SSScout

I guess Kieth and the Stones were previously booked.

Welcome to the F&C forum... As a Quaker, I can sympathize with Merlin. Really. Our faith was founded on the ability of the worshipper to connect directly with the Divine (thru Christ Jesus) without benefit or need of another human intercessor. No "need" for ordained clergy. As such, yep, early Quakers were often persecuted for daring to be "different". I often meet folks in the Quaker world that have come to the conclusion that ANY interrruption , or "stumbling block", in that journey to the Divine, be it Christ, the Bible, someone else's revelation, is to be ignored and even actively avoided. Only the silent worship, the opening of one's heart and soul and mind to that spark/spirit is necessary. The actual history of our faith is irrelevant. The experience of others is irrelevant. I knew one fine old woman, whom I had grown to greatly respect as a great example of Friendly Devotion,a pillar of our Meeting, who told me that we had "finally gotten past all that Christian stuff". I frankly didn't know what to respond, so I said nothing. She would have denied that our faith had been founded on Biblical statements, that the language of George Fox was just because he had no other way to express his faith. But George Fox took his Bible very seriously and reminded the priests of his time of their hypochrisy quite often. How had my friend forgotten this? So when I say I empathize with friend Merlin, I mean that his stand on being governmentally neutral when it comes to faith is fine, but not allowing people the ability to give voice to their faith , even as indirectly as wearing a red and white fuzzy hat, is sadly wrong. If I am a sub teacher (hello skeptic) and mention (when asked) that I do not recite the Pledge of Allegiance because I view it as idolatry (promising to be loyal to a piece of cloth) and a loyalty oath (counter to Quaker truth testimony), I COULD be asked to stop with my religious language (yes, not speaking is language). Or not. My expression of faith is NOT a teacher PROMOTING a state/government requirement. The reciting of the PoA is NOT required in our schools. It is a "tradition" and one that needs to be reviewed by the kid's parent, not by me. I actually had a class of 6th graders remind me, when the PA was not operable one day, shouldn't we be saying the PoA ? I said sure, who wants to lead it? I stepped back and let one of the boys lead it. So Merlin's frustration and dissapointment is understandable. It appears that the fuzzy hat may be a religious expression and if on a teacher's head, could be viewed as a (because the teacher is a government agent) government promotion of religion, and should be disallowed. But then too, it may be a personal expression and should be allowed. Is the playing of the Messiah a promotion of Christianity or is it merely a great , soaringly wonderful piece of music? See and you decide. Mery Christmas and be healthy.

Thee speaks my mind, friend. If you have no objection, I will pass your thoughts on to some others . Now, when do we get the Faith and Chaplaincy forum established?

Merging Councils? Selling camps? Defining our purpose? Building endowments? Hiring certain Scout Pros? Leaving a 'legacy'? Making one's mark as a Scout Exec? I keep remembering "Owasippee"..... http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=87008#id_204768 and it is not always about Scouts and efficiency. Follow the money... Try to get the newspapers interested in a non-profit, for the kids organization becoming MORE interested in the money. Is the Council treasury and financial statement transparent? Corporate reports to the state up to date (public record!) If you have the time, might make interesting reading. Good Scouting to you!

What Neal said.... Best if you have the Scout Leaders lined up already, members of the church. The Scout connection needs to be there for it to "take". All the brochures and mini Boys' Lifes and showing camp videos won't help if the candidate CO doesn't see the value of sponsoring a Scout unit. If the IH of the institution is in favor of the idea, he/she may know of some adults that can be motivated to help in the unit founding. Check with your DE or DC, they should/might be aware of the Scout propaganda available locally. Show the latest camp DVD about the CSDC and Council camp. Bring along acouple of present Scouts as "visual aides" , have them speak of the fun and excitement of Scouting. Bring an assortment of Scout manuals to peruse. And, if this is a House of Faith, bring along info about the Religious Awards appropriate to that faith. Explain that these are written and overseen by leaders of that faith and not the BSA, that the BSA only approves the awards for BSA members to wear. After they say "gee, that sounds great. Let's do 'er!", then start talking about expenses and forms to fill out, and training to take, and criminal background checks, and stuff...

I am sorry , but I only received this a few minutes ago: The Wilton(CT) Quaker Meeting House is the focus of a national prayer event on Wednesday evening for the shooting of the children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, CT. Feel free to join F(f)riends wherever you are so that even more people can be joined in prayer simultaneously at 8 PM Eastern time. Everyone who can join us physically is welcomed to our Meeting House. The meeting house is located at: 317 New Canaan Road (Route 106) Wilton , CT 06897 ""I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again."" = Stephan Grellet=

For your book club discussion: ""The Weapon Shops of Isher"" by A. E. Von Vogt (1951) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Weapon_Shops_of_Isher http://www.pdfdocspace.com/docs/43088/a-e-van-vogt---the-weapon-shops-of-isher.html

" I promise to do my duty, to God, my Country and community and to obey the Law of the Pack." OOps, I 'm sorry, wrong ceremony... ""I promise to do my duty to God, my country, my community and my Crew. I promise to be the very best Crew Advisor I can be. I will help the Crew go places and do things, and learn, and have fun doing it. Hoo - Hah.""

RS: You give me pause. True enough, we need to reach out to all the grieving families, but very often, our family comes first. I was reminded of a very important bit of advice from that icon of adulthood, Mister Rogers (how long was it , growing up, before you realized that your Kindergarten teacher's first name wasn't "Misses"?): "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world". It is , indeed , a Scout's first goal , to help. Like the doctor's credo to "first, do no wrong", it is a Scout's desire to help. Even when there is no real way to help, he/she should desire it. Sometimes the mere desire is sufficient, the knowledge that someone, somewhere wants to help , can get a person thru the worst of existance. Amnesty International and Child Fund come to mind, all invite letter writing and not merely sending money , altho that is also a good thing. The Scout brotherhood is a touchstone for these folks in Connecticut and we can make sure our Scout brothers and sisters know they are not forgotten but, as RS reminds us, we are obligated by our SL and SP/O to "help other people at all times". Perhaps this time , as ever, we need to think about how we can help even before the need is realized. We need to play the "what if " game more often, and seriously. Maybe the Bushmaster company can be retooled to make school desks and computer cases and micro surgery "Waldos" and solar powered water pumps and....

Thank you for the referral! Cambridge, could you give us some small details. I have referred this to other Scout friends, and they wish to know: What are the ages represented? Are these Cub Scout age? Scout age ? Any Rovers visible? Is the Girl Guides (Girl Scouts here) still popular, or is the (?how do you say it now that you are co-ed?) Boy Scouts taking over?

SMConference..... SMConversation...... 1) Determine if the boy is truly a member of your Troop. Who signed the application? Who accepted it? Was it a dollar transfer? Was it "new"? 2) Get the CC and COR in on this , if necessary , maybe one of them signed the app. Make sure they are on your side in this. 3) Find his advancement records. From whence cometh them? Is he a new Scout with no rank as yet? Is he a transfer and can you speak with his past SM? Or CM? 4)With the knowledge at hand, meet with the boy and parent and have a CONVERSATION. Make sure they know either A) he is not a bonafide member, and here's what he/you needs to do, OR B) here's what is understood about his records, welcome to the Troop, and here's what HE needs to do to EARN the right to a SMConference (attendance, requirement passing, etc.) OR C) there is something really wrong with this situation, we know you want to do the right thing and let's help the boy get the right start in our Troop. Howzat?

SMConference..... SMConversation...... 1) Determine if the boy is truly a member of your Troop. Who signed the application? Who accepted it? Was it a dollar transfer? Was it "new"? 2) Get the CC and COR in on this , if necessary , maybe one of them signed the app. Make sure they are on your side in this. 3) Find his advancement records. From whence cometh them? Is he a new Scout with no rank as yet? Is he a transfer and can you speak with his past SM? Or CM? 4)With the knowledge at hand, meet with the boy and parent and have a CONVERSATION. Make sure they know either A) he is not a bonafide member, and here's what he/you needs to do, OR B) here's what is understood about his records, welcome to the Troop, and here's what HE needs to do to EARN the right to a SMConference (attendance, requirement passing, etc.) OR C) there is something really wrong with this situation, we know you want to do the right thing and let's help the boy get the right start in our Troop. Howzat?

Jblake47: Didst get my PM?

Now, what was it the Scoutmaster was supposed to say to the Scout? Oh yes: "Have you asked your Patrol Leader?" As I thought about it, it occurred to me that here we have a real good example of the Scoutmaster asking a question that might have gone to his Commissioner... if he had one... So here we have a bunch of Acting-Commissioners, able to make use of their collective experience and knowledge. "Have you asked your Commissioner?" might be a reasonable response, but as I think about it, that might lead to other questions: @ What's a Commissioner? @ Who is he/she to me and my Unit? @ Why should I ask them instead of Scouter.com, if I can find them? @ What's the use... He'll only tell me to ask the DE...

Scouting is a volunteer movement, yes? As such, the volunteers are what make or break the idea. The Pro's job (theoretically) is to help the vol's get it done. However... Lots of pros see their job as THEIR job, and often despite their initial idealism (if they had some), they get mired in the bureacratic necessities, hence the creation of Districts. Districts allow the pros to better keep track of numbers. If the vols are up to it, Districts are a good framework to hang multi - unit activities on. Just don't depend on the pros to do it. I have not moved in the past 20 years, but in the last 10 years my Scouting has been in 5 Districts (if I count the "service areas" and "sub-district" they tried, make it 6). We (the vols) have had to regroup and redefine ourselves that many times. But even so, we insisted on keeping the same CSDCs and Camporees, and even added some new things. We now have 3 Districts where two years ago we had one BIG one. Same problems, same solutions, same folks I worked with before. Different patches and neckers for the Commishers. I do training in two Districts, write newsletter bits for all 3. Help at two of the three CSDCs. Commish for the same four units, which have been in three different Districts and the church hasn't moved. Scouts still go camping, Cubs still race PWD cars. They don't care, so long as the adults pay the bills and drive to the sites.

I like the Beav's approach here, but I would also suggest you get the agreement and backing of your CC and COR. Yes, the question is who signed his application , agreeing that Johnny would be a member of the Troop? Sounds like the mom wants to be an Eagle, not necessarily the boy.

Passed on to our local newsletter. Thak you.

Now, if we could get "the REST of the story", to use a phrase, and find out the history of the camps. Where were they? Who organized them? National (in New Jersey, then, I believe)? A local council ? What was the result? http://www.seedsofpeace.org/?page_id=13605

I was an Election Judge here in Murlun. To so serve, I had to "vote early" , so as to be available all day that tuesday. I came home from a IOLS training that sunday, said to myself, this is a good day to vote, and went to one of 5 early voting centers in my county, at about 3 in the afternoon. The line to enter the center , up to the registration table, was one hour long. I asked the folks working there, and they said it had been like that when they opened at 8am, and had not abated. They said it was reported to be like that at all the other centers, too. The center had 38 (!) voting machines working. The ballot took me 12 minutes to work thru and cast, and I had studied my choices and had the sample ballot with me. This, as you may remember, was afew days before Sandy came thru the east coast. On the first tuesday after the first monday in November, I helped set up my polling place at 6am. We were ready to open for voters at 7am, and we had 60 (! I counted them as I left) in line already. I returned at 5pm for my evening shift and to "close out" the polling place. My colleagues said there had been a steady stream of voters all day, without letup, sometimes with 20 or more in line. We had 12 machines, busy all day. One had a stuck color choice (it was green on yellow, for some reason) but we used it still. We had a sit down machine for wheelchair folks. We had a Braille capable machine. Both were in use all day, constantly. Rarely did we have any machine vacant for more than a few minutes. Even in our semi-rural area, we had folks voting for the first time, elderly with "helpers", parents who wanted their kids (under 16 allowed in the booth with the parent) to see it happen. Some were quick (5, 6, 7 minutes?) some took awhile to vote. In previous years, I remember coming in to the same polling place (this was my first year as a ballot worker), and NEVER seeing this kind of backup or interest. This year, unlike previous years, according to "veterans", there was NO slack period. Loss of freedoms? Perhaps. Gain of freedoms? Ask my friends of color. Lack of demonstrations of disatisfaction with our system? Well, I haven't seen much passionate reaction about the various (various!) wars our government is persuing around the world such as we observed in the VietNam war era. Still don't see any reason to move to elsewhere.

1) IT"S TWENTY TWO PAGES. And the instructions are interspersed with the necessary parts. Real hassle to sepertely print out the fill-out and sign parts. Might be nice to arrange all the instruction pages in one place. 2) IT IS BI_LINGUAL in a particular language, but not for the OTHER languages. We have a Lithuanian family, eager to learn American. 3) IT IS VERY SMALL PRINT and despite the desire to be paperless and to electronically transmit the info to the desired agency, YOU STILL HAVE TO PRINT IT OUT for camps and doctors and Philmont taking... 4) HIPPA CONCERNS concern me. If it's on the web, IT"S ON THE WEB. 5) I like the idea of copying the Med card in the empty spaces where the Lingua Hispanica use to be. 6) Might as well combine that exam with my CDL exam and my cookstaff exam... 7) Well, they didn't ask me or my doc.

Congratulations and thanks for all you do (and WILL do!) for your boys. Two notes: First, be aware that you are setting precedent, starting traditions. Take the PLC aside , early, and make sure they understand the gravity of the event. It should be serious ,but not grave. Fun and happy, but not comical. Take the examples you've found, add your Troop's own personal stuff and give'm something to remember. Pastor's prayer/benediction. Candles. Recitation. Ceremony. Scoutmaster's Minute at the end, close it with gratitude and due ceremony, but DO give it an end. I have memories of ceremonies (not only CoHs) where they just - let - it - dwindle away. A sad end to an otherwise pleasent and worthy evening. Two, make sure the boys take the credit and do the ceremonial stuff. You stand in the back and shake hands and (maybe) help move things along if necessary. In that light, come to think of it, here's Three: AVOID addressing your Scouts as "guys" or anything other than "SCOUTS" and "BOYS". You will be surprised the difference in attitude if you insist on this with yourself and your other leaders. Good Scouting to you!

She has finished her ticket and received her final bead....

I am a sub-teacher in the public schools and a couple of private schools. Elementary and middle school classes. Often, I find occasion to use my Scout training/skills in class, either as a game, or discusssing a topic like history (flag courtesy? ), or geometry (pioneeing, surveying) or even general stuff like self discipline and treating others with respect. I often ask if there are any Scouts in the class, and I am always gratified by not only the number who raise their hand ("I saw you at the camporee!") but the seeming pride they express when given the chance. No reticence at all. Girl and boy. Even the girls like to mention the camping and hiking they have gone on. I always encourage the kids to continue with their Scouting, that they will go and do things their friends here in class may never have the chance to, and leave it at that. I also tend to wear a Scout hat or jacket to class (Why did the man wear a Scout belt ? To hold his pants up!), which often leads to kids asking me if I am a Scout. See no reason to limit Scout attire merely to Scout events. Often, I see kids wearing Scout T-shirts in school, and I compliment them thereby. When I see a Scout in the grocery store or elsewhere (T-shirt, Scout cap, recognized from CSDC?) I give'm a Scout salute, and watch them smile. Is Scouting held as uncool? Only if we do not reinforce the opposite. Name your Scouts as "Scouts", not "guys" or "kids". The adults need to also be un-embarrassed by wearing Scout stuff. Take the time to invite the conversation. "Hey, Scout!" I was asked to chaperone a overnight field trip of middle schoolers. As we loaded the bus with gear, I called out, "Hey! Any Scouts out there to help with this?" and three boys yelled "Yeah!" and came up and we had the bus organized and loaded in no time. I made them my assistants on the trip, to good effect. Now THERE's a good SMMinute....

"...to free up more time..." It's only an hour a week. I will miss your "inside" view. In my conversations with the DE's I respect (and the DE's I don't) and various council Program Directors (they seem to get chewed up by the proces, too), I have found validation in much that BP has said. As Quakers say, "That friend speaks my mind". Y'al come back, now, hear?

I once had a boss (I was working as a carpenter's helper) who chastised another man because he didn't put enough nails in a beam. The man said he was told by the BIG boss to economize on nails, not use so many. Our direct boss (an old time hammer and saw carpenter) said that once the walls are up and painted, the only ones who will know how many nails are in the studs and beams will be the fellows who put it up and the fellows who TRY to take it down. He said to NEVER make it easy for the fellows trying to take it down. ""The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching." = John Wooden =