SSScout

We are a Scout Troop that helps out (and runs!) our brother Pack's (same CO) PWD. The Pack uses the rules in the PWD kits. No discussion, thems the rules. We have three areas at the Derby: (1)a "Pit Area" for last minute adjustments and to correct problems. We make sure there is an "unofficial scale", tape, glue, some spare wheels and axles and some basic tools. (2) the "Official Check In". The Scout(s) here give the car a visual inspection(only kit wheels, nail axles, no radical modifications to the basic setup), make sure the car fits into the "dimension box" ,scales at 5.00 ounces or less. Each car is given a small number sticker on the bottom or rear and logged in as to ownership and Den. The car is then CAREFULLY placed in the "Ready" area, and segregated as to class: Cub and Den, or Sibling or Unlimited (adult!). (3) the race way is roped off and limited only to the Officials running the race. One can sit close to, about 3 feet away, on the "Infield" floor, or in the "Grandstand" chairs. Scoutmaster IT professional handles the scoring, which is projected on a screen in back of the Start Line. We do a multi-elimination race, so each car will race at least four times. Electric timer, attached to the track, eliminates all arguments about finish. Scout working on Communication MB is usually announcer, and is encouraged to ham it up: ("ARE YOU READDYYYYY TO RAAAAACE?"). The Pack has a prize for almost every conceivable category. Almost. There are some last places, after all. The Pack hands out one PWD kit to the boys before Christmas and it is made clear ("Scout's Honor") that the car should be designed and made by Cub, with adult help, as needed. Wecunderstand that it may well be adult formed, but we hope with Cub supervision! We do not question as to who made the car , if it is in the Cub Class. RARELY has a car been DQ'd due to non-BSA wheels or axle. Along with the B&G, the PWD is definitely a high point of the year. But then, that's just the way we do it. You do it YOUR way, and have fun!

""GOD (Do ONE of the following): WAYS WE WORSHIP Complete both requirements:. >Complete the Character Connection for Faith Know:. >Name some people in history who have shown great faith. >Discuss with an adult how faith has been important at a particular point in his or her life. Commit:. >Discuss with an adult how having faith and hope will help you in your life, and also discuss some ways that you can strengthen your faith. Practice:. >Practice your faith as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or religious fellowship. >Make a list of things you can do this week to practice your religion as you are taught in your home, church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious community. Check them off your list as you complete them. EMBLEMS OF FAITH Complete the requirement:. Earn the Religious Emblem of your faith. "" The Emblems of Faith is not an activity for the Den to do, UNLESS all the boys are of ONE faith and all the families agree to it. Each faith has its own religious award, approved by the appropriate authority, and by definition needs to be taught and earned with and awarded by the faith organization, whether church, temple, mosque or synagogue. The Den Leader cannot fill that role appropriately, unless approved by the faith leader from that faith. The Way We Worship, by rights, should be done and approved by the boy's family. The Den Leader can encourage and remind, but really should not attempt to lead this requirement without the family's agreement. To do so really sounds like overt evangelizing, which no Scout leader should ever be accused of. If the leaders (priests, ministers, Deacons, Elders, whomever) of the various faiths represented in your Den look at the material in the God and Me material and find it in agreement with their dogma and are agreeable with you leading the Cubs thru the material, then go to it. But I consel not going ahead without that impimatur. Refer any folks so interested to www.praypub.org for just about all faith info or reference. Some have their award listed, but not the "lesson" book, which must be obtained from the faith HQ. Most local diocese,or district or whatever are aware of the Scout awards, but not all local clergy. Education is a good thing. When in doubt about such things, defer to the parents, always. Godspeed.

Q: I like that idea. Who picks the words/writes the cards? How difficult/involved can they be? Organic gardening? Tides? Mario brothers? String theory?

Yes, pummeling the prostrate equine. Look thru any BL from the prehistoric 40s, 50s, 60s, even 70s. BSA shoes (Buster Brown!), BSA BB guns (Daisy), BSA hats of various types, even BSA Kelty pack frames. Tweek the design a little and make it a BSA item. Didn't Woolrich make the Red JacShirt? Now it's green and... We don't even hava a name to attach to it, just "China". The antique book I keep reffering to (Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform by Edward F. Reimer,1929) makes constant mention of the Sigmund Eisner Co. of Red Bank NJ, "Official National Outfitter", and how any clothing without THAT signature on it MAY be of inferior quality. The boy may not have the same feeling for the item us older Scouts have. Way back when, I don't remember being concerned about who made my uni. But I do remember that it felt different than the shirts I wear today. My boy shirt had a heft to it. Kinda like the heavy flannels I have now. If it is "official" and he HAS to wear it, I suppose that is enough for today's boy. Or is it?

Ah, E bemoan not the loss of a name for an area. You have dented the lives of umpteen young (no more!) men, and they are glad of it, even if not conscious of it. Thru the 12 plus years of my adult Scout career, I have been (unwittingly) a member of (in my county) one of three, then six, then ONE, then three sub districts, then one of three real districts, with lots of cooperation and interactive activities intended. I have interacted and worked with no fewer than eight DEs and a Regional Director or two, who had to fill in when there was no DE to be had to assign to our area. Remember Bob the Tomato, tho he be neither Scout nor even human, when he said (animationally) "It's for the kids". Altho, yeah, I sometimes tell the Scouters I counsel (not council!) that they can easily operate a quality program without the knowledge that there is such a construct as a "District". It is there for the benefit of the local unit. If it does not benefit the local unit, then dunworryboutit.

Kudu often reminds us of the wording of the original Congressional Charter. We all know the BSA Promise and Law, which we regularly reaffirm, both publicly and privately. We should all know the "official" Eight (9?) Methods of Scouting. There is the Mission Statement and the Vision Statement (fairly recent, each). And of late, we have discussed the recent (alledged) despoilment of the O/A by it's becoming a "Honor Scout Society" rather than a "Honor Camper" society. Too much Bling? Bling for the wrong purpose? Bling in the wrong place? Bling unappreciated? Unearned? Bare uniform vs south american general's uniform? I am beginning to think this is all somehow related. Symptoms of the general social malaise? Need for more "look at me! Look at me!" ? Jealousy of those that haven't vs those that shouldn't have but did? Things I have heard/discerned from eavesdropping, asking questions, discussion with boys and other adults (anecdotal): Why do boys join Scouts? >Heard it was fun... >Want to go camping/hiking/rock climbing like my brother/dad... >Mom made me... >My buddy asked me, friends were there... >Got nothing else to do... >Church youth ministry, (see #2)... Why do they stay in Scouts? See above, and... >It is fun... >I like getting awards I can earn myself... >I learn stuff that's useful... >Get to go/do stuff other kids don't... >I like to see mom/pop smile... >Like hanging out with my buds... >I get to boss little kids around... > Didn't expect it, but other guys are jealous of me... >My girl thinks it's awesome, the stuff we do... >Eagle looks good on the resume/college app/job app... Older Scouts sometimes admit, the leadership/organization practice is good. The service to others? Seems to come up last on the listing, but I have rarely (if ever) heard a Scout say they WON'T when asked to help in a service project. Folks learn from example as much as by instruction. We want the boys to be "boy led", but they still need to see and feel the example of "selfless service". From whom? If the O/A is to be a "Scout Honor" society to recognize and reward those Scouts that exemplify the ideals of Scouting, so be it. If the O/A is there to point out boys that "get it" about selfless service, then let that happen and don't be surprised when the O/A is never a BIG organization. Pocket flaps and sashes: Some folks will always want recognition. Others just want to do the job and feel good about that. Isn't there some inherent conflict about these things? Some rewards you work for , some are awarded because others think you deserve them, without you specifically EARNING them, altho you do. It was snowing here in Murlin awhile ago, now the suns bright again...

""No. You can be 100% skeptical of the works of others, and do them yourself. It's common to reproduce experiments in science classes and have the students do them."" Exactly my point. By reproducing experiments, and thus re-proving the results, one convinces oneself of the truth of the matter, thus believing the teacher. If the test does not agree with the teacher's lesson, that SHOULD lead to another discussion, yes? Thanks for agreeing with me. ""Nonsense. You can simply say you don't believe it. You don't have to come up with an alternative."" Well, yes you do. The choice is to either agree with the teacher outright, and get an "A", or don't agree (and keep it to yourself: see Galileo and the Inquisition), or see if you can find an alternative argument that makes sense to yourself if not the teacher. Ultimately, everyone has to have an explanation as to how the universe operates. At least our own little part of it. ""Or have the student do the actual experiments and write up the observations. That can be even better."" Exactly so. That is what I mean by "joining in the debate". It is never a good thing to say "that's the way it is, end of discussion", unless the discussion is between you and your 8 year old son, then, sometimes one must pull rank! ""Faith has no right or wrong answers. People don't agree on the most basic questions, like how many gods exist, or whether polygamy is permitted."" Oh, come on, Merlyn, you know all faiths have "right or wrong" answers. That's what a faith is all about! It's science that has no absolutes, except what can be proven to our senses. Our knowledge and the science involved is always open to revision. We are constantly re-proving the gravity constant of (about) 9.8 m/sec sq. And you can't really find it surprising that folks 'don't agree' , again, that's what religion is all about. I don't expect my Christianity to be the same as a Roman Catholic's, but I admit to them both being a form of Christianity..Well, as I think about it, not all Roman Catholics might agree that Quakerism IS a form of Christianity. But some I know do. Why should you? Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chence, as the carny barker would say. Unfortunately, religions do have wars over the differences, where scientists only tend to "backstab" the folks they disagree with about which way the DNA spiral curves, or who has the best electrical supply system. My Muslim friend tells me that the strife between the Sunni and Shiite is "political" and not "religious" in nature. I tend to believe him more than Fox news.

The art of science involves Observation, Experimentation, Correlation, and Explanation. Explaining the cause of what has been observed, either from "nature" or from arranged events (experimentation), depends on what has gone before, what is already KNOWN (or thought to be known). If one observes that gases expand when they get hot, and contract when they get colder, this can lead to an experiment that would obtain measurements that could lead to Mssrs. Boyle and Charles seeing that gas pressure and temperature and volume are all related. Mssrs. Hero and Watts and Sterling can then use these observations to invent engines to move water or people or make electricity ( which is another story). These observations and inventions depend on BELIEVING the work and discoveries of others, and then using them to discover other things. That is what science is about, simply. If I do not believe what my teacher tells me, I best be ready to prove something else. Depending on the teacher, a good student is one who keeps (politely) asking "why?" In my experience, the good teacher is always ready to at least attempt the answer, or join in the debate. Same in Faith. If the faithful can not answer the heretic's "why" to his satisfaction, then neither the teacher nor the accolyte will be true to the faith. The 'asker' will find answers sufficient to his needs, or will go off to find (or found) another faith. Thus are "true believers" and "converts" and "revealers" created. To which category does friend Le Roy belong?

My turn. I view "science" as the explanation of our world by observation and experiment. If I look out of my window and see the horizon is further away than I can reach, then I might conclude that the world is flat, just very very big. If I later discover that on a particular day, the sun makes a measurable shadow from a vertical pole of a certain hieght and in a different location many miles away the sun makes NO shadow (in other words, it is directly overhead) from an identical pole, I MIGHT conclude (from my observation) that the world has a curve to it. In both instances, I would be doing science: applying my senses and logic to explain how things work. However, in the second example, my conclusion is different because it has stemmed from new observations and information. It is when new information is denied outright that "science" is not done. Same often with religion and faith. If new information is denied as not meeting preconceived or accepted information (or dogma), then arguments (and wars?) begin. See Martin Luther and Pope Leo. Science , as usually accepted, requires observation and experimentation: If a condition is changed, will a different result occur? This can be as simple as putting two different objects in a vacuum rather than regular air, and seeing if they drop at the same rate, or even convincing your little brother to try smiling more to see if his big sister would "be nice" to him more often. B.F.Skinner, call your office. The problem in the Faith vs Athiest debate is that rarely (if ever) can a condition be changed to affect a measurable outcome to "prove" or "disprove" the other fellow's premise. Faith requires INWARD proof of the outward action, Atheism accepts only outward proof of the inward result. Hard to reconcile the two. Us Quakers often look back to our revelatory founder, George Fox, for explanation and justification, even for todays problems (why re-invent the wheel?). He often said ... "And this I knew experimentally", in writing about his sure knowledge of God and Christ. We usually take this to mean that we can do the same, and know something by trying it out, internally, to see what may happen externally. That's what often happens in our Meetings, someone will join us in worship and later say that here is where they were meant to be all along, here is where they felt God's presence. Our athiest friends don't see it that way. They seem to want the outward experience to justify the inward faith. Yep, faith can use logic, but ultimately it is not logical. All this from a Jesuit's answer to Christmas myths? Neat.

Scouts are famous for campfires and fire safety. With tongue firmly in cheek, I offer the following: How to Heat with Wood for Free! It is easy to heat your home for free with wood! I have done it for many years , and I have been asked by many to detail the economics of it. Here, then, is my accounting of heating with wood over the last few years! Wood is available for free from many sources. Neighbors may need a tree cut down. Road crews leave wood by the road for picking up. Untended lots need thinning. One just needs a little equipment. Install catalytic equipped wood stove, double wall stove pipe: $2,432. Build wood rack from scrap lumber : FREE! Purchase chainsaw, case, chain oil, hardhat, safety goggles, Kevlar chaps & vest, heavy gloves: (on special!) $444.95. Two gallon gas can and 2 gallons of gas: $9.48. Buy old second hand pickup from cousin: $850. Rebuild engine, new clutch, new tires, pass state inspection: $1,347.85. Pay fine for cutting wood without a permit on park land: $150. Replace rear window in pickup (threw log thru it): $87. Sharpen saw chain after hitting rock in tree crotch: $15. Buy 2 extra saw chains: $53.05. Repair neighbors roof edge after maple fell the wrong way: $327. Repair chainsaw after using regular gas in it (needs 2 stroke mix): $98.47. Buy two gallons gas and pint of 2 stroke oil: $9.48. Doctor visit after wood rack falls on foot: $20. Copay. Crutch rental: FREE (local service club) Clean rug and smoke damage when wife forgets to open damper: $180.28. Lawyer visit, recommendation of marriage counseling: $250. Of course , not everyone is as adept at wood cutting as some, so your experience will no doubt be different. Good Luck!

Adult beverages are just that: for adults. Whether the family approves of alcohol use is just that: up to the family. The state decides who may or may not drink beer, wine, whiskey in public venues and at what age. That said, alcohol use at Scout events attended by youth members is prohibited. See http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/gss04.aspx quote" ALCOHOL The following statement was approved by the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America: It is the policy of the Boy Scouts of America that the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances is not permitted at encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members." unquote I would first politely REMIND the Scout leaders of that unit of their responsibility and then contact the local Unit or District Commissioner. And then , enjoy your new unit and don't look back.

I retract my original request. We need a "Philosophy, Syllogism, Faith and Chaplaincy" forum. Bravo, Beavah.

Look at all the chappeau ads!!! Wonder how that happened? should we start talking about llamas again? Beav, didn't we go thru this about 3 years ago? "Hat courtesy". To wear or not to wear, and when, and where. The flag code is a "guide", and that is what most (if not all) courtesy/manners/ettiquete is, a guide to respectful,courteous behavior. A Scout is Courteous, now THERE is a SM minute topic! How does one slup soup, courteously? What to wear in a given situation? Uniform? Tie? T-shirt? Hold open a door? For a female/lady/woman/man/kid? How many kids do you come across that say "yessir" and "no ma'am", or do they say "yeah?" Take your shoes off at someone's house? Certainly, if that is THEIR way. Find "How to Be a Perfect Stranger" by Stuart Matlins and Arthur Magida. Recommend it.

Your world trotting Scout might consider a side trip to attend the Africa Scout Jamboree in Burundi: http://www.scout.org/en/around_the_world/africa WOSM stays busy.

Sad. I find Fred's comments to be very well thought. These folks just might be some that suffer from the >>Soccer Syndrome

"Oy, Like Chicken Soup, it couldn't hoit!"

From Washington Post,Sunday 18 December 2011, page B2: I. Christmas is the Most Important Christian Holiday II. There is Biblical Consensus on the Story of Jesus' Birth III. Jesus was an Only Child IV. The Secularization of Christmas is a Recent Phenomenon V. Midnight Mass is at Midnight http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-christmas/2011/12/12/gIQAkR1VyO_story.html Yeah, answered by a Jesuit, but hey, bet you want to know... Go to it. And a Merry christ mass to you all.

Let us hope/pray (choose one) that Scouter Terry has found the end to his troubles (I do not know the specifics), and has found the time to tend to his wonderful website. It really would be appropriate to have a Faith and Chaplaincy forum (look at this series!), thus alleviating the load on the I&P and other forums. Everybody has occasions to note, celebrate, talk about, pass on to our progeny. Tell the story of Channakah, Jesus' birth, Bahai's revelation and imprisoment, Mohamad's story, your grandfather's trek across the Oregon Trail, whatever it is. It becomes incumbent on the government (here in the US, at least) to do just about nothing about it. If granddad was a wonderful man and helped build the community, it might be appropriate for the county council to vote a "thank you" resolution, but set up a display on the lawn of the courthouse? We erect statues and monuments to folks that are important in our history, and not just military people either, thankfully. ((if the general's horse has all legs on the ground, or if it has one leg up, or both front legs up, does that indicate anything special about the rider?)). Our faith is a special category of this dicussion. If we say "thank you" to grandfather, and he says "thank you" to God, well, here is our quandary. How to note grandfather's gratitude after his death? I think it it wonderful when the Houses of Worship in our area put up displays for their various holidays. We have a road, New Hampshire Ave., that is known locally as the "Avenue of Churches". It runs almost 30 miles from Washington DC thru Murlin, and it has almost every possible faith sitting along it's length: Hindu, Baptist, Unitarian, Evangelical, Methodist, Jewish, Orthodox (three kinds), Budhist (three kinds), Muslim, Catholic (at least two kinds), and if you go a mile or two or three to either side, you can find three Quaker meetings, a Zoroaster house(?), many Iglesias de Deos, a Bahai temple, Church of JC of LDS, and a few that slip my mind. Some celebrate, some do not their various Important Days. Displays range from none (note the Quakers) to live nativity scenes to walk thru Jeruselum market(no room at the Inn, sorry, keep moving please) to 12'x20' tall real flame Menorahs. One hispanic Catholic Church leads parades thru the local streets celebrating Christs birth and death and resurrection (legal permit allowed). Such is the richness of our nation. If the athiest among us want to join together and celebrate their lack of God, bully for them. I will still invite them to "come and see" at our Meeting, and sit in worship with us First Day. I see no need for any government to place a religious display on any public land. Holidays a good, any excuse for a party, I say, but at least around here, there is no need for the guvmint to remind the passing motorist of the time of year. That said, if you are in the neighborhood this First Day morning (sunday for you non-Friends), come around for our "live sheep" pageant. (very untraditional).

Motorcycling in cold weather.... ha, there's the memories... Wind proof, covering wool and insulation. TOP: Sweaters, down vest, Baxter State Parka, Sperry Topsider hip-long yellow slicker. BOTTOM: Wool socks, over-ankle boots, long pants and then my overpants: Take the biggest blue jeans you can buy (I got 52" waist by 36" long) to pull over normal pants and boots. Put'em on, sit down (bend knees) and mark where knees are on pulled tight legs. Cut Ensolite 1/2" closed cell foam to fit inside pants where knees will be. Clip edges of the foam so it will 'fold' over your knee neatly. Sew and tape Ensolite into pantlegs. Add suspenders to pants as appropriate. Note that now your knees are never cold, legs are much warmer. And, you can partially disrobe at your destination without embarrassment. I still have mine after 20 plus years and wear'em for snow shoveling, etc. Next choice, go to your Surplus store and seek out German Wehrmarkt winter hosen. Double wool, plastic sheeting, multi pockets, really nice. Hard to find.

Aw, come on, Base, don't make this so complicated. You did the course, you learned something, even if it is what NOT to do. You made some friends, or at least impressed the TG. So, after I completed the tickets, I called my TG and he arranged with the CD/WBSM to be present at my Troops next CoH. I called the Scout doing the MC duties (communication MB) and he put me on the program as "Special Presentation", as no one in the Troop really knew what "Wood Badge" was. So my TG and WBSM came, and they spoke about the tradition and BP and such. They led me in singing Gilwell, draped the necker, woggle and beads on me and then we ate cupcakes and drank Canada Dry. Done. When my good friend TM finished his tickets, he arranged for his "beading" at the District Award Dinner (not my District, all new folks), as he was also being named the District Chaplain. I went, ate overdone pasta, visited with TM and his friends, and then he told me he wanted me to bead him. I felt very honored. There were several folks being beaded, so when TM went up, all the other WBers stood and sang Gilwell and I did my best not to embarrass my friend with my draping and woggling. Base, show the folks you love and work for how it is. I am sure the TG will tell you that a B&G is an excellent place to celebrate your accomplishment. I bet he would be the first to say, yeah let the Webelos hang the necker on you. I even bet, if you ask him, he'll tell you he likes overdone pasta.

I tend to agree with Seattle. I recently received the email, both from National and Council. I certainly am an "alumnus", and am already registered and get email and (joy) realmail from national and council and District and troop. So I have no need to be MORE connected. Let this be a means to bring folks with Scout experience back in to the work of the game with a purpose. Then too, if they figure it out, they can be a help (1) without registering as a Adult Scouter. I know many such in our home Troop; and (2) by registering normally, for $15 save some bucks and get the same newsletters and magazines, all good. I don't see it as a fundraiser so much as an invitation to get even more involved, and you know that one takes more seriously that which one spends money on.

Of course he wants the beads. They're already paid for, aren't they? Now, our home schooled Scoutson is saying the graduation ceremony put on by our academic oversight organization isn't important to him. It is to his mom and dad. And we know it may well be important to him later. He worked for that diploma, he earned it, he (by his own admission) really learned some stuff along the way. Time to point to him and say "waytogo!" , at least once. He says he doesn't know any of the people that will be at it. Not true. Going to be more than a couple of very proud folks there. And a few other students he's met along the way at various activities. Same for you, BD. Do it for them Scouts and other folks that see you as an example, too, if not only for yourself. Mark the occasion, if only with a verse of Gilwell. Then go out and be an even gaddier fly. Or something.

Of course he wants the beads. They're already paid for, aren't they? Now, our home schooled Scoutson is saying the graduation ceremony put on by our academic oversight organization isn't important to him. It is to his mom and dad. And we know it may well be important to him later. He worked for that diploma, he earned it, he (by his own admission) really learned some stuff along the way. Time to point to him and say "waytogo!" , at least once. He says he doesn't know any of the people that will be at it. Not true. Going to be more than a couple of very proud folks there. And a few other students he's met along the way at various activities. Same for you, BD. Do it for them Scouts and other folks that see you as an example, too, if not only for yourself. Mark the occasion, if only with a verse of Gilwell. Then go out and be an even gaddier fly. Or something.

""So what am I missing, beside not delving more in depth on the Webelos side of things?"" Find a 1950's vintage FieldBook, written mostly by GBBill. Use it for copy on: I. Fire safety and building: add the Fireman's Chit requirements and the (our!) FIVE FIRE requirements : (1) The Means to Extinguish the fire. Water, shovel, sand, etc. (2) A Clear Area: 10' in diameter, clear overhead,, consider LNT needs for later. (3) Clear Air. Not merely OXYGEN, but can you see? This means PERMISSION, is it allowed by your area? Fire danger? Park rules? (4) Fuel: Gathered BEFORE you set the fire. Tinder (fritos, drier lint, wax egg cartons, pine cones?), kindling, big stuff, but no larger than you need. A cooking fire is not a signal fire is not a "Campfire" for skits. Oak vs Pine, etc. (5) Means of ignition: Matches, flint and steel (have you practiced it?), fire piston, etc. Demonstrate the flammability of various things (nascent SMs are often ignorant of such things and appreciate the demos): Hand cleaner, tent nylon, various types of tinder, I tell the story of my friend who tried to pack the maximum number of matches into his match safe and had it explode in his hand. Waterproof matches in wax, most anything about camp fires. II. Woods Tools. Do the Whitlin' Chip and Toten Chip. Again, provide copy of the requirements (online is available) and F/B pages, if available. Note that the "requirements" are not "good use" necessarily. Tradition here, is the guide, I find. Clipping the W/C or T/C card for poor use, must reearn it. . Troops do Packs a great favor by offering to teach W/C to the older Cubs. And the knife skills in T/C ARE W/C. Again, the photos in the old F/B are superior to our present HB, IMO. Knife and axe and saw handling and care. Many new SMs have never handled anything more than a dinner knife. Find an old time carpenter that can demo hatchet and saw care. Talk about split handles, how the grain of a wood handle will split if the handle is poorly carved and the grain direction is not taken into consideration. Felling axe, vs hatchet vs Double bit axe, camp saw vs big cross cut vs carpenter saw. Keep out of dirt. Oil it. etc. Teach pride in good tool use, not merely "passing the test". Does EVERY Scout need to carry a full size felling axe to Philmont? Is the Big Sheath Knife allowed? (no official prohibition from Irving), but why carry one? Sharpening is a personal thing. Ask 5 Scouters how to sharpen and hone a knife, you'll hear 6 ways to do it. Choose and teach ONE, stick to it. III. Plant and Animal ID: Tracks, scat, gnawed acorns, antler rub, fur on bark, holes in ground and tree trunks, nests, bird songs, animal noises. Get'em to SEE not merely look, HEAR not merely listen. Leaf shape, bark type, tree shape (singleton vs forest), use of the plant, recommend guides and pamphlets on local stuff (provide? sell?) I like the idea of compass & map to their campsite. And to the other Patrols sites. Go get lost for a while in the woods. I will be visiting daughter down in Hillsborough later this month. Smile and wave as you go by... YiS

How 'bout this: We teach our kids arithmetic and math. As they get older, we (attempt!) to teach them more advanced , complicated math. We don't expect all of them to be mathematicians. We teach them all how to run. In fact, we insist that they do PE, and run and tumble and play touch football and practice shuttle ball and such. We don't expect them to all become Jesse Owens or Shaq . We teach our kids history in the hope that they will learn the lessons there, so as not to make the same mistakes their grandparents made. And We don't expect them to remember everything, and they don't. We teach them science . Chemistry, electricity, magnatism, physics, and yet we aren't surprised when only a few of them become NASA engineers or build bridges to make our travel easier or build solar power plants to charge our Prius'. Somewhere along the way, some of our kids become aware that they enjoy and have a "talent" for ,what? fixing plumbing? Farming? Truckdriving? And if they are very fortunate, they find their "passion" early rather than later. Why then should we not teach them HOW to be a leader, since we all know what an effective leader is like? The observations and science has been done and recorded. Should we be surprised to find that leadership is also an innate talent, not always evident in all people? I think it is called the "Peter Priciple". Folks rise, in a social hierarchy, to their level of incompetance. Or they recognize where they are most effective, and do not attempt to be promoted further. I do know we have alot of BOTH out of work competant folks, AND alot of really questionable folks in postions of responsibility. 'Nuff said. But along with the techniques and skills of effective leadership, there needs to be taught (and exampled) WHAT to lead , toward what cause? or reason? In our case, we need to teach leadership by EXAMPLE, by INSTRUCTION and then GIVE'M a chance.