SSScout

Oh, latin... No PLC, Centurions... No Troops, Legions.... The Patrols might be temed maniples, but I don't know for sure if that would be the appropriate subdivision. A century was a hundred or so men, a maniple a subdivision of the century, if memory serves.

Pugil sticks: Boys wear football helmets, and shoulder pads. Five foot long, 1 1/2 inch diameter poles. Stick ends need to be well padded (foam rubber, heavy plastic bags, duct tape), like six inches thick, and covering both ends (kayak paddle style) of the 5 foot long pole down a foot or so. Make the pole padding tough, it will take a beating! Lots of internet references.

Flintstones, meet the Flintstones, They're a modern stoneage family. From the, town of Bedrock, They're a page right out of history. Let's ride, with the family down the street, Through the courtesy of Fred's two feet. When you're, with the Flintstones, Have a yabba dabba doo time, A dabba doo time, You'll have a gay old time! "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less." "The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things." "The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that's all." Through the Looking Glass.

Eventually, all pertubations of human variation are exhibited. I would counsel you approach this parent privately and ask politely and sympathetically whether or not they can read, if there is a problem with the computer screen, if they would like some confidential help with the training? Be careful and explain you have no desire to embarrass them, that you want them to be able to assist in the Scout program and there are ways to fulfill the requirement that they take the training. Possibilities have been offered: 1) In person, you watch a DVD and answer some discussion questions in person , either alone with the trainer, or in a small group ( I have led such a group. The DVD is very good) 2) Someone, in private, helps to read the computer screen to them, helps them answer the questions and choices as they direct, much like a vision impaired person casts their vote with the assistance of a election judge (or two!). 3) Check with the Training Chair of your District or DE. They may have other possibilities. Another possibility, but not a nice one. They do not want to take the training because of what they fear it might make them reveal about themself TO themself...

Find someone with a good sized block and tackle, a four fall with at least 3/4 " rope would be good, and hold a tug o' war between Scouts and Adults. First, do a single rope type. Then, use the Block and Tackle. Have fun with leetle Scouts pulling Big Scouters... Hold a Whitlin' Chip class, you can find curriculum on this site, or elsewhere in internetland. Make sure your Scouts leading the class emphasize "tool,not toy" and then they sign a small certifying slip that the Cub can hand to his Cubmaster for the award of the WC badge. Lots of soap bars and soap chips left over! Look up the Temple of Hanoi Ring puzzle, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_Hanoi , only make it human size, with posts sunk in the ground and tires of suitable sizes. Maybe only four tires? A Scavenger Hunt over the whole camp. They obtain it when they check in, and take it with them as they hike thru the activities. KisMif

I have mentioned this in a previous post. A local Troop has the trash consession at our county fair. For the whole week, they work helping with the recycling efforts and trash collecting AND traffic direction. The fair officials pay them the going rate, evidently. Obviously, they do not consider this a "service project". Not a huge Troop, but they make their whole years budget there, so I am told. The only thing they are not allowed to do is drive the pickup vehicles.

When you reach Harpers Ferry at the confluence of the Shennandoah and Potomac, ask for directions to the Sandy Hook MD Hostel, on the C&O canal. Good comfortable place to take a shower, change your socks and rest up awhile. (you did obtain a Hosteling Membership, didn't you? several along the AT!) see http://www.hiusa.org And of course the Appalachian Trail Conservancy has a visitors' center at Harper's Ferry , too: http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.mqLTIYOwGlF/b.4805591/k.9727/Visitor_Centers.htm Good walking!

The parent thread led me to remember my time at college. I was an out-of-state student at a mid west Big Ten school in Indiana, in engineering (to start with, at least). Freshman requirement was a class named "Speech 101". This was meant to help nascent engineers to improve their presentations, oratory, how to prove or back up arguments, communication skills. Among other things, we developed debate skills and research in fields other than the technical stuff. Our teacher was a communications major, and also "out-of-state". He regularly tried to get us to talk about "current events", and early in the semester gave a survey of the three classes he taught. He observed that the Out-of-state students were predictably much more knowledgeable about "current events". The "in-staters" were less so, but knew about the local basketball tournament. He ended up playing an informal game he called "Stump the Hoosier". At the start of the friday class, he would put three names or items from the news on the blackboard and everyone had to define or describe who or what they were in a short sentence or phrase. If the majority of the class ( which was much more than 50% Hoosier (Indianan), correctly ID'ed the items, we ALL got an A for the day, if not, we earned what we earned... Didn't happen very often. The extra A, I mean. Frinstance: Kissinger, Lugar, Viet Minh... How would that go over today, in your local school?

Your Den Chief has done an excellent job. He has nothing to be dissapointed in. If the Webelos Leader did his/her job, the boys toured more than one Troop before deciding on which to join. There may be any of several reasons why they chos Troop A and not Troop B, none of which the DCh has any say in. I would take him aside and make him realize the wonderful job he has done, and how grateful the CubMaster and Webelos Den Leader are. If the requirements are met (sounds like a shoo in to me), by all means, his Scoutmaster and CubMaster should award him the DCh award. It should be awarded at the Troop's CoH, being a Boy Scout award, and as an encouragement to other Scouts to consider Den Chiefing.(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Chuck Berry;;;; NO MONEY DOWN (bada badabadum...) As I was motivatin' Back in town, I saw a Cadillac sign Sayin' "No Money Down"! So I eased on my brakes, And I pulled in the drive; Gunned my motor twice, Then I walked inside. Dealer came to me Said "Trade in your Ford! And I'll put you in a car That'll eat up the road. Just tell me what you want And then sign that line And I'll have it brought 'round to you In a hour's time". I'm gonna get me a car And I'll be headed on down the road. Then I won't have to worry About that broken - down, ragged Ford "Well Mister I want a yellow convertible, Four - door de Ville, With a Continental spare, And a wide chrome wheel. I want power steering, And power brakes, I want a powerful motor, With a jet off - take. I want air condition, I want automatic heat, And I want a full Murphy bed In my back seat. I want short - wave radio, I want TV and a phone! You know I gotta talk to my baby When I'm ridin' alone". Yes I'm gonna get that car And I'm gonna head on down the road. Yeah, then I won't have to worry About that broken - down, ragged Ford "I want four carburetors, And two straight exhausts, I'm burnin' aviation fuel No matter what the cost. I want railroad air horns, And a military spot, And I want a five - year guarantee On everything I got. I want ten - dollar deductible, I want a twenty dollar note. I want thirty thousand liability" That's all she wrote! Well, I got me a car And I'm headed on down the road ((No money down!!)) And I don't have to worry 'Bout that broken - down, ragged Ford.....

Up here, the UoS includes a Cub College, a Boy Scout College, and Adventure Scouting College (High adventure, Venturing, etc.)and a bunch of undiffentiated "electives". The Pow Wow is only Cub Scout related. I was told the Pow Wow was going to be more "how to" and the UoS Cub College was to be more "why is it" and philosophy of Scuting stuff. Mechanics versus intellect, I guess. That's how it was explained to me. Utilizing the wonders of the internet, one can Google "University of Scouting" and get a whole bunch of Councils and compare them for content, purpose, cost, all kinds of stuff. Then go wash your dishes and get back to living...

I like mn_scout's answer. Beyond that, the key is a registered, knowledgeable Merit Badge Counselor. A Merit Badge Counselor SHOULD be an expert in the subject; at the very least, more knowledgeable than the Scout earning the badge. A professional in the field, or an experienced hobbyist is preferred. There is a training for the post available, see your local District Executive or Commissioner for info . AND... there is info on line, if you dig for it. See http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors.aspx Very often, the local Troop will have a cadre of registered MBCs available for the more poular ones or Eagle required ones. For the more exotic ones, you will have to do one of three things: 1) call around to other Troops, check out the local clubs or businesses involved. Someone may know someone who knows someone... If you are fortunate, your District or Council will have a list of MBCs to consider and contact. The boy SHOULD do the contacting, if he wants to earn the MB. 2) Recruit an appropriate professional or hobbyist (? Dentistry? talk to your dentist. Geology? Check with your local Rock hound club or college. "etc.") or 3) sign up yourself and get knowledgeable . Speak to your Troop's Committee Chair, he/she may have the form and knowledge of how to register.. If your boy wants to earn the XYZ MB, and you can't find an already registered MBC, sign up yourself, and then offer your services to the District at large. Put a notice in your local District newsletter and I guarantee you will find some more Scouts interested in the XYZ MB. Call around to appropriate offices and companies and agencies, arrange the tours and sessions, and then get your Scouts together in your rec room or out on your deck or down in the Fourbucks coffee shop to discuss the requirements. Surprise! They have to meet some requirements. Some of them will be eager to meet your standards of performance, others will be surprised that you actually ask them to study the subject, and learn something about XYZing. I did this with the Farm Mechanics MB, had a class of 6 boys, three saturdays, a visit to the state's largest farm implement dealer, some local farms, and voila, a MB! And the families all got their lawn mowers lubricated and serviced for the season, and some tools sharpened and repaired. Help the Scouts to gain a sense of accomplishment, a pride of skill and knowledge. MB Days/Colleges/o-ramas/clinics have their place, if done right and with the right expectations (Personal Fitness in one day? I don't think so...) With some advance planning and preparation, they can help Scouts earn MBs they might not otherwise earn. I knew a MBday whose organizers insisted on specific advance preparation, and the boys were well served. Some of the MBCs used the day as just one of several meetings. MBs are just one more oppotunity that Scouting has that the rest of the world doesn't. I know some home schollers that use MBs as part of their curricullum, using the MBbook as a text, and the earning as proof of mastering the subject. The home school advisor we use does that. Astronomy? Nature? Forestry? All worth some allowed academic credit. Maybe not college, but middle school science... Good Scouting to you.

Came up too late for Automobiling MB, so earned Automotive Safety. Dad had a landscape business, so I was the chief asistant mechanic growing up. I "inherited" a 1948 Ford F-1 Panel truck, when dad decided he didn't need it (in 1965!). Drove it to school, and dates(!). Wish I coulda kept it. Onward and upward...

Can you say "Owasippe"? http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=87008#id_137760 Oh, yes, National can too jump in to "help" troubled Councils. The problem is who defines the trouble? The CORs must participate in the governing of the Council, or accept what happens without compalaint. It's called "democracy".

Try these on for size. Scoutson will be making them for a bike trek/tour this coming summer. www.instructables.com/id/Make-4-gallon-square-bucket-bike-panniers-for-less Combination panniers/campseat/grocery tote/water bucket/drum?

Twocubdad: All very true. Lightnotes: Go to your Scoutshop, and ask for "Bugle Calls/Voice of Lord Baden-Powell" CD #AV-054CD. The one I have is several years old now, and has UPC 7 30176 32279 7. Some MBs, a Scout can come to a "class" and expect to walk away with a signed blue card. We have MBDays like that. Not Bugling. Fellow walks up to a gent on a New York street and asks, "say bub, how do you get to Lincoln Center?" The man, who happens to be a music teacher, answers, "Practice, my boy, practice!!" OK, from the diaphragm, now...

Welcome to our electronic campfire. If you'll do a search of these forums, you'll find lots of discussion and ideas for bugling. Go back a couple of years. If you googlesearch, you can find old copies of the original Bugling MBBook, which listed many bugle calls and their sheet music and history that you can print out. Go for clarity and volume , as well as intonation. You might experiment with your boys as to how far away a bugle can be heard and understood, both over clear land and back in the woods. I always liked a melencoly and mournful version of Tatoo, before Taps. Gives the bugler a chance to "play" the instrument, not just "sound" it. Good for you for promoting a traditional type of communication. I volunteered and was accepted as the staff bugler for a Wood Badge course. I was gratified by the positive comments from the participants after the course, and the CD even said he changed his mind about the idea of a camp bugler afterwards.

Fill out the Unit Fund Raising form, check in and get approved by Council, make sure of your plans and go for it. Anything is possible. The Scout Troop of my youth sold fresh, still warm Krispy Kreme donut dozens door to door on a Saturday morning. Made boucou bucks. Maybe arrange to sell at sport events in your area? At local park? Tennis courts? "All the day I faced the barren waste, without the taste of water... coooool water...."

A bit of history , bokris: Once upon a time, a Cub Scout was a Cub Scout. After he joined, he earned the Bobcat pin. Every Cub did this, regardless of the age they joined. Then they were a "real" Cub Scout, wore the blue uniform, the yellow neckerchief (ONLY the yellow) and did Cub Scout stuff. The Den they were in was USUALLY age/school grade specific. The boy was a Cub with his buddies. I say USUALLY, because, if your Pack was small, you might be in a neighborhood Den, with other boys of differing age. Had been done that way, sometimes. Depending on his age, he would work, with his Den Leader (Den Mother!) and family on the Rank/Badge appropriate: Wolf, Bear, Lion or Webelos. Cub did not need to work on a "younger" rank, tho some were allowed to and did. Nice to have all four badges. The idea of a Den being a "Wolf" Den, or whatever, is a more modern idea. We were in "DenOne, Having Fun", and Den One (or two, or three , or four,) was the Den, not the rank. The rank was what you EARNED and was really independant of the Den appelation. As the Cub earned his rank, (some sooner than others) he received it at the next Pack meeting, with appropriate (at least we thought so)cheers and applause, the cornier the better. I remember discovering the idea of earning something by what I accomplished. Blue and Gold banquet was a special affair. I remember having one at a really nice sit down restaurant. The Dens made decorations for the tables and room. Best behavior! Grandparents in attendance! Some special awards, some special entertainment. If he did not earn the rank by the end of the year, the Cub could earn it later, even next year, and be awarded it as appropriate. Or, he could commence on the next years badge, as he and his parents decided. I had one friend of mine that had moving trouble, multiple houses in one year, and didn't earn his Bear until the next year, along with his Lion shortly after. Each Den could be, as I said, either age/grade dependant or not. The Cub did his crafty stuff and museum visits and such with his Den. The Pack was for greater recognition and bigger fun. We had a Cub softball league, our Pack fielded a team that played other Packs thru the spring and into the summer months, coached by the Pack dads. I still have several ash softball bats of that vintage (collectors, anyone?) . Yes, we met thru the summer. If someone was on vacation, well, we all heard about it when they got back. The idea of naming the "Wolf" Den, "Bear" Den and (now) Webelos 1 and 2 Dens, and making the ranks more dependant on the end of the year (if you don't earn it by June, you've lost the chance, start on the next years rank) is more modern. The emphasis, to my memory, was on the Cub Scout activity, and the rank came along automatically, it was not 'earn the rank' as a goal in and of itself. Do you see the difference here? Den 4 may be the "Wolf" Den, but the Wolf rank should be awarded as they earn it, not all at the B&G or at years end... Too much reminincing? (not enough?)(This message has been edited by SSScout)

announcements, Announcements, ANNOOOUUNNCEMENTS,....

The thread about the hectograph (which, as luck would have it, I remember doing as an experiment a long time ago), made me think about another old style technology. Let the Scouts communicate across the "gorge" by Wig Wag, Semiphore, and ...Heliograph, perhaps home made? Ask the Scouts to develope their own method?

Is it too late to file a grievance with your shop steward? ;-) There are Scouts and there are scouts. If the Scouts in our home Troop asked to plan the summer camp, boy, wouldn't I be surprised and pleased. It is a balance between allowing and hearing the SPL say "you mean I can DO THAT?" when we ask him for his decision about something. As the UC, I often find myself reminding our SM that his lectures are very authoritive, but you can see the boys dozing off, waiting for the meeting's Patrol game. Our present SPL asked for ideas from the Troop for Troop meeting activities. His surprise was evident when several Scouts and adults suggested (in writing) Scout skill practise, and instruction in Scout skill things. We will see....

Great idea. Waaaaay back in prehistory (when I was a Scout), our District (the whole county ) held an event called the Scout-o-rama. It took up the whole County Fair grounds. Every Scout Unit was asked (?required? I forget) to set up a booth, exhibit, demonstration, something. One Cub Pack ran a movie theater. One troop built a lash up tower. Another sold campfire brownies (gave away?). I don't remember the Pinewood derby back then, still new I guess. Almost anything could go , I think. I have seen lashed up merry go rounds! Sell popcorn (fresh! not that canned stuff...). Show "Follow me Boys!" I'm thinking someone could find a distributor to set up an outdoor theater. Small pool for boating, bigger pool for canoe jousting (check with Navy recruiting for SCUBA dive tank.. COPE course. Zip line. Camp cooking. Lots of camp cooking. Steaks, potatoes, brownies/dutch ovens, spaghetti (check with county health inspector) (and fire marshall for outdoor burning) . Do flag retirements. Get Press coverage. LOTS of press coverage. Ballon release. Racing pigeons. Helicopter landing (state police?). Bicycle motocross? Band concert? Celebrities visit? Mike Roe?? Cub Packs do games: Bean bag toss, throw rope lasso, rubber band shooters, water gun targets, R/C car races? PWDerby? Crafts: make Cub stuff to take home with your Pack Troop name on it. Two boy crosscut saw, cut off a "cookie" to take home with the troops name stamped (?burned?) on it. Need nice straight dry fencepost logs for that. Home Depot? "Oh the places you'll go, the things you'll see"... With sufficient control::: hatchet throw?

""...are things that we would do as a family anyway. "" God bless the child that can stand up and say, I've got my own. Not everybody can, knows how, or can afford to go and do that stuff as a family. Let's do'em as a Cub Pack! Or... organize a predominately volunteer Day Camp! Might even get the stay-at- home dads and moms out (aw... I don't know anything about this Scout stuff...) More fun for the Cubs, being with their buddies, maybe a little fun for the adults (I remember the Denwalker mom I overheard mumbling to a compadre about "all the work I'll have piled up waiting for me on monday" moan groan I've been with Johnny all week...). You know what it takes, help them along. For comparison, our big urban Council has the following: *Districts sponsor Cub Scout Day Camps. Our District has three. Monday thru friday, 9 to 3 or 4pm, usual camp stuff: Scout skills, nature, flags,crafts, skits, , archery, bbs, one has a raft on a lake, one has a pool. Bring your lunch. Lots of volunteer leadeship, about $125 or so *Council sponsors a couple of "parent and one" weekends. Saturday morning , lunch, dinner, sunday morn breakfast, lunch, go home. Lots of "extra value" stuff. Might have climbing wall or jr. COPE course, RC planes, archery, BBs, fishing, nature trail, Bring your own tent and gear. maybe $90 a pair. *Resident Cub Camp. Council thing, at a Cub dedicated camp site (they do other stuff there too, like WB). Big wall tents on platforms,cots, your sleeping bag., arrive sunday late afternoon, thru tues. morn, and a second set , weds. afternoon thru fri. afternoon. Paid Scout staff, meals in dining hall, swim pool, boat/raft class(age appropriate), model rocketry, shooting ranges, crafts, campfire at night, skits, etc. $180 Adults and Den Chiefs get a discount. Then we get to the Webelos camps, and they are waaaay away... I still say that Scouting is the best bargain in town.

SM had another C/O to do the same night, so he asked me to take care of C/O #2. Went with BSHBs, neckers and tabs. Knew I had 3 boys to welcome, in company with two other Troops. Initially, I had not met these boys or their parents. I had their names, that's all. OA team did a nice job, made the evening very memorable. The CM said a few goodby words, introduced the Scouters from the three Troops, and the boys made their walk. I welcomed my Troops three boys, and then introduced myself to the parents and collected their names, phone numbers and emails and gave them mine and the SM's. SPoke with them at length about our meeting times, activities and such. Assured them their boys were in a good Troop and we looked forward to having them on the next hike (on such a date). All three are still with us, 2years later, very active, the dads are also very connected. I credit the active interest I gave them right then and there.