SSScout

Koolaidman, welcome to the ecrackerbarrel. Do you have a Scout in the mix, or no? Depending on the Troop, you may or maynot be pleased with the transition. Some Troops are more "structured" than others, but then if you've been reading here awhile, you know that.Oh, wait, you said "new" Troop. Does that mean really new, as in a new charter, or just new as in I'm just joining it? If a new charter, then you and your fellow Scouters and Scouts have the wonderful opportunity to establish traditions and precedents. Make them good ones. If you are a new member in an established Troop, then sit back and understand the present culture and traditions and get accepted by the folks there before you start saying "hey, wait, this isn't what I thought Scoouting was supposed to be". In any event, thank you for stepping up to help our kids grow up right. Good Scouting to you!

Can't remember my brother's birthday, but I remember: "In 1861, the only fading goldrush. The only law a gun, The only cover wildbush....." And the name of the show was? And where was it supposed to be? But where was it staged?

So I was watching "Liberty's Kids" as I ate my breakfast this morning (gotta look up Charles Lee)and after the Medicare Gap Insurance ad (this is a targeted audience?) lo and behold, I am watching a bunch of kids playing a tug of war across a mud pit, and they are wearing Cub Scout t-shirts! And then I notice the voice over, about having fun and over 100 badges to learn stuff while earning them with your buddies and (splash!) and tell your mom and dad and call this number or go to www.beascout.com. All over in about 20 seconds I guess. Wow! This was on the "Cookie Jar" hours on a CBS affiliate. Anybody else been there, done that? Whaddya think?

Very often it is the boys that need the encouragement and assurance that ,yes, they really can make that decision. One of my favorite memories is sitting in on a PLC planning session and hearing the newly minted SPL ask the SM, "I REALLY can decide that??" and being assured that , yep, it won't happen if you don't want it to happen. Oh, sure, the adults still have to sign the contracts for reserving the campsites, and buy the gasoline and do the driving, but it really should be the boys doing the rest. And finding out what happens if it doesn't get done.

Trim, trim, trim. 1. Humans are more important than Equipment. The Scouts are our customers. Without them, there is no need for the Scouter. Motivated, skilled, knowledgeable Scouters benefit Scouts more than equipment. 2. Quality is better than Quantity. Motivated, skilled, knowledgeable, and trained Scouters run a more effective program. 3. Scouters do not appear overnight. Experience, skills, knowledge and training takes time, as does developing trust. Rushing yields inferior results. Therefore: 4. Train your Scouters before they are needed. If you are not trained until you are needed, you are too late. Be Prepared. 5. Scouting requires assistance. Scouting needs a variety of skills, talents, and resources on the team. Recognize, appreciate, and grow the circle of volunteers, but: 6. A Scouter's goal is to be needed the LEAST. What a boy can do, a Scouter should NEVER do. Allow your boys to be Scouts.

I remember a PBS show about math that made the point that you could sell 100 pencils for 25cents each. or sell one pencil for 25dollars. The income would be the same, but the profit margin was better with the 25dollar pencil. The difference was the perceived need by the purchaser versus mechandising and salesmanship. Is there a parallel here?

With Scouts and parents (and anyone else, for that matter). Say what you mean and mean what you say. Be consistant . Be firm and do not "adjust" or "vacilate". Do not debate, but as appropriate, negotiate. Personality disorders not withstanding, it always amazes me the number of children I meet that control the family, rather than the parents. I met a eight year old boy at CSDC that met the description of the ODD, and his mom was in tow. The Denwalkers finally said they could not deal with his unfortunate choice of behavior, it was not fair to the other boys. The boy would not go, he would not stay, he would not participate, he would not STOP participating. He badmouthed everything and everybody. I come up and introduce myself to the mom and ask if I can help. She says they have to go home, and yes , she could use my help. In the sight of the mom and with her permission, I bodily picked up the boy, tuck him under my arm, and carry him back to their car and strap him into his car seat. He was cursing(!) and struggling and kicking the whole way, and the whole way I was reminding him of his need to love and obey his mom and the folks holding the CSDC. Did he enjoy the camp? NO! it's a crummy camp. Did he want to go home? NO! As crummy as the camp was, it was more fun than home. The mom thanked me and left. I wished her well. Flash forward to this years CSDC (the next year). I hear the name, and realize that the boy who I am watching calmly step up to the archery firing line and calmly follow the directions of the Range Master is the same boy. He quickly makes TWO bullseyes that day. His mom recognizes me and we talk about his progress and the Pack's cooperation to help make it work.

That I became a bugler is due in no small part to Captain Gallant of the French Foreign Legion and Boots and Saddles. I learned the french call to the colors and tatoo from the former (opened and closed the show), and many a call from the latter. I was once asked to play for the raising of the US flag the first official time at a new campground. I practiced for the week before to regain my lip, and even my good wife thought I sounded good. On the appointed day, I was there in full uni, bugle polished up, flag ready to raise, and I froze. After 30 years, I could not remember the start of CttCs! I played the french CttCs, it tripped off my lips easily. No one ever mentioned the difference to me, I guess it just sounded right, somehow..... Thank you, Buster Crabbe and Cuffee. Rod serling smoked big cigars and was only about 4'10" tall. Met him at a book signing, once.

Grammar. I also like the "revised" version. Sometimes we need to be reminded of "obvious truths", in concise, bitsize chunks, but they should still be linquistically correct, and make sense. Scouter Truths 1. Humans are more important than Equipment. The Scouts are our customers. Without them, there is no need for the Scouter. Motivated, skilled, knowledgeable Scouters benefit Scouts more than equipment. 2. Quality is better than Quantity. A few motivated, skilled, knowledgeable, and trained Scouters can run a more effective program than a large group of less qualified and less committed volunteers. 3. Scouters cannot be developed quickly. Developing skills and knowledge and acquiring training necessary to run a quality program takes time, as does developing necessary trust. Rushing yields inferior results. 4. Scouters must train before being needed. If you are not trained until you are needed, you are too late. Be Prepared. 5. Scouting requires assistance. Scouting needs a variety of skills, talents, and resources on the team. Recognize, appreciate, and grow the circle of volunteers. AND::: 6. A Scouter's goal is to be needed the LEAST. What a boy can do, a Scouter should NEVER do.

BSA24: The use of logic is a really underused (and badly taught ) skill. I heartily agree that that study, which I had not heard of before, is certainly faulty. I would propose that the longevity of the Scout is not 'caused' by the earning of FC, but rather the reverse. IF a Scout has the attitude to remain in Scouting , then he will earn FC easily and early. If the Troop has a good, fun, challenging program, then the Scout will be inclined to continue in Scouting, and will eventually see the benefit and earn the ranks. Earning the rank is NOT the REASON for, it is the RESULT of a Scout program.

"...additional supplemental or advanced training event at the council, area, region, or national level." To my mind, this means ANY additional training sponsored by the Council or National or Region in addition to the training required for your position. Lots of suggestions have been made. You have two peolple to satisfy: yourself, and the fellow that signs off on the award application. If YOU think you have fulfilled the requirement and the second is not happy, ask him/her what is lacking. There is your answer. Perhaps you have already taken the training and are not aware it meets that requirement. Go find out. Congratulations in advance! Good Scouting to you. (This message has been edited by SSScout)

""Now, we have to force first class on scouts within there first year. I think this is too much. "" I think it is 'too much' too, but not the way you phrase it, I think. "Forcing" First Class in the first year is the "too much" I think about. There should never be a forcing of the ranks. If the Troop program offers the opportunities for the skills to be learned and demonstrated, it will not matter if the FC is earned in a year, or two or three. It will happen when it happens. We had one Scout in our Troop who was Loyal, and Helpful, and Trustworthy, but could not make every activity, but when he was there, he was THERE, if you see what I mean. He was active in his church and school and went off to Scout Summer camp , but somehow did not get all his 'acts' together for his Scout ranks. Just could not seem to get the skill demonstration and the leader sign off in the same place at the same time. He'd do something here, something there, but couldn't get it all finalized. Just after his 16th birthday, he got together with some ASMs on a campout, and got everything finally signed off in his tattered well used book. At the next CoH, he was awarded his Tenderfoot, Second class, and First Class. He then went off to work staff at Scout camp. At the following CoH (six months later), he was awarded his Star Scout award. He was active as the SPL, and PL, helped the younger Scouts along. He eventually became a PD at a Scout Camp, the one he had been attending. Didn't matter if he "got FC" in a year, I think ultimately that he DID "get it".

Floof. There's a good discriptive... All clothing is used for "belonging" and for "segregating" and "them vs us" and such. Everybody wears a uniform, especially teenagers, altho they may not want to admit to it. College students are (were?) famous for designing uniforms to set themselves apart from others. Consider this example: Bright yellow cordoroy pants or skirt, festooned with colorful designs and words to note one's college major and club memberships, thus was the Purdue "senior cords" worn . And held up for pride, jealousy and ridicule. Google for an example: Purdue Senior Cords, picture.

My apologies if my reference to the irreverent cartoon show Quiky Mart manager was somehow offensive. The s'leven stores hereabouts might well be managed by an Apu, or Hassan, or Serge, or Jose, or Chou. It is the wonder of the American Way that anyone can build a life here by serving the immediate desires of the passing throng. I seem to remember a family by the name of Marriott that did just that.

NJCS: You mean to say ALL those organizations hold a "Congressional Charter"? I am sure they are all worthy of that appellation, but we are back to the original question, I guess, as to what it means to be Congressionally Chartered, and whether the original language recorded in the Charter is "binding" on the organization. Ala Kudu, I would ask, has the BSA lost sight of it's original vision and purpose?

Which only serves to make the important point to LABEL the photos you have as to WHO those folks are and where they are. I have a box of pictures of my mom's cousins and aunts and uncles and not a clue as to who these smiling relatives are or where they are. *sigh*

Ah, those were the good old days (well, old, anyway). WAAAAY back in Cub Scout days, our county/district held a Scout-o-Rama at the COunty Fair grounds every year. It was open to, and the public was invited. (hasn't happened in a looooong time). Every unit did something. BScout Troops did rope bridges, camp cooking, that kind of stuff. Think recruitment, I guess. Our Cub Pack sold POPCORN! I remember my dad found a contact and went to a place that supplied movie houses with already popped popcorn. We got it in HUGE bags, almost as big as ME (then!). Pop and I went to the place and stuffed the car with the big, warm, good smelling plastic bags. Then, our Pack repackaged it in small special sacks and sold those for, oh , I guess 10 cents. I remember we sold out earlier than expected.

Be glad it is flown over the store. That's where it belongs. Over the gas station. The Post Office. The School. The Hardware Store. Because that's the America I want it to represent. Not necessarily ONLY the battle ship or charging Marine. If you feel moved to speak to the owner (Apu?) or mangager about it, approach them courteously and remind them what it is they have out there on that pole. I often stop and speak to the folks/stores/restaurants with US flags atop the building. I ask them when the flag becomes too torn and faded and needs replacing ("Oh, I don't know when we do that") to call me (I leave them my phone number on my Scout card) and I will come and collect the old one for a proper retirement ceremony ("you do that? What does that mean? We send it back to the company. I don't know what they do with it"). I keep a supply of old flags for units to use and have been called for such many times . CSDC, Camporees, IOLS, etc. Sometimes the flag is still in useable condition and we save it for folding practice or to fly at a campout. I have one that is about 15 by 20 feet. Came from a carwash managed by an (old) Eagle Scout. He was very glad to speak to me. I use it sometimes for a teamwork exercise, where a group must work together to fold it (in right triangle!). Hey, next time you are in a store and see a display of US flags for sale, ask them about your STATE flag and enjoy the blank stare you receive.

Which brings up some questions. First, in what company is the BSA? What other (if any) organizations has the US Congress "chartered"?

SSSSSHHH!!!!! Don't give it away!!! This skit requires two characters: Both need to be fair thespians, and realize the importance of each role in the "set up" and "resolution": An Introducer, and a Historian. Now since the folks performing the skits around the campfire/Blue & Gold/Training are probably known by the audience, use that fact to good effect. ((INTRODUCER comes on stage and in DEAD SERIOUSNESS (!) announces the following)): "Good evening everyone. Now, as a slight change of pace to the usual funny skits we have enjoyed this evening, we'd thought you might enjoy something of a more serious tone. I'd like to bring on someone you already know, our Assistant Scoutmaster, Dave Jones. You probably know Dave for his (Scout Training, Dutch Oven Brownies, years of service, whatever), but you probably DON'T know that he is an amateur historian of some local note. He has memorized some of our Founding Father's more well known speeches and often is called upon to recite them at various events. Tonite, he will present to you , '"George Washington's Farewell to the Continental Army"'. And so, here's Dave, with GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FAREWELL!" ((INTRODUCER backs off stage, gesturing to HISTORIAN Dave as he comes on stage from the other side)). ((HISTORIAN comes to center stage. He does not smile. This is a serious occasion, his resignation. He looks out over audience, shifts his feet, looks down at his feet, seems alittle nervous, unsure how to begin. He slowly takes his hat off, places it over his heart, takes a slow deep breath, stands tall, and in one motion waves the hat over his head yells "G'BYE!!!" and strides quickly off stage.

Thank you, Berners-Lee. http://www.cubroundtable.com/assets/pdf-sundry/New-2005-Cub-Mobile-book.pdf and http://www.rockinghammemories.net/bd2012cubmobilederby.html

Wash it?? You don't like the smoky smell?? Just kidding. I have one of the old style red ones, supposed to be permanently moth proofed. Wife gave it to me for bday some years back. Chest pockets, no hand pockets.

Nike: My understanding is that the "foreigness" originated from the BSA knot NOT being a GSUSA badge. And , no, neither I nor my Indiana friend knows where the not would come from. But then, Scoutshops don't always ask if you're a Scout when they sell things. SWNecker: I heartily agree. Even the GS used to wear necksers. When our Troop holds it's February CoH, I give a short talk about neckerchief history and sponsor a Necker slide (woggle) contest. I obtain the prizes from local businesses ( Coupons for free ice cream, McD's fries, Cal Tacos, ) and it is becoming more popular each year. E92: A good point. The Baltimore Area Council is the center of this UnderArmor "test". I get the impression from my Baltimore friends that most Troops view them as a "class B" Tee shirt thing, but not a replacement for the whole uniform. But that's just anecdotal.

Uniform use... I have a friend who is a GSUSA leader out in Indiana. She recently emailed me a copy of a local Council memo the stated, quote, Troop - - - will present to the girl a PRAY patch, as well as the religious knot used by our brothers in the Cub Scouts. Both the patch and the knot can be put on the uniform, along with the medal that may be awarded by the girls religious organization/church. She said she had emailed to GSUSA National for claification, and had been told that it was "not appropriate" and the local Council would be counseled about the use of foreign badges (!).

Review the Watergate scandal. Lots of ethical deciding there. Man wants a newspaper. It is early in the morning. He passes the local drugstore, which has not yet opened, and there is a stack of newspapers beside the door. If he takes one, it is stealing. If he resolves to come back later and pay for it then, is it a "loan" or "borrowing"? If he leaves the right amount of money (tax at 6%) on the top of the stack, it might get lost or stolen by someone else. Is there anyone else looking? Does that matter? No, he does NOT have a wireless capable tablet.