SSScout

Here is a test for the Eagle Service project: If someone arrives and asks "what can I do to help"?" , everyone else should point to the Eagle candidate and say "ask him".

A minor feudal fiefdom. Questions to ask/explore, all with a smile and persistence: Who is the Unit treasurer, how much money is in the till, who is the Unit sponsored by/chartered to, who is the Institution Head and the Charter Representative (these you can get from the Council office), . Do all this with politeness and an offer of cooperation and gratitude for what others are doing on behalf of Our Youth and The Future Of America. See you on the trail...

Q: No, not really. We just spoke about what "our" Troop did. I do not remember anyone mentioning the "instructions". ((read the instructions? What a concept....)) As the RTC, I did not think it my place in this instance to mention that,,, the instructions on the card. I did ask leading questions, and was surprised at the various choices we heard. The SM who mentioned #2 is one of our prime movers. Very much a "boy led ", high adventure Troop, known by example and reputation. And they keep the cards as a service to the Scout? I still have my cards in that shoe box in the back/bottom of my closet. Small box, but still....

Stosh: That puts you in "my" category. Seven times seventy....

RT last night: Discussion point meandered from "Does the Scout need to keep the Merit Badge Worksheets after he is awarded the badge? " (no, not necessary. Not even necessary to earn a MB.) to "Who should keep the Blue Card, because the MB is ALWAYS entered into the Council Advancement Record, right?" Choices testified to: 1) Blue card is the final record of last resort. one piece stays with Merit Badge Counselor. Second piece stays with Troop records (Troop Advancement Chair enters electronically to Council) and third part stays with Scout. He can do with it as he wants. Shoebox, special book, desk drawer, whatever, not our problem. He also gets a special card with the patch at the CoH. 2) Blue card has three parts. One stays with MBCounselor, second part stays in Troop records until the Adv Chair enters it in the Council electronic records, and then this card is MAILED to Council. ("we've always mailed them to Council") , third part is put in a record book (baseball card pocket page) that the Troop keeps(!!) until the Scout leaves the Troop. Each Scout has a book the Troop Adv. Chair keeps in a cabinet at the Meeting site. Scout DOES NOT keep a piece of the Blue Card himself. 3) Blue Card has three parts. One part stays with MBCounselor, one part stays with Troop in a special file , which is cleaned out periodically (?), third part is STAPLED to the special card the Scout gets with the MBPatch at the CoH. Scout receives a Advancement Record every year, listing his ranks, MBs (with counselor listed), PoRs, and dates associated with each. Such a choice , some I never would have thought of. But then, I'm not a Scoutmaster.

"""Trump also berated Senator John McCain for being a prisoner of war.""" If you listen carefully, you will see Mr. Trump berates anyone who does not agree with him or who he is jealous of.

Dang, you are good ! I promise to hijack every single page to pass around here in Beltway Land! Here's the page on Dropbox we made for promoting Scouting (admittedly, local notations, change to your own) : https://www.dropbox.com/s/45xmncmcrbzb0k2/ScoutsPromotionstuff.docx?dl=0

Gumby: I think you have most of the understanding here. A Charter School around here is a privately established school that is essentially "licensed" by the public school district/department to operate. Any ordinarily acceptable student may attend there, but the curriculum is somehow adjusted. More tutilege, more concentration on a particular subject, they wear a "uniform", their staff is hired by the Charter school not the PSD , something sets it apart from the "average" public school. But They do get public school funds. They may raise other funds, too, but it is publicly supported, primarily. A totally private school depends on NO public. government funds. Since the Charter School is , technically, NOT a government run school ,( as you say, a separate tax ID?) they could, I think , charter a Scout unit. Learning for Life units are specifically, so I understand, intended for those public school situations, with unlimited acceptance.

I like the cut of your jib, bbender. Things to remember and , perhaps, the windmills we tilt against: #1) "The work is done by whoever shows up". As is the way in most volunteer orgs, 90% of the deal is done by 10% of the people. Doesn't vary much. The challenge is ALWAYS getting that 10% up on the line. And, remember, it doesn't have to be the same 10% all the time ! #2) What I call the "soccer syndrome". Many (dare I say most? Nah....) modern parents look for an "expert" to do things with/for/to their kid(s). Take the kid to soccer/Scouts/school/sunday school/karate etc. and let "the expert" mold the kid into a nice , well behaved, educated, knowledgeable child "I can be proud of". How to convince some parents that , yes, they do know what to do, and yes, we do have some training to help them do it. Being a parent is something you can take pride in, but YOU have to do it, not just Mr. Scoutmaster/schoolteacher/coach/Youth Pastor/Ms Parole officer....... " I don't know anything about this Scout stuff, but I want Jimmy to get the advantage of this camping/hiking stuff. Here, do your thing, Mr. Scoutmaster." #3) Most of the folks I work with in Scouting and elsewhere, (church, clubs) if there is no paycheck dependent, (I'm retired), being personally asked is how folks get involved most often. "Hey , I need some help here". only works at Scout camp when the folks are already Scouts. Broadcast emails? Don't have to deal with it. Post cards, printed newsletters? Might get more attention, posted on the fridge at home. Phone calls, and face to face are often the only way to engender cooperation and the jumping in that gets the Blue and Gold organized. but most often, once they get their feet wet, so to speak, it is easier to enlist them in other projects (CSDC, Camporees, trainings) #4) Sometimes, not having the B&G happen is the only way to get folks to realize that SOMEBODY has to step up and take the lead or things aren't going to happen. Sometimes , after you have phoned every parent in the Troop, despite all entreaties and ideas on how to make it happen , there really isn't anyone to accompany the kids to summer camp. Too bad, but sometimes it happens. Sometimes you have to go over the head of the parents and make sure The Boys know what is or is not happening. Then, you may be surprised how quick things can turn around . Is it really "all about the kids", or not? See you on the trail....

Thank you, perdidochas and David CO. Good to have up to date info. I did know of K of C's in this area that did In the past.... Wonder why that is, tho?

As to the requirements #1a and 1b being redundant, I see them as being first answering the question "what if" and then "What do I do if". Maybe they are somewhat overlapping, but , hey, let the Scout tell you about how not to get sick and then how to deal with food poisoning AFTER it occurs, despite the best efforts (have you really done your best?) to prevent it. Advancement Forum, perhaps?

The "Work Sheet" is not the thing you need to consider. Go to the Merit Badge Booklet, either the "real" one, or the virtual one. Read the requirements, do not read anything into them, just talk/discuss/do the requirements. Often, MBCounselors take the so-called Work Sheet as the real requirements (and like quazse said, there are lots of them) often are not on the Work Sheet.. There is no "official" BSA worksheet for any MB. These are a tool developed by others to help in the instruction and meeting of the requirements, but they are NOT, per se, "meeting the requirements". In my career as a MBCounselor, I have come across the Scout who brings in a "work sheet" and thinks that he has met the requirements by filling this out. Can he discuss the subject in person? Can he "tie the knot" in the real world, so to speak? That's what is important.

Well, it is good to know we now have a "Faith and Chaplaincy" forum to discuss ... oh, wait...

Here is where the BSA has been trying to have it's cake and have a snack too. Scout Packs, Scout Troops, Venture Crews all are of one type of Charter . Learning For Life are NOT considered "Scout" units and have a different program, which specifically does not dis-include anyone. No requirements other than attending the fun stuff, after school stuff. Are we perhaps discussing LFL units? My understanding is that since no governmental organization (military bases, schools, testing labs, embassies, etc.) can exclude anyone from it's activities for religious, gender, or other reason, BSA will not charter a Scout unit to that entity. Hence the creation of Learning For Life. Any responsible organization can charter a Scout unit: hardware store, PTA, Lions Club, church, Volunteer Fire company, "Friends of Troop QPX", Knights of Columbus, Hospital Foundation, Sierra Club, almost any group wanting to help kids camping....

Scouting, of any nationality or region, is a promotion of "IDEALS". If one strives to meet and live by those ideals, they are being, IMVHO, a better than the average human, ... Is not our purpose, as "SCOUTERS" , then, to encourage young folk to see the benefit to themselves and the rest of the world of striving to meet those ideals? To see the advantage of those ideals to human , if not the Earth's existence? If one strives to live by the ideal "me first, everybody else fend for themselves". well, I guess that explains a lot of the world's problems, ultimately. The fact that we have centerlines on roads is part of the Social Contract we modern folks live by. The internet hackers that have found electronic ways to steal others' bank accounts without even going into a bank to say "put the money in the bag" are evidence of the ultimate "Me First" generation. I have had raincoats (with my name and phone number in it) disappear off chair backs after Scout meetings and never appear again. I have had whole backpacks be returned, untouched, to me when left behind on the Metro. I have had drivers give me the finger AFTER I let them preceed me on the off ramp. I have had folks wave me on when I tried to slow for their progress. Should the CO pursue the miscreants in court? Possibly. It would make it easier for the BSA to , as Shift would have it, "discipline" those folks out of Scouting. On the other hand, would that lack lead me to believe all Scouting is a waste of time? I doubt it. Sometimes paying no taxes is legal, sometimes not. Depends on 1) the law 2) your lawyer and accountant 3) Your desire and sense of "fair play". As Dr. Kent M. Keith said in his famously misquoted poem said," Do good anyway". See you on the trail.....

Camb: In advance, welcome to 'Merika ! All the suggestions above are good and correct. A lot can be found out from 'our friend Google'. Some more to note: National Capitol Area Council has two nice campsites, I dare say will be gearing up for hospitality: Camp Snyder, near Haymarket VA, and Goshen, in the south part of VA, near Goshen VA. Also, other nearby Councils may offer camp hospitality, notably Baltimore Area Council and Blue Ridge Council. Tidewater Council , out near Norfolk VA, and there are others .... Be advised, there is NO railroad near The Summit. Closest AMTRAK station is Thurmond West VA, (? 30 KMs by road? ) but the road into Thurmond will not allow (it ain't big enough) busses. Unless the West Virginia Highway folks really do some work, the roads into Thurmond are SMALL. Then too,if you look at the map, one might be led to think you could HIKE into The Summit, cross country. We will see. International folk will be coming into BWI-Thurgood Marshall (Baltimore) or Dulles (Wash DC/VA) or Philadelphia (a long ways) or somewhere else, and bussing into The Summit. Stuff to see/do: Harpers Ferry, US Civil War, Beckley WVA Coal mine (into the dark !) , Washington DC, Baltimore MD (Inner Harbor, Ships, etc.), Richmond VA has many sights. IH hostels in Harpers Ferry, Wash DC. and Philly. I think the Baltimore hostel closed. Time to start planning, I guess....

Awhile back, one of us listed a whole lot of "maginal" kids. Kids to be "dealt with". Some years ago, (not too many, really) some of those "types" of kids (boy or girl, however defined) would have been shunned, avoided, denied friendship, education, looked on as "strange" and perhaps even suitable for institutionalization . In a certain European country, not so long ago, these kids might have been tagged for extermination. Humane extermination, for the good of society, for the good of the "race". What was it I heard, somewhere, that a person (age limit?) should be judged by their "character" and not by some accident of birth. Is it really necessary to demand a kid be as we would like them to be, to the exclusion of any other "thing"? I sub teach. Occasionally, I am called to sub in the "special ed" section. Something made these kids the way they are. They did not pick out their parents, or genetic make up or whatever accident of birth led them to the way they are. My job, as a teacher, is to try to give these kids the best opportunity to obtain access to the world around them. Some of them will never read Tom Sawyer or even dress themselves. But they can be allowed to be the best that they can be. Now, where did I hear that motto? Be all that they can be. Ummmm. Can a child choose their gender? Perhaps the genetics is incomplete , somehow. How are we to judge? Is it possible to "sense" what one should be, rather than what one is ? I can't say, having never felt forced to make that choice . True story: In January of 1965 (working on my stegosaurus husbandry merit badge), my Troop went camping , in the snow, in freezing temperatures, with another Troop. When we set up our fire place (rocks, bricks) to cook on, the fire eventually melted the frozen ground beneath such that the fire place fell in on itself. We had, early on, in our planning, decided to share the duties. Fire wood, water hauling, cooking , campfire skits, etc., all were split up between us Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts in the other Troop. That's right. Learned a lot from them. They actually had women who camped and knew our Troop leaders. I have never seen or heard of the like since. When we went back to school the next week, we did smile and nod to each other. Why did our leaders arrange this? Were we boys supposed to learn from them girls? Vice versa? I don't remember at this distance any such reasoning. I suspect it was the boy leaders who decided. I do know now, that such outdoors girl scouting is rather rare, at least nowadays. If a girl would want that experience, they might well desire to join Boy Scouts. I sympathize with the idea that BSA has suffered from a "bait and switch" problem. Kids join for the image they have heard and thought about and are, instead of camping, hiking, rock climbing, canoeing, are given classroom stuff, "character building" stuff and "sit down and listen" stuff. See you on the trail?

Outdoor Girl Scouts, what a concept. Yes, it is entirely up to the GSTroop leader(s). There was no set training for such when I investigated the situation umpteen years ago. GSing did not like the idea of male GS leaders, among other things, even with a female co-leader. My daughter did not want to do tea parties and fashion shows. I have a friend, Ted, who with his wife founded a GS Troop of Daisies when his daughter was about that age. He was a died in the wool Scouter (he now has a Webelos son) and he led those Daisies thru creeks and trails. They got dirty and caught crawdads. His wife pretty much let him do what he wanted and stood back to let them go, with her blessing. The other mothers thought it was great, "we would never know how to do that", was a comment Ted and I heard . those eight or ten girls got the Scout experience. Pursue it, by all means, CMPete, prove those GS people wrong and let your girls gain thereby.

13 year old Daughter: I'm going to have some friends over tonite, okay? Me: Sure. How many are "some"? Who are they? Daughter: Well, ten. Do you REALLY need all their names? Me: (D knows we have a school directory with names and phone numbers, etc.) I'm sure their parents would like to know who we are, where their urchins are tonite... Daughter: Urchins? Me: Kids. Children. And... do we need any snacks? D: I'll take care of that . Thanks dad. (later) D has ten or twelve kids in her room, "male and female made he them". Music and festive sounds come from within. It is NOT that big a room.... I came over and crack the door open. D: Could you close the door, dad? Me: (over the music) No, I like the music... Looks like a nice party! D: (over the music) Yeah, dad, and it would be even BETTER with the door closed ! Me: I'm sure it might. Leave the door open. (smiles and giggles from the kids I see thru the door) D: Oh, okay....

"Eagle Out" yep. "Age Out" yep. "Fumes" "Time involved" yep. I have known not a few Scouts who Eagled (hate that term) because of rewards offered by parent/grandparent. Hand the boy the medal, pfffft he's gone. Older Scouts stay because A) they like the program, camping, climbing, canoeing etc. B) they like the idea of being a leader (a mixed blessing that) often because they are not leaders anywhere else. C) They like the idea of being an "older brother" to the younger Scouts, and can teach/pass on skills and traditions. History remembered? Even in Boy Led Troops, these ideas can be helped along. #A is dependant on the adult leadership suggesting, supporting and getting out of the way. #B is also dependent on the adults setting up the system and then getting out of the way. If the boys want to go bowling, well, that's a start. #C is lost on a lot of boys, because, frankly, we have smaller families(single kids?) and lost the idea of extended family, (uncle Arthur isn't there very often to take the boy fishing). We have professional teachers to tell our kids what's what. If the Scout hasn't had the idea of BEING a leader to other kids (big sister? Big brother? ) modeled, or is LET ( by his parents?) to be the big brother, how would he know that's what he should be doing? If the SM doesn't set things up so the "Instructor" instructs, how would the Scout know that's what he does? I have a photo a friend took, it is one of my favorites. It shows Scoutson seated on a stump, axe and file in hand, with a younger Scout leaning over , as if he is asking a question. I have had other Scouters tell me that is how they remember Scoutson in the Troop, modeling and instructing. He got that way because of how we let him do things at home, and encouraged him to do things at Scouts. The older Scouts need the Venturing program. They need the peer group. But they also need to realize they have (can have) a connection to the younger boys. The skills I have are really the skills I learned from older Scouts. And maybe Bob, and Lee and Kenny and Chip are out there, som'ers, letting other Scoutsons 'Eagle".

You will find in Scout policy that "Once a Scout uniform, always a Scout uniform". Your Council patch is A-OK to wear as long as thou canst...... Vintage is no obstacle, only appropriateness. The only limitation is that adults may not wear youth awards (totin' chip, Eagle patches, Patrol patches) (save your square knots) and youth may not wear adult awards (adult square knots, SM patches). But then, these things "be more like guidelines, ye-arrr", and I doubt if the Uniform Police would object. I know a well respected SM that wears his Totin' Chip, Fireman's Chit and OA flash on top of each other. He smiled when I mentioned it. And , too, when I did Wood Tools for IOLS, there was/is the IOLS director who wanted to know if the attendees had "earned" the Totin' Chip so she could "award" the patch to them....

I believe that someone failed to learn the Truckers Knot.

Was he properly vetted? How tall is that wall?

Yeah, Stosh, "uphill in both directions." I know what you're driving at, tho, I think it comes from lots more of society being done by "others". Even grass watering is automatic, now. That was a "job" for the boy back then. The kid learned about being trusted to do a job to the satisfaction of his "boss" at an early age. Where is a kid to learn about the success/reward of his efforts? Mom and dad are away from home and then are often too dragged out to pay attention to Jr.'s activities (Scouts?) so he learns his societal lessons from the Wii. The kids around the area here'bouts often got to go to the County for job training and "Teen Career" opportunities. Can't just go down to the local store and ask about sweeping up, or collecting pop bottles for the deposit (what's that, dad?) I made a nice bit cleaning out my dad's trucks every afternoon. Not possible now. But there are notable exceptions.... Since we knew a local custom farmer, and were able to buy haybales from him for CSDC and borrow tractors for "Wonderful Wheels", Scoutson met him early on. Farmer told him, "See me when you're 16, you'll have a job!" Scoutson earned his Class B, and has worked for the farmer or his partner ever since. At 22, he is the operations manager in everything but title, and puts more money in the bank than his mom and dad combined. (We pay the mortgage, so not much goes into the bank!) . Scoutson comes home with stories about the "good ole boys" and "college kids" and "old timers" and "nouveau riche" he has come across in his farm travels. He is getting an education in life, might even write the novel some day....

Shall we discuss how emoticons are a de-evolvement back to pictograms? Are we loosing the alphabet to cuneiform?