SSScout

If he's an outgoing CC, byallmeans, he needs some small remembrance. Maybe a can of "Goldbond" ,autographed by his committee. Go to the Scout store and brouse. Something will occur to you.

Three ideas ( based on experience!): 1) As CM, first of the year, I would INSTRUCT. "Okay Scouts, what should I do if I have something to say that EVVEERRRYBOODDY needs to hear?" One of the older boys will mention holding up the Scout Sign, and we talk about each Cub holding up their SSign and then everybody has their SSign up and it's quiet. So we'd test it, as has been mentioned. MAKE NOISE..... Sign up.... look at watch... "25 seconds. Okay not bad. MAKE NOISE!!"... SSign up... " awright!!! 15 seconds!! getting better! Okay, we'll remember it now, won't we boys?" And on with the meeting. Each time the sign goes up, LOOK AT YOUR WATCH, and watch the reaction! 2) As a ASM, same concern. But this time, no instruction, I just hold it up and look at my watch and mention, "32 seconds" and go on with business. The boys all know what's up with the sign, and if things are not the best at the start of the meeting, they do get better thru the evening. The SM might bring it up in the PLC, but he and I both just look at our watches. 3) At our Camporeee, at Webelos Weekend, at the CS Daycamp, if I have a leadership role and as opportunity presented itself, I have mentioned my experience at the Nat Jambo with good result. The big gatherings in the open air arena, with 30,000 plus in attendance: Chief Scout on the stage holds up his sign, silent attention within 20 seconds. Wow... YiS

Lisabob: Strongly recommend a side trip to see the Hatterras Light house. Tallest lighthouse in America, and it was MOVED almost a mile back from the ocean, which coastline had moved over the years and the LH was threatened with destruction from the surf. Definitely take the ferry down the Outer Banks, Ocracoke is a nice little touristy town, too, as has been mentioned. And look up the Double L Bird Ranch, really neat place, in Buxton. God Speed! YiS

Wow, wish I could get my Troop to consider such an expedition. Some considerable considerations to consider: * Bus charter is a good idea, but don't forget the driver will need accomodations, too. He/she might not want to camp! Rental vans are another possibility. Check out the family vans insurance and coverage, just to be sure. *Cell phone number exchange and /or walky talky use is a good thing. *Remember, DON'T CONVOY. Arrange for periodic meeting places each day. * I am constantly amazed at the lack of knowledge among Scouts of the Hosteling movement. Used to be called Youth Hostels, now just Hostels. Good, cheap, simple accomodations , very often near your destination. Try www.hiusa.org . You need to be a "member" or have an "organization membership", but it is well worth it, believe me. *There's a very nice recently renovated Hostel in Baltimore. The Inner Harbor is a great place to tour, the USS Constellation ( 2nd oldest US warship afloat) gives Scout tours and overnight accomodations (!) with sufficient lead time. Baltimore Aquarium. Maryland Science Center. USS Taney, WWll Coast Guard Cutter. USS Torsk, last WWll submarine. Fort McHenry will surprise your Scouts about the "Star Spangled Banner" and its history. Google them. *On your way south, the new BSA Camp William B. Snyder might be a consideration, about 20 miles west of Washington DC on I66 near Haymarket VA. Again, with sufficient lead time, depending on the season, they can provide bare ground camp space or a ready camp site, tent platforms and fire ring or even dining hall access. try www.boyscouts-ncac.org/pager/18_camp_william_b_snyder.cfm * I have known Troops to camp at Little Bennett State Park, north of Gaithersburg (off I270) MD and then motor on in to Washington DC for the Day, or use the Metro Station at Shady Grove (end of the line), and then TRAIN in to DC. Google that. Wow, what an exciting trip. Is Hatteras included in your NC destination? I'll tell my Father in law to expect you... when? I just KNOW he'd LOVE to have 40 Scouts camp in his back yard! (maybe) YiS(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Whoa!! Came back to check on the course of this thread and shazam!! at the head of the page is a click box for AIRSPLAT.COM with a silhouette of a M16 semi. WHY IS THIS ON THE FORUM???? MODERATORS????(This message has been edited by SSScout)

When I became CM, I went to R/T. Boy it was fun! The fellow (I'll call him J) ran it like a CubScout Pack meeting! And we had refreshments and beads and you made a Totem if you were new to the R/T. The BS R/T was equally active. Cheers, program (astonomy one night, animal tracking, camp cooking, why THIS is poison Ivy and THESE three leaves aren't, etc)done by expert trainers,, Scout business too. J made it fun. And then J moved away for his work. Some other District got him. The next fellow (call him K) who took on R/T Commish didn't quite have the idea. No more donuts. What are beads? That's a Totem? never heard of that, humm, let's get down to business now here are the announcements... Attendance dropped. And the poor man just couldn't make it work. Unfortunately, no one else could recreate the R/T that J had, but we all knew(those of us that kept coming) that that was what was missing. We are still working on it... When my boy moved on to BSA, I became ASM. And lo, no one from the Troop went to R/T. It was like they never heard of it. So I kept going, and brought stuff back for the Troop Com to hear and for the PLC to hear, and for the SM to digest.Does anyone else WANT to go? Nope. Still as the reputation and "hey, I can get all this stuff off the website, right?" I have a hard time convincing them that it is a GOOD idea. It is still a good Scout mixer, just don't have all the ingredients. YiS(This message has been edited by SSScout)

A CO (Conscientious Objector) met a friend who was anything but. Their discussion, as it often did, wove round to war and peace and the likely hood of either. The non-CO said "Well, what would you do if war broke out? Would you want to be thought the last to protect your country?" The CO replied, " well, if PEACE were to suddenly be declared, would YOU want to be among the first or last to welcome it?" YiS

Let's face it REAL MAIL is kinda rare now. Bills, Gimmes, votefors, buythese......, What DO you get in the MAILBOX nowadays? And what do your boys really know about letters? "Ms Wachovsky, what's this little sticky thing again? a...stamp?" We teach them things they don't learn in school, right? Why not a Letter Writin' Chip? Forget the President (yeah just try!) for a while... Now who do you think your boys would REALLY like to get a letter from? Grand mom? Their favorite uncle? Try teaching them to write to THEIR favorite person, and elicit a letter back!! Perhaps a local TV personality they all watch? A favorite teacher they all know? Oh, sure the PARENTS might like to get a letter from the Prez. Looks good in the frame...(I've got my Eagle letter here somewhere...) But the letters I treasure are the ones I received from mom and dad when I was at camp, from my Gmom in Massachusetts, whom I only saw rarely, from my friend Sky when we got BACK from camp... (wow, he really wrote back...) Don't look for letters from unimportant people like the President (in THEIR lives). "Dear Gram, guess what! I just earned my Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts! Can you come and watch the award cereomny?..." "Dear Videoguy: I relly like your show. I am a Cub Scout and will soon earn my Arrow of Light. Could you come to my ceremony?....." Waddya think, mmmm?(This message has been edited by SSScout)

The Guy in the Glass by Peter Wimboe (1934) "When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf, And the world makes you king for a day, Then go to the mirror and look at yourself, And see what that guy has to say. For it isn't your Father or Mother or Wife Who judgement upon you must pass. The feller whose verdict counts most in this life Is the guy staring back from the glass. He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest, For he's with you clear to the end, And you've passed your most difficult, dangerous test If the guy in the glass is your friend. You may be like Jack Horner and " chisel" a plum, And think you're a wonderful guy, But the man in the glass says you're only a bum If you can't look him straight in the eye. You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years, And get pats on the back as you pass, But your final reward will be heartache and tears If you've cheated the guy in the glass. = = = = = = *pelf:: treasure, wealth, things of worth. YiS

If only... "Hey, it's only a toy..." "My son wouldn't do that" "Cavemart wouldn't sell it if it wasn't safe" "Heck, back when I was a boy..." True story... I'm on my Suzuki GT550 (that's a motorcycle for you motor history impaired) rolling along, enjoying the crisp fall air one saturday morning, going to pick up my girl for a ride out in the country. I come around a curve, enjoying the feel of the balance between tire and motor and man when I find I am looking face into the barrel of a rifle held in the hands of a boy on a hillock on the outside of the curve. I nearly laid it down at his feet, literally at his feet. But I kept my control, squeezed out a quick controlled stop and circled round to come up his driveway. I pulled up in front of him, stopped my motor and ripped off my helmet. "What the hell are you doing?" I yelled. The boy couldn't have been more than 10. "It's only a toy, mister, honest!!" he said. I glanced down at the thing in his quivering hands. From 3 feet away it was clearly plastic and badly proportioned. "Well, I don't know that!!" I replied. "Don't you know I could have been really hurt, thinking you were about to SHOOT ME??!! And YOU could've been really hurt if I was anybody but me." I was calming down now. I said "PLEASE. PLEASE. Don't EVER point a gun, even a toy, at ANY living thing again, even with a toy gun. You can't predict what the other person might do. Okay?" I remember him nodding his head. Looking back, I think that was the only time I ever purposely tried to scare a child without a fun intent. And then I did something that I later regretted. I put on my helmet and rode off. I think maybe I should have gone and spoken with his parents. But then, who knows what momma or pappa would've done? or said to me? I guess I hoped the boy would've gone in and said "Momma! A man on a motorcycle..." and something might 've sunk in. I do think about that boy sometimes, so many years ago... Make'm understand, please? YiS

Amen to Scoutnut. I'm not a GS leader, but in a BS Troop, ours at least, there is 'in loco parentis' in force. If my boy was misbehaving, I would expect to at least hear about it, and I would expect one of the other Troop leaders to at least caution my child about their behavior, should it be inappropriate. And they all know that I would inform them of their boys actions or language, if unScoutlike. There's discipline and then there's discipline. Spanking? not in my presence. Advising a parent to use physical discipline? Bad choice. Taking the child TO their parents? Very appropriate, I think. If we take your report at face value, I would think your SUC is either misinterpreting what happened or heard only one side of the events. I believe I would take it up the line of command, such as GS has, and get clarification as to what IS expected. Do the GS Troop leaders have an expectation of their charges behaving like young ladies inside or like football players outside at recess? You might point out that the girls have made a Promise and have a Law they are expected to abide by. In our case, "A Scout is... Courteous,kind, obedient...", none of which it would seem the subject youngsters were living up to? What expectations do the parents have, if not to encourage their child to follow the GSP and GSL? I would avoid the lawyer. That will unnecessarily thicken the soup, so to speak. Pursue the dialog in the GS world, politely, calmly, reasonably. You will clear your name and lead others to think about their use and type of "discipline". Thank you for being there. "The great successes of the world are accomplished by them what show up". YiS(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Lowfat Steal the Bacon::: Count off by 2's to divide into two teams. Line up on opposite sides, on lines about 20 yards apart, if room. If you're inside, have the boys touch the wall behind them so they can get back to the starting point "fairly". Now, in the 'original',high fat version, the teams count off again, one end to the other. The "caller" then calls out a number and those two numbers from opposing sides run out to 'steal the bacon' , a hat or ball or towel, laid in the middle between the two sides, and runs it back to their side for scoring, if youre into that sort of thing. In the new and improved low fat wesion, once the two teams are lined up on their respective sides, the 'caller' calls the boys out with other defining qualities. Use your imagination, thus: anyone wearing shoes without laces. anyone born in February.. Anyone with a sister who is a Girl Scout... All Tenderfeet... Wearing black shorts... red hats... if you like eating raw oysters...(note the reaction to this one among Cub Scouts!) Born in NewJersey... born in a country other than the USA... Father wears glasses... attends XYZ school... Note the need to be honest about things. They are "on their honor" to react truthfully!! Scoring? Ha! they'll forget all about who's ahead if the caller keeps the pace fast... The caller can be very creative and will elicit sometimes one, sometimes nearly all of the players. KISMIF YiS

Religious Awards... Met a Scout at a formal occasion. He had an Eagle award on his pocket.. and, on closer inspection, I discerned THREE religious awards. When I asked him about this wonderful display, he told me he earned the God and Country from the Methodist church that sponsored his Troop, the Alte Dei (I hope I said that right) from the Catholic church his FATHER attended and the Jewish award (which title I forget) from the synagogue his MOTHER attended. Over the pocket, he had ONE purple and silver knot and THREE buttons ("devices") on it. Waddya make of DAT?? We did not have the time to discuss his belief(s), unfortunately. After being a Chaplain at the Nat Jambo, I've had occasion to talk religion with many other Chaplain type Scouters and with many Scouts. One could almost feel the other fellows pain from the tongue biting, from the more "fundamentalist" types,who could not say "yeah, but MY religion is REALLY the right one".I did hear alot of good religiousy jokes, tho... Did you hear about the agnostic dyslexic insomniac? Poor fellow, lay awake all night, wondering if there is a dog. Kudos, Kudu and Trev... It's still worth it... YiS

Greetings from the other side of the map and welcome. I also find truth in wingnuts comment. The glass is not half full OR half empty. Its capacity has been poorly designed for its purpose. Now to get to the media, the schools, the boys' friends and have a Sign'em up party. Build the program and they will come. YiS

Howdy, Eagle309: I second (third? fourth?) the comments and suggestions of my brothers and sisters. The SPL did good. Actions, good or ill, should (and do) have consequences. But one thing has not been mentioned. Review your observation of the boys home life. While some boys are more "rambunctious" than others and some have a less than ideal homelife, and some may even have a biochemical imbalance that affects their behavior, all humans react to attention and need recognition. If they can get that attention and recognition and approbation from home and parent(s), so much the better. If not, they (WE!) will go looking for it from others. Hence the rise of street gangs, and bullies in school, to some extent. If I can't get my dad's attention at home, I'll raise cane at the Scout meeting and get attention there (one interpretation). So along with limiting the boys effect on the meeting and removing his source of attention ("don't do that!"), the adult should LOOK for things to praise him for. I bet if the SM complimented him on his uniform or knot tying or such, that would have good affect ,too. Give them GOOD attention and approval so they won't need to go looking for the BAD attention. It is not sufficient to only give BAD results for behavior. Give them an alternative, a way out of the bind they don't even know they are in. One SPL might ignore the boy because he's a PitA, but another might make sure the boy is included and treated fairly and equally in being called upon and chosen. What results might one expect from each of the two possibilities? Combine the ideas. YiS

Yessiree! I like reading success stories. Try this some where down the line: I will assume your normal opening goes something like this: Cubs at attention, flags come in, pledge of allegiance, a Cub leads the Pack in the CS Promise and LotP. Just before the Cub begins the CSP, the CM should break in with "wait a minute Tommy, I know the Cubs all know the CSP and LotP, but I want to see if the PARENTS have been listening". Here he walks around with a paper bag in which are 3x5 cards, each of which has a single word on it, making up the CSP and/or LotP. CM encourages each parent to draw out a card, then asks them to arrange themselves in the proper order WITHOUT SPEAKING. Then say the words in proper order. The boys will love it, "ah Garauntea". If they have inordinate trouble, the CM can ask a Cub "volunteer" to assist. Then the CM can say a short CM minute about keeping promises or such. KISAF YiS

All well and good. The CO can set membership requirements for their Pack and Troop and Ship. But what happens when the stray Jewish/Quaker/Lutheran/Mormon/Unitarian/Wiccan boy comes along and wants to be a Scout in a one-Pack-Town? MUST a boy be turned away because his family is not a "parish" member? I don't think even our Mormon friends are so - ahem - parochial. Would they also turn away a non-Latter Day Saint? Growing up, my Pack and Troop and Explorer Post (and come to think of it, they had a SShip, too) was sponsored by a Methodist Church. I wasn't Methodist. My family was from an Episcopal-( no local church)-Northern Baptist (we were further south then) mix. The Troop Church was close by, my friends were members, too. Looking back, it seemed very convenient. I remember some Jewish and Catholic boys mixed in. Come Scout Sunday (or Saturday), we all went our seperate ways, but no one ever, to my lengthening memory, turned a boy away due to his professed family beliefs. True, I can see a Pack/Troop/Ship being predominantly of one religion if the CO is a religious org. But is it really a good idea to "officially" deny a boy a chance to be a Scout on the fact that his family is not in eclesiastical agreement with the majority of the CO? Especially if it is "the only game in town"? I think the Priest is losing sight of an excellent outreach to the community and to possible future converts. Story: Our Troop (and others) was invited to a Patriotic speech (fouth of July?) to be given by General Hershey, then head of the Selective Service (another thread...). It was to be given at a Jewish Synagogue. We all went, full uniform, with parents. Methodist, Catholic, Episcopal. They presented a Jewish memorial service, honoring (I think) Jewish military lost in the service of the nation, in Hebrew, before the speech. IT WAS LONG!! (well, I was maybe 12?) What would the priest have said to that? Would he have refused to allow the Pack/Troop to attend? Hard Questions.... YiS

The Peter Principle emanded: The list you made to not forget the stuff you want to remember will be misplaced and forgotten.

Mucho Congrats. I'm sorry I don't know your song. You have contacted the camp, of course? You will remember this time later, (perhaps MUCH later) in your life as a true high point. You will also be pleasently surprised at how what you have learned along the way in Scouts is useful to you and indirectly to those around you at odd times. Oh, and don't forget the shoe box. You know, the one to put all the old patches and badges in. The one your grandkid will find in the back of your closet and drag out to ask "granddad, whats all this old stuff?" As you stride along life's trail, don't forget to hold that tree branch back for the fellow coming up behind you. Wouldn't want him to get hit with it. YiS.

If yours is a small community, (and even if it isn't!) contact the newspapers and see what they would welcome in the way of notice. They might even send out a reporter and photog to your ECoH. In any event, no matter how formal (Marine Band plays) or informal (uncle Ed from Altoona plays his guitar), take pictures and send a notice and pictures in to the papers.They will note it in the local listings. And it will be good for the boys scrap book (he does have a scrap book?). Depending on the history of the Troop, you might search out past Eagles and have them come to add their congrats to the rest. YiS

...Or flashlight gathering ceremony...

Yes. A compass. Get one that has a good metal case, take it to your local jeweler and have them engrave the date and Pack number, etc. a short message on the back of the case. Leupold Co. out of Portland Oregon made a good one of a "handful" size. I don't know if they are still in business, worth some research. Aufrdersehen! Guten Pfadfinderein!

...so this guy walks into the Greek tailor shop, and holds out a pair of pants. The tailor says, "euripedes?" And the fellow asks, "eumenedes?" Thank you, nike for the opening... YiS

"On my honor,I will do my best..." (BSA) "On my honor, I will try..." (GSA) " Swear not at all... but let your communication be Yea, yea; Nea nea..." (JC/Mathew/KJB) "It's for the kids" (Bob T. Tomatoe) YiS

What nldscout said. This is about equal access and legality and communication. Make contact with other Scouters, compare notes (roundtable? DE? ). Is this situation peculiar to your school only or endemic to the whole school district? Your Council and District need to step up and insist that Scouting be treated the same as any extra curricular activity. If soccer clubs and Bible study groups and privately owned ice skating rinks and karate dojos can send home notices, so should you (us?). Have your local Council check with National Capital Area Council and the hassles they overcame in our area. Don'tforget to enlist public opiion. A letter writing campaign to the local newspapers will not hurt a bit. And when all is said and done, review the forum posts here about whats right (and wrong) with Scouting and take heart. YiS