SSScout

Ah, the memories.... Red wool "Harvard" ball cap (Harvard! even back then I recognized the name. My cap came from a famous college! so I thought. Just a company name..). Red tshirt.... leather ball glove.... dad throwing me pitches and lobs and trickles... I was in a Cub Scout softball team. Played first base and left field. That's right, Cub Scout league. We had a game every friday evening, practice every wednesday evening. Played other Packs in the area. I guess there was a LL organization, but all I knew was that I could play ball, with my friends and dad and mom watching. And everybody played. I even recognized that even if Ken couldn't run straight because of his knee, he still played. And if I missed the throw to first from center field, I was still going to play and get to throw it to first the next time. A four boy relay from center field to home. Learned a little about team work and fair play. I would like to think now the teams were set up by our "District", but , hey, what did I know then? I just liked to throw and catch and hit. Still have a couple of wood Sball bats in my closet (ebay collectable?).

There are three "personas" a Scout Leader can assume (may be more, but these are the usual I have observed): 1) Funny-ha-ha ain't I the entertainer. 2) serious-nuetral, information coming 3) Angry, dissapointed, listen here you brats. Any and all MAY be appropriate at a given time. You will find you are more comfortable and assume one of them without thinking, and then you will be frustrated. "GUYS, GUYS, BE QUIET! We have to start the meeting! Sit Down! GUYS! Come ON Now!" -or- ((Neatly uniformed Scouter stands quietly at the front of the room, at the scheduled time. Room is already set up, chairs are arranged by Patrol. He puts his Scout Sign up and waits. Eventually, the boys notice and settle down. It is a shorter time than last week. He puts his sign down.)) "OK. Our Senior patrol Leader, Sam, will now open the meeting..." Much has happened 'behind the scene' preceeding this moment. -or- ""I am ashamed of you . All of you are to blame for this mess. Why can't you behave like SCOUTS, and not like a bunch of idiots? Sometimes I think you guys aren't worth my effort ." Now, you have to decide which is YOUR persona, and which you think the Scouts will benefit from at any given time and which will work for your purpose? What IS your purpose? Oh, and welcome to the forums! Glad you could make it!

Eagle69, I see I am not the only one to have (1) the same opinion of Scout IT and (2) the same experience in multi-registration problems. A while back, I tried to register for an activity and was told "no" because I did not have the required training. Well, I had just taken that training in anticipation of the activity. I went down to council office personally, and lo and behold, in that training, along with some others, and in some past positions I had held, I had been re-registered (by hands unknown) AND some of my stuff had been credited to other people! Turned out there were FOUR other folks in our mega council with the same first and last name as me! (makes FIVE) And two had the same middle initial (makes THREE)! (I'm the only junior). Took a little time to straighten all that out. I am now the only ME with ONE registration number. THEREFORE:::: Use only ONE version of your name when registering for things, (ONLY John A. Smith, not J.A.Smith or John Alvin Smith or "Smitty" Smith, or...) and when you have it, use your registration number when appropriate!

"It depends". Our troop always provides the Eagle regalia. From there on, we have seen all manner of ECoHs: informal campouts on granpa's farm (Troop invited to camp, ceremony around the campfire, hamburgers and hotdogs, potluck salads and dishes. Troop picks up the tab meats and paper ware) , to rent the hall and cater the sitdown dinner, to tail end of the usual CoH (cookies and punch after), to (this at the usual end of season picnic) a trailer BBQ smoker and an all-you-can-eat BBQ with potluck side dishes meal. Yum!!), to use the church social hall, pot luck cookies and veggies dips. I have seen County Council members speak, only the Scoutmaster, the Scout's uncle and Gfathers and dad gives the charge (all were Eagles. Very moving). I have seen Scouts accept the award and never be seen again, Scouts get teary at all the attention, Scouts accept the award and go on to be ASMs, and Scouts accept the award and come back many years later with young Scouts of their own, not really knowing how it came to this, that they thought they were THRU with all this Scout stuff and , well look at this! I feel all this recognizes the thirteenth point of the Scout Law in the celebratory hoo haw: "A Scout is hungry".

I guess there is "can" and "should". Adults "should not" wear youth badges on the adult uniform. Save your vintage patch for your display board or blanket or maybe your Wool Jacshirt. Oh wait... You were asking about a CS wearing a vintage CS patch. Yep, he can do that. But the new Denner patch might fit better and he could save dads patch for HIS display board?

#1) Blue tabs on the shoulder, CS sign. #2 CSDC, CS sign. #3 CS RoundTable, (see #1), CS sign. #4 CS Pack/Den meeting, CS sign. #5 Webelos Den meeting, still CSs, cs sign. Learn the BS stuff, but they ain't BSs yet. Learn and when the transformation/metamorposis takes place, lead them in the BS sign. #6 Archery range at CSDC: Three fingers on the string, KEEP THAT THUMB OFF THE STRING... BS sign as the sample... #7 Watching parade, US flag goes by... See #1. #8 As your pride in being a CSLeader requires... CS sign.

Welcome, RSD391CM. Here, around the virtual cracker barrel you will find information, inspiratiion, confusion and frustration. Might even clear your head. Also, no-cal crackers and cheese for a change.Come visit when you can. As for a CS "Scout's Own", it would be sort of like a Boy Scout version, only more adult led. Use the references listed, all very good. Be sensitive to the faiths living in your unit.If all your Cubs are from Christian backgrounds, act accordingly. If not, adjust your verbiage so as not to be unintentionally insulting. Wouldn't hurt to speak to folks before hand for their reactions. If you are fortunate to be holding the SOS in an outdoor venue, make mention of God's creation all around us. Move your SOS to a "special" location, not just around the usual campfire, if possible. Paper programs are not necessary or even expected, but have a plan. Speak from the heart, not merely from previous preconceptions. See numbers 23:12 and then be sure they have been... see http://reverent-scout.net/reverent-scout/Scouts_Own.htm for a good discussion of the pitfalls and opportunities.

As I channel surf the other night, I hit on "America's Funniest Home Videos", and it occurred to me that the ones they show , and we watch, shake our heads at and laugh at, are the videos in which the perp SURVIVES. We don't see (except on the 11 o'clock news) the videos in which the neck is actualy broken, not merely sprained.

Start with this..... Then go back to the OP link.

My 2 cents: I have never seen the "AL BS" patch and we have several local Troops sponsored by the AL. I agree the round AL patch would be more appropriate as a Necker emblem. Or jacket patch. Not in area above pockets.

In my since retired from job, (transit street supervisory person), I carried alot of gear around with me, both on my person and in my Jeep Cherokee. I found lots of use for my pocket knife(s). I teach Woods Tools at IOLS. I taught Scoutson about knives and axes and saws. He became the Troop Guide/Instructor for such. Last night, we held the last CoH for the year. In setting up the candelabra for the ceremony, the Scouts were trying to wedge the candles into the holes. I suggested carving off a little with your knife. NOT ONE OF THE 28 SCOUTS PRESENT HAD A POCKET BLADE ON THEM. And more than 3/4 were T/C holders. Even the senior Scouts present realized the irony of this. I loaned them mine. Yep, W/C holders should re-prove their skill, easily, and gain new skills by earning T/C.

""They can use the same shirt/ pants right on through boy scouts "" Scoutfish: Oh , I don't think so.... I have an Eagle and he has needed no fewer than 3 more shirts....and they didn't wear out! Buy big! Not just to fit, but to blossom in!

Sounds like you will have the time to get good at your job! Excellent! Yes, welcome to the Forums ("a funny thing happened on the way to the...") Be interested in your Cubs. Speak to them as "Cubs", "boys", "Scouts", "campers", etc. AVOID thd "G" word ((guys!)). Encourage the parents to get involved. Take one aside and ASK 'em to take on a project/activity/task. Make it personal. Learn silly cheers and songs. Don't be afraid to make the Pack Meetings fun: Divide the group into three groups. Instruct each thus: #1, yell "DO!" #2, yell "YOUR!" #3, yell "BEST!" Be the band director and direct them in the cheer, DO - YOUR - BEST! then DOOOOO, YOOOOOOUR, BEEEEEEEST, then DO YOUR DO YOUR DO YOUR BEEEEEST! and so forth.... KiS MiF .

Yes, new position, new application. Make sure you use the EXACT same name you used before. Different ways of naming sometimes confuse the computer and registrar, leading to unnecessary problems. Congradyoulashuns!

Works for me. How do you deal with the address? I was surprised when I discovered some Scouts that did NOT know their home address! We once had a camp director who insisted that (on tuesday, as it happened), no one got dessert at dinner (banana splits!) unless they presented a stamped, addressed envelope for home! Another day, he insisted that campers (it was a small camp) must present themselves with evidence that they had had a recent shower! Damp hair, damp towel, etc.

I do enjoy in-person meetings. I do. I often begrudge the email meetings we all seem to end up with. But I have NEVER heard of a in-person precamp meeting for BSSummer camp. All the camps I have had any contact with include (thank you GKlose) a detailed Leaders' guide and Program guide. Might be 75 pages total, but there they are, policy and suggestions and methods and instructions writ large and ready for any literate adult (or SPL!) to read. If you have a question , why, there's a phone number. Several in fact. And when we arrive at the camp parking lot, there are Scouts in bright neon red STAFF shirts, with clip boards, ready to point the jolly campers to their campsites and medchecks and swim chacks. I like the idea of making a precamp visit (?SM, ASM, SPL?) if you haven't been there in a while (or never been there). I see that as a means to make things easier, for sure. But a 250 plus meeting to "talk things over"? Almost sounds like Cub Scout Day Camp. Just did that last sunday. 100 plus staffers , most never been there, doing that, so the hotdogs and coleslaw were well spent , getting to know each other and walking the site. But Boy Scouts attending the camp? Strange to my mind. Is this a new camp? Are they stil planning and arranging things? Mmmmm, no, didn't really sound like it. Sounded like a camp director/developement director that is not all that confident about things yet.

Ditto comments on Space Derby. Wrap adult fingers with duct tape to help with multiple rubber band windings. Kid fingers too. Call local museums and colleges. You can get many types of exhibits and presenters about space exploration. NASA can sometimes provide a real live (!) astronaut and space gear , given sufficient advance notice. Won't know until you ask. But I vote for the stomp rockets....

"I'm just a Bill, a lil' ole Bill, and I'm all alone on Capitol Hill..."

"I'm just a Bill, a lil' ole Bill, and I'm all alone on Capitol Hill..."

"I'm just a Bill, a lil' ole Bill, and I'm all alone on Capitol Hill..."

Baden, would you agree, then, that the "price of admission" asked of the Scouts in those Troops was more than the value of the program offered?And they voted with their feet? Another thing: I recently availed myself of a discount offer I received in my email. Buy the coupon, receive a service at a substantial reduction in the usual price. This is obviously a means to introduce new folks to the business' service. Nice for everybody. Printed out the coupon, and wow, the fine print on the coupon didn't agree with the original offer. Added expenses...and therefore no real discount. Why bother, then? So. I spent about 20 minutes contacting a human being and asking about this. I will be getting a refund. Does THIS apply to our Scouts? Are they victims of an "expectation" NOT being MET? Should they read the (unwritten) fine print? "Camping and adventure so long as the overweight SM can manage it?"

Favorite "Cathy" comic strip: Cathy is on the office phone to a friend. She is heard saying: "Hi. I want to know if you received the e mail I sent yesterday about the memo I sent you last friday concerning the boss's directive about the meeting we're gonna have tomorrow. (second frame) "Uhuh." (third frame) "Well, can you make it next tuesday?" .

It is often said that boys join (and stay in )Scouts because of the "program". If the Pack/Troop has a good "program", it will attract and keep boys. The "program" is more often described as the outdoors, fun, exciting stuff. Yeah, Cubs get the toned down, less dangerous stuff, but there it is: hiking, camping, canoeing, learning to use sharp pointy things. You go places and do things and learn about things in Scouts that other kids don't have the opportunity to, at least that's the ideal I hear about. So what do we ask them to "pay " for all this pazzazz? I don't mean the money. That's what the PARENTS pay, at least nowaday. I mean what do we ask the BOY to pay? What is the BOY expected to do or pay in exchange? I see the boy being asked to make a promise, or maybe make a series of promises, and then we ask him to KEEP those promises thruout his life. We try to show him that these promises are good things to model a life after, to keep in front of one as an ideal. As Scouters, if we are doing our (highly paid) job, the boy gets an example to follow, some practice at being a citizen in a small community, some practice in being a community leader, some practice in developing projects small and larger, some practice in cooperating with others in accomplishing those projects, and along the way gets some feedback or counseling in how to do it better the next time. He gets a chance to make mistakes and own up to being responsible for those mistakes. Along the way, he builds strength and stamina, does some mildly challeging stuff and has some fun with his buddies. Along the way, he might learn to overcome his fear of the untried and finds out that even if he gets dirty or bruised, he can get clean , pick himself up and be well again. It is the making and keeping of those promises that I see as the price of admission to the show of Scouting. If the boy cannot see the value of his Scout unit's program as equalling or exceeding the effort to keep those promises, he will not stay. Bad language, manipulative behavior, bullying, all argue against keeping those promises. Choosing the football team over Scouts may be in keeping with the promises, depending on the coach's vision, but ultimately the boy must see the promise as being sufficient price to pay for the program offered. The program will not keep him, if he cannot see the worth of keeping the promises. If our efforts in role modeling, in encouraging participation, in reminding the Scout of the promises' meanings, in "being there" are not sufficient to his need, then no matter how fantastic a program there is, the Scout may not stay. On the other hand, if the program is wonderfully challenging and fun, if the Scouts are given full participation and ownership of the program, the promises they make MAY begin to make sense to them and seem like a good thing to remember. But first we REQUIRE that they memorize them. That is the price we require for admission to the program. Is the show worth the price of admission?

In your recruiting, don't forget to mention the perks: No washing, cleaning house, cooking . Watching young men grow and mature. Even your own. Fishing. Boating (off hours). Hiking (if you want). Congenial, like minded adults (alright, in this case, in other campsites). Starry nights (we hope). The comfy cot you borrowed from the other ASM. Campfires , corny skits (go on, you know you'll laugh), songs and cheers. Whippoorwills (depending). Owls (Maybe) Forget the boss for awhile. At the last camp I attended (as an adult!), they even issued a letter on my behalf to my boss(es), extolling my virtues as a community minded person, giving of my time for the betterment of our future leaders and citizens (etc. etc.) and thanking them for allowing the time off from work. Signed by the SE! Nice touch. Do the same for yours.

Oldscout, did you receive my hyperlink PM?