SSScout

There ya go. Make a poll> I vote for the community strips. "Local Option" ? NCAC then Ashton MD ? Sleeve might then look like: ((seam)) Council Community Unit ### POR/Officer? "Trained" Would that work? Or do we need to require the Long Sleeve shirt?

In BSA charter parlance, the Institution Head is the person that is "in charge" of the Charter Organization. Church? the Pastor. Synagogue? The Rabbi. Volunteer Fire Department? The President of the Volunteer Corporation. Hardware store (yep, one of them!) owner of the store. The CORepresentative is expected to be a "member" of the CO, but need not be a Scout person, no need to have a Scout in the unit. Since no Public School can be a Scout Charter Org, the Principal should not be the IH. If the CO is the PTO, I would expect the PTO prez should be listed as IH. But then, very often, "whomever" is often listed (often) to get the paper work done for the DE's and Council's convenience and expectation. Why anyone would allow themselves to be listed in a position of responsibility and not be aware of it ("my name is WHERE??") and not be willing to attempt to "do the job" is beyond me, but COs of "convenience" are not unknown. "Yeah, I like Scouting, where do I sign, don't bother me any more...." "You said if I signed this, the Scout Unit would be OKAY and I wouldn't have to do anything else. Why are you bothering me now?"

Yep. Been there, done that. 5thgen, you are not alone in your anxiety, altho your "attacks" may be more than mere stage fright. Pro counseling has helped friends of mine. Sounds like there are two types for you. Being in a new group, and being the leader of the group. In the new group/situation, I am there to learn, to meet, to network perhaps. I am no better or worse than anyone else there. Stick out the hand and make someone else uncomfortable in meeting a stranger... If I am there to share my expertise, I find that knowledge of my purpose/topic, up down, back front, helps with my worry. The Lord will provide, so to speak. Rehearsal, both "real" in front of family, or a mirror even, can help. Mentally going over the stuff I will be presenting helps. Watching other presenters I admire helps. YouTube ! Do not be afraid to copy techniques and material. Bogart will not complain if you mention that "we don' need no steenking patches " one more time. If you can share a joke with a coffee buddy, you can share a Scout skill with 25 or 200 Scout buddies. You are here to help those Scouts be better citizens. I know you will do a good job. See you on the trail.

What part of the Scout Law and Scout Promise does the "cuss jar" requirement support or replace? Is such a by-law really necessary then? Discipline is often only seen as "punishment" for the transgression of a law. It is often forgotten that Discipline implies more importantly the personal requirement to do "right". There , see, the Scout Promise is the Discipline of the Scout. This is why the Scout Law has no "DO NOTs", but only "I WILLs". There is the difference . Most Adult Led Troops forget this. They become concerned overly with prevention, rather than creation. No "Boy " can possibly know what to do when. We must REQUIRE them to do what we adults think needs to be done when. The adults also forget the boys (soon to be girls too) have been watching and modeling their behavior after that of their parents and Scouters. Guess what? The Scouts will do what they see being done. What was that country-western song again? Bylaws assume that folks will not know HOW to do what is right. Hence, the Discipline must be enforced from without, rather than encouraged to be obtained from within. Of course, it has been observed that if all people are moral, then there is no need for laws and the requisite rewards and punishments. ""“The true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching.â€"" = John Wooden =

Back in 2005, I attended my first Jamboree. Came home with mucho patches, emblems, traded, bought, awarded, gifted.... Wife gave new red wool Jacshirt for anniversary gift (birthday was too far off). I collected the patches I wanted on the jacket, some more from days and events past, safety pinned them all in their respective places, and (realizing wonderwife was not about to help me sew them on), took the pinned up jacket to the drycleaners, who also had a tailoring business. She charged me $95. , which I considered a bargain for all the neat, tight sewing. Thread matched the patches. I think she liked Scouts. Side rant: I understand the idea of plasticizing the back of patches. It keeps them stiff and flat, but MAN, you just cannot stitch thru that stuff .... I even sewed some of my (boy) Scout patches on myself, back in the day, but not today !

A lot of teens don't want to be seen as "out of the group"... * ""A"" student. *Big on Science/Math/Biology/ Landscape Design *Wear.... turtle necks/Wide Jeans/Skinny Jeans/ Button Shirts/skirts * Walk to school *Drive to school * Long hair * Skin Head * Scout (??) And who do they ask when they need some rope, or some help organizing something, or need to operate the Prometheum screen or the stage light board or ... Be the group that a student wouldn't want to be out of..... Be the group that KNOWS how to fold the flag/march with it/ ... be your bunch of "specialist" geeks....

"" .... we can adjust the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity... for the next few hours, sit back and we will control all that you see and read... you are about to participate in a great adventure .... from the inner mind to ... the Outer Camporee.... ""

Troop/ Pack both originated in 1956. I didn't know it at the time, but it turns out I was one of the "charter" Cub Scouts. When Scoutson Eagled out, (2010) I became the Unit Commissioner . In watching flag ceremonies, I took the SPL aside aside and asked him to check the flags. They looked kind of "used" to me. He came back shaking his head, said the US flag was a 48 star flag ! And the Troop flag "didn't feel right". Turned out it was a cotton/wool blend ! They were the original flags since the founding of the Units! Well, since they were about to get a new Scoutmaster, we decided to get new flags and present the old ones to the exiting Scoutmaster. We couldn't locate any of the (really)past Scoutmasters, even tho they were planning a 60 something anniversary party. The new flags were "embroidered".

** I think I know a few older folks who wish THEY were "youth shaped"

"Rent-a-Scout". Handbills, list of possible services:: leaf raking, brush clearing, car washing, house vacuuming, trash hauling (anyone have a pickup?) , .... You might even consider more skilled jobs like fence painting (Tom Sawyer anyone?) , also good for PR purposes, local TV, Newspapers, Facebook? Mention your goal is a special trip, or charitable effort (hurricane relief?) Check with the State Highway folks. Set up a coffee and donut stand at a rest stop on the Interstate. Be sure to include a prominent banner about your unit, etc.

David CO, you have hit on the next problem for these Scouts. Who is doing what? Is the Troop Committee supporting the SM and doing things "Transparently", or is the Substitute Sub Committee To Do Things Right Regardless Of What Anyone Else Thinks doing things anyway? I think a Troop Flag should read the whole title, not be concerned with shaving cost by less letters, but to "secretly" order the flag is both a really neat gift and an insult to the SM and his colleagues. This is the very first flag the Troop has had, yes? This might lead to a ceremonial presentation, a autographing of the flag by the SM for history's sake...Is the SM appreciated, or resented somehow? My home Troop , has been in business about 62 years now. Four years ago, it was realized the drooping, darkened Troop Flag AND the US flag next to it on the stage were both the same flags the Troop had in 1956 ! The US flag had 48 Stars! Nobody had realized it til then ! We went out and replaced the Troop Flag and US flag but no one could think of what to do with them. So they are wrapped up in plastic in the back church closet. The new flag has the new SM's signature on it, for the next 60 years.

'The Work Is Done By Whoever Shows Up." Such a person as yourself, Valleyboy, dedicated to the Scouting ideal, can only do so much. If no one shows up, it is too bad for the boys, but c'est la guerre, la vie, la Pack.... In the mean time, KiS MiF...

1) Park the trailers and HIKE IN . Nothing but what you carry into the site. This does not include the water spigot or fire circles, which would be already there (OA service?) 2) Set up the Camporee as a town. Lay out streets and signposts and such. Each Troop has their own street? Award "Civic Pride" prizes for best town arrangements: Gates, pioneer tables, fire departments, "landscaping" (leave no trace?) stuff like that. 3) Try to arrange so NOBODY wants to leave by 9am sunday. They should WANT to stay another day, and MAYBE get home for dinner sunday. 4) Talk to the folks that would like a "Sabbath Friendly" Camporee. What would it take to allow such? Would the schools allow an absence on a Monday or a Friday, somehow, could that be negotiated for your Scouts? Waaaay back in the prehistoric Scout past, such things could and were arranged with our local schools. 5) Patrol competitions are what make Camporees exciting. Include Patrol Spirit in counting points. 6) Absolutely get the Scouts (SPLs? PLs? ) to plan it . Invite those ScoutLeaders to the Round Table ! 7) What Stosh and Qwazse said. 8) Invite me . I wanna see it work.

1) The girls that want to go hiking and camping and get dirty will vote with their parent's feet. 2) The girls that can't live without a hair drier will vote with their extension cords. 3) GSUSA last month announced their opinion that the BSA was "poaching" on their territory and that the BSA was only interested in more membership /money (as if the GSUSA doesn't have the same trouble). I doubt if allowing females will solve any membership number problem. Can boys (or would they want to) join GSUSA? 4) The majority of the WOSM is already fully gender neutral. The nations that aren't, aren't. 5) The COs that do not want cooties, er, females in their Cub Dens, Boy Patrols, Venture Crews, Explorer Posts, Scout Ships can organize mono-gender Dens/Patrols/Crews/Posts/Ships if they want. Such is allowed, just as mono-faith units are allowed, 6) It's about time. 7) Women have had the vote and politicians are still not trusted. Women have legally equal access to athletic venues/equipment and team sports, and the Packers are still in business. Women learned to weld/rivet/build/fly bombers and we won WW2 but still have not eliminated war. How has the world changed? 8) It has been noted that boys and girls learn at different rates, at different ages, mature differently. So? 9) Such Scout action has already been in place in many units around the country, only not "officially". So the experiments have been done. The world still spins on it's axis, the IRS still goes after scoff-laws and my well hasn't gone dry yet. See you on the trail.....

Scoutmaster Minute time. The SMMinute is a lost art. After a hike or Campout, ever do the Roses and Thorns thing? Don't mention names, but ask questions. Let the Scouts reflect on their own behavior. Review the song "Scout Vespers" .... The cynical teenager will eventually "get it" if given a chance. Even the cynical adult. Remember the C&W song about the lil' kid who keeps telling his dad "I wanna talk like you ...." Ideals are just that, but maybe, just maybe they can become realities with our help...

Yes, movies.... I have seen, and bought Troop 491, the Muddy Lions. I thought very good. Inner city kids find their way thru Scouts... AND,, try The Sultan and the Saint, based on true events... ..

Yeah, Webelos.... Uss Constellation , Baltimore Harbor. The Scouts were mustered into Mr. Lincoln's Navy as "Powder Monkeys", the adults as "Landsmen". toured the ship, ran the guns, slept in hammocks or on the deck. Some of the Scouts were picky eaters (beef stew for dinner? Apples, oatmeal for breakfast?) and pret' near starved to death, but I actually had two that stood the "night watch" on deck with me. Very neat.

"All feed back is a gift". Full communication is a gift. His concern for your success is a gift. His concern that you be aware of how he would do it is a gift. Coffee is a gift, but that's another thread.... Now, how concerned are YOU about HIS success? Would you have said, "hey, you're on your own, buddy, the Scout hut is over there...." or would you discuss how you might tackle the various activities/desires/requirements and then be ready to divvy up the Den(s). Yeah, his way might not be your way, but if you are both desirous of giving your boys (YOUR boys, do you like the ring of that?) the Scout Experience, I know both of you will be there for them. "Yeah, Frank, um-mm, nice ideas.... I think I'll try this,,, and This... but I'd like to try it this way over here. waddya think?" Don't take offense , take his ideas, add yours and have fun !

This past Weekend I helped taught IOLS to 28 really active nascent Scoutmasters. The weather predicted (near Harpers Ferry WVA) was for rainy off and on all weekend, possible gale force winds and heavy rain Saturday night thru sunday. The schmart phones were kept busy, looking at the radar/satellite images.... We rearranged the schedule to accommodate the possible weather (we have a nice big open pavilion), and so did the hikes and such Saturday. Fortunately, the weather moderated, we had no need for "plan B" (retreat to the big barn on the property). The group was very gung-ho Scouty, they had worked up Patrol flags, good cooking, gear sharing over the previous weeks by email and phone. A disparate group from Baltimore area, DC area, Virginia and West Virginia. One Muslim, three Jews, three LDS, handful of Catholics, one Buddhist and assorted protestants of several flavors. We discovered that one lady was there as a tribute to her husband. He was the Scoutmaster of the Troop for the last (?)5 years, but had suffered a stroke. He was back home recovering, paralyzed from the chest down. She had previously been his unofficial assistant and now was being supported by the Troop to become his replacement (!!). She dove in to all the training, left at 9pm to go home and take over from his caregiver and returned sunday by 9am to continue. There seemed to be lots of "aha" moments, saw many heads nodding in agreement over the weekend. Teach the skills to your boys, boy led, step back, let'm go. There is hope for the future....

1) Make sure all your adult volunteers get the required/necessary/appropriate training. 2) Get yourself noticed. Go to your District RoundTable, the District Committee meeting (look online? ). Communicate with your District Commissioner, MAYBE , just maybe , you have a Unit Commissioner assigned to your Unit and he/she/you don't know about it. 3) Put a sign outside your Meeting Place, Council/District can get you a generic one, so folks will know you're there. Put an ad/article in the local paper. Media exposure can't hurt in recruiting. 4) Oh, apropos #1, get your Scouts into the next NYLT camp from your Council/District. Nothing like some pumped up Scouts to make a Unit grow.... 5) Go camping.

Indeed, check with the COR. Let her/him "earn their pay". At the very least , contact the Charter Org Head (Institution Head in BSAspeak) and find out how important the Scout program is to the Org. It would be VERY nice if you can get some Org members to join the Unit Committee for planning, oversight, "attaboys" when appropriate, general support. An independent treasurer sounds nice , too. Congratulations on your assuming the responsibility to resuscitate the Unit, but be realistic. Do not jeopardize your health or family dynamic or sanity if , after major efforts and communication, it becomes apparent that it ain't gonna happen. Sign over the Unit check b0ok to the Charter Org and move on...

The three words no Scoutmaster wants to hear: "Hey, watch this !" I was reminded when I rode a motorcycle regularly by an old timer that a helmet was never required except by law and when it was needed.

Younger Scouts... How much younger? Are they just out of Webs? Maybe they aren't used to/ready to take up responsibility . "Mom did it all", that kind of expectation can stick to the Young Scout for awhile. They have to realize the Fun of Big Boy Scouting comes from Doing It Myself, not just doing what Mom set up for me. Running around and being crazy? Yeah, I bet the PL was like that sometime in his past. Any leader has to realize that part of his "job" is reminding the team that the meal doesn't get cooked without the stove/fire being set and lit and the food being prepared and the water bucket being filled and the dishes being cleaned up afterward. Sports? Competition in being your "personal best" and being on the team (Patrol) that does the best in the Troop. There is a pride earned in having the neatest campsite (Gate? Signs? Gear? Tents don't fall down? ), in doing the map & compass course the fastest... Those Young Scouts will remember the Older Scout that took the time to teach them (By example? By instruction? By gentle reminder?) how to stay dry in the rain, warm in the cold and cover distance in the hike....

I concur. If the event is overtly pro-political party or candidate, I would politely refuse the invitation. Candidates debate? Maybe. Election/Get out the vote promotion? Maybe. Public parade, historical commemoration, something like that, by all means, go and wave the flag in uni.

1) Have lots of SMMinutes about the Promise and the Law. And personal responsibility. 2 ) Address the Scout, in the presence of the parents. Do not address the parent, except as it applies to them, "their" requirements, not the Scout's. If the parent(s) ask a question, ask the Scout about that, "Jonny, what do you think about that?" Do not let the parent drag you back to them, it MUST be about the Scout. 3) If the Scout needs accommodation (ADHD, physical disablement, psychological problem, separated family dynamic, autism spectrum, etc.) ,sit down with parent and work up a definite IN WRITING IF NECESSARY (emphasis intended) plan. Get the Scout to agree, he has to understand and admit his limitations. This is a good thing, if done correctly. Seek guidance from pros, school counselor, county health Dept. etc. 4) Ask the Scout (in private SMC) who packs his backpack? I remember it was a "Big Thing" when I told my mom "that's not the way a Scout should do it". I think I almost made her cry. 5) See #2 above. In your conversation with parent(s), (see #2 again) , remind them gently but firmly, it is BOY Scouts, not PARENT Scouts. Remind them it will be Johnny who picks out their Assisted Living Facility. Do they want his resentment coloring that? Or do they want him to come back from Philmont/Summit/Northern Tier glad to be home? 6) Scouter: YOU do not cut the apron strings . The parents do not cut the apron strings. The Scout must be the one who either cuts or rips from his parents hands the apron strings. Always good to have some string handy, never know when something needs to be tied up (or down). See you on the trail.