SSScout

well, let's see.... Your mom attends free. Scouts do the cooking, or is this "catered"? (that's not very Scouty like, IMO). * You will attend, that's one ticket... *Dad should attend, that's #2. * Any uncles? They should attend (and be hungry). 3, 4 ?? * Aunts? If they are MOMS, they should attend free too. Or.... * Grand dads? Grand MOMS (see above).... Neighbors can be asked. They might be hungry. Any "reputation" for the cuisine? Posters in places? Is the PUBLIC invited to attend and HONOR their mom(s) ? Perhaps an "Honor Roll" of moms gone by.... ? Don't forget the flowers...... Each MOM gets a boutonnierre (spelling?)

Not my call.... Dad tried, kid not interested. I think there were other dynamics at work, too.

As a retired county employee, union rep, home owner who needs a new roof and present Scout Leader, I recognize and share your pain. A Scout is trustworthy. But to mis-quote a past president, A Scout should verify and remind.... alot. ALWAYS make copies of reports. Include many folks in the negotiations. Make three contacts, then move on to the COMPLAINT stage. Cultivate the good contractors. Pass on recommendations. Remember that everyone needs to "make a living", that many workers get the job done quicker (usually) rather than one person doing everything. That said, yeah, if the fellow shows up in a beat up panel truck or a new Escalade, which one appeals to you? Eagle work books and proposals... Phone calls, emails, FBmessage, knock on door, one does what one must, but ALWAYS encourage and allow that person to "do the right thing". Some years ago, the Scoutson of a friend (really nice kid, our Scout was two years behind him) completed everything, application filled out, project approved, handed everything in, time before 18th birthday not a problem. District Advancement Chair, admittedly a stickler for detail, tells Scout he filled out an obsolete application, he needs to redo the application on the NEW up-to-date application. Scout parenthetically throws up his hands, says in essence "to hell with this all", and goes off to join the Air Force. No one can convince him otherwise. Last report, he is a Master Sargent in Australia.... Good luck, we hope and pray your son gets thru his Eagle and your roof gets replaced.

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, A Cry In The Wild , the movie. I look forward to seeing "Lost on a Mountain"

Passing the test.... In Cub Scouts, it is sufficient that the adult see that the Cub "did their best"... Encouragement to try again, to make a greater effort is fine, ought to be part of the process, but the Cub needs to ONLY be seen as "doing your best..." In Scouts BSA, the test MUST be met, the skill MUST be mastered. This is perhaps one of the reasons Morse Code, Wig Wag, Semiphore is no longer required. (another discussion). Once upon a time, I worked with a Scout for his Totin Chip. His mom (a single parent) was an anxious parent. "Johnny" was an eager to try anything Scout. Our Troop requirement included making a "GOOD" tent peg to demonstrate the mastering of the use of the hatchet. Most Scouts in my experience needed a couple or three tries. Johnny took a 36" stick, and eventually made a really nice, near perfect tent peg that was about 8" long. I can't remember a more proud boy. His mom came to me several days later and asked me what I had done to her son? He had this stick and wouldn't let it go ! And he made his bed !

Scoutmaster Minutes.... Are they still a "thing" ? Are pithy bon mots worthy of a Scoutmaster's possible embarrassment? Does one deal with actualities or what ifs or ideals ? Case in point::: Some years ago, our camporee was interrupted by police being called because some unfortunate vandalism occurred to our host's headquarter's building. This occurred during the Saturday night. Since Scouts were "officially" the only folks on the property, it was strongly implied that a Scout person(s) had done it. No one ever came forward and admitted, no one was ever accused, but.... Our Camporee SM, a very long term, Scouter's Scouter, took the assembly the next Sunday morning for lowering the flag to close the camporee to give a talk. Everyone there knew what had happened, the rumor mill being alive and well. He mainly spoke in general terms, never mentioned the actual event . I remember the period was very somber, serious, instead of being happy and glad to have had the challenge and games of the previous days. I wish I could remember the definite things he said, but even in my adult hood, I was impressed with the way he said it. Scout ideals, Scout behavior, Scout responsibility for decisions and actions and their results... Do you, does your SM take that time at the end of the Meeting to send the Scouts back to "the Real World" with something to consider?

Watch that . BSA has gotten into trouble using that motto/slogan. It is copyrighted by High Lights magazine. BSA wants us to use "GAME WITH A PURPOSE"

See? This is what happens when the adults take over. It becomes award oriented rather than fun oriented.

Take the high road here. Does he have a youth in the Troop? What is his "connection"? Did he become ASM in your Troop, or another ("transferred to us" ?) ? A definite sit down and adult talk to is in order. Say , two or three other adult Scouters corral him and tell him what you have seen, what has happened and what MIGHT happen if he doesn't change his ways. DO this with FRIENDLY witnesses. Scouting is not Marine Boot Camp, it ain't Heartbreak Ridge. Remind him of OUR ideals, Kind, Obedient, Friendly, etc.... Yes, Baden-Powell was a soldier, yes, he did seek to improve the male youth he saw coming into his army units, but he recognized the need for Scouting to be FUN WITH A PURPOSE> If it ain't fun, no boy is going to stick around to absorb the purpose. As a last resort, see above for choice "B", COR removes him. Sorry for the lose of his son/daughter Scout, but eventually that youth will figure things out, rest assured, and the dad will lose that battle, believe me... See you on the trail.

Very active for many years, but folded about 2000.

Some other posts mentioning chainsaw projects and cotton sleeping bags makes me wonder if a thread about how WE did stuff in Scouting, way back when, and isn't it a wonder we are here to tell the tale... I will start off with a story I heard (because I was too young to participate) about. Our CO had a Cub Pack, a Scout Troop AND a Sea Scout Ship. The Ship was well known around the council, it being led by an old Chief Mate. One summer , they decided on an adventure, so they built a wood raft with 55 gallon drums lashed under it . Sailed down the Potomac and out into and up the Chespeake Bay.

aww, it was an incomplete..... It was a tail dragger...

*sigh* So much philosophical water under the metaphoric bridge. Way back when I was working on my Stegasaurus Husbandry Merit Badge, my Troop was a very active outdoors Troop. Like I am sure many of you, our adult leaders/parents were veterans of the Great Depression, WW2, Korean war.... I remember one winter campout, snow on the ground, we were going to the back woods of one of our leaders. And just before, we were told we would have a "guest Troop" camping with us. A GIRL SCOUT TROOP. Who'd a guessed? All the Girl Scouts I knew back then sold cookies and held fashion parties (Not that I knew too many Girl scouts). So it seemed some lady parents of my acquaintance (really!) were outdoor people ! So a dozen BOY Scouts and about a dozen GIRL Scouts set up camp , in a foot or 18" of snow, back in the woods. I remember a certain division of labor. BSA chopped wood, hauled water, GSUSA set up the campfire and such. There was an amazing cooperation present thru out, but.... They brought chili/stew frozen in used milk cartons, which thawed out and cooked over the fire very nicely. Suitably impressed, we BSA fried eggs and sausage and biscuits for breakfast. Hikes for nature study, we each went home that weekend, I think, with a new appreciation for at least some of our schoolmates. I am sorry to say, that was a one time event, I can not say why, but it did not happen again. Earning Eagle is another thing entirely. I worked and earned the ranks, figured out what Merit Badges were, and earned some at summer camp. Woodworking (woggles) , made a woven seat stool. Found some MBcs (had to call Council for phone numbers), did Surveying, Aviation,,,, Then a new Scout joined the Troop. His dad was a Naval Officer who came to Troop meetings in full uni, scrambled eggs on the cap. The kid announced (!) that he had done the math and would be Eagle in X months on Y day ! Well, us older Scouts got together and discussed this. After many years of just enjoying the camping, hiking etc. we realized this new kid could end up being the First Eagle of this Troop ! We decided that wasn't going to happen, so we started to work. The new kid became the third Eagle, about a year behind his schedule. Competition can be a motivator.

Never hurts to ask, but if it's a recognized Scout uni, Sea Scout version (!) , and you are so trained/awarded/recognized, I would think it's appropriate. But that's just lil' ol' me.... 😉

Welcome aboard. I would see no problem with the Offishul Commish round patch. What is the concern ? Too "red" ?

Ideas (if you don't have them already) 1) An Orienteering course. "Scout's Honor", this can be a self run activity after the Scout gets some training in Map, and Compass. 2) Find "specialists" to do Merit Badges not always done at summer camp. Pros could come in , one day and do, say, Surveying, Bugling, etc. 3) Fishing... if you have the lake, stream front. In addition to the usual waterfront stuff, time out activity. Prizes for what's caught. Sell supplies at the Trading Post. 4) I hope yu have the trails well marked (Eagle project?), distances, places/stuff/nature/history of interest signage. Various Merit Badges possible.... 5) Scouters don't need to sit in camp all the time. Enlist the interested adults. Make known your desire, need, possibilities. I worked the Scout Skills pavilion when I accompanied the Troop some weeks. 6) Woodcarving? Woggle making? Don't forget , camp should NOT be ONLY about "rank advancement" And you too, have fun ! Smile and wave as you go by....

Yes yes and yes, they responded quickly ! I have had a nice email conversation with the MB Committee volunteer(s). They will consider my concerns when next they have their meeting next year. Ho hum... ]

Thank you, Schiff, I'll let you know their response, if and when...

Well, I must be behind the times. I just went on line to National to check something I heard a rumor of, and sonofagun, it was true. Bugling Merit Badge Requirements were changed, and the National BSA web page is incorrect.... The page claims "most of the music uses only four notes. " . And they changed the requirement from "Sound the following bugle calls" to "sound ten of the following calls" Therefor, "Call To The Colors " (raise the flag) and "Retreat" (take the flag down) are no longer necessary (you need five notes), and six are a good Bugler's range. To Whommm may I address my concerns? It is not obvious to me.

History is personal and impersonal. Ice ages and warm periods have been documented both within the fossil record and in recent memory. Here in Maryland USA, I can remember winters with snow drifts taller than my dad's head. Made good tunnels for the well wrapped Cub Scout. Photoes in the magazine of storms that closed the rail road systems. The last few years have been noticably less snowy. Last year, it hardly made sense to put the plow on the front of my son's truck. Do ICE contribute to the climate ? Look to London's coal smoke clouds, Los Angeles' smog. Certainly. Do they contribute to the ultimate change in the climate? Very possibly. Are they the absolute CAUSE of the climate change ? Ummmm, ... Electric vehicles? Battery? Lithium mining in the Congo? Maybe soon in Montana? I'm frankly more worried about the next Carrington Event. Teach your Scouts well. Their families may need the survival skills .

"It depends". I once asked that question, seeking history, old names. I was directed to a MICROFICHE archive, several boxes. The paper had been disposed of. 1950's, 1960's.... The microfiche was hard to read but it was there..

Yep. Been there, done that:

Ah the Scout Neckerchief... Collared shirt. A collarless shirt would require a special tailoring. That is probably why the C/L shirt was abandoned. Over or Under? Size? Woggle, slide, Friendship Knot ? Depends on the wearers attitude. Is the Necker a useless piece of tradition, symbol or a possible tool, as was the original attitude? Let's see if I can find those pages from "" Matching Mountains with the Boy Scout Uniform; the Official Boy Scout Uniforms"" , by Edward F. Reimer . . .

As an amateur Vexilologist ( I've yet to meet a professional), I share this because it agrieves me. We see replicas of the American flag displayed on t-shirts, swim trunks, Napkins, cups, banners. little paper flags on cupcakes, I can smile. I invite folks to search out the Ruggables company, which has offered for sale (and they have named and presented as such) "An American Red Flag Rug" Red and white stripes, pretty. White stars on a blue background, nice. Fifty stars on a blue field in the upper left corner of thirteen red and white stripes, this is intended as a US flag . But something INTENDED to be walked on, wipe one's boots on, ,, what were they thinking? Opinions, thoughts? https://ruggable.com/products/american-flag-red-rug?

IMHO This is not a YPT issue, but a ego PT... BSA is very careful about ALL events and operations being open to observation by parents. This does not mean "manipulation" but looking on and "being there". Registration as an adult and taking the YPT is necessary, but no one can deny the parent the right/ability to "observe". Converstion wih those involved seems appropriate. The CO and COR are to be involved, and IMHO, a Troop cannot have too many WELL TRAINED ASMs... And maybe your local Unit Commish, if you have one. Right, Fred?