SSScout

And an hour or more on the bus each way, how many hours away from home? When to eat breakfast? Dinner? With or without family? *Less stressed parents? How bout MORE stressed teachers? a ten hour day 5 day week? Divying that up would be a nightmare, maybe not impossible, but wow. * We micromanage a 6.5 hour school day (8 hour for teacher) into 7 class periods and .5 lunch . The students can and do walk between classes (4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, depends on the school). And at 7th period many of them are wiped out, ready to nap and/or veg out by the tv. Many acadamicians believe the better way is to LENGTHEN classes and SHORTEN the class period (ie. instead of 4 months of a 40 minute class, make it 3 months of a 50 minute class, and stagger them thru the semester. *The private school I sub for does 6 periods , .5 lunch, in 8am to 3pm. Smaller classes, longer times, subjects rotated thru the semster. Not the same rotation every day, frinstance Science twice a week, spanish twice a week, music/drama twice a week. *And why not make the year one of equally spaced Trimesters, and let the parents choose which two per year to attend? Let teachers bid for which two to teach. Equalize things. Or , if the student is up to it, take the trimesters straight thru, shorten high school by a full year. Graduate at 16. *And hey, add 15 more students to each class, make school much more efficient. Fewer teachers needed. Nothing wrong with 45 students in a class. Band and Orchestra does it, why not history or algebra. The problems (all of them) stem from this , which any teacher can attest to: about 1/ 3 of the students above 6th grade would learn if dropped on a desert island with sufficient books/internet connection, 1/3 want to learn and can with a little help and guidance, 1/6 needs to be constantly reminded of the benefit of education and the remainder will (as a phys Ed teacher once told me) "never get it". The scheduling adjustments mean nothing if (1) the teachers are not dedicated and properly rewarded (2) the students are not encouraged and disciplned by loving and attentive parents and (3) the schools and are not properly equipped and maintained. See #2 above.

"A Cub Scout follows Akela, A Cub Scout helps the Pack GO, The Pack helps the Cub Scout GROW, The Cub Scout gives Good Will". It is little known, but thru an editing error, the last part of the Promise was left out: "...the Parents help the Pack go, too." So the CM, thru his/her example, sets the pace/standard. Encourage your Dens to be active, to individually do things: go to the Zoo, visit the Fire House, hike the Nature Center...etc.Each Den should be the Cub's "Gang", they should WANT to hang out with and "can't wait" to go with. Encourage the Cub Den to be the "BETTER ALTERNATIVE" to video games (?Havoc? ?Lethal Weapon?GrandTheft Auto?) or The Simpsons. When they come together in the PM, celebrate their advancements,lead cheers, sing songs. Arrange for some big things that a Den couldn't easily do: State Parks "Scales and Tails", fireman gives a dress out demo, cook something in the church kitchen, divy the Dens up for a relay race of some sort, invite TV weatherman to come out & do show and tell. If it sounds fun, DO IT. Ask your Cub Scout for ideas.Find out what the Pack parents do , and enlist them to SHOW OFF! One of ours was a Transit Bus person, he brought a WHOLE BUS to the meeting once. Any contractors? Do you have any idea how cool a TRACTOR up close can be? Camp outs and Saturday hikes are great, and need to be on your schedule, but not to the elimination of the PM. Put the aannouncements in a short handout and DON"T BORE THE CUBS WITH THEM. Above all, as CM, you are the RingMaster. Go ahead and MAKE THEIR DAY! KiSMiF YiS

The Scout"leader" you describe is a classic bully. He is out to make sure those "younger" than he remain subservient ,not equal, in stature. He has other issues. The need to laugh at others misfortune is a characteristic that does not indicate maturity. I would expect some problems at school, also. A sit down with him, with his parents, and perhaps with the PLC may be in order. I favor the Scout Promise and Law approach mentioned above. The fact that they are Scouts means they "are better than this". Sometimes Scouts need to be reminded of this. I was sub teaching a class when an office aide came in and handed me a note for one of my class. I asked for "Sarah Smith" and three hands shot up. (Let's play with the sub!) One immediately took her hand down and giggled. The other two indignantly argued that THEY were Sarah Smith. The seating chart indicated which was which, and I passed the note to Ms Smith . the other girl I took out in the hall and we discussed the idea of lying and telling the truth. She had a hard time letting go of the idea that she could "just be kidding" and not have consequences. The fact that I took her seriously in this, to her, minor thing seemed to make an impression on her. Make the impression on this (and the others ) Scout.

This is a volunteer organization. Everybody "signs themselves in" to the asylum. And signs themself out. Your son will continue serving others (I daresay it won't matter if it be Scouts or some other entity), no matter what.At least until something really drastic happens. "The work is done by whoever shows up" I'd say "where do you have to be, son?" and then get him there.

That's pretty much it. Unit keeps a copy, District/Council get a copy. Commissioners, if they are on the ball can keep track of them. Toward the end of the year (new charter) , Unit pulls out the old JtE form and calculates how they did ("Scout's Honor") How'd they do? Check with Commish or DE for appropriate award. Fill out next years form. Rinse and repeat.

"".... though a little heavier than purists would like. "" Purists? A "purist " wouldn't have a tent. He /She would have a tarp or (shudder) a hammock. Suggest your more adventurous Scouts try this: Get a 10 by 20 plastic tarp. Lay it on the ground and peg down the 10' end, and about 4 or 5 feet further on, depending on where the grommets are, Fold up the tarp about3 or 4 feet, hold that up with poles cut on site, again depending on where the grommets are ( you did bring rope with you , yes? Tautline hitch use, bowline use). Lay out the remaining 5 or 6 feet over the bottom as a roof, hold it up with poles cut on site and pegs cut on site (using the T/C skills, right?). Presto, Tarp Leanto. All you need. Shelters one Scout and gear, use a larger tarp for two boys. Easy to carry, versitle, adaptable, don't need a seperate ground cloth, inexpensive, easy to find replacement parts. Waddaya think?

Aye, welcome to the forums, laddie. Ye'll find lots to do an' confab an' comisserate aboot here. As to the wearin' o' the tartan, look ye to http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/ an' http://www.scottish-tartans-world-register.com/find_tartan.aspx among others.Aye, many others. Who's the "authority" ye ask? Well should ye, too. When ye find out cum an' tell the rest 'a us.

In the mean time, seriously, I do hope that Willamor finds the REAL solution to his quandary Good Scouting to you, Wil.

That's Floyd , Boyd, and Mergatroyd Lloyd, of East Bygum Kentucky. They have a product, so they say, that INSURES EV'Rthang comes down right. Also paint remover and white wall cleaner. Good boys, check'em out....

OO!! OOO!!! I got a good one, a good one.... I fully trust the old Scouter who told us about this, "a Scout is trustworthy" A past Jamboree was in the last planning stages, and the Executive Committee was meeting. They came to this item on the agenda: Approve design for Staff Hats. The fellow in charge presented his report, handed out a sample hat to each of the 12 or so board members. Each was "monogrammed" with the boardmember's name. Prices were discussed, design was approved. The Chairman (call him John Jones) hands his cap back to the "hat Person", saying, "this is good. Make 5,000." Two weeks later, one month before the event, the hats arrive. 5,000 hats with "John Jones" embroidered on the back. And so that is why every staff hat at that Jamboree has a broad rainbow embroidered on the back of the hat.

"" Today it is because they are made overseas. Tomorrow it is because the price is too high."" No, it is because the uniforms are made overseas of POOR QUALITY and poor design. They fall apart after a dozen washings. The flags and name strips fall off. The requirement to buy and wear the item remains the same. AND The price remains the same, therefore the difference in price/quality means extra profit, which is why so much of American industry has moved "off shore". The All American motorcycle, Harley Davidson, has many overseas parts. check your auto. Even American built cars will include a Mexican Rebuilt transmission (not new!). If the Big Companies could do it, they would outsource the plumber who came to repair my leaky pipe. The company who rebuilt the radio dispatch system for my transit bus system (all GPS/CAD/LANcapable/ )was from Israel. What a commute! They stayed for 7 months until it finally worked "as advertised". There's NO NONE in the USA capable of this? Us Dispatch Operators (all very computer literate) could only shake our heads. The buses would have been built in Mexico or Canada except for a requirement by the FedDOT that they be built "substantially" in the US of A. So they came from "assembly" plants in Buffalo and Albequerque. Perhaps it is a sign of our new globalization. I am all in favor of our Bangladeshi neighbors earning a fair living. But at what cost to us? If the Kindle you read in bed was proven to have been manufactured by folks that have FAR less than the pay ($75?hour? I'll move there!) and healthy work conditions we enjoy here (guaranteed by a free press and the right to organize!), would you have bought it? If the shirt you wear was shown to have been made by folks that are locked in at night and not allowed to leave the factory compound except by permission of the bosses, would you have bought it? Having an American made uniform is important for many reasons, not the least of which is that as the Boy Scouts of AMERICA, founded under a Congressional charte (hello, kudu), I think we owe it to those fellow Americans that could use our business. I think it was Neil Armstrong who said that as he was sitting on top of the Saturn V waiting to travel to the Moon, he was struck by the fact that he was going in a space ship built by the lowest bidder. But it was an American bidder.

Lloyd's of London http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E03E3D6153DE33BBC4E51DFB767838D629EDE Oops, I mean http://www.lloyds.com/ They insure anything, For a price. Even Boy Scouts. On Buses.

I do not know where you are, but here is/are the hierarchy of possibilities as they occur to me: * It's a Scout activity. Ask the charter company drivers to donate back their pay for the day. Make sure they have first crack at the Dutch oven Brownies and Brunswick stew. * Have you approached the local school district? Chartering school buses will likely be cheaper than over the road coaches. * If it has to be over real state roads, use real buses. If not, consider hay wagons and tractors. Contact local farmers, grange, 4H, County Extension Agent. We have a local "custom farmer" (he does many fields in the area, renting them for cropping) that loves to do Good Turns like this. * Local Transit services might also be amenable to this. Our county has a transit bus service that is famous for helping worthy causes. * Might be some churches in the area with sunday school buses that could be asked to help. Ask around. We have one nearby Baptist church that has no fewer than 12 buses in it's lot, but I have never approached them about this kind of thing. Doesn't mean I wouldn't. * Surveying Merit Badge: Draw a scale map of the route! Have fun, and drive safely!(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Scoutfish: Thank you for your service to our youth. 1) As a former union member and rep to management (tho not in the textile industry) I take great exception as to your assertion that ANY textile worker in the US might be paid $75./hr. Or be allowed "28 breaks" during the workday. Those numbers are just so fantastic as to lead one to wonder what you might do for a living yourself. 2) If not for union organizing and legal representation, we might still have such industry scandals as the Triangle Shirt Factory fire, or more coal mine disasters than we have now. No "breaker boys". The "free market" does not necessarily equate to the best conditions or fair pay for work. Not every employer has the best interests of its empoloyees at heart. If "profit" is the only motivation, then the term "slave" can appear without bidding. Henry Ford easily came to the conclusion that his workers should be able to afford the cars they were making. That attitude staved off the union movement in the auto industry for some time, but not for ever. Are our uniforms made in "sweat/slave" shops? I don't know, but I do know that there is no accepted , legal representation in China to protect the workers pay or work conditions. I would rather see "made in America" on the inside neck of my shirt.

Seattle, that was lovely. That's exactly what CS should be about. And it is what is lacking in so many CS programs: a personal connection. Here, you have the parents DOING with their boy. They are learning by example. Later, they can learn by EDGE (shiver). Unless the parents toss them as being "dirty " or "not nice" somehow, those handmade neckers will be kept for a loooong time. You have made memories, and that is a good distance into what Scouting should be about.

Seattle, that was lovely. That's exactly what CS should be about. And it is what is lacking in so many CS programs: a personal connection. Here, you have the parents DOING with their boy. They are learning by example. Later, they can learn by EDGE (shiver). Unless the parents toss them as being "dirty " or "not nice" somehow, those handmade neckers will be kept for a loooong time. You have made memories, and that is a good distance into what Scouting should be about.

Split rail stacked fence. Straw bales (real hay is twice the price, believe me) Is this becoming Scouting in a FARMING community? Check out your county fair folks. I bet they could help you. And the local County Extension Agent. Talk about a soil erosion demo, plant trees, many things possible.

My home Troop is approaching it's 60th year. They bought a new Troop flag just last year, so that was the third flag. They had one for Indoors (the oldest) and one for Outdoors( the youngest). The oldest (indoor) was a cotton wool blend, the youngest (outdoor) was a modern nylon flag. The oldest looked it, very faded, pulled crooked from being on the pole for so long a time. We had a short ceremony at a CoH to acknowledge the longevity of the Troop and the stories this old flag might tell. It occured to me (being the oldest Scout person in attendance) that it would have been a neat thing to have had the old Scoutmasters' signatures on the flag's halyard strip. Keep in mind future history, maybe have your first SM sign the flag.

Big Safety Pins Confession: I had used Badge Magic for a bunch of patches and after many washings they started to peel off. Big Safety Pins . And no one is the wiser. The plastic backing makes the patch lay flat and look neat but oh, is it hard to stick a needle thru it. Learn to nick out the needle thru just the bare edge of the patch. With patience, the plastic backing can be peeled off of most Scout patches to facilitate sewing. But that just adds to the frustration. I notice that all the patches in my Scout shoebox are fine, after being unsewed from the old uniform. Why the plastic backing?

What everybody has said. Here are my thoughts: Who does the Scoutmaster Minute at the end of the meetings or CoH? Who does the SPL go to for advice/instruction? If the old SM does all the things you mention, it is definitely time to spread the responsibilties out. No one needs/should do everything the old SM is said to be doing. "Advancement Chair", "Troop Treasurer", "Transportation Coordinator" are all good roles for new folks to take on. You still need his knowledge and experience. You still need his imprimatur. You still need his good counsel. But HE needs to admit his time to step down. Somebody (CC, trusted friend, one of the ASMs) needs to become sensitive to your postion, and act as an intermediary. It would be hard for you to make him aware of this, but not impossible. How close do you feel toward him?. Talk to the Troop Committee Chair, and At the next CoH , arrange for a Special Presentation, a plaque, patch, certificate, marking the passing of the reins/torch/flag, award the OSM the SM Emeritus Patch (yes, there is such a thing). Make sure he knows he has been appreciated and then YOU have a little ceremony acknowledging your new status as the SM. Grasp the Troop flag pole, recite the Scout Promise, Scoutmaster version (ask your UC). All this is very appropriate and would serve to make clear who is what. The CC can have no way to not agree with this, and the Committee should be the ones handling it. Good Scouting to you.

Trustworthy, Loyal,etc.... Isn't the IRS standard $.55 a mile expense? Then one makes a calculation on the distance involved, a permile charge, reimburse the driver accordingly (somany Scout passengers, so many miles, multiply and divide...), and some are actually making a profit (Prius) and some are about breaking even (Honda Oddysey) and some are "charitable" (Dodge Ram). C'est la vie.

This is a Boy Scout Camporee or Cub Scout Day Camp (noticed your sign on name)? I have a hard time conceiving Boy Scouts worrying about "decorations" at a Camporee ;-) Activities, yes. Demos and exhibits, yes. Crepe paper and party hats... mmmmm no. Scouting in a Rural Community... Service to those less fortunate? Family? Night navigation? Farming? Hiking? Lumbering? Fishing? Animals? Organic Gardening? Stewardship of the Land? Erosion control? Ecology? Games with a purpose? Boating? Emergency Be Preparedness? First Aid? Not much different than Scouting in a more Urban Community...

What everybody said: Do the adult thing, but be ready to explain in kid's terms. Samples of the cooking. Jerky? Pemmican?(not the right period?) animal skins up drying? Fire starting w/o matches? Tumpline packs to try on? Spit turning? Plank baking fish? Beaver stew? The older ones might earn their Whitlin Chip by helping to cut up the vegetables for the stew... hauw, hauw, hauw...

One is not to add to or subtract from the requirements, yes? But nothing prohibiting the enriching of the fulfilling of the requirement.... There are camps (the site, place, area) and there are CAMPS (the active, in place, doing thing). **Many local camps are used by Troops "off season". Contact the camp ranger or director and try to visit while a Scout Troop is in residence, if not during the real season. ** Visit (day visit) your local Webelos Weekend (Webelos Woods?). Knock on the tent pole of your favorite Troop and say "hello". ** Contact your favorite Troop , who is sponsoring one of the activities at the WWend, and workout camping with them that weekend. See above, "guest patrol" idea. ** Contact your favorite Troop and find out where they will be camping (camp(ground)) and visit it while they are there.

It is included in "the cost of doing business", so has not affected planning too much. Now, when we plan a trip, we remind the boys to bring (depending on the length of the driving) $3.00 or $5.00 or such to give their driver to share the expense. I carpooled out to Indiana for a conference last month. My companion offered to buy everyother tank of gas, but I said not to worry, he should just buy me dinner and lunch on the way. My Prius rarely gets less than 50 mpg,often more like 54, 56 mpg, if I am to believe the onboard dashscreen computer. Going thru the Alleghenies it dropped down to 42. I ate well,but not extravagently(!).And we visited some museums along the way.