SSScout

Welcome to the virtual campfire, Sigma.... If you travel around in Scout circles sufficiently, you will see some "necklaces". Various awards on ribbons and leather strings, (yes, I would include these as "necklaces"), religious obeisances (see above mention) , some Troops/OA lodges award beads for activities and these wind up on a necklace. As mentioned above, if worn under the uni, there should be no problem. If worn outside, be prepared to discuss your reason/rationale . If not part of a recognized faith, it may be viewed as more of a "good luck" piece than a religious token. If not a "Scout " thing , even semi officially, you maybe asked to not display it publicly in connection with your Scout uniform. Would you? A personal story with , perhaps , some signifigance. I served as a Scoutmaster for a summer camp Troop one time. The named SPL was a good Scout, took his duties seriously but the second day he turned out for flags in a camo outfit. I took him aside and I had to ask him what this outfit was and where his uniform was? He said this was a Marine BDU his dad (a retired DI !) had given him. I said are YOU in the Marines (he was 15)? He said no. I said what are you IN? He said the Boy Scouts. I asked, are you proud of being a Scout (he was Star)? He responded yes. I said, alright, then why aren't you in the proper uniform for your "outfit"? He said (quote) "I didn't bring it with me because I wanted to wear this.". We hobbled together a Scout Uniform for him out of other Scout's and the camp's closet. As I said, he took his duties as SPL seriously and the rest of the Troop worked well that summer. How do you think this story might apply to your situation? Maybe not at all?

AAAAANNNND that's how many one hour weeks?

12 times 6o = 720 ? 12 times 100 = 1200 ? But then, who's counting....

Recommend two movies, both available on DVD.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/759:_Boy_Scouts_of_Harlem https://www.facebook.com/759-Boy-Scouts-of-HarlemThe-Movie-61236561838/ https://www.amazon.com/759-Scouts-Harlem-NTSC-Original/dp/B002PNSJ2Q or you can find it and stream it. The Adventures of the Muddy Lions, Troop 491. . .. https://www.troop491-movie.com/product-page/signed-muddy-lions-dvd Curing malaria and preventing cholera are not the only Public Health concerns....

This from a Cub Scout FaceBook page..... have some interesting information for all the Kentucky Scouters in the group. All cub scouts that have Medicaid medical insurance under WellCare, they (WellCare) will pay the entire amount of the signup fee for that scout. I think one of the stipulations was that the scout has to sign up during the school night signups (that little stipulation may be lifted with all the Covid-19 stuff), I am not 100% on that, but even still. Seems like we are getting smacked in the face with fee increases and newly added fees every time we turn around, this could make Scouts possible for a lot of kids that may not have had the resources to come up with all the different fees. WellCare will only cover sign up fees, meaning they won’t cover any of the costs for uniforms, den dues, special activities, or anything like that. Their reasoning behind doing this is that the Scouting program helps get kids outside, moving around, and promotes healthy lifestyles. Which could possibly save them money in medical bills down the line. ?? I have no other info on this, but anything carrying the "Medicare" title, has to have a "public health" connection. More research....

Contact your District Commissioner. He/she can advise . "All Scouting is Local" . First be aware that Council and District will not get officially involved unless there are YP or other criminalities involved. That said.... Time for the CCH to make contact (long overdue?) with the CO. The DCommish may help here. The COR represents the Unit to the BSA. The Institution Head (somebody signed the charter agreement) must be involved here, and the CCH must make her/him aware of the CO's responsibility and the COR's problems. My understanding (check with the DCommish) the CO agreement requires the COR to be a member of the CO. If he is not ? ? ? Officially, the COR and the IHead can fire/approve/"hire" any Scout volunteer listed on the charter each year. Tred carefully. It is not a pure democracy. The CO can nix any Committee desire to transfer the charter to another CO. Or approve it. It wouldn't hurt to knock on some other doors, unofficially. Tell your friend "good luck" and to remember we are in this for the Scouts, not ourselves. Might want to remind the CO's IH about that. See you on the trail

"All Scouting Is Local" "It Depends" Here abouts in Murlin, each county decides . No way to know until you ask. In my county, no in person, in class presentations . Flyers for the take home backpack are accepted on a very strict schedule, you have to have them in the school by a certain date, in packets of 25 (or 30?) for each class. In hall posters are at the discretion of the Principal. Flyers on the "take one" table also at the principal's discretion. All is a "all or not at all" arrangement, all sports leagues, kid's clubs, etc. or none at all allowed.

Oh, we were all in the same grade, but neighborhood, our families knew each other. Of course, "neighborhood" meant something different back then, country, farms, etc. separated us alot, but my first Den Mother was right across the road from us. But back in MY paleoScout days, ( I did the math.... Webelos in 1959. ) we had no beads. You earned the rank patch as soon as you could and then pursued the "elective" Arrow Points for various projects. All those little Arrow patches to sew on. My mom made me sit down and watch as she did it. Bobcat was a pin , earned for learning the Cub Promise and Law of the Pack, salute, handshake (two fingers!) etc. and THEN you went on to the ranks, Kids joined thru any grade, I remember some felt bad they couldn't earn the Wolf or Bear, but they joined late in life (!). At least one of these late joiners got his Eagle, much later.... I do think that the BSA changed things, pretty much "because we can".... Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Lion, Webelos..... Seemed a natural gradation of animal. What is Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Bear?

Kosnoff is why the BSA has existed. The "program", not the abuser.... One cannot legislate morality. The purpose of the BSA, of ANY Scout type organization (or school, or church) cannot be the physical, mental or , sexual abuse of kids. It is the depraved adult or previously abused kid that seeks to use the cover of the organization for their personal gratification that is the problem. If the organization covers up, or corporately IGNORES the abusive person, , that is not reason for the organizations existence, but is a major problem in itself. THAT is why the BSA is where it is today. The leadership of decades ago should be here to see the results of their corporate choices. Many , most of the abusers are now dead and gone. They cannot be held to account. The BSA is still here and is being made to face and accept the responsibility of it's prior decisions. Shame on the prior leadership for hoping the problem would go away if ignored and not criminally addressed.

Well, it can be said that the other way 'round could occur.....

BSA was and is a National organization. And a Local phenomenon. As such, the High Mucky Mucks had to protect their turf (so they felt). That is, I feel , at base, how we got here. The response to sexual abuse of our young (and old?) has changed drastically, for the best. And BSA, and various churches and other organizations (my French teacher of Middle School years was recently arrested and is being tried. Recent events and long ago events being examined) are learning what it means to no longer have a rug to sweep things under. Bankruptcy, better Abuse Prevention and Response Training (it's not really "Youth Protection" alone, is it?) better personal responsibility. If a Scout is "Trustworthy" and she/he tells us something we'd rather not have to hear,,,, how do we respond? We learn from the past or we are truly condemned to repeat it. Are the Scouts of today and tomorrow being made to PAY for the mistakes and avoidances of the past? Unfortunately , yes, to some very necessary degree. The local phenomena will sustain the National org. Always did. But now, I feel, all of us Scouter types have more knowledge and thus more say. Don't we? If you see something, say something? Moderators, (facilitators a better title, say I).... The Scouter dot com world is very flexible and adaptable. Perhaps the BIG thread could be divided, but to what end? SOMEBODY needs to start a new discussion/debate/chat room on "The Future of Scouting , post bankruptcy, post pandemic, post abuse settlements, post Cal Fires, post lost camps, post lost LDS Scouts, post lost Methodist Troops, post lost Catholic Troops, post YSL uni, post lose of the Necker/woggle, post higher coffee prices......" You want whipped cream with your peach cobbler?

I think you may be right. Lion was the highest Cub rank, and Webelos was an "exit" award. You were ready for Boy Scouts, so Lions would be 11 years old into Webelos..... Arrow award (not of Light yet, ) was the sealing of the Cub program. Gadfry, that was a long time ago.......

Ho kay, let's dig out the history.... One blue shirt, Blue trousers (if you could afford them), One Blue and Yellow cap, One yellow necker, One metal slide/woggle. Your Den was your neighborhood friends from school. Number stayed with you thru Cub Scouts. Somebody's mom was the Den Mother (badge/patch read that). Bobcat (beginning for ANY Cub Scout , no matter when they joined). Wolf Second grade Bear third? Lion fourth.... Webelos fifth.... THEN into Boy Scouts.... Earn Tenderfoot and you're off....

Waaaay back in Paleo Scout days, the Cub uniform was one cap, one shirt, one necker, one woggle ( I have mine in that back of closet shoebox).. The Den stayed the same thruout, even to Webelos. The RANK and Arrowheads (electives) were added to the uni shirt, that was all. AND.... I remember some Cubs who had to wear their shirt a little untucked to allow for the showing of all the Arrow Points under the Wolf, Bear , Lion badges. The big changes were , I agree, more of a money making thing , along with the added Bling thing. I know of at least one local Pack, pre pandemic, that agreed, totally among themselves, to ONLY buy ONE yellow necker and ONE Cub cap for all the Cub years until Webelos needed a tan shirt to cross over in..... I never heard a complaint from Council or DE.... Now, admittedly, that was two years ago now, I do not know what happened to that Pack. I know my home Pack is struggling.

I was signed up to lead Bugling MB at a weekend MBUniversity last Feb and March (two weekends !) I had done these in person for some years in the past..... They had Google class set up but for some reason it wouldn't work on my machine, so my Meeting's techy set me up with Zoom. I started out with 20. Scouts, Email, YP extra "copies" to willing Scouters I knew. Sent out pre requisites.... I divided the group into three sub groups, over three seperate nights. I never heard from two of the first registrants. The MBU was organized by a MD-Del Council. I had Scouts from MD and Del and ONE (!) from San Diego. Over ZOOM, I was able to talk to and demonstrate and listen to everybody fairly easily. We got together four more times, not just the two originally scheduled. That's alot of Zoom nights. . Scouts dropped out as it became clear (as usual) that some were expecting an easy sit thru the "class" and get the blue card , one was there because their first choice was full, and some really didn't think they could do it.... I garnered alot of smiles and conversation about Scouting and music. I saw improvement over time. I was able to "sign" 8 ebluecards by the end. I made sure everyone knew their "result". I later heard back from one "partial". Three months later, in June, I had an email from a ASM about a Scout's blue card? Could you send a new copy? I had to email him back saying this Scout had not passed the requirements "he didn't play the calls", but he had all my contact info and never called me back to finish. Never heard more from him. The San Diego Scout was very good (maybe not the next Wynton Marsalis, but good!). I was glad to send him his eBluecard.

50 feet of shore line.... "Here's the line you asked for" "?? And this is 'SHORE' Line??" "Well , the man I got it from said "SHORE IS..." "

Too late for me. Often thought, as a kid, a tunnel out the basement would've been a fun thing.... Maybe watch "the Great Escape " again....

"" Matching Mountains With The Boy Scout Uniform"" by Edward F. Reimer, E.P.Dutton, New York , 1929. I am not sure it has "101" uses for the necker, , but maybe 50 or 60 . And lots more about the original uniform. History, etc. Pg.91: "Be Prepared" tells the Scout never to be without his Neckerchief and therefore to be ready for any emergency. There are fifty-six practical uses among many others for the Necessary Neckerchief." You can find originals, reprints, and a digital copy with a little digital searching. No, I am not willing to part with my copy. 😉.

Well. As in many songs, there is often many additional verses if someone thinks there needs to be. Orrrrr.... Additional songs.... Softly falls the rain today, As our campfire floats away. Silently each scout should ask, Did I bring my scuba mask? Did I tie my tent flaps down? Learn to swim so I won't drown? Have I done and did I try, Everything to keep me dry

Operant word is " MAY". Not must, or can't, or shouldn't.

yeah yeah let us know how that works out for ya.

Oh the humanity?

Is this somehow appropriate to the discussion? Or is all this "local"? ""The United Methodist Church is not leaving Scouting. We are still working with BSA in the bankruptcy. "" https://www.facebook.com/MethodistScouting/

It's hard, but if the older Scouts buy into it, and the parents buy into it, such a camp is well worth while. A google search will yield many examples of Scout Troops "doing" the Appalachian trail, for instance. Way back in my paleo Scout days, our Troop was blessed with dads (and moms!) that totally supported our adventures. Somebody's cousin's uncle knew somebody who owned property up by Germantown MD. The first year, (on "ordinary" weekend campouts), our Troop built a three sided log cabin, cleaned out and capped a spring with good water, dug a privy, dammed the creek for "serious" wading (not deep enough for a real swim) and over the next four years (then I was off to adult hood)organized a one or two week summer camp, IN ADDITION TO ( if you wanted to go) the Council camp on the Chesapeake Bay (Camp Roosevelt). Here on the east coast, I can recommend highly the Great Allegheny Passage Trail./ C&O Canal... Pittsburgh to Washington DC, History, campgrounds along the way, not much up and down.... Bicycle camping?

"" In 1936, a year before the Appalachian Trail was completed as one continuous, unbroken footpath, six Boy Scouts from the New York City area followed the route from Maine to Georgia. It was a 121-day odyssey into manhood and its significance as perhaps the first thru-hike of the A.T. wasn't realized until recently by one of the participants."" > > > Yes, the AT was a popular route way back when: https://www.atmuseum.org/1936-boy-scout-thru-hike.html