SSScout

Any teacher (of any subject) has as a goal the imparting of that skill or knowledge that is their specialty. The teacher has to ask : is their success (or failure) a function of their teaching ability and effort or of the student's innate talent (or lack) for the subject. Then too, if the teacher passes the student without the 'officially' defined testing of the knowledge or skill, then who has failed? The student or the teacher? I say that often our regrets at being forced by regs to "pass" the ESC comes from not being sufficiently proactive in the years before. Dropping from the roles inactive 'active' Scouts, calling Scouts we haven't seen for awhile to inquire after their desires, SM minutes about activity and loyalty and such, SM conferences (or even hallway encounters) that are more than sign-offs. All ,and more, are necessary for any Scoutleader to feel easy in this requirement.

Yep, "active" is 'officially' defined and 'personally' defined. But Eagle candidates need to be reminded that {first) they've been promising to be 'trustworthy' and 'loyal' for some time. One thing to try is the SM conference and ask how the ESC has been 'loyal' to the Troop, and how has he been 'active'. Let him define it. (second), the ESC should be reminded that if and when they meet all the OTHER requirements of the Eagle award, they will never stop being an Eagle. It ain't temporary like Tenderfoot. Encouragement and expectation.

The teaching of ideals is never the same as the succeeding in meeting them. We can teach and encourage. We can reward and punish (directly or subtly) as the ideal is approached or forgotten. We can "example" or we can say "that's good enough". I would hope that we can agree that the ideal is a fully, properly uniformed Scout, proud of his appearance and his Scout heritage. And I would hope we can agree that the forgiveness of some problems is appropriate. I have a Scout in our Troop who has parents that are intent on letting him make his own way as much as possible. He has ADDH issues. He can sew, (wish I could say the same about Scout son) but where the patches end up are often a little off course. Blue jeans often appear in the CoH, and neckers get misplaced. But the Troop camps, hikes and goes to a climbing wall center. The ideal is there. The boys and parents know it. The misaligned patches get corrected (off to the side, privately), new neckers are procured. Clean jeans are better than some other trousers.

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you give his wife a free weekend." Seriously, the biggest problem I've seen is the Scout designing a project that involves others. Not a few I've heard suggested are basically one boy affairs. It has to be pointed out that the project's purpose is not only doing the good turn but demonstrating leadership in it's planning and completion. Hence the need to include "help" in plan.

So his purpose was served. Ho hum. Oh, bytheway, that's "cue" as in a prompt to act or a reminder, not "queue" as in a waiting line. A querulous poster but strangely inappropriately verbose. Almost like his/her typos were purposeful. Oh well, fun while it lasted.

Magnetic North has changed (declination) almost 5 degrees in my area since 1965, from 7deg to almost 12deg east.

It truly is amazing what one can accomplish by internet without ever leaving home or waiting for return mail. Some notes on trips like this: 1)Buddy system. Each Scout walks with a buddy, doesn't have to be the same each day. Each Scout carries ID, a map of the area , cell phone numbers 2) morning meeting to make sure EVERYONE knows where we are going and how 3) check in times and places. 4) wear the uni. Wear Scout Hats! One can see a Scout hat a long way off, but a boy's head is a boy's head. And be appreciative of the waves and smiles you'll elicit, and the 'favors' you'll be offered. 5) ***Pocket knives should be left behind when you will be visiting museums and the Capitol, etc. The security folks can be very strict about this, Scouts not withstanding. No such restriction on the Metro, but I've had occasion to be the dad who stays outside the site with 15 pocket knives while everyone else goes inside. 6) Save money, pack a lunch and nibble on the mall or outside Udvar-Hazy, etc. Try the Astronaut ice cream (freeze dried!)7) Dress for the weather. Our motto down here is "if you don't like the weather today, just wait". 8) money for souvenirs. All over the place, everywhere you go, street vendors, museum shops, be careful with your cash, it is the Big City... Y'all come and have fun... Check out the National Building Museum,(they have Scout programs weekends in the summer) Gallery Place Metro. College Park Aviation Museum, close to Greenbelt park.

Dunno. I wasn't at that one. But when I was in the P/U AAMB, it was an aerobic experience. Stands full of people or rain, we RAN on, fershur. I think some of that video is "pixilated," the stands are not all that visible in my viewing of it. Trouble is, I have no access for you to the films of my run ons. can't point and say "see? there I am." Memories...

Welcome (in advance) to Maryland and DC. Lots of stuff to do. Free museums, the zoo, free concerts, monuments, etc. Contact your Senator or Representative, their office can arrange alot of visits and stuff. Look into visiting the Baltimore Inner Harbor and seeing Fort McHenry and the USS Constellation on your way. Drive to see the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum out in Virginia (seperate from the A&S in downtown DC). Places to stay... Camping: about 30 miles NW of DC is Little Bennett Park. Very nice campground, Scout friendly. See:: http://mcparkandplanning.org/Parks/enterprise/park_facilities/little_bennett/little_bennet_campground.shtm From here, you drive about 10 miles to Shady Grove Metro Station and ride the Metro rail down town. Do not drive into DC if you can avoid it. Parking is hard to find and expensive. Buy Metro tickets in advance. All Day Pass (one per each) is the bargain, effective 9:30a to end of day. Now, parking at SGMetro is also at a premium (read thru the parking rules and opportunities on the Metro site), so it is a tradeoff. The rail fare is determined by the time of day, so some visitors do this: Buy all day pass, so you can get on&off as much as you want, but come to the SGMetro early (7 or 8am), buy a one way ticket to get downtown, use the all day pass. Also, don't forget to buy at least ONE "Smart Card" per car to pay for your Metro Garage. ((it's not really as complcated as it sounds))."Smart Card" can be used to pay Rail Fare, Bus Fare and Garage Fee. If SGMetro garage is full, note on Metro map next few stations (White Flint always has room). Next choice, Greenbelt Park, on the east side of DC. http://www.nps.gov/gree/ Small and always crowded. Drive/hike about 3 miles to the nearest Metro station. Metro maps and tickets: http://www.wmata.com/ Downtown: Join the Hosteling International, and stay at the Hostel in DC. Cheap (relatively), simple accomodations. Walk to almost everything. http://www.hiwashingtondc.org/ Check with them about parking. Use the unit membership to utilize hostels all around the country and world. Contact the National Capital Area Council 301.530.9360 (Bethesda MD, Wisconsin Ave. at Cedar La.) and inquire about camping on Camp W.B. Snyder. This is in Virginia, near Haymarket. Drive about 15 miles to Metro. Nice camp, swimming pool, Scout activities. Whoa,,,I guess that gives you something to chew on. Good Luck!

SctDad: Thank you for your service to our boys. Sometimes seems there ain't many of us left. But the issue isn't about what the Army/navy/CG/Girenes might allow, but what is considered appropriate by the BSA? If a DE is willing to "stand in the gate", well and good.Perhaps in that case there were other problems afoot. But BSA leaders still need to set the example. I am sorry no one could come up to you and respectfully engage you in conversation about what is appropriate as uniform. Ahead of time, at our CSDC, we announced (via "guidelines" and emails, etc.) What we considered "appropriate" attire both for Staff and Pack Denwalkers. We had previous years where we had to take Scouts (M & F) and adults aside and encourage them to not wear sexy, short shorts, plunging necklines, camo stuff, atheletic type shorts. Don't want the Archery Range Officer distracted from his duties (oops, grey area...). But seriously, the Scout uni was desired, even in it's CSDC variant. Staff should look like Staff not resort visitors. When a Scout Staffer ripped off his Staff Tshirt sleeves (muscle shirt look), we gave him a new one and POINTEDLY said that was NOT his Staff uniform. He agreed, became a model Staffer then on. YiS

Amethyst: Welcome to the electronic crackerbarrel. Thank you for your service to our boys... IMHO, your question answers itself. One cannot wear "camo pants with the uniform" because they are not defined as part of the uni. See: http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/uniform/parents.aspx You will often find BSs and CSs units that for $$ reason choose not to wear uni trousers but choose to allow BSs and CSs to wear (uniformly thruout the unit) 'clean jeans' or some other choice with the uni shirt. They thus refer to the shirt alone as 'THE' uniform. But strictly, it is not. The shirt is only part of the uni. Camo pants or shorts are often seen as 'military' gear and as such should be avoided. Camo is intended to make the wearer harder to see in certain situations. The uni is intended to help define the Scout. Is it cool to play soldier? undoubtably, but your boys should be playing Scout, wouldn't you agree? See also http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/camo.htm for a lengthy discussion and references. Beautiful purple crystal, amethyst. A favorite in my fathers mineral collection.

Please, tell me you wear the uni because you are proud to be a Scout and not because you're afraid of being sued. The uni should be worn to identify one as a Scout. Traveling, doing service, acting in a Scout activity. We encourage our Scouts to wear the full uni (full monty? Nah...) at appropriate times, and the Troop Tshirt or Sweat shirt for work projects and camping. Flag ceremony at Camporee, display time, parade, traveling to Jambo, etc. full uni. Digging trail drainage ditch, hiking on the AT, capture the flag, Troop Tshirt. Yes, we get favors (ice cream!), good comments from adults and some sniggers from other kids. I remind the Scouts that often that snigger belies a jealousy. But often they realize the recognition is a good thing. It is, a good thing, isn't it?

Kraut 60: Not to worry. It matters not who Lem is or where he metaphorically comes from. It just helps keep us focused. Being asked to defend or explain one's faith does not detract from it, it can only make that faith stronger, else one doesn't really have that faith. I find great agrement with Lisabob and others here. I have observed that many wish "THEY would do something about it."...Pick an 'it'. Trouble is, WE are THEY. Even as the man said, "all politics are local", so too "all Scouting is (are?) local". Apply ye the ""Program"" the best way thou canst...

Leave time for and encourage personal sharing of situations. Don't just TELL, but SHARE from your own experience. Allow the Patrol to add to the training of their own experience.

I see much truth in the above posts, but remember this: A DC is not an "assignment". The SM cannot "assign" a DC to a Cub Den except that a BScout WANTS to be a DC. What the DL wants is a DC that #1 wants to be a DC, #2 has the proper spirit to be an example and leader to the Cubs and #3 is willing to BE THERE. If the affiliated Troop has no one of those qualities, then by all means seek elsewhere. If the BSs of Troop #1 are not enthusiastic about that Troops program, your Cubs won't be either. Go to Troop #2, where the BSs are happy and of the proselytizing mien. Oh yes, make sure they take the "On Line" training at www.olc.scouts.org and /or the "live" training when offered by your District/Council.

I just read an article where it was called a "lemon squeezer", owing to it's dimpled, pointed crown.

I suppose it would depend on the context. Comic recitations, sure. Patriotic inspiration, mmmmm probably not. Little Willy in a fit of gore, Nailed his sister to the door. Said his mother, feeling faint: "Willy, please don't spoil the paint." Willy saw some dynamite, Didn't understand it quite. Curiosity seldom pays, It rained Willy for three days. Yesterday upon the stair, I saw a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today! Gee, I wish he'd go away. ob cit "Goedel, Escher, Bach" by Douglas Hofstadter

I know why I wear all those patches... extra insulation. That polyesther is too cool in the winter. The plastic backed patches really block the wind! I wish I could wear more. I say MORE patches, MORE knots, MORE "Quality Unit" strips. Do you remember the BIG Jambo Troop shoulder patches? Block that wind, man. Keep your right shoulder warm, yep. Whatever happened to the rumor of button hole holders? Close up the closing gap, I say. Den Chief cords are too thin, make'm hawsers.Carry something worth seeing. The last IOLS I helped with, the Fearless Leader made the students cut a BRIGHT red and black rope for practice, made it a "hank" for your belt. It was THICK, like about 2" diameter. GIVE US PATCHES!!! More, I say, More. We need permission to wear old Jambo patches on the BACK of our shirt. All that blank fabric. Unused opportunity....Makes a Scout yearn for them good old days when folks didn't care what you wore where..... Wait... Pants. PANTS!!! They DID sell Jambo SHORTS, you know, patch on the left leg, but TOO SMALL...Think of the way the souvenir HATS were styled with that swirl of color on the brim... DO THE SAME DOWN THE PANT LEG!!! OOOOH the missed opportunities.... "Patches I`m depending on you, son To pull the family through My son, it`s all left up to you"

When you take the specific certifying course (archery or BB or slingshot) for Range Officer, you should be given a copy of the book. Not necessarily at National Camp School! However, the Cub Scout Day Camp Director book (4" thick) my wife brought home, included the CSSS book. The certifying class I took for archery was given by a man who gave us (literally) photo-copies of two books, saying the one, Cub Scout Shooting Sports was out of print at the time, and the second, from a national archery club training was not Scout approved but really good reference. Be strict, be fair and be fun. And be safe. Did I say be strict? Yeah, I did.

Oh, yeah. BM. Use the "search forums" function above, ask for a year back. BM has it's uses, and it's detractions. Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer cherce. Good luck.

The woman had been told by her doctor to put her affairs in order. She knew that, as with all people, her time approached. She called her pastor and asked him to come visit. She had some important things to discuss with him. When he arrived, she made some tea and they sat down together. She told him of her conversation with her doctor, that she wished to discuss her final arrangements, her funeral. She had no near family and so, to her,the church was her family. He listened attentively, "of course", he said, "what can we do for you". She told him of her favorite hymns, scriptures to be read, how she wished to be dressed, that she wished to be buried with her Bible.He made note of everything. "Oh yes", she said, "one more thing. Would you please make sure that I have a fork in my hand." "A fork?" The pastor had heard some different requests in his day, but this caught him by surprise. He smiled. "Why a fork?" The woman explained: "In my years of attending church socials and dinners, where food is involved,-- and pastor, you must admit food is a big part of our get togethers!-- my favorite part is when whomever was clearing away the dishes of the main course would lean over and say 'you can keep your fork'. It was my favorite part because I knew that something good was coming. Somethng better. When they said to keep my fork, it meant that something worth waiting for was coming. Something of substance, not jello or pudding, but cake or pie. So I want the folks that come to see me in my casket to see that fork and then ask YOU about it and you can tell them , it's because I know something good ,something better is coming, so keep your fork, too." Days later, the pastor and the other church people helped lay the woman to rest. She was indeed surrounded by the people that loved and would miss her. And they did ask about the fork. The pastor told them about the woman's last request and how he was pleased to help her with it. He told them that when they reach for that fork at dinner time to remember to "keep" it, to let it remind you - oh so gently - that there is something better coming. :: found in some old papers of a friend::

Scouting for Food... Why we do it... http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=82748

Last time the "you can't make me , you're not my dad/mom/teacher" speech was addressed to me, I leaned down to the speaker's face and said slowly and directly to him, in the presence of the whole Den/Patrol/class, "Yes, you, do, be, cause, your, dad/mom/teacher, will, know, when, you, don't." And then I ask if they would like to call my bluff. Sometimes, one of the boys will honestly ask, "what does 'bluff' mean?" and we can discuss poker and the boys get a kick out of that. Rarely any more trouble of THAT sort.

"Aww, John-in-KC, mate, yew caul thet a run on? Now THET'S a RUN ON!" ;-)

Steven Spielberg has nothing to fear.