SSScout

"Aye, it be more of a non-recommended technique than a 'policy''. Three cars, mebbe. More'n that, them traffic lights and things interfere, dun ye know...""

I'm not going to try and quote stuff here, but the gist of the survey mentioned may be correct, and the sex abuse settlement may be one of our crosses to bear (reputation?) ,but that is not why kids join Scouting.... Some sort of Scouting. Kids go to school usually because their parents want them to. We (parents !) realize we want our future (kids!) to know stuff. How to read, how to write, how to , as my dad used to say "cipher" . They stay in school, hopefully, because they (the kids ) come to LIKE learning, if it is done well by gifted, talented teachers. It is a challenge to speak, spell, realize numbers can be fun.... The challenge is the thing, not merely the achievement, the "AHA" moment. But the certificate, the little trophy does mean alot to the kid. So to with Scouting, whether it be BSA, or GSUSA, or Royal Rangers, or BP Scouts,,, The National policy makers have , indeed , lost track of this. The kid doesn't join Cub Scouts because she/he wants to "learn leadership". They convince his/her parents to let him/her join because it is seen as fun, an adventure . The patches mark the path taken, but the kid now knows about rope and knots, knows they can hike 3 miles, carry a canteen and maybe even cook a meal (grilled cheese is a meal). It cannot be about sitting down and discussing , describing, stuff. It must be about DOING stuff, and therefore taking pride in that accomplishment. Knowledge of Poison Ivy or the old stuff in that museum we visited (with buddies), can lead to Philmont or the summer camp over there (at least). That is where the Leadership stuff comes from. To lead, one must first be somewhat confident in one's self. AND be able to see the connections between the problem/task at hand and the solutions (AHA !) . The national folks of , fifty, sixty years ago who did not own up to the abuse claims must bear the responsibility of BSA's lose of reputation. The camps sold are the sad result. Where do our Scouts go to learn , experience ? The Army, Marine Corps should not be the first place to go to learn self responsibility and life skills. The adult may realize what the end result can be (leadership? Cooperation? Building? Happy life? ) but the kid has not thought about that, Sheldon Cooper not withstanding. Keep on keeping on, friends.....

Internal, external, Aluminuminum, magnesium, bushwah... Bring back the universally useful, eminently adaptable war surplus plywood M4 Pack board:

Again. Bugling MB... Scout attempts to play the call(s). After each attempt, he asks, "Did that pass?" When I ask, "what do you think?" He responds, "mmmaybe not(sheepish grin)""... We part company with a partial, but I do not hear from him again.... It's the high G that get's 'em. But I insist I hear SOMETHING approximating the call as we both hear it on my ancient CD . Three brothers arrive with new "Hunting Horns", also seen online as a "Cavalry Horn" ( the short little ones , not a "real" bugle). I tell them, yes with expertise, the calls can be made on these horns. Are they ready? One says he played trumpet in his school band last year, but not this year. Why? He didn't like to practice (honesty !). The other two , younger brothers have never even attempted the new (still in the plastic wrap !) horns they have, that their mom bought for them. For the time allotted, we instruct and they learn to "buzz". Can I give them a "partial" ? Do they have their Blue Cards, as mentioned in the "prerequisites" ? No, thought I provided them. So, the mom didn't get them? I remind them that they , the SCOUTS need to take some more personal responsibility.... I remind them, they have all my contact info, call me when they are ready to DO the Merit Badge . That was three years ago. Never heard back from them. This is an all too usual thing for me.... I have done this by ZOOM, mom or dad in the background.... Discuss, listen, counsel, come back in two weeks, by golly, I can scan off a new Blue Card to them... Will they come across somebody who will be that Russian MBCounselor (It's Gudinov for me !)? Yeah... It's like we are not out of the Cub Scout mentality of "Do Your Best" as sufficient. Then there are the few Scouts who come ready. An hour later, I sign a Blue Card . A new Wynton Marsalis? Perhaps....

Waaay back when, all we cared about were counties and states. With the later proliferation of Scout units, TPTB started dividing up the counties into Scout Districts, each with a DE to oversee them, sign the Important Papers (remember that campfire skit? Still allowed?). As paid Scouters and volunteer Scouters came and went, (I worked in a government agency, and can attest to this ), they would often seek to "leave a heritage", and so would re-arrange the districts to "make things more efficient" or "more logical" or.... Since becoming an Adult Scouter, I can document living and Scouting in no fewer than 5 defined and named "districts". I have the patches to prove the naming of at least three of these.... Same hikes, many of the same wonderful Scout friends, same campgrounds, seemingly the same Scouts, but when I pay attention, the faces do change. . Different faces, same dirty boots.... Sic Gloria Mundi.

They need to learn to tie square bows so their shoes don't fall off..

See? This is what happens when you don't ask your Highway Commissioner if she ever was a Cub Scout....

FINALLY ! Our time with Pinewood Derby shows results : : :

What's in a name? That which we call a Scout after the camp by any other name would smell as sweet....

*sigh* Tie knots. Set up tents. cook over open fires. Knives and axes, chop wood. Help and serve others. Hike thru the woods. Observe and protect nature. Get dirty. Get clean. Wear a dorky uniform that used to be USEFUL and recognized and (?) respected. Neckerchiefs that could be signal flags, bandages, sweat rags, and tourniquets. Parents that wanted to spend time with their kids, not just watch them do stuff. Both Scouts of America. BOTH Scouts of America. The interesting thing to me is the idea that us older Scouters end up teaching the PARENTS more than the kids. Rebranding? You notice how McDonalds stores no longer LOOK like a fun place to go for a quick snack/meal? How the Micky D's now look like a ... prison block? A carwash looks more inviting. Is BSA headed that way? Scouts America... Gender neutral is definitely better. I heard GSUSA is now accepting BOYS in their ranks, is that true? Is that up to the local GSUSA leader? Campfire is all but non existent, at least in our area. Merging Councils... Can we say Owassippee ?

And don't forget the "occasional" driver who will have no idea where their spare tire is when that cursed flat tire occurs.... Hey, HERE'S an opportunity.... Automotive Merit Badge afternoon in the church parking lot.....

Convoys,,,,, Every driver MUST have the good directions. I marched in the Purdue Band 1966-1970. When we went to away games, it was a military operation. Ten or more busses, two or three trucks, a couple of private cars.... The student corps (I was a "supply sargent" , helped load and arrange stuff) listed, ordered, spoke to the drivers, and answered to the faculty staff. No cells, some radios, paper maps, memoes, lists of people and gear. Even a Troop of a half dozen cars/vans/ trailers, 35 people, needs knowledge, organization, cooperation, understandings. Convoys are useful, but not in today's traffic. Funeral processions get SOME respect, but not much without police escort. DO NOT expect Google speed estimates to match reality. Be patient. Smile and wave. A Scout is Courteous, Helpful, Friendly and Cheerful, even in I-95 traffic on a friday afternoon...... Cell numbers, PAPER DIRECTIONS and or maps, stop and regroup spots along the way. Lunch stops with sufficient parking spaces. Traveling in Scout Casual, Scout hats and matching tshirts gets lot's of smiles and even discounts or FREE LUNCH sometimes. AND encourage folks to check out their vehicle BEFORE the event. Tires pumped up, oil level okay, mufflers attached (!), windshields washed (Scout service !) , seatbelts operational.... See you on the trail !

I read widely. Not a "student". Baha Ullah? George Fox? Gandhi? Jacob Hutter? Stanwood Cobb?

Well, censorship, The Golden Rule, Kharma, Rinpoche, freedom of expression and choice, protecting youth (from adults?), civic duty versus personal responsibility, quite a discussion. I came here late, I have not been able to read the article because the Richmond Times-Dispatch keeps wanting me to SUBSCRIBE. But GOOGLE is your friend: https://dailyprogress.com/news/nation-world/government-politics/hanover-girl-scout-gold-award-censored-book-nooks-banned-hcps/article_283731ad-4dd9-5c8f-ba7a-ae16e18542aa.html It is , indeed, a Brave New World..... Aldous Huxley, call your office.

Work for who? Is the SM (she?) doing ALL the work? Is she teaching COOKING MB? Is she doing the KP? Is the CChr doing all they can to keep the SM occupied and busy elsewhere? The SM's job is to sit back by the campfire and say "go ask your Patrol Leader" with appropriate aplomb and important harumf sounds....

No Scout is going to starve in one weekend campout. Maybe three days, but not two.... And learning to cook is a three step process: 1) watch others cook (mom, dad, the Patrol Leader...) 2) trying it out yourself (when was the FIRST time you flipped a pancake successfully ?) 3) Finding out the cellophane and cardboard on the frozen pizza is NOT part of the ingredients,,,, .discovering that yes, you can cook Dinty Moore Stew in it's can, but you must OPEN IT first..... ... We will discuss hygiene and clean up next time....

Yep. How many Scouts, how many Patrols actually? Patrol cooking and activities are important. Adult "Patrol".... Two Scouts make a Patrol. Patrols can be, ARE a measure of the TROOP'S success. Perhaps the SM sees the few Scouts (how many "few"?) just need to be economically, efficiently co-agulated into one "PATROL" of the whole. SM then misses the point. The gang is the Patrol. Kids want, will gravitate into a gang, if there is nothing else. Look at Haiti. as an extreme example. Patrols are a learning time, a chance to do "gang" stuff in a GOOD way. Where did SM do their training? What did they learn about Scouting? Are they a Scientist type? a Farmer type? A Teacher type? Everyone "all in their places with bright shining faces" type? What, after all, is Scouting's purpose? Self assurance? Skill and pride of accomplishment, perhaps? how is that accomplished if the Scouts aren't "turned loose" ? In a CSDC some years back, on the last day.... thru the past week we had daily sessions, rotated thru the day. Fairly organized.... On the last day, a "WATER FEST"> games, tug a war thru a mud pit, lots of just fun stuff. One lady came up to me and said she didn't understand how this could be a good thing, she didn't know what her Cub might be "LEARNING"... I asked her where her Cub was, where the Den was, she pointed "over there"... the Cub Wash area, the Sponge throw battle area... I asked was he smiling, was he enjoying himself. She nodded "I guess so." I said then we had been successful. Ask him about his knots and Poison Ivy later..Siren sounded and the Dens took off for the next wet thing......

I am trying hard to adapt this title to the song "When a man loves a woman.... " for parodic purposes...

Wow. Nice compilation. My mother was a Campfire Girl. She was from Boston, and we have some old photos of her camping , somewhere in Massachusetts.

I was always taught the 13th Law wa "A Scout is Hungry"....

Maybe not a "patch", Way back in 2005 (not quite ancient history, but still....) I served as a Chaplain (Religious Society of Friends) at the National Jamboree at what was then titled Fort A. P. Hill. Even then, when I found out who Hill was, I wondered, "they named a US Army Base after a Confederate General ???" . I am glad we settled that mistake. Anyhow, I was issued a real live gen-you-wine Jamboree BICYCLE ! Helped me get around on my Chaplain duties. Even gave me a bike lock with it. Yes, I have some stories, another time.... At the end of the Jamboree, I was told I could BUY IT and take it home, so I did ( a bargain for a "used" bike !) Scout son rode it for a while at home, then out grew it. He later became a bike trip leader for Baltimore Yearly Meeting summer camp (up and down the Shenandoah Valley). For that, we got him a larger, more able bike . He took that with him when he "grew up" , The Jambo bike went into the storge shed. Now, Here it is, time to find it a new home. Any ideas? FB Market place? Scout Memorabilia site? Make me an offer? Tires hold air, sealed bearings, 15 speed Suntour deraileurs, it's a SCHWINN "RANGER" (!) made in china....

Frugal folks might consider AMAZON ? A search for "Scout Uniform" yields: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=boy+scout+uniform

Wunderbar... erste Klasse. Luftschiff hoch !

Stimmt das.... and since it has three corners....

"MYYYY HAT, it has three corners...."