SSScout

Check here: Boy Scout Recruiting in Public Schools: Scouting "Camp Fire" Presentation (inquiry.net) http://inquiry.net/adult/recruiting.htm

When my son Joseph was much younger (he earned his Eagle, and is now a strapping young man of 26), I was helping him one night with his homework, he said to me, "dad, you had it easier than me in school." I said, what do you mean? He replied, "you had alot less history to remember !" I had to agree with him. And so he became interested in the history I had lived thru, that I had actually seen. I have to plead guilty in not asking more questions of my parents and grandparents. The "elders" I grew up with, who knew the world I inherited. My grandparents lived thru the flu epidemic of 1918, read the newspapers about Charles Lindbergh flying the Atlantic in 1927. My mom watched the dirigible Hindenburg fly over Boston on it's way to Lakehurst New Jersey in 1937. A distant cousin was Captain of the Hindenburg. Years later, she and dad watched (and with a young version of me laying on the floor) a fuzzy tv screen as Neil Armstrong stepped off a metal ladder onto the Moon. That is a "life stretch", from biplanes and dirigibles to space travel..... My dad had other "stretches" to share, to think about. History is made, remembered and forgotten by PEOPLE. Often the people we know. How about you? Can you ask your folks, your "elders" about their "Life Stretches"? Are you "paying attention" to the history you have seen? Lived thru? Inherited? What can you tell your children and grandchildren (we hope !) ? As the philosopher reminds us.... "those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it". Will you say YOU have learned anything from our history? Good Scouting to you, safe journey home.....

There is a profound difference in being able to view the ORIGINAL versus a book picture or even a projected image. Each brush stroke was dealt by a human hand. It was put there by the desire to capture ... what? Something even a photograph can't capture. My dad attended an art school early on, thinking he might be a professional artist. Then the great depression interferred. His friendship with the schools director Henry Hensche, continued and when I went off to summer camp , he and mom visited with Mr. Hensche, I am the beneficiary of that visit, years later, Hensche's portraits of my mom and dad, much younger, hang on my wall. They are captured much better than any photo even of that time. Mr. Rockwell's work is much like that. Wherever they hang, go and visit and view them. Soak up the "spirit" from which they sprang. We can only hope, no matter their fiscal worth, that the new owner values their exhibition as much.

Let the PLC discuss what they might want to do, no limitations. Total freedom of ideas. All the HAB and such are ultimately "canned" adventures. Pick a trek. Ask the outfitter. My family ultimately benefitted from my expertise , however limited it is, in seeing possibilities. When dear wife announced she had a job convention to go to in Reno, I took out the maps and Googled AMTRAK time tables and presto, we had a family vacation out to the west coast, and drive back to Murlin. Two BIG weeks. The kids went along, (they had to) but heck wife had three days in Reno, we had the Grand Canyon, and LOTS of other places. Loose adventure. Europe? Bike /history tour thru Netherlands/Belgium. Hosteling in the Alps. Hike the Camino in Spain. US of A? Great Allegheny Trail (200 miles of almost flat, down hill from Pittsburgh to Washington DC. Campgrounds, history all along the way. Anybody got some farm fields ? Plan your own summer camp, two weeks of "roughing it" can be had and the parents will enjoy being the Staff. Play the What If game, Think about what you need.... Others have done it. Yeah, some family vacation /work leave time has to be used. So? Canoe trip? Shennadoah, Potomac, James.... What you got out west? And think about it.... the Older Scouts can stretch their wings working things out with the Oldsters guidance. Isn't this what it's about? Or supposed to be about?

Hello again. My Troop wishes to know how the contact is to be made? Email? Whats App? PM thru Scouter dot com?

I will mention this to Troop 759 in Ashton Maryland.

Oh the vagaries of today's population. I am a sometimes guide on a local historic trail concerning the Underground Railroad. At one of my "stations" I ask where folks would like to "escape" to. Almost everyone will answer "North". Okay, on the count of three, point NORTH ! 1, 2, 3.... and look at the lack of consensus..... No, one cannot navigate by democracy. The desire to leave one's direction to the mini computer in one's pocket is astounding. My collection of PAPER road maps, (Alexandria Drafting, AAA, etc.) continues to be very useful. Yes, the sun comes up in the east and goes down to the horizon in the west. Where are those? Why was the fellow lost? That concerns me. I am very glad he was found safe and sound, but did anyone try to find out HOW he got lost? Burned down direction signs? Is that it? Sounds like a good SM Minute (or five) ... Carry the "essentials". Prepare for the weather. Tell someone where you are going. Think about where you are going. Go with a "buddy". Every so often look BACKWARD along the way you came, you MAY want to backtrack. Charge up your schmartphone? "Ahoy ahoy? No, you want TWO. This is ONE, Yes, that's right, two. Farewell."

Tsk, tsk,,,, You are confusing the thirteenth Scout Law: A Scout Is Hungry. GreenBar Bill testified to this often, as did my Scoutson (he's 6'3" tall now). Nope. Newton sent his four laws of motion to the printer, but the idiot spilled his coffee on the manuscript and so there are now only three "official" Laws of Motion. I do know and thus teach at CSDC Scout Skills, that the fourth Law was, in fact, "You cannot push a rope". Buckminster Fuller knew this, and thus his Tensegrity structures became possible. Math and physics. All other science is subservient.

"Stay in our lanes". Hah ! What they mean is ... if you are registered in ScoutBSA, your tickets must apply to ScoutBSA. NOT Cub Scouts, NOT Venture, NOT any where else. I had trouble with that because at the time, I was registered as a ASM, but had been very active with Cub Scout Day Camp (wife was the Director !) and many of my ideas fell in that area initially. There are ways to accommodate this requirement, but I agree with what has been previously mentioned. It should NOT mean it has to apply to ONLY being a Committee Member/chair.... Possible ideas: Recruitment. You're in Scouting because why? Maybe not just because your child is? but because... Use that to fuel your efforts. Connection to Cub Packs (Den Chief ! District DCtraining available? Good Position of Responsibility for your Scouts!), Diversity: Promotion to other faiths than your own (this is good for your own soul, too. As a Scout Chaplain, I can testify to this). Just because you want your home Troop to grow doesn't preclude setting seed in other areas. Hoot Hoot. See you on the trail.

My guidance as a MBC? **ALWAYS point to the posted requirements and ask the Scout how they have fulfilled them? ***The "Work book pages" are NOT passing the requirements. Those are for the Scout's benefit in PASSING the requirements, but are NOT the passing. Prerequisites are ALWAYS good. The Scout should "Be Prepared" when they come to you. **** Celebrate the accomplishment. ALWAYS mention the good stuff, then encourage the way to make the not-so-good-stuff GOOD. *****Keep yourself available for consultation, but always keep your YP (really AP, yes?) in mind. Do it in a multi Scout Class whenever possible, Include dad, mom, another Scouter (or two) in all conferences, emails and phone conversations. ASK the Scout if dad/mom is listening. Speakerphone is good, use it.... Do not proceed if they aren't, smile and wave as you go by. ******* When mom/dad complain (whoever heard of such a thing) that Scouty needs this MB/ really does understand but has a problem x, y, z,/ needs more time/ doesn't have any more time/ etc. etc. , ask them if THEY are earning the MB ? Ask to speak to the Scout. ******** Remember the Scout Law.... T< L<H<F<C<K<O<C<T<B<C<R. Prayer never hurts, after all.... Have some fun while your at it... See you on the trail.

Yep. Point to the REQUIREMENTS. I can vouch for the same angst in Cub Scouts. Cub Scout Day Camp: "And of course the Cubs will pass the 8 knots...." Sorry, in one fifty minute session, they will LEARN about ropes, cords , the fourth law of motion (You can't push a rope), and MAYBE learn three knots and how to use them. And maybe a few "magic knots" (chain knot, etc. ) It ain't school , people, KiS MiF. AND the parent escorts (Den Walkers !) learn them right along...

Might be a lot of "Pre-Requisites" to meet.

well, you know why Bezos named his company "Amazon" , right? Because he couldn't spell Reo Grandy or Missississippiii.

You de man, er Scouter !

Where is this , please?

News release: Dateline April 1, 2021, Irving Texas.... The Boy Scouts of America in line with the ongoing simplification and re-organization announced the following Merit Badges would be merged, thus allowing the Scout to earn them easier and quicker: Pet care and Cooking. American Labor and Mining in Society. Family Life and Animal Science. Welding and Fire Safety.

Ditto the above. Slow to load, ads do not release when "close" or "x" or "No Thanks" clicked for 30 or more seconds. AND I have to wind the spring on the back of my laptop more often.....

Well, shucks. Henry Nygard was a good friend of my dad's. He founded SShip 759 in Ashton MD, led a bunch of SScout adventures and became the Council/Region Commodore . It was before my time in Scouts but my more elder Scout friends took cruises around the Chesapeake on various boats, one of which I thought was an ex PT boat. Could be wrong. The local Regatta is named for him: https://seascout.org/stec_event/2019-henry-i-nygard-regatta/

Look for the antique book (I have seen it in reprint) ""Matching Mountains With The Boy Scout Uniform"" by Edward F. Reimer, 1929, E. P. Dutton. Wonderfully evocative. 56 (!) uses for the Scout neckerchief.

Does the name NYGARD (as in Henry) mean anything to you, perchance?

The retention of Scout camps always seem to gravitate around the "cost to keep it up". And the idea is that somehow the camp is limited to only Scout use. Well, promotion and use need to be considered. Is the Council even THINKING outside the Scout box? Rental to Outdoor Conservation schools. Selective logging. Most public school districts (and private school, too) have a nature curriculum. Rent to them, for their programs. Got a nice dining hall ? Church receptions, retreats, wedding receptions (for those desiring a more "natural, simple " affair). Even Philmont is developing a family camp option, with properties somewhat better than " roughing it". Our County Park system has several properties where , in season, for a price, one gets a tent site (level, pea gravel base), a picnic table, charcoal grill AND fire ring, lantern holder, a water tap nearby and a flush toilet/shower house down the road (room to park adjacent to the site). Secure gate locked at night, on site ranger . Camp store during the day. Night time programs for the kiddies. WHY not in a section of Scout Camp Whatchacallit?

Translation? As the fellow said, "follow the money". Not enough cookies......... Again, God ain't making any more ground. Once a camp is sold , it is never going to be a camp again. Pretty much. Do the GSUSA see any different outcomes than the BSA in this sort of thing?

Well, that's discouraging. But not unheard of or unexpected. I have personal stories in that vein too. I had to politely knock on (long distance telephone) doors, send letters (real paper !), and emails (A Scout is Courteous). I finally got a human being to talk to, and got some answers, which explained my personal situation (part of which was they hoped I would just go away if they ignored me. Really). So, if it is important to you (and it sounds like it is), document, save records, search out phone numbers (this was the surprise, both to me and to them. How did you get this number?) . and be politely persistent. Remind them, politely, of the Scout Promise and Law, the otherwise excellent record you have, and allow them to do "the right thing." It eventually worked for me, and future events turned out different and better.

"partially".

Interesting question. Safety is of primary importance. As a Cub Camp Archery Range Officer, I can tell you some stories, both good and not so. As a Quaker Scout Chaplain, I have had to explain our testimony about war, violence and weapons more than once. Our kids understand that. Older stepson (never a Scout) (greatly influenced by his father and Gfather) joined the army and came back the better for it. His philosophy was greatly formed both by his mom and my faith and his time in many places overseas. Younger son (Eagle Scout) did very well at Archery, served as a Scout Range assistant. He earned his Riflery and Shotgun Merit Badges, much to his mom's amazement, and learned how destructive such weapons can be. I feel the need to LEARN the need for safe use of firearms (there is no such thing as a totally safe firearm) is very important. I respect the family's desire to keep their child safe. The example is necessary. Sandy Hook, Columbine and the Pennsylvania Amish school examples need to be remembered. I could go on, but I have to leave for work now. Stay warm and dry , everyone.