SSScout

((G2SS not withstanding)) A mountain climber slips and falls. He finds himself literally holding on to the rock face with his fingernails. "HELP!" he cries out, "DEAR GOD, HELP ME!!" A voice comes to him: "I would not forsake you, my son". "What? Who's up there?" says the mountaineer. "It is I, your God" says the voice. "Really? I thought... I mean I..." "I understand." "C-c-c-can you help me?" "Yes. Just let go and I will hold you up in my loving arms..." "..." The mountaineer says " IS THERE ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?"

You can do this once, maybe twice a year... Begin with your standard opening and when you get to the Cub who leads the reciting of the Cub Promise, the Cub master runs in and says " now hold on Johnny, I know all the Cubs know the Promise , right? But I'd like to know if the PARENTS have been paying attention" Here, he holds up a paper bag, in which has been placed folded 3x5 cards, on each is written one word of the Cub Promise. "Now I want each parent to pick out a card ((shake the bag to make it rattle)), then I want you folks to line yourselves up in the proper order ((walk around and get the adults to pick out a card)), to spell out the Cub Promise. Without talking!!!

Here I go. I think the water is deep enough to dive into... 1) I think I like BP's instruction about the choice of a boy's religion being mostly up to the parents, and the Scouters role being mainly to encourage that. The exact quote has been noted here before. 2) One's religion is composed of three main components, that which is taught by others (parents, Sabbath school, bull sessions at camp and at school, etc.) , that which is learned by ones self (reading the Bible/Quoran/Talmud/etc.) and that which is EXPERIENCED by ones self (see St Francis, et al). RELIGION is not necessarily FAITH. 3) It has been my experience (both from family and (sunday school teacher and Scout leader) that youngsters need some religious education, not only for the cultural background (yes, everyone should know about Noah and the Ark), but to know what their parents espouse. Youngsters need something to either ACCEPT (and add to) or REBEL against (and deny).To allow them the questionable "luxury" of wandering around spiritually until they might find a religious community to latch onto is ,I think, not serving our chidren well. 4) The original article noted that the author felt she had let her children down because they did not recognize AT ONCE the crucified Christ in sculpture. She felt she must find a way to "educate" her Cub in "A" belief. I reread the article, looking for a comment about finding a way to educate her Cub in "THEIR" belief. There's the problem. Like most of our society, we find it efficient to let someone else... fix our car, ...make our clothes, ...teach our children about God. 5) NO where in this article do they discuss finding a "good fit" for the PARENTS belief, only that the child be taught (something) about God, and the parents somehow find agreement in what the child is taught. And that is how one finds a church/temple/meeting/ashram to attend? This seems putting the cart before the horse to me. YiS

You can do this once, maybe twice a year. Neat stunt>>> Start your meeting as usual, but when you get to the Cub leading the Pack in the Cub Promise, the Cub Master runs up and says... "Now hold on ,Johnny. I know all you Cubs know the Cub Promise and do your best to follow it. But I want to know if the PARENTS know the Cub Promise... ((here, the CM holds up a paper bag and rattles it. Inside are folded 3x5 cards, each with one word from the Cub Promise on it)) "I want each parent to take a card out... There you go... yeah, you too, Fred... and then WITHOUT TALKING, line up your cards in the right order to spell out the Cub Promise... Think they can do it? Let's see..." This stunt will take about 10 minutes or so, and the Cubs will love it ((embarrass the parents?? oooo...). Some of the parents will take charge from the ones that don't quite know it. Good chance to see who's involved and who might not be, if you didn't know before. Obviously, you can ((AND SHOULD)) do it also with the Law of the Pack and include the Slogan ("Do Your Best"). Have fun... YiS.

Quick takes::: If A-B mission is to sell beer, and BSA mission is to "instill values" etc., and when we have a "Join Souting Night" and many boys gather round the Pinewood derby track and the monkey bridge and tent set up, ... HOWCUM it seems to be the parents we have to sell, not the boys?...

(true) At the end of a 10 mile in, 10 mile out overnight, at the trail head parking lot: "No, I thought your wife was picking us up?"

" Hey, Joe, could you toss me the... ((Choose one... or be sued for improper name usage)) "Band Aids? ...self adhesive wound bandages ?" "Kleenex? ...soft tissue paper nose wipers?" "model of that classic '67 Mustang? ...mid twentieth century pony car?" "roll of Scotch tape? ...self adhesive clear acetate tape?" "my Teflon skillet? ...non-stick tetra fluoro carbide frying pan?" "that Xerox copy? ...that photo process self image?" "my PC? (ooops! crash)" ... my non-IBM made personal calculating device?" "my Primus?" ... little portable petrol fired cooking apparatus?" "can of Coke?" .... sorry, we don't serve Coka Cola products here." "My Panzerkampfwagen?" ...my new Abrams A1?" "A couple of BVDs?" (does that date me?) ....two pair u-trou?" Oh Hum..... YiS

Although not in my personal neck of the woods, I can recommend Camp Gorton in Five Rivers Council, near Dundee NY. Not too big, nice waterfront on Lake Waneta. Phone 670.292.3220. A friend is staff there, and I have visited recently, both with and without Scouts. My, lots of choices (so long as the local councils don't need to sell the camp to pay the taxes) YiS

My luverly wife is the Dcamp Program Director which makes me... First asst... Publicity... "specials" getter... Fill in (who's missing on staff? archery? Scoutcraft? Den Round up? Skits? Campfire MC.....?) Sign maker/poster... Flag pole installer... hey, it's my job it's what I do... Any way... *Lots of advance notice... *Our council sponsors mucho district Dcamps, thuout the summer, so parents can go another week if they can't match the home District Dcamp...for a surcharge of... *SOMEONE (not just me, fortunately)does a Pack "visitation" to talk up all forms of Cub Camping (not just Dcamp) in Feb- Mar- Apr-... *It is required to register by Pack, got to have a Pack Camp Coordinator, with Den walkers listed, and if the numbers don't match, the Pack is called to task... *We do the 'Early bird discount and special patch" thing. seems to help. *On the friday evening before the first monday morning we have an early check in ""on site"",and Pack Den walkers training and T shirt pick up . THis allows folks to get familiar with the site and what is expected of the Den Walkers. It also seems to help enforce the prior early registration. Then monday morning is 95% done... *Yes, we make it plain that last minute walk ups monday morning are added to a camp den after the fact, we don't hold things up for the late folks, and we insist that the attending parent serve as a Den walker for the day..., but yeah we sure don't turn someone away. * Mostly I think lots of Drum Beating (roundtables, emails, visitations, word o' mouth)is what is necessary and ENFORCE the deadlines... * and BOY is it fun... YiS

As the sag wagon driver for a canoe trip on the Shenanndoah, I dropped of the group at the start camp site and commiserated with the trip leaders. Co-ed group, non-Scout. We stayed the night and the next morning checked equipment. It was a 10 day trip. We collected (and I kept until I met the group later at the take out) portable radios, Cell phones, (except for leaders) and... wait for it... two hair driers. In our discussions, no one thought to bring sufficient extension cords. YiS

Can Baltimore be included in the "Northeast"? **Fort McHenry is a great visit. Star Spangle Banner and all. Thr Rangers give a great talk about the forts history, the war of 1812, flag history (when did the flag have 15 stripes?) and such. **Next, consider a visit to the USS Constellation, the 2nd oldest US warship (bow to the USS Constitution). They have an overnight program that allows Scouts to become "powder monkeys" or "cabin boys" in the US navy of 1855. Escorting adult Scouters sign on as "landsman" or "ordinary" if you have some experience. You sleep in hammocks, hold watch overnight, work a cannon, run rigging, eat period meals ( beef stew and fruit and tack). Thankfully, no holystoning the deck. They fire a cannon in the morning at flag raising. 4pm saturday thru 10am sunday. **The city Zoo is a neat little place for an afternoon. **Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum is highly reccommended. Work on your Railroading Merit badge...BIG mechanical things to look at and crawl over. Model trains to watch and operate!! **Accomodations? American International Hostel is available and walking distance from Inner Harbor (USS Constellation). Baltimore Council has several camps you might approach for overnights. Broadcreek is nice. Good luck... YiS (This message has been edited by SSScout)

In the interim, don't forget the Webs are the example to the rest of the PACK. They may be eager to become full fledged Boy Scouts, but they are the Leaders of the Pack! Make sure they stay for the duration (and have opportunities to teach and demonstrate to the younger Cubs). Talk about role models, woo. When the Webs Bridge over too early, good for them, but bad for the Pack. I also think it's neat that such an 'old' thread can still elicit good discussion. YiS

((Pant-pant-pant)) whew,,, gotta catch up... *ahem* "Reverence to God and reverence for one's neighbor and reverence for oneself as a servant of God, is the basis of every form of religion. The method of expression of reverence to God varies with every sect and denomination. What sect or denomination a boy belongs to depends, as a rule on his parents' wishes. It is they who decide. It is our business to respect their wishes and to second their efforts to inculcate reverence, what ever form of the religion the boy professes." ==Robert Baden-Powell, "Aids to Scoutmastership" 'Course, now, this ain't Amuricun Scout policy...(This message has been edited by SSScout)

If they can SAY the Scout Promise and Law, I think that's fine. In my experience, it's more important the Scout understand what they mean and why we think these things are important. Is it "window dressing" as the old timer would say? Or can the Scout see how the WORDS apply to their LIFE? I've heard an SPL lead the SP, SL, and PoA and then go off to play the "games" after Troop Meeting. Language would be used that many felt was not appropriate to Scouts (or any young man) and when the SPL was approached about it, he found it hard to understand how such criticism applied to HIM. "everybody says it". Yeah, but as a Scout leader, he isn't "everybody". Why do we ask our young men to SAY the SP and adhere to the SL if they don't understand them and see the reason to follow them? There's the challenge.... YiS

*CD: How very sentimental of you. Don't ever lose that touch. You will be remembered by your charges long after THEY think Cub Scouting is too lame for them. My mom was my Den mother (non PC), but I've had old time CSers come up to me and mention her to me (boy, do I feel old all of a sudden). *I agree with JH. I would keep it "in family" and definitely scratch your head for some unique thingy he can take with him. Our Cub Pack had a tradition of creating an arrow thing for the Webeloes cross-overs, but the CM usually gave them a little something from himself, too.. In my last year of CM, I gave the crossover boys each a Scout coin, the one with the SL on one side and the SO on the other. *FBear: Your story is a CM or SM minute in the making. I love stories like that. When my folks passed on and it was time to clean out the house, I found a faded piece of paper signed by an old friend attesting to the fact that I had attended a "Bible Camp Week" when I was seven. When she died recently, at her memorial, I did some arithmetic and figured that she had been 35 when I was seven. *CD, when your Scout cleans out his desk drawer after his last promotion, he'll find the necker slide you gave him and remember... YiS

Oh, the regrets and the lessons learned. I well remember "Swami" who knows all and tells too much, all by smelling your shoe... I set up the skit in the usual way.But we neglected to pick and plan for an appropriate fall guy,, So my Scouts ( I was SPL)went ahead and let the AUDIENCE pick out the fortune receiver. A Troop from the inner city pushed forward a TF who willingly provided his shoe. At the end, the shoe chukker THREW the shoe into the woods. And I mean THROW. Yep, it was a real expensive sport shoe. Our whole Troop went looking for it. Never again like that... HOWEVER... I have never failed to elicit laughs with "The Ugliest Man in the World" and we ALWAYS pick out the appropriate fall guy. A DE or DD or best stuffed shirt we can find. They dare not refuse, even if they recognize the skit! Goes like this, if you are not familiar.... Man is led onto stage with big box over his head. Introduced as the "UGLIEST Man in the World". So grotesque are his features that the Army uses him to test the bravery of the soldiers, etc... One look is enough to freeze the strongest nerve!! (play it up good) So you get a "set up" to squint under the box and he faints dead away. Do this a couple of times. The stage is strewn with casualties. Finally, you get the 'chosen one' to come up ("I know Mr. Smith is up to the challenge!"). And when HE peeks under the box, the UMitW falls over dead. Then there was the actual snipe hunt we organized...but that was a church camp...

I suppose this is what our district calls the "Webelos Weekend". With appropriate planning (each Troop sponsors some incoming Webs and sponsors an activity. Having Scouts teach and demo to Cubs is always a hit)), we have included (on occasion) an archery range, tomahawk throw (appropriate Range Safety Officers), two man (boy) saw (the cookies cut off make good souvenirs. Watch'em work!! ?Working on a branding iron for marking them? Make sure the saw is sharp and true.), a Whittlin' Chip corner, camp/ tent set up demo with discussion for parents about equipment choices, camp cooking (dutch oven brownies and twisty bread).One time we were able to have a black powder muzzle loader demo. Nature study demo (tree ID, Poison Ivy ID among others), monkey bridge setup w/ pioneering demo, try to include a chance to earn some Webelos pins. Map and compass course, knot tying contest and a fire building contest were included. Tug o' war is always fun. Don't forget the opening and closing ceremonies and some awards to the gung ho troops and Scouts. Camp fire on Saturday night (natch). Skits and a talented SM minute... AND a real bugler adds a lot of color and camp atmosphere. OH! And PATCHES! Don't forget the patches! Have Fun! YiS.(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Yep. As a WDL, I had the same "discussion" with my boys and parents once or twice I had to remind them that the requirement is the requirement. Easy enough to play Flag Football one afternoon. It was educational to me to learn the SLIGHT rule differences between Softball and Baseball. A family picnic afternoon got the Softball game done. Are you having fun yet? YiS.

The more I remember, the more I realize how fortunate (blessed, lucky, etc.) our Troop was. One of our Scoutmasters had a brother in law whose cousin knew a fellow that had a uncle.... that owned a sufficiently large piece of property some distance from our stomping grounds (but not too far away). Over the space of a year, our Troop built an Adirondack 3 side cabin with old phone poles (one dad worked for the phone company), capped a natural spring (several plumbers)laid out trails and orienteering compass courses, (surveyor), established four Patrol sites (five, counting "Staff") , dammed up a stream for a pond to get wet in (farmers), dug a privy, and over the next 10 years or so, went to Council camp, and our own week long camp. I'm not sure but that we would have preferred our own camp except for the larger waterfront in the Council camp. I had the good fortune to bring my son to see the remains of "Camp Freedom" last summer. It is now a religious retreat center, and alot of the trails and campsites are still used. But the cabin is long decayed and the spring is plowed up. When in doubt, design your own summer trip or program... .YiS.

A very desirable problem. I like the idea of the "extra" belt length attached to the vest... Here's some other ideas.... *Take'm all and wire them together ala chain mail and wear THAT as a vest? * Take your Vise Grips and crimp the BL around the shoulder holes of the red vest like shoulder guards. Did that to some of my sons extras. YiS

Our District has earned a reputation for serving up very successful Cub Scout Day Camps, and this past week is now no exception. Takes organizational work? You bet. What is the one thing to which I would point as the biggest reason for our success? Asking. *Ask your friends and relations to help. They may be or may have been Scout people. A nurse becomes the Camp medico. A scientist friend becomes the nature pavilion guy ( he was a Star Scout waaaay back when). *Ask at your Church, Temple, Synagogue. Don't limit your asking to Scout types or Scout venues, but.... *Ask at the Round Table, at the Pinewood Derby, at the Merit Badge Day. Get your Boy Scout helpers, too. *Ask REI, and they provide a "leave no trace" program. *Ask the State Police, and their medivac helicopter lands and blows everyones hat off (talk about impressing Cub Scouts!) and talks about search and rescue and umpteen horsepower jet engines... *Ask the internet and find a local Racing Pigeon Club who take over a pavilion and regale the Cubs with bird stories (who knew it was so interesting?) *Ask Home Depot and they provide building kits for 250 Cubs AND the personnel to lead the Cubs in building bird houses and model planes and space shuttle pen holders... *Ask the fellow you work with and it turns out he knows somebody who has a friend who belongs to a remote control model airplane club. They come and exhibit some super models and FLY loop-de-loops over the Cubs at lunch time. *Ask the Den Walkers who are milling around in the back ground and lo and behold they are dying to help young archers and fishers and modelers ("didn't know I could..."). *Ask the Park Ranger and by golly everything is fine, he had no idea what was scheduled that week, he's new to this park and gee, it's been a long time but he used to be a Scout and... *Ask the pilot of the lake boat to act like a pirate when the Cubs ride in her boat ("you mean I can?") *Ask the local Coffee shop and the manager was an Eagle and how much Joe would you like each morning? *Ask to local Super Grocery, gift cards good for staff morning donuts... *Ask the local hardware emporium and get 20% off anything you need. Special Caution tape? have it for you tommorrow... *Ask the fellow that had the near fatal accident a while back and now he raises parrots that do tricks. Be glad to come out. 15 parrots at a time! *Ask the company with the eye catching ad in the Sunday paper magazine and wow a 70 foot tall hot air balloon appears one morning on the atheletic field. **HELP STAMP OUT NOBODY ASKED ME** (motto on a button I got somewhere 20 years ago) *Ask... and it (and they) will come.... YiS(This message has been edited by SSScout)

Goodgootamooga. Volunteered to help, willing to help, qualified (we assume... age, rank, experience, etc.)and NOT ALLOWED? I really don't believe that. I believe I would try to have a polite conversation with the "leader", perhaps with a friend in tow (parent?) and find out the truth of the matter. **I know our District activities (Camporee, Day camp, lotsa etc.) would NEVER turn any qualified help away. There's always some where to put a willing pair of hands, some apprentice slot with an experienced person, some desk checker, gofer, runner, "chief asssistant smile encourager" place for a able willer. ** buddy-3, all I can suggest is forgive the implied affront, smile and make yourself available the next time. Your time and skills and abilities will be needed in the Scout world the next time, I betcha. YiS

Jackson Browne, Roadie song. Grateful Dead "live" Truckin' Does Chuck Berry count for "Jammin'?" how 'bout Johnny B. Goode.

Jackson Browne, Roadie song. Grateful Dead "live" Truckin' Does Chuck Berry count for "Jammin'?" how 'bout Johnny B. Goode.

Howdy Its Me: As a past WDL, I can sympathize. 1) Check with Council and District about"Webelos Weekends" and Webelos Sleepaway camps. Both are a good low impact(to the Cub, not necessarily the woods!) camping experience. They can end up with Web pins and a good feeling about BSA camping. The WW should be attended by WScouts and a host Troop. The week long camp should be attended by your Den as a group, often combined with other local Wdens into a Camp Pack. 2) I hope the mom continues to keep the Gameboy "thingy" so the boy can pay attention to the world around him. Keep us posted on your progress. YiS