SSScout

If we sold heads of lettuce and Ranch Dressing, folks would complain about the species of lettuce (Ice Berg, Bibb, Butter, Red Leaf, Romaine....) and brand of dressing. It is candy. It is See's candy. It pays for Scouting. Should we insist that the staff in Irving sell more than the rest of us to prove their Loyalty? I want to see our (and they are "our") staff promoting Scouting and the activities (camping, hiking, canoeing, etc.) of Scouting to prove their value and worth.

As the RTCommish, I try to run my RT a bit like a Troop meeting. We open with a small flag ceremony, official announcements, then the "program" or breakout trainings. Time for closing, I give a short "SMMinute" ( might be humorous, might be more serious) which I generally read from a source (lots of inspirational, Scouty resources available) and then Scout Sign, recite the Scout Promise and "God speed home".... I also send out a weekly email that serves as our District Newsletter. I include a "teaser" at the top, a thought provoker, which also seems to present itself to me from many sources. Religious gospels, native American writings, Ernest Thompson Seton, Khalil Gibran, William Penn, Gandhi, Daniel Webster, old Scoutmaster Manuals, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert Service, Baden Powell, Groucho Marx, some guy named anonymous, I find lots of inspirational stuff. My 1952 vintage Fieldbook has a lot of Greenbar Bill quotes. Even the most modern BSHandbook has some neat words to consider. "One finger cannot raise a pebble" =Hopi Indian = >>> go and discuss teamwork, cooperation, the need of the hand to use all the fingers AND the thumb to be really effective. Last time, I read a short story where the "moral" was not , as expected , that you could not lead a horse to water and make him drink, but maybe your job was to make him thirsty so he would seek his own water.

"Follow the money..."

Courtesy my time in the County Government, I have had lots of leadership training. Specific to my duties, and general. I took courses in college in the psychology of teams, culture of associations, and other sociology and such. I have "taken" WB and staffed WB, and talked to folks that have done WB in my Council and elsewhere. I even met a man that has a "hobby" of taking WB in many places around the country (he said this one was his 12th when I met him! He just liked comparing them and and camping out in various places. No, he was not a National Staffer)). Does it compare with the other training I have participated in? Sure, but this was Scout training, which gives it a different feel and point of view. However..... WB truly depends on the staffing. The WAYC game not withstanding, it can be very variable. The syllabus may be "standard", but the way it is done is never the exact same. One Wowser course may be followed in the same council by a sorry I came course. It can be a time to renew your Scouting Spirit, it can be a time to learn some new techniques or be reminded of old saws. One problem is when the Scouters come expecting to be told how to Lead Scouts, when what they are being taught is How to Lead and Work With Other Scouters so They can Let the Scouts Lead Themselves (Patrol Method?) . Doesn't always happen. Cost? Well, it should be a bargain, I think, but the length of time does add things up. Two long weekends of camping (cabins? platform tents?) , food (I thought we ate very well, and the staff did the cooking for the students!), materials (lots of handout and books to take home for perusal), space rental, usage of "things", souvenirs (yeah, patches, neckers, etc.) it adds up. It can be considered in light of "Cognitive Dissonance Theory", if you like, but most folks I have had contact with viewed their time as well spent and useful.

Our District sponsors a "Buddy Hike" Day. Every Troop is encouraged to invite Webelos to join them in a hike around a local reservoir , it is about 3.5 miles. We can get 50 or 60 (or more!) Scouts that way in one place at one time...Nature study is encouraged, bring a bag lunch. If all you do is "hike", one can do 3 miles in an hour. I am a guide for a local Parks' historic trail, and the 3 miles we do there, with stories and q&a takes about 3 hours!

Go to HDepot or HarborFreight and buy a 12'x12' or 12'x15' tarp. Make or buy (!) a dozen pegs. Make or buy (used?) four 4' poles. Sufficient sash cord. Lay out 12x 5 floor and stake out. Fold over the tarp, 4' up, put the poles in to hold it up, two poles on the outer corners, guy ropes out to brace it, you have a ground cloth and "c" shaped tent covering. Enough room under for your sleeping bag and pack, if you are not more than 6' tall. Custom fit your grommets. Write on the edge (in marker) which way the long edge runs, where to fold and stake for future reference. You can even set it up in the rain, by putting your pack and gear in it while you stake out the poles, etc. Inexpensive. The Troop of my youth made our own tarp tents: 8 mil black plastic (hard to find now), and one of the dads obtained a special mil-spec duck tape. We cut the plastic in 10x10 squares, lined the edges with the tape (two sides), ran a reinforcing line of tape down the diagonals, and set grommets in the edge every (?) 2 feet and at the corners and at the 3/4 position on one diagonal , so we could set it up in the "explorer" configuration. Dining fly, put two together for a BIG tent, cover gear, shelter two small scouts, etc. With care, one of these could last two seasons, and then it was a ground cloth.

'Would you tell me please,' said Alice, 'what that means?' The Meaning of a Word.... 'Now you talk like a reasonable child,' said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. 'I meant by "impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don't mean to stop here all the rest of your life.' 'That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in a thoughtful tone. 'When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'I always pay it extra.' 'Oh!' said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark. 'Ah, you should see 'em come round me of a Saturday night,' Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side to side, 'for to get their wages, you know.' (Alice didn't venture to ask what he paid them with; and so you see I can't tell you.) "" ""

Had a doctor's appointment this morning . Checked in, sat down and looked to the magazine rack. Sonofagun, , BOYS' LIFE! First time I have seen that mag in a doctors waiting room! And it had the doc's address on it! AND it was this month's issue! AND they had a few past months' issues there too! Now there's a good sign of Scout promotion! Somebody gave the medical office a gift subscription, when I asked, they did not know who.... Thank you somebody! Now, where else could we give a gift subscription to?

A discriminating taste: "I refuse to belong to any club that would have me as a member" = Groucho Marx =

MtIBS: It was good to know your mom, if only by internet. She will be missed, I am sure both "here" and "there". I am also sure that her legacy is already being appreciated, tho it will no longer be added to. Please accept our prayers and condolences. Good Scouting to you!

Collar, no collar. Shirt in, shirt out. Official Switch Backs, Columbia cargo trou. Green shorts, blue jeans. Red Tabs, sort of green tabs. Epaulets, no epaulets. Oscar De La Renta, Oscar Delarenta, Oscar De La Purchase. Necker, No necker, Bolo tie, bare collar. Woodbadge Beads, Turks Head woggle, Dove Necker or no. Tottin' Chip, Fire Man's Chit, OA patch. Commish, ASM, oh heck. Scout Cap '08, Scout Cap '14, Commish Cap, WB cap, Jambo cap, CSDC Cap. Web belt, Jambo belt, Philmont belt, OA belt, brass buckle, plastic buckle. Getting to be too cold for shorts. No cotton socks, only wool on these feet. Haven't found replacements for my "most comfortable boots ever" (no blisters in 3000+ kms!), altho they are splitting at the seams. Decisions, decisions, decisions..... What's a Scout (or Scouter?) to do?

Rule one: No ISA can have a non-Scout, personal benefit. The Scout cannot draw money to buy his own boots. Rule two: The Scout can work on a unit fundraiser and benefit from it for a Scout activity, in a personal way. He can pay for his share of the unit dues. Or mom and dad can pay for the dues. He can pay for his share of the summer camp, or m&d can pay for it. Rule three: The unit sets the necessary dues for the unit to function. Patches, awards, fees to reserve camp, How the budget is met is the question, what share of the budget is appropriate for each Scout? If you want to get really picky, you would have to bill each Scout for the individual cost of each badge/necker/Cub Cap/share of room rental he earns. Sterling silver Eagle badges are expensive! Rule four: The ISA, if any, does NOT go with the Scout if and when he leaves the unit. Any left over stays in the "general account". I know one unit that had an Eagle graduate and he bought , with his accrued ISA, a new trailer for the Troop. Rule five: Assuming the fundraiser is "selling": A set proportion of each sale goes to the unit general fund, a set proportion goes in the Scout's ISA. He sells more, he accrues more. But it is still the unit's money, not his. The unit ultimately decides what it can be used for, up to his balance. Unit dues? Scout camp? Jamboree? New trailer? Up to the unit, NOT the Scout. Or his parents. The balance only determines how much more they must come up with, for that purpose.

2eaglesons: Please tell your young man how proud we all are of him, and we have never met him. If he has such a SM, I cannot conceive how he ever managed to earn Eagle? With the attitude you outline, how was he able to overcome the Troop bias evident in your description? I think your going to the COR, the IH and the District and Council show real courage on YOUR part. Stick to your standard of the Scout Promise and Law as the standard with which to judge these "leaders" (so called). The Scoutmaster (not "emperor" here) has no clothes, and this needs to be made clear. Good Scouting to you and thanks to the ones that saw thru the SM's attempt to shame you into submission and turned out to honor your young Eagle.

"Welcome to Troop XYZ. Our dues this year are $$$$. Please make your check out to The Community Center of New Muddy Stump, and we thank you for your support".

Linotype, justification, centering, pica, typeface, base, river....

Something like this? http://bymcamps.org/programs/teen-adventure/ This is a "package" for teenagers. The leaders are trained by various agencies and often are graduates of the camps themselves, having "grown up" in the camps. Sort of like a "Scout Camp". With some effort, your VCrew can plan, and arrange this sort of thing themselves. Takes phone calls (why is that so hard for teenagers?), emails, reading brochures and websites. National Parks, Town Halls, local Churches, personal connections ("hey, my uncle lives in ..." ) and imagination. Often, the teen ager has to be REALLY encouraged to get out of their box ("you mean I can do that?"), and remind the parent that ,yes, they CAN do that. Good Scouting to you and your Crew!

Joe Bob et al: May I remind folks that the Scout Promise and Law applies to all, not just those who are reciprocating it. Your children are watching you, and learning from your example; even if you are not actively teaching, they are learning. I believe it was Hillel who said that most of the Torah was the Golden Rule, that the rest was just commentary about that part. Even Casino Bus goers deserve to be treated with respect and consideration. I agree that city parks should not be utilized by tour busses to the exclusion of the general, tax paying public. I would sign your petition, but I don't live there, how much clout would that have? Speak to the City Council, your Council Member, the Casino, the bus drivers, the press, sell popcorn, sell water bottles, park YOUR cars to encourage busses to go elsewhere. Suggest a solution: Maybe a Hotel/Motel parking lot, a nearby shopping center (some payment may be desired, not your concern), a different street that the city can REQUIRE busses to use. Not all that onerous, but a place to temporarily park cars (again, payment required by the city? ) might be a consideration. The Casinos need to be in the loop here, for good PR, if nothing else. ** Ask for a permit to "Take Over" the park for several days for a Scout Program! (Cubaree ! Scoutarama ! Camporee !) See what the Tour busses do with that!

It is a sad day when the child dies before the parent. You do not expect that, whatever the cause. Our Yearly Meeting sponsors a summer camp program, at three permanent camps and one "traveling " camp. Several years ago, a storm termed a "derecho" ran through the central east coast. Our camp in Virginia was hard hit. Some weeks later, when I came down to inspect things, I passed an overpass on the main road that had an 18" by 20' long log wedged in the guard rail. I stopped to look at it and realized that this bridge, which crossed a ravine about 50 yards wide, was normally about 20 feet over the "creek" valley it traversed. When I arrived at the camp, the original bridge into the camp, which crossed the same "creek", was pushed off its supports downstream 50 feet and bent to a 45degree angle. This was a bridge constructed of 24" Hbeams and 12" Ibeam purlins. I had to walk into camp on rocks over the stream. Fortunately, the camp had closed for the season by then, and the only person on the grounds (up the mountain!) was the caretaker, who was ok, and had stories to tell. The county road was washed out had to be totally rebuilt, our neighbors houses rebuilt , our entrance bridge was rebuilt 5 feet higher, and the old bridge cut up and scrapped. Flash floods in Virginia....

"Beheading ceremony" Love it.... Again, your beads, your ceremony. I had mine at a normal Troop CoH, last on the agenda. My WBSM came, my TG came, one of my Patrol came, my family was there and my fellow Chaplain from the Jamboree arrived late ( he did WB two years later), but he did come. I had it at the CoH because no one in the Troop had been WB in recent memory and I wanted to show what WB was. The WBSM gave a short talk about the history and significance of the regalia and the way WB works. Then my TG spoke of my particular tickets. Drape the necker, do the beads, we sang the "Back to Gilwell" once thru (we were the only WBers present) and then the cookies and punch.

Welcome to the virtual crackerbarrel! (don't let anyone try and tell you this is a campfire. Heat is bad for electronics). I hope you will consider signing on as a MBCounselor for Journalism. There are few of us left who actually remember what it meant to ACTUALLY Cut and Paste... Light Table? Wax roller? Letraset? Photosensitive? It's like mentioning cuneiform to some youngsters....

Busses... The City should definitely be willing to look into a Public Safety Issue of private busses filling up otherwise public car parking. Here in the Nations Capitol, the National Capitol Park Police are VERY strict about where busses may stop and park. Even curbing to drop off and pick up at the wrong place (in front of the Smithsonian No NO NO!) can get the driver a big fine. NOT the company, THE DRIVER! Are all the "official" close in spaces full? Well, here is the long term lot at RFK Stadium (5 miles away from the Mall!), go there, NOW! Sometimes the public needs to help solve the problem for the city. Is there a better place for the Casino Busses to stop to let off and pick up? A hotel curb or lot? A shopping center? Maybe the Police and the Traffic Engineering Departments can be interested in this, as a problem in traffic movement. Paid parking for tour busses? Ummmm, revenue source! And see if it can be couched in terms , not just of Scout Meetings, but of Public Inconvenience. Is there an issue of extra traffic coming and going that threatens kids crossing the street, say? And get the local TV "On Your Side" reporter interested. The Casino revenue may be a consideration. Go to the Casinos, and the Bus companies. No one wants a bunch of smiling mothers and grandmothers with kids in tow causing unnecessary commotion. Roll them bones! er I mean, Good Luck and Good Scouting!

That thread about the Cooking MB got me thinking. What and How do we do it? It is easy to keep "body and soul" together, any bowl of oatmeal will do that. But how to make it worth while? Here's a start: Layer Cake Stew, from WB 82-90 Serves 6 to 8, depending on the time of year and size of Scout. Prep: 20 mins. Cook: 30 mins. The directions may seem overly precise, but they are intended for beginning cooks. Utensils: *MINIMUM size 10†x 3†deep cast iron skillet, ‘seasoned’ and oiled, or equivalent (dutch oven may be used, but do not ‘top heat’) * Cover for skillet. High top, if possible. *cutting board and knife * veggie washing brush *pancake tuner/spatula or big spoon (for serving) *big fork Ingredients: *½ lb bacon, sliced 1/8†thin * 1 lb. ground beef, lean *1 fist size onion * 3 fist size potatoes * 2 or 3 nice carrots * 1 or 2 sticks celery * salt and pepper to taste * catsup on the side * water, in big pot for rinsing and washing veggies. Directions: * Prepare nice, HOT fire. HOT coals preferred. Make preparations to support HEAVY skillet over HOT fire. Cook stove may be used. * Place skillet on table or prep area. Rub Soap on OUTSIDE and BOTTOM if using open fire. (helps with cleanup) ***WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER*** * Bacon: COVER inside bottom of skillet with bacon. Leave no bare spots. * Beef: Crumble ground beef evenly over bacon. * Onion: Remove skin , cut off ends and any bad spots. Rinse. Cut in quarters and slice ¼†thick. Spread evenly over beef. *Potatoes: Cut out eyes and bad spots. Do not peel. Scrub and wash well. Slice into ¼†slabs and spread evenly over onions. Salt and pepper to taste. * Carrots: Cut off ends and any bad spots. Do not peel. Scrub and wash well. Cut diagonally (fancy!) ¼†thick and spread evenly over onions. * Celery: Cut off ends and bad spots, leave leaves if green. Wash well. Cut diagonally (fancy!) into ¼ “ pieces (leaves too) and spread evenly over carrots. Try not to MOUND things up in the center. * Clean up prep area. Cuttings to compost , if possible, otherwise, “Leave No Trace†guidelines. **Place cover on skillet. If it sits a little on top of the “stewâ€, don’t worry, it’ll settle down as it cooks. **CAREFULLY lift the skillet and place on/over fire. Do not disturb for thirty (30) minutes. If there is no steam escaping after 10 minutes, the fire isn’t hot enough. *** After thirty minutes, remove from fire and lift lid. Poke potatoes with big fork. Should be soft. If not, replace cover and place back on fire for ten more minutes. Try again. ****Salivate at will. Serve with biscuits or toast and jam.

Wow, so many old names, no longer posting... Some I recognize, some more obscure. I am still retired from the transit service (Ride On in Mungumry County Murlin) and sub-teach and drive bus for our Meeting and teach CDL license to folks and do lawncare stuff. And I do Commish things in Scouting...

There has to be a consensus here. From the taciturn teen that wants NO ceremony to the grandparents that want to rent out the local Hyatt and cater a sit down dinner with Bill Gates for a guest speaker... My favorite was the Scout whose grandparents farm was a favorite place to camp. So they organized the CoH at a campout there. Folks had to hike in several hundred yards, bringing their own camp chairs. The Scouts set up a table and there were candles and some speeches about "what Scouting means to me" and the Eagle's history with the Troop. It was very moving and appropriate. Potluck dinner, campfire fare. After the old folks went home, the Scouts stayed up with the other ASMs and SM and smooshed thru the night.... Have a BBQ on the church back lawn. Do a nice CoH , let the Scouts do their usual thing, include the Eagle Charge (some version, there are several nice versions out there, no "official" version that I know of) Invite earlier Eagles from your Troop to attend. Invite some famous people that you admire, they might come! At the very least, you might receive a nice congratulatory letter.

*sigh* "A Scout is Trustworthy". Let's remember, The Blue card has three sections. The SM signs off on the card first, giving his approval for the boy to attempt the MB. When the Scout fulfille the requirements, the MBCouselor fills in and signs the sections, keeps one section. The Scout hands one section to his Troop (SM) and keeps one section himself. I organized a multiscout trip to visit with a Railroading MeritBadge Counselor. He was an oldtimer, the Scouts love him. We met at a Model RRClub, went to a track Interlock Tower, visited a local railyard. He signed everyone's cards, gave out his name and address, etc. It was a good Saturday afternoon. A year later, one of the boy's father calls me. The boy has lost his BCard section, and the Troop records do not jibe with the council's.(he was awarded the MB at the Troop CoH). It's Eagle time! Can I sign a new card for him? Can't I vouch for him attending and passing the MB? I say I'd like to, but I'm not the MBC. They pursue the issue, and find that the MBC has since passed on. What to do? I , fortunately, have the list of boys I escorted to the session. It gets complicated, but eventually, the Council accepts that the Scout did attend and did earn the MB.