SSScout

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 =

Back before the all available,cheap plastic woven tarp, my Scout Troop made their own tarp tents out of 6 mil poly plastic , some really heavy tape (heavier than today's duct tape) that a government dad obtained from his job, and a grommet setting tool. 12' square, grommets every three feet, one grommet set off center in a reinforced diagonal spot, they took them to Philmont . Called the "Exploreer" tent in Boy's Life, I used them for many years backpacking. Seperate plastic/shower curtain ground cloth. Might last a couple seasons if you were an active camper. When the plastic got holed or ripped, you used it for a ground cloth. Made a new one in Mr. Coombs basement. I have demo-ed a tarp tent to our present boys, but no one has taken up the idea. They seem to like the insectless guarantee of the screened in tents. But still, take a 15 by 10 foot tarp, stake one short side down for 5 feet as the bottom, curve it up over yourself, and make an open sided shelter. Four sticks, eight tent pegs, some cordage, enough room for you and your pack.

Look at the title of the thread: Is there, then LAWFUL Harassment?

OOOps.(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Search the site for pages about Districts, you will find that (1) They are a creation of the Council and (2) the member units and Scouters of a District make it what it is. Often, if a District is really successful, as marked by lots of camporees and such, the Council may either try to copy the work or (shudder) split the District to let smalller, more "intimate" Districts share the success. Our home units have have been in no fewer than 5 assigned , named Districts in the last ten years. Didn't change the activities much, just made us Scouters drink more coffee with different people. Award dinners: I like the idea of a real, Scout dinner. BBQ, Dutch ovens, let a Scout Troop cater it for fund raising. Our District(s) have always had "special" awards. "Sparkplug" = for the unit Scouter who makes things run smooth.Name, etc. burned into a wood plaque, old sparkplug glued to it. Shellac/polyeurathane. "Bowline" = for the unit Scouter who helps keep things together. Name burned into a wood plaque, etc. Note the use of the "unit" Scouter. The District still gives out DAMs. The specials are for the rest of the folks that "help make the Pack go". Embarass the heck out of them. Make sure the spouse "drags" them to the event.

The importance of Human Rights Day - celebrated annually across the world on December 10. The date was chosen to honor the United Nations adoption, on December 10, 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ABOUTUS/Pages/HumanRightsDay.aspx http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/RESOLUTION/GEN/NR0/043/88/IMG/NR004388.pdf?OpenElement The Continental Congress was "only a debating society" back in 1776. And see what they accomplished.

In the independant spirit of that DIY leader Red Green, I present the Duck Tape Snow Shoe: http://www.instructables.com/id/Gorilla-TapeGorilla-Glue-Snowshoes-from-Scratch/ Or, if you have some landscaping to do, build a back hoe:

Anyone seen the movie "Lincoln"? I especially liked watching the House debates over the proposed amendment. Thaddeus Stevens, now there's a Scoutmaster for you !

Read the label. The originals were 100% wool, thick. The new ones are a blend. And (supposedly) moth-proofed. Made to be neater. longer, but , as has been said, thinner, not as insulative.

Ditto the above. Registered, cerified mail. Document your efforts. ""Even though our COR has made several requests even going up the chain to the 2nd in charge at Council, the DE has refused to meet with our COR."" Refused?? As in "No, I will not meet with you"???? At this point, I would call to meet with the Council Scout Executive. If he should refuse to meet with you (why would he do that??), the next step is to call Irving and ask to speak with the Scout Regional Director for your area. Be persistant. They do not want to lose your charter.

Scout "Districts" exist for two reasons: ONE: The Council needs smaller organizational junks to help keep track of the numbers. DEs are the paid folk that head up these mini fiefdoms. They get paid for their numerical reckonning of these areas. Bigger Districts, bigger numbers, ultimately bigger pay. Younger DE's get the smaller and more run down neighborhoods (read "Districts"), then get promoted (sometimes despite their desires) to other Districts. TWO: The volunteers need "neighborhoods" so they can have opportunities to cooperate and work on things that no one unit or person could accomplish ( bigger camping activities like camporees, Merit Badge Days, just meeting folks of like Scoutmind, getting a further approval for Eagle projects, etc.) Sometimes the two don't mesh. When I started in Scouting as an adult, I worried about my unit and my son's activities in it. As I got to know the "territory", I discovered the DISTRICT. Cool, a DE to talk to about problems, Webelos Weekends, Camporees, other Scouters. But DE got promoted. Three times, our DE was promoted, or resigned. Then, it started. We have not physically moved, or our units moved or otherwise changed, but in the last ten years, I have worked in 6 (six) Scout Districts. I have the patches to prove it. . These re-arrangings were foistered on us by Council, and every Scouter I know of has responded with "ho-hum. Here we go again". The DEs have been shuffled, and the usual District committees have been assigned and re-assigned and staffed by much the same good people each time. Our goal is to have Camporees, and PWDerbies and Klondikes, and Shotgun/Rifle Meritbadge days and CSDCs (the same three sites we have always had) and all the other stuff a Cub or Boy Scout might come to expect in an active Scout area. When the Districts were re-designed, the volunteers said "thank you sir, can I have some more" and adapted. The email newsletters were divided and rewritten and shared. The various committees were constituted. Commisshers who used to roam the big prior District now lived in District 2 and served the units in District 1. In some ways , the new present Districts are better: smaller, more intimate (?), more neighborly. In some ways, they are worse: What happened to that fellow that always planned our PWDerby? Oh yeah , he's in District 3 now. Mmmm. Guess no District PWDerby this year. We can visit District 3, they said we could. DEs are more available. I have met each of the three(3 Districts, now, instead of one big county wide District. Now.), but that does not guarantee that the responsive, personable, Scout-dedicated fellow we have now will be there in another year. Or that the prig of a martinet that District 2 seems to have will not be ours next year. Still, the District is what we are given as a tool to use for our Scout "networking". We know which SM does a good camporee, which IOLS trainer does Totin' Chip and Whittlin' Chip right, which CSDC is more pioneering than the others, and which has the archery range you want your son to learn on. So what else is new?

Sort of "Hatchet" with an audience (think Gary Paulson has seen it?)... Very interesting, I will pass along.

Oh, heck. This is a special situation. And it isn't awarding more awards than is deserved, , it is just a delay in the presentation. Celebrate the past year(s) accomplishments and fun. Two years worth of cake and ice cream in one party, nothing wrong with that. Maybe you need to celebrate the DE's departure, too? Maybe not officially?(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Must be something to this stuff. Went on line last night to research a new stylus and cartridge for the old Victrola, and sonofagun, banner ads from amazoon for "stereo equipment and turntables..."

BR: I assure you, multiple registration numbers are not only possible, but not that unusual. "Once upon a time", I applied to staff at the National Jamboree. I had to prove I had certain training. The record said I didn't, but I did have the leetle blue/gray cards, so I trundled down to the Council office and the registrar and I sat down and discovered that I had no fewer than four registration numbers. From the days I was a DL and CM, thru my work as a ASM, and Commisher, I had been re-registered under various permutations of my name, with and without the middle initial or name. Also, to complicate things, it seemed that there were at least 5 (five!) other men in the (large!) council with the same first and last name as me, but I was the only one in my county with my middle initial. Never changed address, or SSN, or unit. But there it (they) was. Council problem? Filling out forms correctly problem? Trainer problem? Unit re-chartering person problem? Never found out. I presently have ONE membership number and a suitably long list of training certs. So: Assume nothing, and ALWAYS re-register and sign up for training under the EXACT same name , every time.

Gotta do this quick before it becomes "ancient history" Need: Big paper shopping bag, or clean 5 Gallon bucket. stack of 3x5 cards. Broad tip marker Write one word on each 3x5 card of the Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack. Put the cards in the bag/bucket and shake'em up. At the start of the Pack Meeting, just before Johnny Cub is about to lead the Pack in the CSP & LotP, step up and announce "wait a minute Johnny, I know YOU know the Cub Promise but I wonder if the PARENTS remember it. Here" and you walk around offering the bag to all the adults, "pick a card out and then (come on Jack!) let's see if they can line up in the right order, WITHOUT TALKING!! Come on up front, here you go...A-A-A, no talking! ssshhhh quiet now, let's see how they do." the Cubs love it. Neat to watch who takes over to arrange the adults in the line-up.