SSScout

Well, you should remember, the GS used to bake the cookies themselves. Corporate come down, health department lean on, bureaucratic bust, and here we are: GSCookies sell off knock off copy of. Dutch Oven Brownies? Now there's a cookie name....

I might suggest investing in a SHED rather than a trailer. I read and agree, the trailer size seems to drive the gear collection. This is known as a corollary to the Peter Principle, viz, "The stuff collected will increase to fill the space available." With a shed, properly shelved, your gear can be easily organized, cleaned, inventoried and collected AS NEEDED (!) for a trip/hike/expedition. Cars/vans/SUVs/station wagons(remember those?) can be loaded as required and unloaded when returned. The QM need not worry about who has what, because he/she sees it being reshelved. Sheds are harder (if not impossible) to steal. They can be heavily locked. Made weatherproof. No large insurance. No need for title or tags. Bought once, set up and admired. No worry about whose driveway can we use. Of course, you do need a spot , hopefully the CO can afford to let the Pack/Troop set it up on the back of the parking lot, out of the way....

Pish posh. The last time I went shopping for rain gear, about 8 years ago now, (I wanted an over the pack poncho), all I could find were dark green, black, dark blue. I reasoned, in the rain, cloudy day gloom, I wanted bright , cheery colors, if only so folks could see me coming ! Even if I couldn't see them (because of their dark, gloomy colors). Nope. None to be had. I kept looking. I found a bright yellow rain coat, over the hips length, and bought that, AND a dark blue extra large poncho. When I was a motorcycle rider, I went to a boating shop and bought a full rain suit, bright yellow. Helly Hansen. I wanted to be SEEN on my cycle. Some years ago, our local county police changed their uniforms from a nice light brown to BLACK. Even their raincoats are BLACK. When they are on traffic duty, they have to put on a reflective vest. They used to have BRIGHT orange rain coats, easily visible, with reflective stripes on them. I asked my cop friend , why the change? And he said the higher ups gave various reasons: They didn't want the police to be confused with the State Troopers (also light brown) , they didn't like the comparison with the Nazi Brown Shirts (??), they saw the black as more "authoritative", they thought it was more "Tac" as in "tactical". More invisible at night when they are chasing the bad guys.... Few officers I spoke to liked the black at first. I do not know the present opinion. Scouts can blend in, be less ostentatious, sure, but the necker needs to stand out so one can find his buds in the crowd.

First, one needs an appetite. Hike, row, canoe some class threes and fours . . . Leave someone in camp to cook the meal for you, because when you get back from the climb up Mt. Sugarloaf, you may not feel up to cooking the repast Cambridge is thinking of here. Good hardwood, burned down to a thick layer of coals. Dutch Oven Brownies, include the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. Hamburgers, held in a grill basket, not on a frying pan, hold over the coals. Carrot sticks, celery sticks, potatoes rolled up in Aluminium sheets, laid on the coals and turned about every 15 minutes so they cook evenly. Butter for the veggies. Please note, I did not put the hamburger in the foil. The "patties" therefore need to be very firm. The smoke and burnt edges are desired. Ice tea, ice coffee. If you can get ice. TANG, if you can find it..... Please note I mentioned the titular dessert first. Most important. Exact recipes on line available. Oh, if it is especially meant to be an "American" forth of July picnic, you need Watermelon, preferably a "Gator Melon", which is long , cylindrical, not spherical, with SEEDS. Potato Salad, too, is called for. Cut up Idaho Russett Potatoes into 1" cubes, about, boil until not quite done. Run lots of cold water over them to stop the cooking, and cool them. Sliver some carrots and a bit of onion and celery (ratio Potato 10, carrot 1/2, celery 1/4, onion 1/4) , mix with hands, then glob in real Mayonaise until you like the way it looks. Let sit in your 'fridge over night for best taste. Let me know when dinner is scheduled, so I can book my flight....

Best Scout theme, Best Movie theme, Most realistic model, Most Likely to Be Copied By Others Next Year,,,,

See? You are implying that Scouting should be limited to ONLY those kids who can do the whole outdoor thing ! Yes, some kids will self select themselves to not be Scouts. That's OK, we do that all the time. Not everyone is going to run a 4 minute mile. But we should not stop them from trying.... Should the ADHD kid keep the rest f the Troop from their Northern Tier trip? certainly not. Should the rest of the Troop help the ADHD kid overcome his limitations elsewhere? I say yes, and the other Scouts will be the better for it. Will you be the one to tell the child he/she cannot try that trail just because they are on crutches? I sometimes serve as a guide on an Historic Trail, and one afternoon as I was doing a survey hike , pre-season, I came upon a man in a power chair with a woman accompanying. We spoke, he was a disabled vet, and was traveling over our trail "just to see if I could". Since the trail was certainly not "ADA " accessible, I told him of the difficult parts ahead. He thanked me, his wife (the woman) smiled at me, and he continued. We walked and talked some more as he proceeded. His power chair became a mini 4 wheeler. Sometimes he would get out and push alittle. When I motioned to help, his wife motioned me to not. To my surprise and delight, he completed the trail. We shook hands and parted company. Now, of course, this was a grown man, with no small amount of experience behind him , but should we , us "temporarily abled" , not allow any kid the right to TRY? Perhaps with our help, but without it, if they want? That is what I mean, and what I react to in your comments. Perhaps I read you wrong? Honey or sugar? Milk?

Oh, come on, mrkstvns, we can adapt and help each other. Of course it's an outdoor program, predominantly. But Would you deny the kid in the wheel chair Scouting just because he/she might not be able to climb Mt. Baldy ? Pollen masks are not a reason to deny a kid Scouting. Food allergies are not. Poison Ivy allergy (!) is not. Fear of water is not. I have watched a Scout without arms tie knots. What exactly is the "heart and soul" of Scouting? Maybe Philmont should be one's goal. Maybe earning Bobcat is a beginning, Maybe the Scout overcoming his mom's fear of bugs is a goal. I think B-P might say that the "outdoors" is the class room where the lessons are taught. The "outdoors" are not the lessons themselves. The Cub that won't button his uniform shirt because (so his mother says) "it's uncomfortable" definitely has problems we may not be able to deal with as Scouters, but being outdoors isn't one of them. Perhaps (perhaps?) we can help with those problems, perhaps not. But denying the kid a chance because he/she has an "outdoor " problem should never happen. "Safe Adventure " should be our goal, yes? Will that be Earl Grey or Colombiano? I think we have some peach cobbler over here...

Yep, very sad. Let's just agree to hold to our Scout Law and Promise and move on down the trail... All Scouting is local. When the people lead, the leaders must follow.... PinkP, perchance more coffee? What kind of pie is THAT one... ?

"Oh, the humanity...." http://www.tournamenttroop.org/ https://www.facebook.com/TournamentTroop/

I did not see anything on page 26 about BSA fraternization, either pro or con AND on page 27, it states "" Respect the mission of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF)."" which makes this sound like a "council" document, not the National policy? Did I miss something? But in any event, "all Scouting is local".... I have spoken to some GS leaders who told me they want to have their members (girls ! ) participate in a training we are holding, even after I told them that anyone participating had to "join" the BSA to participate ! Application and dues and all !

I am saddened to see the way the necker has fallen from favor. World wide, it is the recognized symbol of the Scout, whatever gender. In the less fortunate areas, the Scout may have a special t-shirt and neckerchief, that's his uniform, but he will have the neckerchief. The Troop of my yoooth had designed it's own neckerchief, a big one, 30" on a side, bright red, with a custom patch that read "Troop 759 Always On The Go ! " with a pair of disembodied boots kicking up a cloud of dust. Us Scouts and our parents made sure of the truth of that motto. That necker is much faded now, with some holes and mended rips from being used in signal flag (wig wag?) and first aid practice, it is brought out to show at CoH's and such. The ESL necker of the 70's was a mistake, relegating it to the duty of fashion statement rather than proud symbol and practical emergency tool. I once found a Troop necker on the side of the road, discarded by a passing car, I believed, from it's location, not by accident. I took it home , cleaned it up and added it to my collection. Since it was a "Standard" issue BSA Scoutshop item, there was no way to trace it's source. I once worked at our church camp as the Handyman. I once came back to my cabin to find a Scout necker draped on the doorknob, "Troop 1, Lewes Delaware" on the peak. When I researched it, I could not find such a Troop. Another addition to my collection. People give me such things, items of curiousity . "It's dorky, it's uncomfortable, no one wears them, why do I have to, what's it for, I keep losing the slide, can I just leave it home,, , , , " is that what we hear? Or perhaps, thru the woods, we can hear the waving of wig wag Morse code?

Amicus Curiae anyone?

Now there is a really good Idea !

Just came upon this thread. Allergies and asthma are very personal and troublesome. Medical science can help the sufferer only so much. When I was very young, (1950's) my folks moved us into a new old house. Presto ! we could now have a pet dog or cat ! Presto, when the puppy arrived, I couldn't breath. Several doctors and tests later, I was shown to be allergic (to one degree or another) to ANYTHING that had feathers, fur (hair!) or pollen. I underwent a desensitasation regimen of shots for three years. I went on the Cub Scout hay ride in the cab of the truck. This did help lead my mom to quit smoking (she had a two pack a day habit) as I was allergic to that too. When the cat (from my grandmother's dirt basement, it had never seen a grass lawn) arrived, I was able to pet it and we got along fine so long as it lived outside. Wood smoke? yep, some affect. By the time I became a Scout, I was able to sit around the campfire and cook and tell jokes with the best of the kids. Dust mask is recommended. It will help. I am convinced there is some psychosomatic effect, but this can never be proven. Kids will, however , react to what mom/dad react to. If mom/dad are calm, Scout will be calmer, that sort of thing. When loving wife asked for a "kitty", I reminded her of my allergies and insisted that the house would need to be vacuumed regularly and well. It helps, but I was always glad to go to work in the mornings. Yes, clean clothing, wash face (and for me, beard !) to be rid of dust and pollen and dander. I am much better now than when a child, but the allergies are still there to some degree. Will your Scout "grow out of it?" Maybe. But not 100%. A complete allergen testing is to my mind recommended. Your Scout will none the less, find his way in Scouting, I have no doubt. See you on the trail.

Thor's Hammer pin ? https://www.etsy.com/market/thor's_hammer_pin Marvel or True Rune ? The mythology inherent in the Norwegian/Scandinavian Valhalla is an interesting study, but not really appropriate in the religious sense, else we would have Scouts of Egyptian heritage espousing Ra and Thoth. I had a Scout at summer camp who had to be reminded of the importance of his Scout Uniform, because he didn't bring one! He had brought a junior size Marine BDU camo suit. He had expected to be able to wear it thru camp ("it's just like my dad's") , but we had to say no. Was he a Marine or a Scout? When he was old enough to join and be a Marine, wear the appropriate uniform. We ended up borrowing enough Scout "Field Uniform" parts from elsewhere to outfit him for the week. When his dad (who indeed had been a Marine, but was no longer) found out, he was surprised, disappointed and proud . The Scout later became a well uniformed SPL a few months later.

That is exactly what's needed. Forget the advanced "Advancement" of Merit Badges. They can come later. Work with the parents you have, do not make it all on yourself, but with your obvious enthusiasm and experience, it will work. Get the kids out and about. Train the older, most enthusiastic ones, make them your SPL and PLs and instructors. One Scout invites another... Give them the opportunities. As they get on, and read the Scout Manual, the advanced advancements will come. Try and view the videos (available online and in DVD) " Troop 491, the Muddy Lions," https://www.troop491-movie.com/ and " 759 the Boy Scouts of Harlem " https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/759:_Boy_Scouts_of_Harlem for ideas and inspiration. Good Scouting to you, see you on the trail....

I would ask your Council Scout Executive. He gives permission for "special " emblem use within the Council (state flag? ).

"A Scout is Trustworthy". The adult faith award is permanent, stays with you thru your career in Scouting. No reason you should not wear it, to my mind. USUALLY (usually), the knot comes with a certificate. The XYZ Committee on Scouting for your faith would have been the official awarder (?word?) of the knot/certificate, so perhaps the local diocese Scout Committee might/could/should/oughta have record of this. 14 years? Not too long for records. Won't hurt to do a little asking..... We have a piece of paper that says we are a "nation" that is over 240 years old (math was not my best subject), still got that piece of paper, not an email copy...... Thank you for your service to our future . . . Did you meet any future State Senators? 😀

"" And will you impersonate Clark Gable? And dance when 'ere you're able? Camporee...… Vexilollogy is a much under appreciated study. We were well pleased by the response of the Scouts visiting our event, before the wind forced us to take down the canopy . Even AFTER we took down the canopy. Among other things, the Patrols were given a choice of folding up a small 6' x4' US flag ("every Scout knows how to fold up the flag, right?") or a LARGE 15' x 24' US flag. On a calm day, this can be a challenge, but with 20-40 mph winds, it was fun to watch. I was chagrined by the number of Patrols who insisted they wanted the challenge of the BIG flag (more points! ) versus the more sure thing of the SMALL flag. Teamwork.... Now if Irving can avoid the bankruptcy.... When my dad was in his last illness, one of the things I did to give him some comfort was to assure him that, yes, he was dying debt free. I went to the County Courthouse, taught myself how to read the land and contract records, and went thru all his dealings. Liens released, taxes paid and receipted, I learned more about my dad's business dealings than even my mom was aware of, but yep, all was clear. And I came to realize how important it had been to my dad for him NOT to declare bankruptcy, but to pay his debts as he had promised. And he had never been a Scout...…..

Popular weekend, I guess. Look for me in the Vexilollogy tent . National sets the standards, Councils are franchise units, yes? But the Scout Promise and Law mean.... what, in a law suit that has almost global implications....

Is there any significance to the order of the English alphabet? It just sort of happened, I think. Except for "z". As for the Scout Law, (nice question), it varies from country to country. BSA has 12 points, Australia has ten. Denmark has 5 (!). Not all have "Reverent" but all the ones I have seen start with "Trustworthy" or some equivalent. It is an interesting study. Look up B-P's original, it only had 8, I think. Why that order? Some early Scout leader (Seton? West? bound to be some apocryphal story) wrote'm down and there they were.... Can you be trusted to kindly wash your hands before cooking? Helpfully passing out cheerful portions to your loyal friends, who will thriftily not waste any after reverently giving thanks for the courteous way you served it up? Well, they were brave to obediently eat YOUR cooking when asked to table....

Cub Rank Activities Descriptions: Lion: Have fun, make friends. Tiger: Have Fun, make things, take short hikes, make more friends. Wolf: Have fun, make useful things, go places with friends, take longer hikes, learn about nature and life. Bear: Have fun, make useful and decorative things, go further with friends,, think about life, find out what mom and dad do, maybe camp out in a tent?. Webelos : Have fun, make bigger useful attractive things, go further and higher with friends, learn camp skills, get ready to say "thanks, mom and dad, but I can do this myself now."

WisMom, congrats on WB.. Most folks think it worth the time and pelf, but some have qualms and regrets, there ya go. Again, a lot depends on the Staff folks, which change with each course. It is what it is. (Guitar riff intro...…) I study camping and hiking, And all my Wood Badge classes, I got a crazy Scoutmaster, he wears dark glasses. Patrols are doing GREAT, there’s nothing to trade , . Scout future’s so BRIGHT, I gotta wear shades…. I gotta wear shades. I gotta work my tickets, beads and thong are waitin’. Benefit the Scouts, not a lot of louts. Ticket’s going great, and they’re only getting better. Antelopes and Bears, Owls , my friends are made. The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades. I gotta wear shades… With Scouting we are blessed, our kids can realize They gain by going camping, making Dutch Oven Pies. Our Packs are doing GREAT, and the Troops are getting better. Our Scouts can sharpen right, Totin’ Chip blades, The future’s so bright, we better wear shades, We better wear shades…..

Q: (Qwazse) Oh, I think you and I are more on the same page than you might care to admit. "Happy go lucky " indeed... As has been noted, and not just by me, kids won't, don't join Scouting because of methods or aims. Those are for the adults, the parents. They join and stay because of what I call "safe adventure". Kids climb trees because the trees are tall and it is a challenge to their physical prowess and they COULD fall, and it gets a rise out of their mothers (if not their fathers ?). Same sort of attraction to Scouting, at least the "traditional " kind of program. There's that word again, program . What 12 year old is going to ask his folks "what kind of program do they have?" This providential tike is gong to say (I hope) "I want to go hiking/play soccer/join the chess club/be in the school band", whatever, because she/he sees fun and some adventure and challenge in it. Or.... they may just want to lay on the couch and play Minecraft all day.... Much then, depends on the previous years of encouragement ("wow, look how high you are!") or guidance (" hold on to that branch !") or opportunity ( "Want to build a tree house?") or limitation ("if you fall out of the tree, don't blame me, young man !") the parent has given.... So maybe the adults need the rationale, the definition of what has worked, what has gone before more than the kids. Some things become obvious (if everyone takes a turn at the camp chores, they get done quicker and no one person does all the work) but other things come as a result (cooperation gains friends and doing stuff gains pride). I think another movie that ought to be shown at Scout events (WB? ) might be Captains Courageous. Freddie Bartholomew and Spencer Tracy .

Perhaps this is another example of the adults messing things up for the kids, the Scouts. Waaaay back when, I was a Scout.... (yes, I was. Scoutson spoke up once, and said "Dad, school was much easier for you than it is for me. You had a lot less history to learn...."). All I knew or cared about was the "Handbook for Boys" (that was it's title. Not limited to ONLY green shirted people....) and the "Scout Fieldbook". I still have those tucked away. I copied pages out of the Fieldbook for IOLS instruction. The skills, outdoor knowledge were the important things. Learning to work together, to help organize efforts on camp trips came gradually. I even learned to get thru the times when the idiot rich kid said "no" when it was his time to wash dishes.... Our Patrol worked around him.... I had no idea that there were "methods" or "aims" . My "goal" was to live outdoors for awhile and see how far I could hike with a pack. I learned (experimentally !) how to pick out a boot, which socks were better, how to strap loads to a packframe and NOT touch a canvas tent when it was raining. "Handbook for BOYS" not just registered, dues paid scouts... How would we title it now? "Handbook for Youth"? Why did the title change? What is the change? Why the need to define EVERYTHING that is done as meeting an "aim" or using a "method"? It is part and parcel for humans to teach and pass on to our youth that which we have learned so they won't have to discover it all over again. Lighting a fire, weaving cloth, blueberry muffins.... That is how we come to have Airbus A380's.... All true, it does not explain how we keep finding new ways to kill each other. But why do we seek to define and delimit everything that comes along? WHY do we do Scouting the way Mr. B-P laid it out and not some other way? The BSA way is very similar to the South African Scout Association way . Do they also have "aims" and "methods" ? Leadership? The techniques can be taught, yes. But like many other things, some folks have an innate talent, and some others allow those folks to lead (sometimes when they shouldn't be allowed to, but that's another discussion). The motto on my RoundTable News reads "The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up.". This is the essence of Leadership. Not who is ASSIGNED to do something, but who is WILLING to do something. Oh, sure, you can be co-erced into Leading (pay, Military authority, etc.), but right down to the Cub Scout Den of 8 eager kids whose parents refuse to step up and "lead" , it really comes to WHO is willing to DO IT. If no one shows up.... Mr. Surbaugh, are you there?