SSScout

Here is an idea I would like to see done "again". When I escorted my Webelos Scouts to summer camp some years ago, I was presented with a set of forms by the camp staff. These were in addition to the usual health, realeases, desired classes, etc. These forms said, in essence, "fill out this information sheet, and we will send your boss, your employer, a thank you note, extolling your virtues and telling your employer how lucky they are to have an employee like you who is so devoted to the future of America, etc. ". Well, I filled it out and sure enough, some weeks later I received a memo from my department head acknowledging my camp time service, that this "compliment" would be placed in my file and would be considered when my evaluation came up. Wow. I think it actually helped in my next promotion. The memo from the camp (Heritage Reservation) in the Greater Pittsburgh Council had been signed by . . .Bob Mazzuca. When I suggested this idea to the DE who staffed our next CSDC< she was impressed with this way of promoting Scout Service and produced the info sheet. Some folks filled it out, I did. Presto! I got another memo from the Department head. That was ten or more years ago. I have not seen another effort at this since. SO: It takes some doing, your DE and CSE need to agree it's a nice idea, but hey, I think it's worth the effort. Typing, copying, postage, signing.... Why do we use up our vacation time? Just another excuse to go camping? Yes, I think it is nice to have someone else know WHY we go camping. If someone with some imprimatur (CSE !) can send a letter (an actual LETTER ! ) complimenting and thanking our boss for "allowing your employee to help mold the future citizens of America", hey, do it. Every little thing helps. Talk to your DE and get those letters out !

Part of Scouting, it seems to me, is the concept of "safe exploring". I have gone places even my 24 year old son has not, but he will go places I cannot. Leading Cubs on exploring hikes (see that cut tree? A beaver did that.) is an example. The cocoon of modern life is a sad thing, methinks. Back in my day, it was not unusual for my folks to just say "be back in time for dinner" and me and my buddy would go off along the Northwest Branch to turn over rocks looking for crawdads. Rare it is today that urbane parents allow their 7 year old that luxury. Geotagging? Is that the nature version of Pikachu Go ? Another way to fill empty bandwidth? When Alpha Centauri finally receives all this radio noise, how will they interpret it? Ach du Lieber. What is the mimeograph equivalent of GPS ? "Oh, nobody goes there any more. It's too crowded." = Yogi Berra =

If it is especially hot, STAY HYDRATED. Drink the health of the King (and/or Queen?) . All knights and squires can not refuse to drink the health of the king/queen. Which brings up the idea, the Camp Director should be CROWNED with due ceremony and pomp the first day.... Scout Skills ? Nay, "Squire School". Nature Pavilion? Nay, "Herbs and Notions". Medical Pavilion? Nay, "Bloodletting Site" Give appropriate awards to the Staff Scouts : Sir Cumspect, Sir Pentine, Sir Leans a lot, Sir Cumfrence, Lady Ladelah, Lady Downundie, Sir Lee, etc.

Welcome to the Scouter Forums.,....and thank you for Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Are you familiar with the game "Pin The Tail On The Donkey?", popular here at some kids parties? Create an outline map, only geographic , terrain, rivers, no political, "human" items. Create some outline of cities, towns, etc. to pin on in the right places. Use a plastic surface that can be wiped clean, and double stick tape , so there are no left over clues for the next players…. I do not know how old your Scouts will be. At our Cub Scout Day Camp, I did Map and Compass. We pasted up a series of maps, graduated as to scale. Our National Geographic magazine has a nice series. There were in order of scale: THE UNIVERSE, The "local group" of galaxies, the Milky Way galaxy, the Solar System, a world globe, a Mercator projection world map, a Buckminster Fuller world projection (nice comparison!), a national map (USA of course), a state map, a county map, a local road map, a map of the Park we were in.... I had a few Cubs ooo, and aaah actually at the connection between the maps. Showing how the smaller scale links to the larger scale , and the orientation was a nice touch, we thought. Good luck with your camp !

Wool socks. 100% wool socks. Some folks are mildly allergic to wool (sad), but I wear wool rag year round,,,, padding , no blisters, warm in winter (add a liner?), cool (believe it or not) in the summer. Not much more expensive than the blends (thorlo?) and all natural product. Get the right size, not too tight. Change socks for sleeping, dry wool socks keep tootsies warm. Wear night socks the next morning, Hang yesterday socks up to dry the next morning. Wear the old day socks (now dry) for the next night. On long hikes, bring three pair. One rinse out, hang on back of pack to dry thru the day, use for night. One pair in reserve in the pack, in plastic baggie. One pair on feet, hiking. And ,of course, properly fitted boots. Snug across the instep, looser in the toes, wiggle room. Your feet expand when you hike seriously, they need a little room to "spread". snug into the heel cup, but not so tight it is uncomfortable. Seek out the Gortex clones, all but 100% waterproof in small puddles, but breath for your sweaty feet. True story: Bought a LLBean pair, and their "Gortex Type" liner was installed BACKWARDS. They soaked up rain water and dew, my feet sweat so much , it was like walking in a lake shore. Returned for refund. Bought Vasque pair, (as my last three pairs) and exact opposite: Dry feet, puddles no leak into boot. Happy hiker. See you on the trail...

"Must be THIS TALL to ride this ride.... "

"Helmets donated by the Able Bicycle Company". "Bike Rodeo organized by Troop XYZ, West Muddy Branch Colorado" Doesn't benefit the Troop, benefits the Public. Go for it.... Set up a donation bucket for the local League of American Bicyclists chapter.... ask them for help !

Resurrected, indeed. Our three local Districts last month held our joint "Program Launch", again. This time, at least 75 vendors, first aid demos, Coast Guard Auxiliary demos, our "program" program listed over 100 possibilities for the Scout Unit (not everybody could attend, but we collected their info). Campgrounds, museums, High Adventure places, Jamborees, fun stuff, official Scout stuff, and a chance to pick up your units new program year info packet and press the flesh of fellow Scouters. It was in a smaller indoor venue than we had last year, but it had a large outdoor court to spill into. The hard part is finding a venue half way central to our county, and FREE, because we ain't got no budget. It was fairly easy to work the three District honchos together after everyone realized the benefits of not having three separate P/L's . Once again, proof of our maxim that "The Work Is Done By Who ever Shows Up."

Not so much how to TEACH, but how are the Scouts going to EARN , PASS the requirement ? When I teach IOLS to nascent Scoutmasters, I always mention the need to give/create/have opportunities for the urban, modern Scout to chop wood, set fires, splint broken (imitation!) bones, lash tables/towers/bridges together. Same here at camp. One can EDGE to death the skills and techniques, but WHEN are the Scouts going to have a chance to DO IT FOR THEMSELVES ? Games? Competitions? Camp improvements? When it comes to ID'ing plants and animals, recognize it may get harder thru the summer as the "signs" get used up, as the critters get shooed away by all them Scouts that want to see them. Rope off the Poison Ivy examples so they don't get pulled up by eager environmentalists. Set the example thru your attitude, language and standards . They meet your standards, not you allow their desire. Classroom? Yes, of the woods. Every so often, just sit and LISTEN. WATCH. Learning For Life? Here at camp, that can have a different meaning. Even at this great remove, I can remember some of the senior Scouts that I encountered at Camp Roosevelt, altho I do not remember their names. Would that you make THAT kind of impact on your campers. One last suggestion, and this will be a hard one to implement. DO NOT address any Scout as "guy". They can be that back home. They are here at "Scout Camp". You are a "Scout Leader." They are Scouts, Campers, Boys, Girls (!?), they did not come to "guy camp", did they? Try hard , and encourage your fellows to do the same, do not rename our movement or our members. Use their correct, appropriate, hard earned, title. Make'm special thereby. " Scout" is a title to be used and valued. Spread THAT around. See you on the trail....

Very good to hear a happy ending. Why is this in "Scoutmaster Minutes" ? Perhaps 'Advancement" re-move ?

Welcome home, Hedge. I would ask your permission to reprint your "confession" in our Scout District Newsletter , pretty please?

Syrup ?

""The work is done by whoever shows up."" Definitely start the planning early. My High School class tried to have it's 60th reunion recently, but couldn't get it's collective act together, so had it's 62nd anniversary instead.... Newspaper, TV, Facebook, media, Scouter Magazine, Boy's Life, check Council records (microfilm !), county council, State Legislature resolution, presentation to the CO, special BBQ picnic party, lock in movie night("Follow Me Boys", "Down And Dirty", "Boy Scouts To The Rescue" old serial, )), invite old alumnae, invite YOUNG alumnae, special necker, t-shirt, patch, exhibit in the local library/museum, present Unit Flag/banner to (?) somebody, Any excuse for a party, right ?

Well, here's one way to teach "thrifty". Each Scout pays(?) an amount, say, $12. The Patrol Treasurer (!!) collects that and the Patrol then goes out TOGETHER and plans the menu and buys the food from THAT amount. No going over. Maybe get some stuff from home? Three, four meals? Carry in? Not car trunk'd in? I marveled when my Scoutson first went camping with his Patrol. They went out and bought STEAKS and POTATOES and REAL MILK ( not instant), eggs, OJ etc.... , and THEN divied up the cost (Bank of Dads) . When half the Patrol DID NOT (!!) go on the trip, the four Scouts that did ate ALL of the steaks....

Oh, I would never do that. The idea that one must "accept any and all beliefs" was never my desire. Like B-P once said (paraphrase) a Scout's faith is generally determined by his family. Since there are so many different types of worship, I would never point and say THIS one is correct, all the rest are poor imitations. No, no, no. Not my decision. Not yours (or anyone's) either. We can only "do our best", and when the final exam comes around, see if we pass. One of my favorite comedians Emo Phillips wrote/created a joke about this... Once I saw this guy on a bridge about to jump. I said, "Don't do it!" He said, "Nobody loves me." I said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian." I said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said, "Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." I said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." I said, "Me, too!" Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." I said, "Die, heretic!" And I pushed him over.

Wood badge, as with any training, is dependent on the following: 1) The curriculum. Is it a "school" that teaches what it says it teaches? Scouting, values, yes. Camp skills, not so much. Spirit and devotion, yes. People management, maybe. Activities ideas, yes. 2) the Teachers/staff. You may get Baden Powell in carnate, you may get Bozo Clown . Can't predict. Sometimes, the staff are experienced in their topic, sometimes could be better. Depend on the idea that everyone is dedicated and "Doing their Best". 3) The attitude of the Attendees. If you have already had some (a lot?) of management training, you may be bored stiff. If it is all new, you may have the time of your life. Go with an open mind and the idea that "any excuse to go camping is good", and you will not go half wrong. Have fun. Ask questions. 4) Classwork and Homework . Get it done. Work together. Reach out to your Patrolmates. 5) In Wood Badge, you will be asked to design your own "Homework" , your Tickets. Be prepared (!) to name some possible projects in YOUR OWN REGISTERED AREA. This was a surprise to me, as I was then registered as an ASM in my son's Troop, but I helped a lot in Cub Scout Day Camp. Can't do Cub things ! So, I ended up registering as a Commissioner. Commissioners can work in ANY Scout area !. Good luck and have fun..... See you on the trail.

Matt R: Thank you for looking up Penn's work. The whole book is very thought provoking, yes? As to your wonderment, you are not alone. In the religious category of "Christian", would you like to begin the sub group list? The how and why they are so divided? Would a Catholic admit a Methodist is still a "Christian"? Our Jewish compadres have many similar groupings. I know Jewish Scouters who will not set foot in a Social Hall built into a church under their sanctuary, others who see no problem with that but would not participate in a Interfaith Service in a Baptist church with other faiths. And there are at least four (six? Seven?) titled subgroups of Islam. Hindu? Buddhist? Penn's revelation is that all these folks often live very similar lives in their demonstration of adherance to their faith, tho their "official" declarations may be very different. "The "golden rule" can be found in just about every defined faith in one form or another. The religion/spiritual faith shown by the actions in one's life is not necessarily the one labeled in their House of Worship, altho we will honor that division. The actions in one's life better demonstrates and defines one's faith. Handle snakes and vipers as a sign of ones faith? Ramadan? Celebacy? (Ain't no more Shakers, there's a reason for that). Why hatred and lust for gold and power are NOT values propounded by any faith I am aware of (perhaps save Nichiren Buddhism) is significant. "Radical Islam" not withstanding, there have also been "Radical" other faiths thruout history. Sikhs versus Hindu versus Christian versus Coptic versus Muslim versus Buddhist versus …. The Druz and Sunni and Shia and Amadhaya (hope I remember the spelling) and whoa the rest of our Muslim friend's divisions and their internecine rivalries are typical. Penn's point is that WE may think we have the correct belief system, but WE will not know for sure until all our "forms" are removed, ultimately , by death. Oh, and Hey to you Merlyn ! And where is that Sub Forum on Faith and Chaplaincy???? See you on the trail.

NJC: The only way to describe the BSA is as a "religious organization', and not a 'religion' (regardless of my good wife's description of my attitude towrd Scouting !). We have no specific faith, but we promote the idea of religion. That makes us a "religious organization", similar to the National Council of Churches, or the National Prayer Breakfast, or (locally) the Greater Olney Interfaith Ministerium. No specific view of a Supreme being, but an acceptance of the idea of many ways to view/worship/pray/reverence/acknowledge that Supreme being. Is that a better explanation?

Paper. Print out a notice and HAND it to them. I am the Clerk of our grounds committee. Our Committee planned a work day and made up a list of all the chores we sought to accomplish. Scheduled it MONTHS in advance. Listed on calendar. Listed in bulletin. Verbally spoke about it after meeting. Folks still asked, "when are you having the work day?" We printed out the chore list and HANDED it to everyone one first day , THAT got their attention. Good attendance, got some stuff done, people were now aware of our desire to get things done....

First... How do you create a sub forum again? Name it " Faith and Chaplaincy" and move THIS discussion there. Where are you, Merlin? Second..... Yep, been there, done that. Many 's the time I've had to disabuse someone of the idea that the BSA (or Scouting in general) is a "Christian" organization. Religious organization, yes. Particularly Christian, no. Are our "values" religiously based? I would posit that the SPromise and SLaw may have their origins in faith, and even be inspired of faith, but Baden Powell had to argue that the Church of England could not claim the Scouting movement as their own, much as they tried. Third.... The BSA's attitude toward religion/faith has always seemed to be more insular than other Scout associations. France has, what, three or four Scout associations, defined by variations of Catholicism. Some SA's have broadened their definitions. Some do not have a mention of "Reverence" or anything similar in their SLaw. Just sayin' . Fourth.... Personally, I think the encouragement of a Scout's spiritual acknowledgement and growth is a good thing. When I served as a Chaplain at the Jamboree, I enjoyed listening to a Scout (more than one Scout !) speak about his "not being sure about this God thing." Let me explore my reasons too. Fifth.... Back when William Penn was arrested and thrown in gaol for his new found faith , he spent a lot of his time writing a book. From "Some Fruits of Solitude" : ""519. The Humble, Meek, Merciful, Just, Pious and Devout Souls, are everywhere of one Religion; and when Death has taken off the Mask, they will know one another, tho' the divers Liveries they wear here make them Strangers. "" Sixth.... Yeah, I also thought the Resolution was poorly worded. See you on the trail.

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Absolutely. That is the example you can set. If your Pack has a "standard", you can wear the beads and leather woggle with your Pack Cub Leader Necker. Looks good.

I forgot there are big neck nalgenes and small neck nalgenes. The bottles are nearly indestructible, but how would you clean the egg out of the inside? Long brush, I guess. Eggs do not really need refrigeration for short times (days?) if not cracked, true, but why risk the contamination in a water bottle? When I carried eggs, I decided it was sufficient (safe) to put them in a ziplock bag and cushion them well in a hard case. I had an old metal lunch box that a half dozen paperboard egg carton just fit in. Put the half dozen in the ziplock, into the lunchbox, into the pack. Never had a problem. Paper board egg carton was fire starter. Ziplock was used (sometimes) as a egg-ina-bag scramble (in boiling water, right?) .

The necker is a much maligned item. It started out as not only a Uniform item, to identify one as a "Scout", but as an all purpose "be prepared" item. It was expected the Scout would wear his uni to all Scout activities (hence the term "Field Uniform") and even to ordinary places. As a Scout, he would be expected to be available to help and "be prepared", "why , for any old thing". The old Scout book I have lists no fewer than 52 uses for a neckerchief (remember, these were four sided, 36" neckers.). Signal flag, bandage (many types), arm sling, horse bridle, dust mask, sunhat, sweat band, ID for wide games, stave tie-up, lashing, three legged race tie, game item (steal the bacon?), it was expected to be a tough item, made useful by necessity. My old Troop necker is still bright red, but with many bruises and snares from first aid practice. It has become a nuisance, a fashion statement (YSL ?), an item for profit (a new one for each rank? C'mon, Cub Scouts !) . Look to the World Jamboree, you will see comraderie created with necker trading. In many countries, if you cannot afford a full uni, the Scout WILL have a necker ! That is his/her symbol. Why do American Scouts/Scouters have so much trouble accepting the tradition, the history inherent in that scrap of cloth ?