SSScout

American Heritage Merit Badge, check that. I think your boy has a wonderful calling, and the doing of it will do him good. If you can, locate " Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform" by Edward F. Reimer E.P. Dutton & Co. 1929. Lots of color pictures and diagrams and quotes from folks, famous and not so. There was a Scout at the '05 Jamboree that was known for wearing vintage uniforms. Don't forget the campaign hat. And stave.

Oh, ze ideas, boiling in ze grey matter... Many good ones so far... Publicity. TV, print , web, all over the spectrum. Publish a souvenir program, with listings of past Cub masters, any "famous" ex Cubs. Ask the governor, Senator, State legislators to send congrat letters to include. Include old photos, as far back as you can research of the Pack. Sell page space (!fundraising!) to local businesses and folk. Make it a weekend thing, start friday with a Cub Pinewood Derby meeting, then Saturday a Cub Fair (invite the public), lots of fun games and stuff and food. Have your B&G in the evening, with the special cake, food and entertainment. Fireworks?? And invite me!

NWScouter, lots of good history. Thanks. I took all the badges off and made a 'shadow' box display which I show sometimes when I Commish a Cub Pack or Troop. Question: Like so much of the 'poor quality' stuff that BSA put out, have your old uniforms shrunk like mine did, hanging in the closet? (;>) ?

All very true, but I'm asking for >specific< things/activities/answers applied/skills learned/tricks tried that were obtained from these forums. What "AHA" moments have happened here? HOW have your Scout times been improved from these epages? No need to be personal, or embarrass anyone... Frinstance, early on, I learned that one can start a camp fire with a "plunger" and Hand Cleaner, that Webelos can join Boy Scouts even earlier than I originally thought, and that old canvas tents can be rejuvenated (which I have done).

I feel moved to play devil's advocate here. Of late I have seen/read alot (ALOT) of opinion, personal experience shared, policy and rules quoted, and suggestions made for solving problems and answering various conundrums. What I'd like to ask of our ecampfire attendees is: Can you vouch any personal experience whereby you have actually applied or used SOMETHING gleaned from these epages? I don't necessarily mean where you asked a specific question and obtained a specific answer, but just from someone else's query, you gained thereby. Ummmmm?

Umpteen and eleven years ago, because he knew I led trips for AYH, a friend gave me an item to "test". He was a dealer for them, it was a new thing, never saw it before. It was a portable strobe light, VERY bright, powered by two C cells, water proof, it would float upright, clip to your belt, very rugged ( I dropped it on purpose a couple of times). Flashed about once a second, VERY bright. Came with a request stuck on the case to call this number (pre online) if it EVER SAVED YOUR LIFE WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT!!. I used it alot as the tale end of many bike trips, night rides, etc. Never saw it in a store tho. Nice unit, I thought, but it eventually burned out. Can't say it saved my life, but it was bright. Anything to give another layer of safety, but leave the adventure in, yes? Woody Allen and "Sleeper", anyone?

Okay, let's see now... Pocket knives fold up and go in the pocket. Usually. Yeah, there are belt hung pockets one can use. Sheath knives are kept in a special sheath, ostensably hanging on one's belt. Could be a problem with backpack hip belts, or be nasty if one falls down. The sheaths can sometimes hold the sharpening stone. Depending on the size, hanging on a small Scout's belt, it might remind one of a machete or Roman soldier's gladius. When not in use, cooking knives are kept in the Patrol box or wrapped up in the cooking kit. The BIG knives are not carried around in your pocket or on one's belt, unless you cook for a Japanese Steak House. Their knife sheaths also hone the edge eachtime the knife is drawn out. Good Whittlin' Chip and Totin' Chip instructors talk about all of them. The choice often is... what is the boy going to do? Cut down trees? Field dress a deer? Make twizzle sticks to start a fire? Protect against grizzly bear attacks? Carve necker slides? Scare away pirates? Impress his friends? Again, the good instructor will mention all possibilities and get the Scout to realize the responsibilities and consequences of his actions. Does he really NEED an 8" chrome vanadium polished Bowie knife? At summer camp? Yes, only so much "official" guidelines and policy can be promulgated. The rest is up to us Scouters.

Scoutson did not mention this when he returned from P/M. Handsome patch. I would suggest two things. First, call and ask P/M. Second, I would treat it as a "tempo" patch, which means that it can be worn on the right uni pocket, OR on the back of the MB sash, OR (perhaps... depends on the proximity of the unipolitzie) on your red shirtjac. Mucho congrats. Dis the rest of your crew earn it also?

For the Scout: Hatchet by Paulson, yes. And... Diary of an Early American Boy by Eric Sloan. A reprint of a real Colonial era diary, illustrated and annotated by Sloan, who is a historian of old tools and skills and no mean artist. What I didn't learn about hand tools from MY father, I learned from Sloan's books. For the Scoutmaster. Baden=Powell's Aids to Scoutmastership. A real challenge to the modern Scoutmaster. Any adult? Any of Mr. Samuel Clemens work.

#522.It is a sad Reflection, that many Men hardly have any Religion at all; and most Men have none of their own: For that which is the Religion of their Education, and not of their Judgment, is the Religion of Another, and not Theirs. William Penn, "Some Fruits of Solitude"

Her's another: Troop organizes around putting on a play or variety show. Sell adds in the program (which also details the history of the Troop and it's activities!). Work on Drama MB, while you're at it. Publicity! Sell refreshments! Work with local theater group or theater!

Indeed, "what is the rush?" Waaaay back in paleolithic Scouting, (my son's term) when I was a Scout, I didn't know any better than what my Troop taught. We had "classes" during Troop meetings on the skills: Wigwag practice for Morse code, knot tying and lashing practice and speed games, compass and map reading (compass course around the church property), leafs and bark brought in for IDing. These were led/taught by older boys to us younger ones, OR by a dad who was especially knowledgeable. A volunteer fireman taught us first aid (could not earn MBs until FC!) as appropriate to the rank required. Neckerchiefs form bandages and slings. When we went hiking or camping, there would always be a morning or afternoon session to "test" our skills. One Patrol might hike ahead across the valley and then we would wigwag to each other about what to have for dinner or which trail to take to get to where they were. First aid "accidents" along the trail. Cast animal tracks to ID. Lashings to do to "save" a valuable artifact. The older Scouts set these "tests" up. Again, the "tests" were done on the outings and the teaching was done during the meetings. The testing AND the teaching were all fun. The challenge was the fun. Yes, every month we had at least one Troop activity (usually an overnight) and the Patrols were expected to have their own activity: a hike, visit to some special place, service project for the church CO, even a movie night. One of the inducements for the Patrols to get their own act together was a yearly contest: Each Patrol reported to the Troop what they had done the previous month, advancement was added up, uniform inspections were held, participation in Troop things was counted. Points were added up. Each year, the winning Patrol was given an all expense paid trip (camping trip, natch) to a special place, usually Assateague Island or Gathland State Park (the beach or the mountains?). The Troop dads put the trip together and did the cooking(!), the Scouts did the fun stuff. First Class seemed to just happen, it was not choreographed or scheduled . Well, maybe it was, but us Scouts didn't notice. I don't remember being told " here's where you must earn your cooking requirement!" It was not rushed. We were not pushed, it just sort of happened. I didn't make FC til after my second year. The activities and campouts were so often that there was always an opportunity to build the fire or cook a meal. Yes, we were often reminded of rank requirements when the SM or PL signed off on a requirement card, but it was up to us to ASK if someone would pass on our requirement. I remember a long rainy afternoon in the backyard of a friend, where Eagle and Beaver Patrols helped each other build fires. Finding dry tinder was a problem! One of our ASMs was the dad in charge. I seem to remember that us Scouts had gotten together to ask if we could come by his house to practice building fires, not expecting it to rain that Saturday. Cooperation (one Scout holds his poncho over the fire area while his buddy starts a fire), knowledge (dry wood can be found inside a log), skill(get it all set first, then light it), trust (I helped him, he'll help me), scheduling (okay, Mr. D? Great!), perserverence (almost took that time...), alot of things were learned and practiced that day. Make the opportunities, the ranks will take care of themselves.

Totin' Chip: From "Boy Scout Requirements" #33215A, pg.228: (below the first 6 "requirements", it sez): "The Scout's 'Totin' Rights' can be taken from him if he fails in his responsibility". What it DOESN'T say is how that failure is to be judged. The corner clipping is a "tradition" of some units I have seen/heard of. How egregious the failure that is observed (by a Scouter?) could lead to one to four corners at any single time. Or, one event could be enough for the SM (who is usually the In Loco Parentis that makes the judgement) to remove the privilege. Then the Scout must RE-EARN the privilege. This re-earning is implied, but nowhere mentioned in "official" form. Unit "tradition" again. As is the tradition of making a tentpeg to demonstrate one's skill and safe technique in using an axe/hatchet/pocket knife. I watched one Scout present his 2 foot long tent peg, be encouraged to make it better, and eventuallyend up with a very pretty 6inch tent peg. The same discussion can be made about "Whittlin' Chip" for Cub Scouts. But not today...

I'm sorry, my emoticons don't work and I was only following jerseyscout's lead. I do like "1776".

Come on, people, we're talking about "heritage" movies, not "good" movies, or only military history (both worthy listings otherwise). Kentucky Fried Movie Attack of the Killer Tomatoes "...and THIS, may God have mercy on us, is a CHERRY TOMATO !!!"

Here is what we give out at IOLS : Whitlin Chip Curriculum Suggestions for Scouts and Scouters instructing Cubs for Whitlin Chip. ** The watch words here are: **Ask, Require, Watch, Practice, Correct** ****NEVER let a Cub within your sight handle a sharp implement incorrectly or unsafely. Gently correct them and ALLOW them the pride of good tool useage.**** **Bear, Webelos Cub Scouts. (see Bear achievement #19) **Folding pocket knife use only. No sheath knives. No axe or hatchet. No saw. But their safe use can be mentioned. As a Boy Scout, Totin Chip badge will cover these other sharp implements. **Whitlin Chip and parent permission allows a Cub Scout to carry and use a folding pocket knife in a safe manner at Cub Scout events. If the Cub willfully fails to follow safe techniques, he may be asked to give up his Whitlin Chip rights, hand over his Whitlin Chip card and his pocket knife may be taken from him. The card and knife should be given to his parents and the situation explained. The Cub may later re-earn the Whitlin chip. Explain all this to the Cub. (serious business!) 1. Tool not a toy. Respect the tool. Do not use it for that which it was not intended. Respect the edge. Cut wood, rope, paper, not metal or wire. Do not dig in the dirt. Do not cut living wood (trees, shrubs, etc.) needlessly. Its a knife, not a screwdriver or can opener. Place knife down on safe surface, or fold up and place in pocket. Keep the knife clean, oiled, and sharp. A dull edge is more dangerous than a sharp one. 2. Parts of the Knife: Show and discuss the parts: the handle, blade, back of blade, edge, face of blade, point, case, hinge, spring, hanger. Talk about the different types of steel: stainless, high carbon, alloys; how some will rust easier than others, some will take and hold a sharp edge better than others, some are harder, some are softer, some more brittle. This knowledge comes with experience, the Cub needs to know safe handling and good care. 3. Handling: IT IS SHARP. IT CAN HURT YOU OR OTHERS. Demonstrate how to open and close the knife. Close with FLAT of hand, fingers away from the box opening. No fists. Note that some clasp knives have a lock (lock back), and show the lock catch. Close and open carefully. No one-handed leg closing! Or whip opening. These will hurt someone. Will it be you? Passing a knife: Close it, and pass it to the other person closed. When he has hold of the knife, he will say THANK YOU. This is not just polite, it means he has a safe hold of the tool and will not drop it. DO NOT LET GO UNTIL YOU HEAR Thank You. This is a good rule for any passing of any implement. Steel workers use it in foundries. Mechanics use it in garages. Practice this. Why is it important the other person not drop the knife? If it is an open or straight knife (like your moms kitchen knife), hold it in your hand by the blade, edge away from your palm, handle toward the recipient. He grasps the handle carefully, says thank you, and you let go. Why this method? Practice this. Place the knife down on a safe surface. Surface is flat, not slippery or wet, dont stab the knife into something to hold it. Fold it up when not in use. 4. Sharpening: Show different stones: Dry, Oil, Show hones, steel, ceramic, etc. Demonstrate holding edge to the light to see reflection of condition. Rotate edge to see reflection of edges, etc. Oil stone. Hold blade flat to stone, raise up about 7-8 degrees. Rub lightly in a circular motion, move blade up to do the curved area too. Do other side the same. Listen for the change in sound as the blade gets sharp, the whistle. Show honing to a razor edge on diamond hone and steel. Clean debris off blade. Feel with thumb sideways. 5. Using the knife: demonstrate and help the Cubs determine the blood circle (safe circle). Even at a table. Carve away from the body. Use thumb on BACK of blade to push. Use both hands. Make sure you have a safe area to carve. Beware the soft hinge that will bend if the blade gets stuck. Work carefully and slowly. Be patient. Give Cubs soap bars and let them make something. Go around. Help them. 5. When YOU are satisfied that the Cub has learned what you can teach them (ask, require, watch, practice, correct), fillout the W/C slip and hand it to the Cub. **Remind him: >>that he must arrange with his Scout Leader to demonstrate his new skill and they will sign the Whittlin Chip card and make the award; >>that this is a privilege he has earned, and if he is not true to this trust, the privilege can be removed; >>that it is only good for Cub Scout events and he should never take his knife to school or other places without his parents permission. Indeed, a knife in a students possession on school grounds is nowadays generally automatic grounds for suspension. Shake his hand and wish him well.

Efete nattering nabobs...

How far we have come... As noted in "Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform" by Edward F. Reimer, c.1929:: ""(from the label sewed into the uniform shirt, pant and short: "This garment is purchased with the understanding that it is for the use of (name) a duly enrolled member ( ..) patrol of Troop No. (...) of (...) of the Boy Scouts of America. Any other use of it will violate the rules of the Boy Scouts of America and the contract of the merchant under which it is possible to sell the garment at its present low price. No one who believes in fair play will attempt to violate this agreement. Any other boy than a Boy Scout who attempts to purchase or wear this uniform will be regarded by other boys and the officers of the Boy Scouts of America as an imposter. /s/ Boy Scouts of America, Two Park Ave. New York City /s/ Sigmund Eisner Co., Official National Outfitter, Red Bank, N.J." And...(pg.153) "No matter whether the boy is poor or well-to-do, he should earn his own uniform and equipment by doing work at a reasonable wage, and it should be impressed upon him that he must work fairly and honestly - that he should not do some very small thing and receive a high rate of pay from parent or guardian... if each boy pays for his uniform... the problem will be largely solved whether the boys are rich or poor." "We have noticed, too, that an earned uniform lasts better than more expensive clothes..." (pg.58) "So he reads about Scouting, he dreams about Scouting, and he waits for his birthday clock to strike twelve (Ed: TWELVE!!) for then he can at last put on the cherished khaki uniform (this in acordance with the unwavering rule that the boy must be twelve years old and be a registered Scout before he can secure and wear his Scout Uniform)." (pg.59) " Chief Scout Executive James E. West says " Remember the uniform you wear cries aloud 'I am a Scout'. As I have said so often, it is not necessary to wear the uniform to be a Scout. It is much more important that you live Scouting in your daily life... If you do get a uniform, see that it is correctly worn... for in the uniform, you stand for the Boy Scouts of America". Umm,mmm, MMM! 1929...

How far we have come... As noted in "Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform" by Edward F. Reimer, c.1929:: ""(from the label sewed into the uniform shirt, pant and short: "This garment is purchased with the understanding that it is for the use of (name) a duly enrolled member ( ..) patrol of Troop No. (...) of (...) of the Boy Scouts of America. Any other use of it will violate the rules of the Boy Scouts of America and the contract of the merchant under which it is possible to sell the garment at its present low price. No one who believes in fair play will attempt to violate this agreement. Any other boy than a Boy Scout who attempts to purchase or wear this uniform will be regarded by other boys and the officers of the Boy Scouts of America as an imposter. /s/ Boy Scouts of America, Two Park Ave. New York City /s/ Sigmund Eisner Co., Official National Outfitter, Red Bank, N.J." And...(pg.153) "No matter whether the boy is poor or well-to-do, he should earn his own uniform and equipment by doing work at a reasonable wage, and it should be impressed upon him that he must work fairly and honestly - that he should not do some very small thing and receive a high rate of pay from parent or guardian... if each boy pays for his uniform... the problem will be largely solved whether the boys are rich or poor." "We have noticed, too, that an earned uniform lasts better than more expensive clothes..." (pg.58) "So he reads about Scouting, he dreams about Scouting, and he waits for his birthday clock to strike twelve (Ed: TWELVE!!) for then he can at last put on the cherished khaki uniform (this in acordance with the unwavering rule that the boy must be twelve years old and be a registered Scout before he can secure and wear his Scout Uniform)." (pg.59) " Chief Scout Executive James E. West says " Remember the uniform you wear cries aloud 'I am a Scout'. As I have said so often, it is not necessary to wear the uniform to be a Scout. It is much more important that you live Scouting in your daily life... If you do get a uniform, see that it is correctly worn... for in the uniform, you stand for the Boy Scouts of America". Umm,mmm, MMM! 1929...

Thome gods are myths, thom are mythsterth. Thome are both.............

Lewis and Clark is (I think 5 episodes. Each can stand alone, but I don't remember the exact progress of each. Most anything by Burns is worthwhile, right? I especially liked the Statue of Liberty (singleton) . Check the PBS site and you will see which are single episodes and which are multi and how long. I dare say your library or video store would have some of them, and you can always check Netflix. Moviesunlimited.com can order almost anything ever recorded on celluloid (or nitrate) or mylar. YiS Oh yes, nothing like a movie night when the cabin walls start to close in in the dead of winter, when the wind hooowwwwls outside the frosted windows and the snow drifts up to blockade the door and the beans and ham is runnin' low....

Friendly Persuasion ::: Unfortunately, 2 hrs. ANY of Ken Burns documentaries. All are formatted for tv, so are one and two hour episodes. Jazz, baseball, Civil War, National Parks,you name it::: Brooklyn Bridge (1981) The Shakers: Hands to Work, Hearts to God (1984) The Statue of Liberty (1985) Huey Long (1985) The Congress (1988) Thomas Hart Benton (1988) The Civil War (1990) Empire of the Air: The Men Who Made Radio (1991) Baseball Innings 1-9 (1994), 10th Inning (2010) Thomas Jefferson (1997) Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997) Frank Lloyd Wright (1998) Not For Ourselves Alone: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony (1999) Jazz (2001) Mark Twain (2001) Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip (2003) Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2005) The War (2007) The National Parks (2009) All are available from www.shoppbs.org - Have fun. (This message has been edited by SSScout)

Yep. First and only event of it's kind in his life? Umpteen years ago?That's one thing. One of several? Something else. Sister in law needs help? OMH, "Member Closed Account", are you there? Anything else to say?

As you can see, there are many choices. Depends on how big the flag(s) is/are. Depends how rustic you want to be. New pole that screws together in the middle, makes a 8' pole into a 4' package. Lash some poles as tall as you like, brace and guy the pole with 3 or 4 guy ropes. But this is a Cub Pack, yes? How grand do you want your camp flag to be? How portable? We collected a 15' tall straight poplar pole (the young tree was in the wrong place) and use it every year for the Cub Scout Day Camp and other events. It has a pulley and halyard lashed to the top. The pole has been lashed to the side of a picnic shelter, lashed to another pole to make a 25 foot tall flag pole, been braced with three ropes (which one Den Leader marveled at, spent a long time studying the arrangement, for some reason couldn't fathom how the pole stood so straight and stable). When not in use, it lays on our fence top rack, next to our canoe. The halyard is color coded, blue end (a small blue carabiner) is the UP end (think Blue Union), the DOWN end is a red carabiner (Red stripes) to help Cubs in their flag ceremonies. Do you only need ONE pole? US flag? Pack flag? State flag? How fancy a camp will this be? Maybe only a rope thrown over a tree limb would do, if in the right place. KiSMiF, after all.

Ditto the previous... So many worms, so few cans... I would note that it is also not so much what has been done, but what have you done lately? We would hope your present reputation is worthy of your desire to do good. Go for it.