SSScout

Ye Lordships, I put it to you a Scout who earns and is awarded his "Scout" Badge. And then I say this Scout joins the semi annual First Aid Merit Badge class held by the ScoutMaster. I put it to you this Scout attends 6 or so after Troop meeting classes and thru dint of effort is awarded his First Aid Merit Badge at a duly convened Court of Honor. Now, I put it to you for consideration: Has this Scout thus concurrently passed the first aid requirements, ipso facto, for the both the Second Class and First Class ranks? And thus should have those requirements signed off in his Book? What say ye,?

Ye Lordships, I put it to you a Scout who earns and is awarded his "Scout" Badge. And then I say this Scout joins the semi annual First Aid Merit Badge class held by the ScoutMaster. I put it to you this Scout attends 6 or so after Troop meeting classes and thru dint of effort is awarded his First Aid Merit Badge at a duly convened Court of Honor. Now, I put it to you for consideration: Has this Scout thus concurrently passed the first aid requirements, ipso facto, for the both the Second Class and First Class ranks? And thus should have those requirements signed off in his Book? What say ye,?

Anyone out there in Scouterland have any memories of Camp Roosevelt? Down near Cheasapeake Beach? Lusby? Calvert Cliffs? Sharks teeth? Sea Nettles?

The requirements for Eagle rank have changed over the years. The requirements that I fulfilled are not the same as those that Scoutson fulfilled. (he will be awarded the Eagle at the CoH next month). On face, the requirements are still daunting, but they are , afterall, cumulative. If the Eagle candidate seems lacking when he is at the point of final application for the rank, it is not for the final "sign off-ers" to look back and say, hey, this or that is not up to OUR standards. Can you tie a square knot NOW? Well, that's not relevant. He tied it THEN. If the candidate passed SOMEONE'S standard, back then, then he cannot be held to task now. Yes, it is ultimately up to the candidate to make sure he has all his i's dotted and t's crossed, but it is not up to him to say HOW or WHETHER they are crossed and dotted. Do the Adult Scout Leaders have a say in this process? Of course. They should keep track of who is and who is not active, who is "showing up", who is available and interested to help. They should encourage the PLC and SPL to hold practice and competitions to keep your Scout Skills sharp. Encouraging the Scouts to be ACTIVE on the trails, so to speak. Go places and do things. But the ASLs can not look back and say, "hey, you were not active by our definition" when the Scout HAS been active by BSA's definition. They cannot ask, "prove that you can identify the local trees, like your Forestry Merit Badge says you can". Been there, he's done that. Not relevant now. In some ways, Scoutson's Eagle was tougher than mine. I had to prove service to my community and Scouting. Scoutson had to find, plan, execute to their satisfaction a work project to benefit a non-profit community organization. Merit Badges? Yep, we both racked up sufficient number. His included some I never had to face. Personal Management? Never heard of it. Troop Leadership? We both had fun being PLs and other things. JASM and Bugler counted for mine. No JASMs in his Troop. ("What's that?") So times change. Maybe for the better, maybe it doesn't matter. Explaining to Scoutson what an ignition point is might be illustrative. He and I connect with automotive things. He grasps the theory of electromagnetism and sparkplugs, but no modern car has "points" . The magneto on our lawn tractor is different, and the Hall Effect module on our old Dodge van is another. Scoutson complains "dad, it's not fair. You didn't have to learn as much history as I do". He's right. But if he learns about points and magnetos and Hall Effects and why diesels don't have any of those things, he will be that much further ahead of the game. It is ultimately up to us ASL to be true to our calling and make sure the boy meets the requirements THEN (if he wants to), not later. If the boy met the requirements, doesn't matter when (before 18!) only if. It is too late to say "hey , you should've been doing this a year ago" when the boy thought he had been doing it. We should have been saying "hey, a year from now, you might not want to look back and think I shoulda been doing this". YiS. (This message has been edited by SSScout)

"Age issues". There you go. It is not so much Webelos 1 or Webelos 2. Those appelations are for the adults more than for the boys. They are not (as has been mentioned) official BSA nominclature. If a boy gets the Scout bug and joins at age 10, in late fourth grade (doesn't have to be in September!), depending on his Webelos Den Leader and his parents support and his gumption, he can easily earn the AoL and move on to Boy Scouting in less than a year's time. AND... There is nothing a first year Webelos can't do that a second year Webelos wouldn't want to do. It all depends on the "comfort level" of the Den Leader. Can they earn any and all the pins? Absolutely, no restriction. Can they both go Web Den camping? Absolutely, follow the guidelines. Can they each be invited to accompany a Scout Troop to a Webelos Weekend? Go for it. It all boils down to the competance and comfort level of the Den Leader. If he/she wants the boys to go out and get dirty, they will. If the pin earning is moving along (class in Boyle's law? Scientist! Run and do sit ups? Fitness!), they will use that opportunity. In Webelos, it is no longer ONLY up to the parent and Cub. It MUST be up to the Den Leader. If the Den Leader is not comfortable in hike leading, hey, find a Assistant DL to help! We go from a Scout program that is Parent orriented ("here Stanislaus, let me help you have fun"), to adult oriented ("Here's how you tie that knot. Now you do it"), to Boy oriented ("Mr. Olafsky? Is this Poison Ivy?"), to Boy Led ("Hey guys, we have to plan this trail trek. Bill, will you be Grubmaster?"). So where do the W1s and the W2s stand?

SMT224: You done good, but could do better. I see no "cruelty" in the ice cream at the following meeting. Everybody has covered all those bases. But here's how I might have doe it: 1) Announce the M&C course, the reward for completion ahead of the campout. 2) Do the ice cream on the trip home. Must be some restaurant or 7-11 on the way with the ice cream available. 3) Did they earn the Orienteering MB? Make it so. Award at next CoH. 4) OR... present a special woggle or patch or cheapy compass dangle at next meeting. We went on a canoe trip. It should have been a simple, 12 mile flat water with some ripples day trip. Turned into a 16 mile trudge that didn't come out until after dark. It deserved and we created a special dangle for those that went and "survived". Stopped for dindin ont he way home, too. I agre the complaining MC needs to understand why the ice cream. If they had been given a special patch, I doubt there would have been a problem. I think HE wanted the ice cream!

Question: Is the "Troop Guide" the same as the "Instructor"? In my experience, the T/G is a specialist, an instructor in Totin'Chip, Whittlin' Chip for Cubs, Fireman Chit, LNT, Knots and Lashing and ropes, Nature, etc. He would be a "more senior" Scout, and preferably really involved in being SKILLED in his specialty, not just for the patch, but for the fun of being really good at something, the "Go To Guy" for that stuff.

"Scope creep": (slang)N.Phr. A person who uses mouthwash for many other purposes, ie: fire starting, dish disenfectant, foot cleansing, tire sidewall scrub, etc.

Braces. Dark Green. Walmart.

Take your small, 2 AA light. Cut a length of cord, maybe 4 feet long, tie knot to make a loop. Duct tape your light to the loop. Keep it around your neck, able to use both hands, see your feet, find stuff, not have to fumble in pocket, never lose light at campfire, amaze your friends.....

Off point slightly, but here goes.... I once visited a Mexican restaurant that went like this: You paid a fee, entered a cafeteria line, loaded up on chalupas, frijoles, enchiladas, etc. and went to your table. When you wanted seconds, you raised the Mexican flag on a little pole (2 feet tall, little rope, guide eyes, ) in the middle of your table. Waiter came and took your drink order or other desire, put the flag down, and walked off to fetch your desire.

I have reread back some and I notice that the discussion seems to revolve around the specific act, the "prank" or "joke". Whether it was physically harmful, or demeaning or dangerous. I think what is missing here is the INTENT, both the prank initiater's (prankOR ?) reason for doing it and the victim's (prankEE ?) perception of why he was singled out for this "learning experience". If the prankor(s) make it clear that the prankee is now part of the crew and hey, we love ya, ya big dummy, then less harm done. If, however, the prankee perceives that he was the center of a mean spirited entertainment, accomplished purely for the laffs of the prankor, then what has been accomplished? Less loyalty, more resentment, a desire for revenge, lesson learned NOT to trust those blankety blanks? This is Scouting? There was a concept in psychology popular a few years back called "Cognitive Dissonance". In this, if a person is required to go thru such ugly, embarassing activity, that he must convince himself that the organization he wishes to join MUST REALLY be worth it, regardless of any other values inherent there-in. The fraternity might be in a decrepit house, inhabited by dangerous miscreants, but the initiation I just went thru makes it necessary to REALLY feel that Alpha Omigosh HAS to be the absolute BEST house on campus. Is that what we want a young TFoot to go thru? What is our intent? What do we want our young Scouts to feel IS our intent in wanting them to do certain things?

"Dark Suckers", Ah that brings back memories... Scoutson becomes of that age. We take him out to puchase camp gear, tell him he has met the Troop, gone Cub camping, gone camping with church group. Gone camping with mom and dad. He knows what he wants/needs. We tell him we will HELP him buy anything he wants, within reason. He picks out a 5 D cell Maglite. I talk him down to a 3 D cell Maglite. He takes it on the AT with the Troop ONCE. Next trip out, he borrows one of dad's 2 AA cell mini lights. Next trip, he borrows one of dad's headlamps (three AAAcells). likes that best. Now the Maglite is dad's when he drives charter bus.

Pack and Beav: There are three distinctions here: I see the difference in the idea that in one instance (poker, Risk, other games of chance and skill) the players are there VOLUNTARILY, with foreknowledge and expectations that ALL involved are playing by the same rules (and expectations). In the second instance (rope stretcher, Snipe hunt, smoke shifter, etc.) one scout (the "victim"?) has no foreknowledge, does not know that he is/will be the object of scorn and derision in being so DUMB as to fall for the setup. In the third instance (tent up a tree, short sheet, snakes in tent) the victim also has no foreknowledge, but can be appreciative of the "trick" , if he is a certain type of person. I haven't quite decided what that type is, but I know there is one. Maybe the difference would be between the old crusty Scoutmaster and the newby Tenderfoot. There is a difference nowadays . Some years ago, a fraternity would not think twice about putting their pldges thru all kinds of "pranks". Now, it is more often seen as childish and not worthy of an organization that prides itself on service to others, brotherhood and loyalty, academic excellence and , wow, even ecologic right thinking. ? Mmmm, now where have I heard that description before? Such actions of the second type (now called "getting punked" ) might even be seen as a type of bullying. Putting the youngest Scout in his place. Make him know who's the boss. Make sure he knows how little he is appreciated, that there is very little he can do to "measure up". I would not place Allen Funt's classic show "Candid Camera" in either of the above classes. These are (were) stunts calculated to demonstrate the foibles of modern America. Closing New Jersey. Talk to the mailbox. Carry my puppy. These MIGHT be under the third class, but not the second. I'd love to see reruns of those. The modern "Punked" shows are grotesque tries at the master's example. The only "prank" I favor is the "Ugliest Man in the World" skit. But the it is best done with the knowledge of the victim, to avoid future problems.

**Why did my screen suddenly go wiiiiide?** My aha* moment was when I visited Salt Lake City and had dinner at the " Carlos' Ratzkeller Pizzeria"

**Why did my screen suddenly go wiiiiide?** My aha* moment was when I visited Salt Lake City and had dinner at the " Carlos' Ratzkeller Pizzeria"

Nope. Come costumed as your usual "Scout Position" And don't forget your silly hat. And duct tape. And extra rope. Never can tell. And pillow. Maybe a camp stool. Rain Gear. Rained two whole days on my course. Camp coffee cup/mug on carabiner to clip to your belt (LNT: less throw away cups). And attitude. "Prepare to be amazed..." or bored. Depends on your staff and YOUR attitude. Have fun, despite everything to the contrary.

Okay... I thought mebbe I had a Deutscher here. Come to think, that would've been braumeister... Back to the discussion......

In college, I worked on the stage crew. It was a professional quality theater, with broadway shows coming thru, so we were paid guild scale! The christmas show was spectacular, the stage was festooned with long garlands of shiny balls, each about 18" in diameter. We had spent days making these, crumbled up newspaper and aluminum foil, fastened onto the ropes, maybe 300 feet long all together.When the lights shone on them , they were really nice. As we were striking the sets, an office secretary came thru and commented on how beautiful everything had been and gee, she wished she had some garlands like that for her tree at home. The crew chief watched her walk away (well, we all watched...) and said, "okay, boys, Ginny wants some garlands...". We stuffed her car full of the garlands such that all you could see was aluminum thru her windows.

Brewmeister: Ja,, stimmt das.

Answers in turn: Yes, Friend Nixon was a member of Whittier Friends Meeting. No, we do not object to the term "Quaker". It originated, so the story is told, when George Fox was brought before a Magistrate for not doffing his hat to his social superiors. When he admonished the Magistrate that even he must "tremble and quake" before the word of the Lord, the Magistrate reportedly commented that he supposed that made Fox a (guffaw) "quaker"? and the name stuck. That Magistrate later became a convinced Friend. Now, just to be complete, I will say that there are "Friends Churches" that share the original unprogrammed worship history, but are the result of a theological split back in the 1820's. These Friends do have a paid pastorite. They are nice people , too. And we share much with our Mennonite cousins. And the Amish. But we ain't them, and they ain't us.

Here we go again... The G2SS is fairly specific about what Scout Units SHOULD and SHOULD NOT do. Doesn't say a thing about what a family and it's boys can/cannot/should/ought/must/might do. If the parents are comfortable with Johnny firing a 12 gauge on Uncle Grayson's farm, hope they have fun. But the Troop shouldn't be the sponsor of that activity. If the Wasnofsky family has a big backyard, and they like plinking soda cans (almost said tin, but they aren't made of tin any more)with a BBgun, hey, have fun, but the Cub Pack should not sponsor that activity, even if they have Mr. Daisy RedRider himself there. If the Izacc Walton League chapter invites the Troop to come up and participate in an NRA certified Rifle and Shotgun MeritBadge day, it might be a good idea to have the Council Shooting Sports Committee (you do have one of those, don't you?) certify the opportunity for Scout participation. But the Troop cannot , by itself, do so, IF IT WANTS TO FOLLOW THE RULES. The private shooting club can invite whomever they wish to their property, but it cannot , shouldnot ,on face, be considered a Scout activity. Our Troop camped at an out of Council Scout Camp and wanted to use their Archery Range. This would be allowed IF we had an Archery RO with us. Unfortunately, my cert was two years out of date, so I could not serve in that capacity . Sorry, boys, gotta do more other stuff.

TT: The real answer to your original question is: "It depends" I was led to apply to be a chaplain representing the Religious Society of Friends at the 2005 NatJam and have never regretted that service. As Quakers, we have no pastor to lead our worship, no paid or ordained ministry is seen as required or needed. So, in my case, it was sufficient to be "recognized" by my Meeting for my leading. I can discuss Quaker theology at whatever length you wish another time (PM me). The other "mainstream" faiths , to be a Chaplain, I would say being "ordained" or otherwise approved might be required. But most that I am aware of recognize the "lay" minister, if so led by the Spirit and well educated in the faith. As a Scout Chaplain, being knowledgeable of other faiths is definitely a plus. One must be sensitive to the reality that one DOES NOT have to be Christian to be a Scout. I have had to gently disabuse more than one person of this fact. I have become the defacto "Scout's Own" instructor at our IOLS training, and been complemented on the "aha!" moments in the sessions. Something I can say is that if you have some Scouts interested in being C/As, they will often be more attuned to the sensitivities of their buddies faith than any adult leader. As a Troop or District Chaplain, I would follow THEIR lead. PM me and I can email you my S/O stuff.

If all you are allowed is a table and chair, then have lots of Scout propaganda to hand out. Bracket table with US flag, Pack/Troop flag. Photoes of Scout fun, and pass out mini Boy's Lifes and brochures. Take phone numbers to call back. Check with your DE and Council for lit-a-ra-toor to hand out. If room is available, set up a Pine Wood Derby track with some expendable cars that kids can race. Hold races. Set up a tent kids can crawl in and out of. Boy Scouts can have a charcoal fire and make Dutch Oven brownies (Ooops? Indoor display? well, set up the tent anyway.). Have Scouts actually chopping wood with hand axe/hatchet, make tent pegs to pass out as souvenirs. Make sure your Scout (Totin' Chip!)is REALLY skilled at this.Keep folks at a safe distance for this, of course. Monkey Rope Bridge? Pioneer lashed tower? Make it visual and eye catching.

The awards and patch stuff is forgiveable and could be written off as old man forgetfulness. The laying on of hands and sexual innuendos are something else again. If this had happened at my workplace, that man would have been suspended ON THE SPOT pending dismissal. IMMEDIATELY contact your CO's Institution Head (church Pastor, Lodge president, etc.) and the CO representative. If you do not know who these folks are, find the charter and see who is listed. If that is not available, contact Council and get their copy. It is "public record" for any Scout involved. This man has no business being a role model for your children. You and your fellow Pack Leaders need to come together and confront this problem NOW. Your Pack MUST have a new CM, and these two folks (the IH and COR) are the ones who must remove him from his office. Don't worry about not having a CM. Your Pack will survive. A new one will be chosen. Your friendship with his wife is not relevant. I dare say she already knows something about this kind of behavior. We do this for the kids. Your CM is NOT doing it for the kids. He certainly is NOT doing it for YOU. He is doing it for himself.