SSScout

I like J-K/C's suggestions. I'd like to mention another take on this. Buffaloe, Racism is an extreme example of bullying, putting someone "in their place". What you may have is a couple of Scouts who are jealous of another boy's success and are "putting him in his place" with the most obvious technique available. Call him a name (snicker snicker), watch him squirm, maybe get a rise out of him that they can further expoit. And what's your take on the SPL's parents? Very often the boy only reflects the family values, regardless of the Scout values you, as SM, have been teaching. Like J-K/C says, ""First and foremost, all your actions in the coming days have to have a single clear message: Racial insults are simply not acceptable, they will not be tolerated, and the consequences increase with each incident."" And support Joseph in his desire to not return like for like. You obviously have his mothers respect. I think it was Gandhi who observed that an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth soon leads to a blind and toothless world. You, and others in the Troop (you do have "backup", yes?), must be firm in your stand. Doing what is right is right. Golden Rule. Duty to God. Loyal. Friendly. Kind. Brave. You know the rest. Thank you for your example. YiS

Just watched a show about Irving Berlin. Talented man. Loved kids. Created a legacy that continues to give. Royalties from "God Bless America" go to support Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, even today... NYTimes, William Glaberson, 14 October 2001... http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9405E3D9103FF937A25753C1A9679C8B63 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Bless_America "so you want to be a rock and roll star, well listen now to what I say..."(This message has been edited by SSScout)

OOOOO, I want to be in DeanRX Pack. Full disclosure and full supervision, both important. If the parents are informed about the NEED for them to COOPERATE in sibling care, and the need to not have the future Cubs and Brownies wander the halls, then all will be eventually well. BW is correct, but limited so. The desire to limit litigation by severely defining responsibilty makes sense if one never desires to encourage cooperation and communication. Parents require proper behavior from their children, and help each other to do it. Some guidelines and training for the "sitters" will help instill confidence from both the parents and the "sittees". And it matters not if a Den meets in the DLs basement or if all the Dens meet the same day in different rooms of the CO, the responsibility for the young sibs lies with the parents, not the Pack. Make sure all understand that and your desire to help the parents organize supervision of their progeny.

What Eamon said, and one more word... Souvenirs. Jambo stuff will be offered before the event and during and after. Everthing from Jambo Tshirts and socks to Footlockers and toothbrushes and stationary sets. Virtually anything a civilized human may need will be immortalized with a Jambo insignia and offered for sale for double it's normal price. Even the meal tickets are considered collectable. I leave it to you to figure out how to surrender your meal ticket to eat and also keep it. "Choose wisely"

"Retests"????????

Well, there you go, then. Make application with the Fund Raising Form. Your Troop Fund Raiser is.. (drum roll)... selling trailers! Sell it a piece at a time. Supporters can buy a tire, a wheel, a rear door, a roof rafter, a tow hitch pin, electrical hook up, left brake light, top right clearance light, etc. Then, the ownership "bill of sale" will then be DONATED to the CO. Presto! A trailer! ""Troop zyx thanks all the good folks that bought this trailer:"" and list them all in sufficiently small type on the side of the trailer. Much better than popcorn. Longer lasting. Little or no storage problem. Doesn't spoil. Transport is easy, (need a 2" ball). Eh? Waddya think??

I just thought this belonged in the SM Minute section, moreso than any other. The bloodiest single day in the Civil war, if not the entirety of US warfare. Although the battle actually happened in September, every year, hundreds of folks, many Scouts, place luminaries on the battlefield in the December season; one for each death or casualty. 23,000 candles. 23,000. The drive thru is about five miles long. Leaves one thinking... Saturday, 6 December. If you're in the area, come on by. http://www.nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/luminary.htm

Along that vein, here's a game I've seen used to good effect: Prepare a sries of 3x5 cards, one word to a card, listing the "Cub Scout Promise" and "The Law of the Pack". Fold'em each in half, and put them in a big paper bag. At the start of a meeting, where a Cub usually leads the Pack in the CSP and LotP, CM interupts : "wait a minute,Horatio, I know YOU know the CSP, but I wonder if the parents have been paying attention." Here he brings out the paper sack and walks back to the parents. "I'd like to give the adults a chance. Here, pick a word out of the bag. Good, now arrange yourselves in the proper order for the CSP and the LotP." Keep on encouraging, the boys will lap it up. When the adults are in order, have each of them say their word. Don't foret to give'm a cheer! If the number of adults is too few, just pick out more than one card a piece. More fun! MiF KiS YiS

Oh what a lead in... Uniforms too expensive? Remember that bare space on the back of the uni shirt? "Don's Pizza supports TroopXYZ" Back of the Merit Badge Sash? "Acme Plumbing Merits your Business" I know our Council already names campsites after corporate sponsors... "Camp BigHotel" and "Camp ParkingLotMogul" Now, I would NEVER suggest selling advertising on the side of a Scout Troop Trailer. But then... But at the 08jambo, many the area gateway mentioned sponsors, I remember a detroit pizza restaurant especially. A certain green tractor company comes to mind. Is this "selling" or "acknowledgment"? Perhaps a nicely painted "Jerome's Jumping Beans (for delivery call 777-555-1234) Salutes Boy Scout Troop zxy" on a newly purchased and titled to the CO trailer would be more than appropriate. Or perhaps "Troop Zyx suggests you patronize the following Scout friendly businesses: (insert Scout friendly businesses here)". If the paint is reflective, that would add to the safety of the trailer, wouldn't it? Does G2SS mention trailer safety? Certainly, I would NEVER suggest bypassing the Scout Fund Raising Permission Permit Form. But then, if someone, totally unsolicited (totally) wants to GIVE a trailer to the Troop, well, you can show your gratitude with only so many Dutch Oven Brownies. Seriously, the divide would seem to be either actively SELLING advertising or simply acknowledging gratitude. I would avoid the former and tastefully pursue the latter.

Dang. Well. I only deleted the two multiples, and the boxes were still there with "sorry" noted therein. What happened to the boxes AND the original? Well. I tried to define the need to be proactive and therefore remind our Scouts early in their career about the promise we ask them to make. It is not sufficient to wait until the week before the EBoR to think about the Scout's 'activity'. "Tap three times on the submit if you love Scouts (tap,tap,tap) twice on delete (tap,tap) if the answer is noooo..."

OK... So now even the boxes are gone. It was there, before I sought to eliminate the mutiple entries. MODERATORS: What'd I do wrong? John-in-KC saw it, right John?

Now, there was a style of tent , like the Baker, open at the front, but sides that slanted in to two poles that were beside the front "door", which could be tied out like a porch roof. I think it was called "Camper"?

MODERATORS: Wierd.... I wrote an answer here timed 11:31:42am, and came back to see it repeated TWO more times (makes three). So I edited, erased the last two, but came back to see the FIRST one also totally gone, so that my Pulitzer winner was no where to be seen. Any chance of retrieving it? J/KC read it before the erasure, thank you for seeing what I meant. Y still iS

Every so often Scouts are mentioned indirectly on TV. Ran across a Hank Hill episode and ran it down on the internet. Seems Arlen Texas has a boys group named the Order of the Straight Arrow, wear blue unis and do boy syuff as defined by their adult leaders. In the episode I watched last night, "Straight as an Arrow", Hank wants his son to have the same adventures he had when he was an OotSA. But his leader partner has other ideas, gotta stay safe. Indoor camping, electric fires, clean shoes, don't climb trees,etc. The show satirices Scouting, but really talks about the middle ground. Hank shows the boys the skills side and then learns that the other man has his heart in the right place, different reasons. HANK: We of the Order of the Straight Arrow call upon the spirit Wematanye, protector of the sacred ground that brings us cool water to drink and energy-efficient clean-burning propane gas for all our sacred heating and cooking needs. Wematanye says, respect the earth! She's ours, by God, our taxes pay for Her. Also, it says here you gotta love all Her creatures. Let's see...oh, here we go: Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you're gonna recommend us to the spirit in the sky, with liberty and justice for all. Wematanye is with you, and with Texas. Amen HANK: Remember, the snipe call is this: "Woo loo loo, woo loo loo." Hank Hill: Order of the Straight Arrow. first aired 2 Feb 1997 Hank Hill: Straight as an Arrow. first aired 30 Nov 2008

Flashlight tag is harder to play than it sounds. Not because of the idea (tag, but you tag with a light beam, not hand), but because it degenerates into merely running around, waving lights. This might not be bad for the CSs (wear'em out before bed?) but it's hard to have an actual game, I think. Depending on numbers and room, (indoors? outdoors? in dark?)Cubs love 'steal the bacon': Do Not do this on asphalt. Dirt, grass, hard smooth floors okay...Traditional way: count off by twos, form two lines about ten yards or feet (depending) apart. Count off each line in order (1,2,3,4...) from opposite ends. Define the lines so the boys will get back to them (the lines will tend to creep forward toward each other). Leader throws the 'bacon' (hat, towel, old shirt) in the middle , then calls out a number. Those two boys dash out and attempt to 'steal' the 'bacon' and get it back to their line. Point for them. Throw the 'bacon' back in the middle and repeat with a different number. Vary the system by calling more than one number, or "even" or "odd". **Variance::: "Lo-Fat Steal the Bacon" ::: Set things up as above, but don't count off the lines. Leader then calls out stuff to ID the Scouts. Scouts are "On their Honor" to respond honestly! "Anyone born in January". "Anyone wearing black shoes". "If you have a dad who wears glasses". "If your mom was a Girl Scout". "Anyone born in Virginia". "If you had oatmeal for breakfast". See what happens when you ask "anyone who likes raw oysters"!! Stretch things, but remember these are Cub Scouts! Sitting 'round the campfire (indoor campfire? be clever..), sing songs, tell ghost stories, make skits. Divide the group into three parts (everyone makes chopping noises:: SSCHHRROP!!! as you divide). Lead this cheer: on your command, in turn, First group yells "DO", Second group yells "YOUR", Third group yells "BEST". Repeat, faster, faster. Then stop and 'wait for it' . Conduct the groups in YOUR order:: your, best, do,do,do, your, best, your, best doooooooo..... Have fun...(This message has been edited by SSScout)

J/KC: Never said the SM could give the ESC a P/F. This SM conference should occur about when the Scout is a new Star or Life. As I suggested, the idea is to REMIND the Scout of his promise to be Loyal, Trustworthy, etc. and set the internal gears turning. Again, let the Scout define how he has been Trustworthy and Loyal. I admit, the 'oficial' requirement is to have a SM con, but there is no paper directive that says there be only one or when, or how formal. The hallway encounter might be enough. If the Scout's Scout Spirit is evident in his non-Scout life, so much the better I say. The Eagle Rank award should be not only an indication of the Scout's worth in Scouting, but elsewhere as well. If he is "active" in Scouting, (paid the dues) well and good. But the Scout leaders in his life need to ask him (and listen to his answer), what that promise he made (OMHIWDMBTDMDTGAMC...) has meant to him. And his answer will be not just in word but in his actions. "Let your lives speak" we say. Does he see the Spromise as important still, if he ever did? This reminder needs to be done not just once, a week before his EBoR, but often, and early on in his Scout career. It can't just be mouthing the SPromise and Law at every Tmeeting. The goal of Scouting, in so many words, is to see the worth of those words and and to gain the skills and confidence to live the meaning of those words regardless of the reaction of the rest of the world. Not rarely, because of action or reaction in my job, I've been asked, "were you ever a Scout?" and when I answer yes, they say something like, "yeah, I thought so." I take that as a compliment, not only to me, but to my parents, and my Scout leaders so long ago, who often reminded me of the importance of that promise I made. First because I was asked to, later because I wanted to. Perhaps that is the idea. We want the boy to WANT to make that promise. Yeah, we want the boy to WANT to make that promise.

Scotteng has the right start. But I would suggest two more things. The Pioneering Merit Badge book and some 1/4 inch braided cord, usta be called 'Venetion Blind cord'. Encourage neatness in the splices, as it adds to the strength. YiS

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...