To Whomm

History is personal and impersonal. Ice ages and warm periods have been documented both within the fossil record and in recent memory. Here in Maryland USA, I can remember winters with snow drifts taller than my dad's head. Made good tunnels for the well wrapped Cub Scout. Photoes in the magazine of storms that closed the rail road systems. The last few years have been noticably less snowy. Last year, it hardly made sense to put the plow on the front of my son's truck. Do ICE contribute to the climate ? Look to London's coal smoke clouds, Los Angeles' smog. Certainly. Do they contr

"It depends". I once asked that question, seeking history, old names. I was directed to a MICROFICHE archive, several boxes. The paper had been disposed of. 1950's, 1960's.... The microfiche was hard to read but it was there..

Yep. Been there, done that:

Ah the Scout Neckerchief... Collared shirt. A collarless shirt would require a special tailoring. That is probably why the C/L shirt was abandoned. Over or Under? Size? Woggle, slide, Friendship Knot ? Depends on the wearers attitude. Is the Necker a useless piece of tradition, symbol or a possible tool, as was the original attitude? Let's see if I can find those pages from "" Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform; the Official Boy Scout Uniforms"" , by Edward F. Reimer . . .

As an amateur Vexilologist ( I've yet to meet a professional), I share this because it agrieves me. We see replicas of the American flag displayed on t-shirts, swim trunks, Napkins, cups, banners. little paper flags on cupcakes, I can smile. I invite folks to search out the Ruggables company, which has offered for sale (and they have named and presented as such) "An American Red Flag Rug" Red and white stripes, pretty. White stars on a blue background, nice. Fifty stars on a blue field in the upper left corner of thirteen red and white stripes, this is intended as a US fl

IMHO This is not a YPT issue, but a ego PT... BSA is very careful about ALL events and operations being open to observation by parents. This does not mean "manipulation" but looking on and "being there". Registration as an adult and taking the YPT is necessary, but no one can deny the parent the right/ability to "observe". Converstion wih those involved seems appropriate. The CO and COR are to be involved, and IMHO, a Troop cannot have too many WELL TRAINED ASMs... And maybe your local Unit Commish, if you have one. Right, Fred?

So now there is a PROGRAM for the kids. Do we have a PROGRAM for the parents? Maybe that's what this really is. The original Cub Scout "program" was supposed to be (as I remember it) a fun thing where the kid had some fun stuff and (without really realizing it) learned some important stuff along the way. Trust, cooperation, teamwork, good ideals, handy skills, pride of craft, ,,,, What else? Ranks weren't so much GOALS TO BE MET, as MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY. The parents we had were folks that had lived thru the Great Depression, the World War, the Korean War, ,

I do wish they ("THEY") would settle things for more than 3 years this time. Cubs have been staggering along, adjusting, creating, modifying, clarifying, the program seemingly every other year.... Back when the ranks made sense, morphilogically, small mammals to bigger more DANGEROUS ones, and literary references (Akela, Baloo) could be understood, and a DEN was a place for Cubs to live, and the PACK was to be run with I thought belt loops for arrow points were a good exchange. Now, the changes were coming because "we can" and maybe they will be good for the kids (wh

There it is. Dr. Bourke and company not withstanding, it is up to THE PARENTS, and everyone else to see that what is RIGHT happens. The Guidelines are just that, GUIDELINES. If the people who WATCH and SEE don't speak up, don't say something, the GUIDELINES mean zilch.

Welcome. Pull up a stump. . Did you remember your camp cup and fork? The virtual peach cobbler is over there....

Scouting has OPPORTUNITIES, not REQUIREMENTS . We do our kids a great disservice when we make the wrong things "REQUIREMENTS", especially in Scouting. F'rinstance : Merit Badges.... I firmly believe no SM (or anyone else) should make MBs sound like they are REQUIRED. Scout ranks are not REQUIRED. OPPORTUNITIES can and should be arranged (camp outs, Axe Yards, hiking trips, visits from Park Naturalists, visits from local EMTs, ) with the Scouts participating , nay, ORDERING the schedule. The Scout should be able to see her/his peers making choices to LEARN about proper sa

An organization is only as good as it's human leadership (General Miley, thank you for calling your office). The ideals not withstanding, the past BSA leadership were thinking too wishfully. The present situation is the result. When folks did not believe what they were told, didn't make sure the miscreants were properly held to account, censured, charged, punished and REMOVED from all of Scouting, the present situation had to occur. If the lessons were learned, publically acknowledged, the victims made whole as well as can be done this much later, then we must move forward wi

Our Chinese Chestnuts have been really productive this year. We have two types, evidently, but the leaves are indistinguishable to my eye. One big nut , about 1" across, and ovoid, and one about 3/4 inch across and more circular. Very regular , each of the two trees, on opposite sides of our house. Can't eat them raw, but cooked they are very tasty. A neighbor has a very large and grand White Oak, bushels of acorns, much more than "usual" this year. Wife and some friends are going to produce Acorn Flour from them this year. It is quite a process but produces a tasty flour for baking

Hot glue it to a 1/2" pvc pipe, make a heckufa necker slide...

I am, unfortunately, reminded of a Carol Burnett show skit, where an ex Nazi becomes the Activities Director on a cruise ship. "YOU VILL HAF FUN ! "" I have been, am sad to say , witness to this sort of thing and agree with all that has been said, especially the part about the separation of the "earning/approval" of the rank and the "celebration/awarding" of the medal. What hasn't been mentioned is the final say over the Troop/Unit is the CO Institution Head. She/he names the COR, and could as easily dethrone him. I find it hard to believe, in so active and well supported

Congratulations. A few years to consider the Eagle project....