SSScout

"In Loco Parentis". As a sub teacher, if a student was not following the class rules (well known by all students!) I would confront the student and IN FRONT OF EVERYONE ELSE (!) remind the student. Since I was a teacher, I could not lay hands on the student (except in case of imminent injury), but being a big adult, I had no qualms about putting myself in his/her way, so to speak. As a Scout Leader, I have also done the same. Inappropriate behavior is the same , it only depends on what adult is in the authority role. Hands on? Perhaps. If appropriate. Limiting behavior? As appropriate. "You're not my mommy, I don't have to do what you say ! ! !" Oh, yes you do. Quote the Scout Promise and Law liberally. Sit the whole Den down and make them part of the solution to the problem. What kind of behavior is NOT Kind, Courteous, Obedient ? ? Can we have fun if everyone is running around? Can we get the packages wrapped for our Homeless shelter visit if someone is trying to do something else? Right. Another tactic. Put yourself in front of the attention wanting Cub , look him in the eye and say, "You don't have to remind me you are here. I know you are here. " and then go on with the activity. Do not worry about the CCh mom. YOU are the Den Leader. Unless the Cub has a real Attention Deficit Spectrum issue, you should not involve the mom. If you do, you may reinforce the Cub's control idea. And he is in control, until YOU take it. Reward marble jars, candle burning, candy, pizza party at the end of the month/year, behavior rewards all tried, all possible. "It depends". Do not, under any circumstances, make any threat you are not willing to carry out. If, for instance, you give them "three strikes" count the strikes and then do what the result is.... Sit down, quiet time, Ultimately, removal from the Den, removal from Scouting? You can do this. Remind your parents that these kids will ultimately choose the parent's Assisted Care Facility. See you on the trail.

I have been away from this thread for awhile. Somewhere in the archives of Scouter dotcom is a thread about whether a Unit can limit it's membership to a particular faith. BSA has said it can. The CO (a House of Worship?) can limit it's Pack/Troop/Crew membership to only males, only females, only Catholic, only Jewish, only professed Christian, only Muslim, it is their right, so long as they otherwise follow the BSA requirements and program. It is therefore also the CO's right to utilize it's Scout Unit as an example and (if open about the reality) use it as their active youth ministry to teach their faith. LDS units often "adjusted" their Scout's participation by age or gender. Scouting was, officially, the LDS youth ministry. When the LDS folks decided they could better define and serve their youth with their own LDS defined program, they declared they would be withdrawing from the BSA organization, and they are. "Can a CO profit off a unit?" This discussion has morphed from monetary profit to some other kind. The BSA program is about the youth (male or female) gaining knowledge, skill, confidence, responsibility and learning about "good citizenship". Cooperation? Recognition of who are our neighbors? Is the Scout Promise and Law so hard to appreciate as ideals to absorb and demonstrate? If a faith defines it's success as the accumulation of members versus the perfection of a young person's soul (by their fruits....), I would suggest there is another problem , which is beyond the scope of this forum to debate or decide.

It can be years later, or close in... A story from a friend of mine: We had been "the" staffers for our CSDC. The theme was the Lewis and Clark Expedition. My buddy and I were not necessarily L & C, but members of the expedition. He (call him Ted) represented himself as a French Canadian Voyageur, with the cartoon accent : "haugh, haugh , haugh we mus' get zee canoos reddeee, nec's pas? Mon aimee, augh, augh augh.... " and like that... At the Scout Skills Pavilion, the same: "haugh, haugh, haugh , zee rrrope, he go throo zee loop lik a zees, an' lik a zees... augh, augh , augh, an' voila ! " Ted comes to me a year (!) later, and relates the following: He and family had been shopping in the local Safeway when a young boy runs up to him, points his finger at Ted, yells "HAUGH, HAUGH, HAUGH !!" and runs off. Yes, we do make an impression.

The above is what was suggested awhile ago. It still stands. My last suggestion, about the letter to the Council Scout Executive and others are for YOUR satisfaction only. Your Cub Pack must still deal with this situation, and the above is what must be done, if not with your leadership, than with someone else's. If the wannabe CM is not the identified, selected, desired by the Pack CM, then he must be told and his membership in the Pack denied, REGARDLESS of what anyone else in the Scout world says or does. I wish you and your son well, God's blessings be with you, see you on the trail, and now I must get out and clear the snow off my car so I can attend our Pack's Blue and Gold tonight.

Yes, mucho congrats. I agree, let Mr. Xerox help you, and (a Scout is Cheerful) SMILE when you hand them the third copy of the paperwork that "they" say they had not previously received.... Don't forget the coleslaw with the BBQ at your ECoH...

Boot fit. My first RoundTable , I had a podiatrist talk to us about blister prevention, boot and sock choice. Boots are to tried on, NOT bought thru ebay.., toes can wriggle, heels are snug. lace snug across the instep, not tight across the toe. Do not be shy about changing the lacing pattern, or experimenting with other things. Be aware and sensitive to hot spots, particular "feelings" . As you hike, your feet will want to spread out, can they? Women should be aware that the shoe they wear to the office is NOT the size boot they should use. Try on a size bigger. Wool socks, with or without liners. My buddy and I hiked the Camino de Santiago, 500plus kilometers, I had 100% ragg wool socks, he used a wool blend and silk liners. I had NO blisters at all, he had none until the last 50 KM, and then developed a small one on his left big toe, which he attributed to a leather layer in his "old " boot that had come loose.

Wow. I am sorry for your travail. The last thing you might do is document all of it (yes, one more time) from the top. Read it thru a couple of times, have someone else read thru it to make sure it makes sense (and is not just your "unloading"), and send copies of it all to the Council Scout Executive, the District Executive and the Council Commissioner. These names and addresses can be found on line in your Council Website. If you still feel you can have no Scouting connection, I understand your reasons, but you might (might) find another Scout Unit down the road. I wish you well and your son a blessed life.

Hellooo. I had a strict Roman Catholic (they even used the term "Evangelical Roman Catholic") church that chartered a Scout Troop. They were very specific and open about only wanting and allowing Scouts of the Roman Catholic faith. It was a small but active Troop, maybe 12 or 15 Scouts at it's peak. They were active for maybe 5 years and then folded due to , I believe, a lack of recruits of any kind. We have at least two (soon to be three, I hope) nearby active Troops chartered to Muslim congregations. They, by comparison , make it a point to say they will welcome any Scout , but they must be aware that the Troop will do things in the Muslim way, as to religious obligations, food, cooking, etc. but will not require anyone to necessarily join in such. And they do have a few non-Muslim Scouts. A few. We also have several Troops , Packs, Crews and Ships chartered to Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist and Lutheran churches, and synagogues. I am not aware of any of them that count the Scouts registered in their Units as being included in their congregation's populations. Church census? Fine. Scout unit attendance? A separate thing.

Tunn Pannkaka : https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/real-swedish-pancakes-pannkakor-31040

See previous topic, "what's in a name"?

Scouts Canada sometimes holds regional Jamborees, and one national Jamboree.

It depends …. On the Scouts, on the Scouters, on possibilities presented and possible. The Troop of my yoooth had many folks with outdoor type careers, ex-military (WW2), farming, etc. experience. Just as I joined, somebody's cousin's uncle owned some property that they would let the Troop camp on. Mixed with fields and old woods (American Chestnut dead grove) , I remember it well. They were making plans for a more lengthy summer camp there, . One dad worked for the phone company, got used utility poles. Another dad had a tractor. More than one had chainsaws and tools. The poles were cut, drug a mile (!) into the woods where the Scouts helped build a three sided cabin, "Adarondack" style. Over the next years, We cleared camp sites, cleaned out and capped a spring with concrete and piping, dug and built a privy, dammed up the creek so we would have about 5 feet of depth to splash in (not really swim. We went to a local place down the road for that). Our Troop would stay at "The Property" for one or two weeks each summer, go there on the odd weekend, attend the Council summer camp, too. AND the older Scouts visited Philmont and Katahdin. It is up to the Scouts to be convinced such things can still be done. I know of local Venture Crews and Troops that design and do (!) weeks on the AT, thru the Allagash and canoe for a week or more along the Shenandoah and Potomac. No commercial outfitters involved, but yes, they do have some experienced people already . I believe the saying is that "Good Judgement comes from Experience and Experience comes from Poor Judgement." Get your Scouts out and make some poor judgement.

Local dialect..... "Tire patches",,,, "Hockey Pucks",,,,,,

For shame.... A bugle is the epitome of the human powered, middle distance communication device. Esoteric ? Obsolete? Poorly recognized, perhaps. Not so widely used and utilized as previously, perhaps. Obsolete? Only for those who own stock in lithium battery companies.... When I counsel BMB, I am always disappointed and still surprised at the Scouts that come and expect to walk away with a slam dunk merit badge . A brand new horn, still in the plastic bag, can't even make a noise on it, much less play a tune. What did they expect? "pre-requisites? What's that? " And then the next Wynton Marsalas walks in, answers every question, plays the calls from memory, knows when they would be appropriate. Thank you, Lord. The bugle only has five notes, six or seven if you are REALLY good, and can bring tears to the eyes of some listeners, for the GOOD reasons. Yeah, I know, I almost cry too, listening to some of the Scouts that come to me. Play the Tatoo back in the woods with some emotion, before taps..... I rank the bugle up there with holding up the Scout Sign. Hold up your Sign and wait? How many Scouts in your view hold up and wait? or even quiet down? If the Scouts are "educated" in it's purpose and use, how much more efficient could your Troop become? A well played bugle can be heard a mile away over open ground, less back in the woods, of course. Ever been at the Nat Jam and listened to the various bugles from the Troop sites here,,, over there... there... over here.... then listen to the Scouts complain when you tell them to GET OFF THE RECHARGING STATION AND GET BACK TO YOUR CAMP>

It's been a while.... Any news?

So the GSUSA's are teaming with DC Super Power Girls? Skimpy, skin tight uniforms , soon to be appearing at a Girl Scout Troop near you? ""...real-world experiences managing money, setting goals, meeting deadlines, learning the basics of marketing to customers, and having fun.... "

The "Scoutmaster" is wearing blue corded garrison cap and a blue "Merit Badge" sash ? Copyright infringement avoided? Yes, I will admit to seeing (and NOT hearing, that was significant to me at the time) a UFO more than once in the night sky. No , I did not report them (to whom?) . The instances were not threatening in any way, but even with my aviation experience, I could not account for the sights. No time to get a camera up, no time to do anything except say "look at that !" to my companion....

""It Depends"". Pot luck? Catered by La Rive Gauche ? It is up to the Pack, depending on their bank account, their desire for intimacy, simplicity, whether it's a "par-tay" to celebrate BSA's birthday or another Pack Meeting to hand out rank and awards. AOL crossover? Magician? Clown in town? Scales and Tales? Charge a small fee, a large fee, sell a lot of popcorn, beefsticks and campcards and the Pack pays for it? One year our ACM went shopping, found an Out Back whose manager was very Scout friendly and who evidently needed some "numbers" for his district rating. He catered our B&G FOR FREE ! Strip steaks, potatoes, salad, rolls, butter and jam, chocolate brownies.... we had to provide beverages... mucho leftovers, little cleanup. "It Depends".

The Beading Ceremony should be enough of a "present" present. I like the idea of an antique(!) Cub book and photo bookmark, but if it were me, I would present it privately, after the ceremony.

Here go us again. Local tradition, regs etc. Here in SSScout District, the nascent Eagle candidate usually has his project and records reviewed by somebody in his Troop (Scoutson was reviewed by the Troop Committee!) and then on to the District Eagle Coordinator (we have four officially, schedule with any), and when everybody is happy, the project is attended to, approved by the Benefactor, and then back to the Eagle Coordinator who schedules the EboR. The EBoRs are regularly scheduled twice a month, in bunches. Many Scouts, with their SM (or ASMs) and a parent or two, come out to the site. The Eagle Coordinator (usually the "designee") chairs the EBoR, and two or three "volunteers" (the attendant parents !) are "deputized" for the duty. Might have four or five EBoR in an evening....

Hiking::: I have heard hiking called "a walk with a purpose". I have been told the Army considers a fit soldier with full kit should be able to cover 4 miles an hour. For how long? I like to think I can do a day hike (water, snacks, binocs, first aid kit, poncho....) at maybe 3 mph, breaks and sit downs to watch the flora and fauna not included. When I lead a Historic Hike of John and Jane Q. Citizen, and tell stories along the way, we might cover 4 miles in 3 hours.... It was once suggested to me (and the Advancement Chair agreed) that a Scout , who carries the wherewithal for a hike in the woods, could count his time pushing the family lawnmower (not self propelled !) as a hike, IF he could document the distance . 3 hours pushing, times 2 or 3 miles per hour....

Yep, cooking is a prime example. How does anyone learn to cook? On a kitchen stove or wood camp fire? Three things are necessary: Hunger and boredom with the current menu (!!), someone to demonstrate possibilities, and or instruction. Scout Iron Chef episodes are great. I remember a "Scout Chef" camp, I still have the souvenir woggle from it. How could your District encourage such events? Like a Camporee but with a THEME of "Clever Nutrition"? We have a Tasters Walk in a neighboring local, every restaurant sets up a tasting table in front and you walk the sidewalk and TASTE ! You buy a slew of tickets (it is a charity fundraiser) and for a ticket or two, you get a sample of whatever the restaurant special is. Something like that? Patches? Woggles? Prizes?

Well, This could start the debate about "New Boy Patrols" vs "Mixed Age Patrols" couldn't it? I Scouted in a so-called Mixed Age Patrol, altho it didn't have that title back then. Us new Scouts were apprenticed into a Patrol that needed a couple of kids to bring it up to 8. We fit in, the older fellows showed us the ropes (so to speak) and our Troop also had classes in things. But we camped and hiked in the existing (short handed? ) Patrol.

This is going into our District News..... Thank you....

1) Look up and contact your Scout District Advancement Chair. This is a volunteer position that every Scout District should have. If not that specifically, then the District Chair or District Commissioner, both of whom should be listed on your Council Website. The District Advancement Chair, if he/she is able and lucky, will have a Merit Badge Dean. This person (another volunteer Scouter!) is in charge of keeping track of the available, certified, signed up MBCounselors in your District, and can connect with other Districts to refer to their MBCounselors. 2) Any adult can register as a MBCounselor. Anyone. Ideally, they should be knowledgable and experienced in the topic, but this is not necessarily required. Your Sailing Camp would profit by having a Sailing/Rowing/Canoeing MBCounselor or two on staff. Any Scout could then refer to them for that MB. Nice ! 3) It is easy to register as such, contact the local (to the camp !) Scout District. The person fills out three pieces of paper, does about an hour and a half of online training at their own pace, and presto, a new MBCounselor ! No money involved, it's free. You are a MBCounselor forever, as long as you keep your Youth Protection up to date and counsel a few Scouts every so often. Oh, and email the MBDean of the District occasionally. 4) A MBCounselor can work with one Scout (with the appropriate YP Chaperoning), at their own appointment, or with a group at a MBDay or MBCollege scheduled by the District/Council (depending on the appropriateness of the MB) or with any number on their own scheduled occasion. Check with the District honchos. "It depends". 5) Very often, MBs happen when they happen. Certain ones just lend themselves to Summer Camp, for instance. Somebody in the Troop will cry out for a "Chess" MBCounselor, an adult will step up, presto ! A chess tournament is scheduled thru the District ! Wunderbar ! 6) The Scoutmaster, as has been mentioned, may not limit a Scout's access to a registered MBCounselor. Or limit the requirements. Or redefine the requirements. If he/she has questions as to IF the Scout actually fulfilled the requirements of a MB, the SM must go thru the District Advancement Chair. That question concerns the fitness of the MBCounselor, not the Scout. A properly signed Blue Card is all the Scout needs. 7) USUALLY (usually) it is not a good thing for the parent to be the MBCounselor. If the parent takes that responsibility, then be sure to Counsel many Scouts, not just "one". Gain the reputation of being a good MBCounselor for all Scouts, yes? Oh yes... buy the MBBook, or print out the PDF if you prefer, but do not depend on online worksheets. Answering those questions, filling out those blanks is NOT fulfilling the requirements. The worksheet may help the Scout organize things, but they are NOT the MB. Many home school folks use the MBBooks as middleschool curricula. Good scouting to you. See you on the trail !