SSScout

Sometimes you just have to help folks along the trail... I earned a reputation in doing "good" Woods Tools at IOLS, so a neighboring DIstrict asked me to help out at their IOLS. Brought all my gear and "toys" with me and set up. The Training Chair came over and said to let her know when the "trainees" had completed my part of the training and she would award the Totin' Chip at the Camp fire. I said they won't earn the Totin Chip, that's for the Boys to earn, I only tell the Adults how it should be / how it might be taught and earned. She said, but we always present the Totin Chip to them, I said no, I will not . They cannot earn it, they should not wear it on the adult uniform, but I do make sure they know HOW to earn it. I had the distinct impression she was quite disappointed in my attitude, and I found out later she had already bought 25 T/C patches and had to return them to the Scout Shop. I was asked to help out again the next year, no mention of Totin' Chip for Adults.

"Battleship"? Ha! When we visited Hawaii, Scoutson was all over the Missouri. When that waste of mylar came out, he was quick to point out the problems/inconsistancies: Aliens that can immobilize an entire battlegroup but can't land on land? Destruction of everything? They don't want slaves or "booty"? Tactics by Cartesian coordinates? He understood the EM pulse handicapping all the solid state stuff, but instantaneous re-upping a forty year old ship? Using how many gallons of how old bunker oil? And where did they instantaneously get those 16" shells and cordite bags? And the aliens waited while all this was happening? Nice to see all those old timers lauded as heroes again, and the boy gets the girl... "Godzilla". Absolutely, as entertainment, but include at least the American (if not the Japanese) original with Raymond Burr. Compare rationales. Double feature suggested: "In the Shadow of the Moon" (Ron Howard details the Apollo missions by interviewing the astronauts) and '"Destination Moon" (George Pal's animation/special effects were surprisingly accurate for the 1950's)

Like a lot in Scouting, "It Depends". Some MBs lend themselves well to the long Saturday idea, others definitely not. In my experience, I see Scouts in three categories: the Earners, the Collectors, and the Tryers. The Earners look at the MB and it's requirements, and work out what's necessary. They will look at a MB offered at the MBDay, and the posted pre-requisites, and make it happen. They will contact the MBCounselor before and after, if necessary, to complete things "right". The Collectors sign up and come in the hopes that just "being there", they can get the Blue Card signed off. I had three brothers arrive at the MBDay with three new bugles, and were noticeably surprised when I asked them to play the calls. I even said they could read the music, didn't have to memorize them. None of them could even make a sound on the horn the first time. They were "Collectors", and walked away with a small partial..... That was three months ago, none has called me back yet. The Tryers will come, knowing they probably won't earn it that day, but now they have a taste of the subject, they may come away with a "partial" and a contact with a real, live MBCounselor they WILL call later to complete things. MBD? MBCollege? MBFair? Plan for a long day (8am sign in, 8:30am opening ceremony (?) 8:45 first classes, Lunch Break 12:45, afternoon classes 1:15, close up at 5:15 or whenever the Counselor gets tired. ) , make sure you have signed up, council listed MBCounselors,, list prerequisites in your sign up routine,, have snacks available,, think long and hard about MBs like Camping, Cooking, Physical Fitness, etc. Herebouts, we have a college fraternity that sponsors a weekend long MBFair, on campus, some of them take both days (into the evening some of them) , HUNDREDS of Scout participate, and I have heard nothing but praise for the event. I conversation with other MBCounselors, they find pretty much the same thing. Doesn't matter if it's Coin Collecting or Cit in World, or Electronics or Scout Heritage. I once saw a really good Plumbing MB taught over a very long day. The Counselor had spoken to all the candidates previously, and got them to line up the stuff that didn't need a "safe area" and a union plumber to do. So, like I said, "it depends". Good Scouting to you!

I came back to the Scouter to look for movies to satisfy (1) Satisfy Merit Badge Requirements (American Heritage , Citizenship in Community, Movie Making (no requirement to watch a movie?? ) (2) Suitable for "lock in" or Cabin Camping viewing, (3) Just because there really are movies worth watching. Great list of movies mentioning/about Scouting: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scouting_in_popular_culture Boys Life list of 100 Boy Movies (I like the notation: "some suggestions will require parental guidance"): http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/funstuff/18651/100-movies-for-boys/ Scouter dot com : http://scouter.com/index.php/topic/10805-movie-ideas-for-american-heritage/ Did not see "The Martian" listed, or "The Life of Emile Zola" or " Lincoln" Any more out there?

Yep. Pull up a virtual log and fill your virtual camp cup with virtual coffee and take some virtual crackers and cheese off the virtual picnic table of this virtual cracker barrel (campfires don't do well with electronics). ""I am a pretty new Scoutmaster"" Waaaaal, never thought of my SM as being pretty (he smoked a pipe) , but to each his own.... As for the "one hour a week", that gets multiplied by per Scout, per adult per day per paper form to fill out per .... But it will be worth it, trust me. Is being closer to Irving an advantage?

"Opportunities"... In Cub Scouts, the adults arrange, plan, teach, encourage, insist, herd, example, determine, transport, feed, clean-up after, point fingers at each other and reward the Cubs with little scraps of colorful cloth. . It takes awhile for adults to un-learn all that stuff. Most times, we expect Boy Scouts to pick up on most of the above subjects. As they mature, we hope they will pick up more and more. Eventually, they will be doing ALL of the above, and you and I will be headed for the retirement / assisted living facility . I like the idea of the Tempo patrols , but how to "assign" the Patrol Leader position? Any Boy Scout/DenChiefs out there? In our Scout Niche, Webelos Weekend is usually a Troop run, Webelos invited Camporee type thing. Individual Troops staff an activity for the individual Webs, or Dens to try their hand at. Map & compass, fire building, lashing & knots, nature trail, more advanced archery, even fishing . When awards are passed out at the end, it is individual patches and ribbons and beads. Your Patrol idea is good, but who keeps the awards for being good at something? I'm with Stosh: You can be my ASM right now.... Good luck with your WB.. Don't forget your extra duck tape, rope and silly hat...

*sigh* How things do change when we forget it is (should be) about the boys... 'Round 'bout these parts, it goes like this: Up to Life, Scout can ask (ask!) for a SMC any time the SM is present and available and willing. BoR is arranged when the Scout asks (asks! Not prescheduled) and the CCh is available and a couple of adults are willing to do the sitting. Most adults in the Troop are experienced in the duties, or will learn. We might even use a ASM if no one else is available (contrary to BSA rules, ahem), but always the CCh is in charge. Results are transmitted to the AdvCh, who is usually there too. Eagle: The SM is the "Eagle Advisor" . TCommittee sits and reviews his proposed project. When everything is done, accepted, signed off, the workbook goes to the District Eagle Coordinator for review, then to the Council for review. The Troop AdvCh has already sent the Scouts record to Council for review of the MB dates, etc. The District Eagle Coord schedules the District (!) Eagle BoR, which happens twice a month , same Tuesdays every month. Scout goes, SM and parent(s). Parent(s) are asked to sit as Eagle BoR members with District Ecoord or DAdvCh as chair, for someone other than their Scout's BoR. And, yep, sometimes there is a problem, but not often. Your kilometerage may vary .

Rick: Around NCAC, the SFF in MD supplies at least HALF of the total supply for the local foodbank. They tout it, BSA touts it, local TV time... November it happens. Our local Safeway parking lot has a semi trailer parked on the subject saturday and it gets FULL. OA loads it, Troops bring in the bags....

"" What's going on that is "burning out" our people?"" It 's not so much doing too much Scouting ,as too much everything else. Folks have each their own level of complexity, the number of spinning plates one can keep spinning is an individual thing. For instance, not everyone "gets" being a Den Leader, or should be one. I do see the new program as an answer to the success of the GSUSA's Daisy program. It will lead more kids to the benefits of Scouting. As in all kids programs, it will depend on the in loco parentis involved. Parents involved? Good results. Parents not involved, seeking kid sitting and "soccer " syndrome (drop off and come back), not so good results. I coached my daughter's soccer team four seasons. We worked our way up from no wins to being the league champs. On the fifth season, I just couldn't fit it in to my work and everything else schedule. She told me it was the worst season she ever had, (age 15) and she dropped out of any more soccer. Oh well.

Check with your local used book seller. Also check Second Story Books, local to me, nice folks: http://www.secondstorybooks.com/ search "chess" and "chess history", many titles.

Phone numbers. Notebook. DE's private line. DCommisher's private line. Park Ranger's private line. Topo map of site. Someone ELSE to keep track of finances. Patch design. Lots of "caution" tape. Line up the Archery ROs early on. Also BBs and (?) Tomahawk throw. State police helicopter? Nat Guard Humvees? Construction crane from the builder who you know from your wife's cousin's church social? State Park service Scales and Tales presenter? Those Civil War Re-enactors you saw last year? That local antique car club that puts together the Model T from loose parts? Talk to the Cub Scout Day Camp Director and maybe coordinate things/site/equipment. Also the District Camporee.... Line up the OA to help. AND.... have fun. Part of the job, yes?

Seldon: All good advice above. If your unit(s) are BSA chartered to a "secular non-profit" org, then the all the tax ids need to be its, with it's permission, natch.. No worry about being "self" chartered. Popcorn is as described by T2Eagle. Your unit can certainly do your own fundraising, Contact the DE or Commissioner or go to your Council website for the Unit Money Earning Permission Form (looks like this: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34427.pdf ) , which gives good guidance about such things. No raffles, gambling, can't just ask for money, have to give "value for the price". Christmas wreaths, spaghetti dinners, car washes, flag raising, flamingo elimination, yard raking, all good. See the other forum/thread. Be careful about political things: You can help at the polls, but cannot ,as a Scout, advocate for any given candidate or issue, or raise money AS A SCOUT for another organization. You can, however, go hiking and camping. Now, go!

KiS MiF! Delegate! Keep the phone list handy! Talk to your Committee Chair often! Kiss the wife! Plan the Pack Meetings around the Dens activities and the Monthly Themes! Go to RoundTable, or send a rep who will talk to you later! Get your Cubs to Day Camp! Learn some fun cheers and claps! When it is no longer fun for you , admit to that and talk to the ComChair and Committee. Trust your training (get trained)! Good Scouting to you!

"Do or do not" = Yoda = "To be or not to be" = Shakespeare = " Do be do be do " = Sinatra =

"They help fund the units"" Huh?? Tradition::: (your DE can help with the printed legalities) In most cases, the Unit "makes" the money, "spends" the money, and keeps their own books (monthly report to the Committee by the Unit Treasurer). But the CO realizes they are the overarching cover / owner of the operation. Unit uses CO tax ID, sales tax forgiveness ID #. In some cases, the Unit "makes" the money, the money goes into a splinter account of the CO, the CO Treasurer keeps track of expenses and issues checks to whomever in the unit spent it, the Unit Treasurer (if any. The unit DID make the money, wouldn't the Unit want to keep track of it too?) works with the CO Treasurer to keep things straight. "A Scout is Trustworthy". Ditto tax ID, etc. In some cases, the Unit makes the money, the Unit is it's own entity, has it's own tax ID and does whatever it wants with "it's" money. Unit Treasurer reports to Unit Committee about things. Policy is made by the Committee. Unit has to apply for it's own sales tax forgiveness doohickey. Mostly, Scouts is a low priority with the IRS and state tax folks, unless they find out that one of your Scouts sold $50K worth of popcorn. (Scout in our Council sold $28K). Hence the recent interest in K-Oing Scout Accounts. Seldon: Welcome to the forums! Glad to see you are giving us reason to post! Specificity on your own situation will make for interesting reading by other folks, yes?

Your Scoutson is learning early a valuable lesson: how to get along with a boss. Some bosses are all over being good for their people, some blame all problems on the worker, some let the worker get all the credit for good things happening, some have a problem when things aren't EXACTLY as they think things should be. My advice for Scoutson: 1) Make sure he smiles and thanks (!) the SM for all his advice and suggestions (No Matter What), and anything the SM says to him is a suggestion. "A Scout Is Courteous" This will either greatly please the SM or bug him to pieces. 2) Make sure SM, and CCh, and AdCh and (?) are included in any communications. 3) If he talks to SM after the Tmeeting, make sure it is within eyeshot of another adult (Child Protection! SM will understand...). Sounds like the SM is a micromanager, and has a hard time admitting when he forgets something. SPL should be forgiving, but keep on with his successful Tmeeting plans. 4 ) SPL should enlist his (HIS!) PLC in all his planning and include the SM in the meeting and results/decisions . "Is this alright Mr. SM? We decided to A and not B. Okay?" 5) Give your Scoutson several grains of salt (with which to take things), He will need them. 6) Then back off, and let Scoutson come to you for advice. Try not to give it him before he asks....

Sentinel947: ""On what authority do you decide who's living Christianity and who's not SSScout?"" I tend to not make that judgement, but I can compare Jesus' suggestions on how one should behave as recorded in Gospel with how people do behave and speak. The bumper sticker WWJD is very evocative to me. I would never presume to instruct someone else in the organization or running of their church. I would encourage people to read their scripture for themselves and make their own choices of behavior. Remember, the Master and his disciples wore costumes without pockets. Merlyn? You out there?

"The purpose of life is the planting of trees in whose shade one does not expect to sit". Ya done good, Ranman.

"" So many experts on Catholicism that aren't actually Catholic. "" And, many who profess Christianity don't really follow Jesus' teachings, but we can discuss that in the "Chaplaincy and Faith " forum. Oh wait... Nice discussion on NPR about the Catholic Priest/Bishop child abuse cover-up on going scandal http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/catholic-church/ I remember a Catholic guidebook that mentioned something about a log in someone's eye, perhaps....

How about this: Scout is photo-ed in Scout activity, and picture isn't used until 5 years later, with no name attached? Some recruitment literature....

Here again is evidence of the desire to forget the past. I have all my MBcards (back in the days of candle lit TV watching) from my Scout days. I think it is nice to look at that signature (and I have, since first collecting them), and remember that man who complimented me on the airplane wing model I built. That SM who taught me the Square Lashing. That SPL that is now a professor of mathematics who saw me light a fire with two matches. Todays Scouts are being short changed by our desire to not pile up Advancement Reports in some dusty filing cabinet. White MBpaper? I had one card, that the MBC signed, I took that back to my SM who countersigned it and then handcopied the record of that (or somebody did) onto the Troop records. There was only the one card, and I kept that. Oh sure, I have the MBsash, and the old patches off the shirt. But that is not the same as the printing that an old man did on that yellow/buff card. It was by his hand. I desired to find out when my home Troop had been founded, maybe organize an anniversary BBQ. Went down to Council and asked about the old records, say, 1954, 1956. The nice lady at the desk led me over to a microfilm /fiche machine and a small cabinet and said "here you are. Help yourself". I had to figure out how the film records were arranged and how to operate the machine, I was the first to ask in a long time, it seemed. When I found the record, faded and hard to read in that negative even if it was magnified, I again read the names of the men who drove me to camp, helped me learn about the woods, let me cry on their shoulder when I was homesick ( and didn't laugh at me), let me take responsibility for water, wood, cooking and being buddies with my Patrol. Email ain't the same, not 50 years later..... What is wrong with making sure the Scout has a small card to file away in a folder or shoebox?

I know certain Scout Ranks are equivalent , nation to nation, but I cannot quote you the rules for it. WOSM might be able to give authoritative opinion. There are lots of WB Facebook pages with international members sharing pictures and lore.

Back in the pre dawn of Scouting, working on my Stegosaurus Husbandry Merit Badge (when you earned Eagle, it was a REAL Eagle, and you had to catch it yourself....), I remember that each Patrol was expected to have it's own PL (elected,), APL (chosen by consensus, who else didn't want it) Treasurer (collected the weekly dues, some of which went to the Troop treasurer, helped organize paying for campout grub, bought Patrol equipment), Scribe (filled out forms for camping trips, kept what small records we had) and Quartermster. No Troop property, it was Patrol stuff or personal stuff. It might be kept in the Troop closet at the church, or in the basement corner of the QM's basement, but it was marked with a Patrol name first, not the Troop number. All of these had to make a small report at each Patrol Meeting, sometimes before the Troop meeting, sometimes on a sunday afternoon in somebody's rec room or back yard. I was Patrol Treasurer for a time, I had a pipe tobacco zippered bag that held the Patrols funds, maybe ten or twelve dollars at time. More if we were about to buy food for a trip, or tickets to a movie. And I was Quartermaster for a time. Nested cook sets, tents, wow. I guess those duties did not count toward rank, but they were there to be done, none the less. The rest of the fellows expected me to take care of the money and I did. So much for "Patrol Method". With internal -to -the -Patrol PoRs, that would certainly lend a bit of organizational umpfth to the "Patrol Method" , wouldn't it? But then, the boys would have to insist on their buddy's responsibility and not the adults doing it? It was my money that bought that nesting, 5 lb cook kit. Take care of it, Ken!

Here, It has always been a District BoR, even thru the six Districts I have lived in (and I haven't moved in 25 years). Each Troop has already done their own BoR. Routine: EBoR are held the same second and third Tuesday every month in the same church social halls and class rooms. Rarely are they rescheduled, but there was one where the Scout had to be moving (parents overseas assignment) and they accommodated this. I sat the EBoR in a rec room of the ECoordinator. Every Eagle candidate is expected to have his SM or ASM to introduce him, and the parent(s) are invited to accompany him but NOT be in the BoR room. Other Adults (SM, ASMs, parents) are invited to participate in some one else's BoR (not their Scout's) during the evening. The District Advancement Committee (Chair et al) chair each Board, and they have at least two other folks with them, sometimes three more. Rarely four, but if there are enough eager people, it might happen. I have assisted at BoR evenings with as many as 6 BsoR happening, and as few as none. They still come and meet, just in case, but these are scheduled in advance. Board is made up, new folks are prepped as to what to expect, the records are reviewed (yep, sometimes there is a glich in them , even after all the checking) and when the board is ready, they ask the SM to introduce the candidate. He/she will speak pretty much as has been stated above ("Scouters, I am pleased to introduce..."). And so it proceeds.