SSScout

" Let's eat granma !" "Let's eat, (comma) granma !" Boys' life,,,, Boy's Life Scout Life , , , , Scouts' Life , , , Scout's Life , , , When the first Scout Handbook (" Scouting for Boys" was it?) was published by Mr. Baden-Powell, why did the idea take off? Why did boys (and girls don't forget ! ) flock to the idea of an organization that encouraged, taught, idealized woodsy skills, self reliance, patriotism, world brotherhood (sisterhood?) . . . a hundred plus years ago, if B-P hadn't told his wife that she could start a female equivalent, but COULD NOT call it "Scouting", where might we be now ? Perhaps this is all about doing right what should 've been done all along ? I favor putting that comma/apostrophe in it's right place. Make it Scouts' Life. Write the letter/email.

Everyone in this morass, ideally, presumably, is a Scout. A Scout is trustworthy. We made it clear to our Scoutson and, indeed, to any Scout I've had dealings with that A Scout Should Say What He/she Means, because they will be believed. If a Scout said to me, "my parents are gonna kill me if I lose this sleeping bag." I would ask him , do you REALLY mean that? If so, we have other problems to deal with than an empty threat (empty?) If your Scout said what he is accused of saying , and was interpreted as making a threat to the other , younger Scout, rather than a hyperbolic expression of his own anxiety, then both these young men need to be counseled as to the impact of what they say AND how they interpret what they hear.... A Scout is Courteous, and Kind.... be polite and insistent. Find out who said what to whom. Who made what decision vis a vis your Scout. Pass the inquiry up the line as necessary. The Scoutmaster, the Committee Chair, the Charter Org Rep, perhaps the Institution Head. Perhaps on to your District Exec and Council Scout Exec . If it was me, I would ask and insist on a meeting between the two boys , you and the other's parents, and the Scoutmaster first. Ask them who said what to whom....

No, No, No . . . What you are speaking of and doing is called a "Legacy". Whether those that come after you will appreciate it or not depends on THEM and YOU. When you teach the Cubs (and their parents !) pride of craft and respect for tools, it has to trickle down some. No guarantee, but some. I learned both (Pride of Craft and Respect for Tools) ,no doubt, from my dad. My son has picked it up, and is now , at 24, the manager for a multi county farm operation. When I was in high school, I organized and set up the Stage Crew , it's storage bins and racks. Years After I graduated, the theater was rebuilt to professional standards and named after my Drama teacher, and the first PAID stage manager was... my buddy and assistant Stage Crew Chief ! He still said he used my system for organizing stuff , said "it works", but now had multiple thousands of dollars of stuff to utilize. When many folks use the same tools, it pays for all to agree that all need to keep it in good shape. Respect the tool, respect the other fellow who has to use it. What you speak of is very much like a Wood Badge Ticket. NOW, you only need four more, and a week's camping with some other WB buddies, and you're in !

Home Depot: four "Crab Mallets" about $10. Go see the store. . .https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southern-Homewares-Wooden-Crab-Mallet-4-Pack-SH-10188-S4/303867504?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|DigitalDecor|google||_pkw__pmt__product_303867504&mid=s8wpE6CQK|dc_mtid_8903yuu57254_pcrid_228370069355_pkw__pmt__product_303867504_slid_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqZiVhuGh2wIVgUGGCh31GgUqEAQYAyABEgKAr_D_BwE&dclid=CMXZlI3hodsCFU61swodxE8CtQ

By gad, sir, you are a wonder. Every so often, somebody sees a problem and actually solves it. My Scout Hat off to you . Many Scout Leaders will be grateful, but they may not even know for what. But you will know. Some years ago, I was an active Archery Range Safety Officer for CSDC. We held camp in the same locale many years, and others did too. I taught my Scout Assistants to "Walk The Range", in both directions, to retrieve arrows and check conditions. I mention this to set the stage for my story. One year, as we set things up, I opened up the supplies that Council had provided. We anticipated 25 or so Cubs each rotation, set up 12 targets. Officially, the list showed we had 60 arrows, 30 bows of various sizes, and some replacement strings and "stuff". We went thru the arrows: 15 were defective, bad fledging, no point, loose nocks, splintered shafts. We actually counted 48 "good" arrows, actual. The bows we fixed. Targets were set up. Council said they would "try" to get us some more arrows, which they did. Some... We opened camp with (counted twice) 52 good arrows. Broke some, repaired some, but the end of the story is, by closely "Walking the Range", we closed camp and returned to Council 78 arrows! We had found and pulled out of the grass, more than 20 usable arrows , that no one in the previous years had found ! And we returned all the defects, some of which, I was told , were repaired for the Council Scout camp . "The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up."

Anyone have the link to the news about the Summit being the ONLY venue to profit from the WVa law concerning the tax exemption for Music Festivals or such? Something like that.... ? And what ever happened to the Summit being used for the Ultra Marathon thingy that usually hands out free beer after the race? Did that transpire? Oh, and some forth hand rumor mongering.... anyone know how many Jambo Staff (youth or adult) were removed for such moral transgressions as has been discussed here abouts? Scout staffer in my ken came home with stories of Scouts and Scouters being removed home for pot smoking and "other things".

a Firestone has stated the difference between a "stick" and a "stave" (or "staff). The first is a whacker, the second is a tool. What I try to instill in the Scouts I work with is the "respect" shown tool. If your stave is carved, polished, used, hiked with, used for balance, as a tentpole or joined with another pole for a flag waver/signal flag, then that Scout will not see it first as a weapon. Yeah, it can be a weapon, but that is not it's first or second or even third use. And if the Scouter uses a hiking stave, what example does he/she set? Give the Scouts opportunities. Good opportunities.....

In the other events, they mention "gaining skills and knowledge to enrich your Scout Council " etc. etc. Then they have the "Spouse Program".... but I see no mention of gaining knowledge and skills.... gotta love it.....

Let us consider the hypothetical (for our purposes) case of a Scouter, loyal and hard working in many a Scout endeavor. Let us presume him to be an Eagle Scout, Wood Badger, etc. etc. Let us further presume he has lived in the same house for , oh , say thirty years, and thru the wonders of BSA bureaucracy has been assigned to no fewer than five (5) Scout Districts, each with a different name , slightly different area and eventual leadership. Now then. I put to you the case that this Scouter was recognized for his efforts early on (and his good wife!) with more than one, differently named "service" awards. He has proudly worn them on his uni and hung them on his walls for many years. Let us further assume he has continued his appreciated efforts. Now, I further put to you that the present PTB intend to present this worthy with the same "service " award, stipulating that it is from a "Different District" (in name!) then the first one. How say you? Does the worthy wear TWO awards on his uni? Or perhaps refuse the award , urging it to be presented to some one equally worthy? Or perhaps gracefully accept it and (ducktape?) mount it on his office wall with the other?

" Not to worry. If we go out with ten Scouts, we have never failed to return with at least ten Scouts. Sometimes eleven, but never less than ten...."

Yep. Times and opportunities change. At age twelve, I was driving a Ford 8N with a scraper blade on the highway to my dad's landscape job..... Nice Saturday morning, ducks, birds, folks expected farm traffic. Wait for the horn, now... and no twelve year olds driving those combines and tractors around Beltwayland now.

The three words no SM wants to hear: "HEY ! WATCH THIS !" But maybe they should....

.... Oh wait, the Chaplain and Faith Forum was created how many years ago because of the multitude of discussions of faith and religion and ....

Boy, am I coming into this late. 21 pages? Discussion (?) of reasons why LDS is developing it's own youth program rather than adapting the BSA to it's purpose? Do I have those things right? Morality and sin and God's approval or not discerned? Wow. Our Jewish and Muslim and Hindu and Taoist brothers and sisters must be enjoying this. Anybody want a BLT for lunch? Left hand Scout Handshake? Working on your Karma account? Does the CO still define it's membership? Leadership? Is that still in the Charter Agreement? "Enquiring minds (if we still have any) want to know".

Samoa? Camping on Samoa? Was Dr. Margaret Mead a Girl Scout? I'd go....

What OldScout said... Be totally open and visible. Give credit for the "official" WDL 's efforts, the CM's efforts and concerns. Point out that "A Scout is Trustworthy" and that the Scouts do need to "earn " their badges/ranks, it is not right or fair to simply "give" them the ranks . You will be doing "thus and so" to facilitate that earning, and here we go. You may get some push back for (?) overstepping your place, but again, be gracious and thankful to the CM and the OWDL... "It's for the Cubs", yes?

Jamboree Espana ? (phonetics) yamboree? I hiked the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain 4 years ago with a buddy, wonderful trip, even if it is kinda touristy, I recommend it for what it is (do not compare to the Appalachian Trail). We never saw, met, heard of (we asked!) , any Scout or Scout reference or Scout anything..... On the Camino, We did meet folks , young and older, who admitted to being Scouts from Finland and Norway (SeaScout), Germany (PfandPfunder), England, America, Denmark and Australia. But no Spanish Scouts. Before we left for Madrid, we did not do any research into such subjects, we just assumed we'd meet some, someplace, but none. Nada. I would be interested if you'd care to comment, Ianwilkins.

IOLS this past weekend. After that, a Camporee. Set up a saw buck , a 8" log and my two person crosscut saw. Let the IOLSers try their hand at team work. I watched some adults give up half way thru, and let another team go at it for awhile. One young Scout , who was obviously "challenged " approached and at my urging took one end of the saw while I took ahold of the other. The kerf was halfway thru, the sharp saw did it's work, and that Scout took to my direction to "only pull, don't push" with a will. He caught on to the "under" one arm technique early on (instead of two arm into you belly pull). The Scout finished the cut, the "cookie" fell off, and you never saw a prouder boy in your life. He carried that cookie around with him the rest of the day. Pride of skill.

WHY THE SCOUT PROMISE, LAW ? Here's an idea I have played with: Scouting asks a person to BE something, unlike some other groups that ask you to NOT DO something. Behavior is ALWAYS a choice. Gravity is not a choice. Eating is not a choice. Breathing is not a choice. But WHAT we eat is a choice (nutrition, obesity, etc.) , keeping the air clean (carbon footprint, pollution, etc.) is a choice. Ask your Scouts what an OPPOSITE Scout Law might look like: Dirty, Lying, Disloyal, etc. What would that do to the Troop? society? Your friendships, buddies, family? Ask about that....

"Good afternoon, sir, My name is Russell and I am a Wilderness Explorer in Tribe 54. . May I be of any service to you? "

,Weeeeelllll , in the book I quote, "swim suit" is mentioned as a possible use (use more than one ).

The iconic necker has shrunk thru the years. My sources indicate the original BS necker was about a 36" square, folded into a triangle, gathered, not rolled, and held on the neck (over the collar !) by a hand made woggle. It was intended as a tool on your uniform, which, after all, was worn to ALL Scout events, and often to school , around town, etc. One might wear the necker just because.... It had many uses, I have a book that lists more than 50 ! Dust mask, horse bridle, signal flag, arm sling, pole lashing, ankle brace, tourniquet, bandage, sun hat....... The necker of my yooooth was (is) about 30" on a side, triangular to start. The necker of my son's troop was (is) 24 " on it's triangular side. I think the real shrinkage happened when Scouting lost much of it's outdoor's vantage and went more indoors in the 70's. ISL uniform, yes? Necker became a cravat, a decoration, rather than an emergency tool.... It is still the SYmbol of the Scout. Wait for the World Jamboree in 2019 to see the importance of Neckers! Trade'm ! Collect'm ! Sic Gloria Mundi.....

The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up. That's the first thing. If you are blessed with an active , involved bunch of parents, how could you deny them the privilege of ?being there"? Things Done In Secret Are Always Suspect. Are they talking about me? Why do things in secret? Transparency in decisions is always desirable. That's democracy. Who knows where the money is or went? The dues are paid by the membership, EVERYONE deserves to know where they went. The Unit Treasurer needs to be the most visible, transparent of the Unit Officers. The Unit Committee is where he/she makes the report, yes? It has been my experience that if ANYONE and EVERYONE is welcomed and invited to attend, the folks that DO attend to the business of the Unit will be more trusted and be more able to make decisions and deal with things more expeditiously. Invite all, be surprised if all attend.....

"" There are two kinds of people in the world, those that think there are two kinds of people and those that don't."

I'd like to start a discussion about "Pride" and "skills" Do we teach, encourage either? . Where do boys and girls develop pride in What They Can Do? How has it come (seemingly) that "we will pay somebody to do that " is the more common response ? Sew a rip in the jeans? Sew on a patch? Trim a piece of board to fit ? Tighten a plumbing fixture? Paint our house ? Who, after all, WILL we pay? Something as midlin as figuring a calculation... "Where's that cell phone computer?" Hand saw? Naw.... CHAINsaw. Change the tire on the car? Change a wiper blade? Accepting that autos need much less hands-on maintenance than they did 50, even 20 years ago, but still, how much "control", "ownership" are we willing to relinquish? How much SKILL is needed in a modern life? Better, How much PRIDE does one need in the tasks one can accomplish and DOES accomplish? I'd like to recommend a book to you and your Middle schooler. "SUPERPOWER: The Making of a Steam Locomotive" by David Weitzman .The illustrations alone are worth the price. Ask your book store for it. It details the reasoning, design, fabrication and construction (it was called "erecting") of a new species of steam locomotive back in the 1930's. No computers. Not much machinery. Becoming a skilled machinist was the lure for the fictional teen protagonist, rather than graduating from High School. He has a hard time seeing WHY High School, he sees easily the WHY of the Loco Works. Our great grandfathers and uncles (and aunts !) took great pride in their work, what they could and did do. How do our youngsters measure up? What do they (can they?) take pride in accomplishing? Writing. Communicating effectively. Do our kids take any PRIDE in using language well? IMHO, (!) I find many often struggle to string words of more than two syllables together. How come verbal communication seems to be less desirable than tweets? Ready , set , go.