WoodBadgeEagle

Benny- glad things worked out. I think I'll take Dan's advice and have our SPL run this year's election, including the white board part. Just one more way I can help our Troop be more boy-run. Dan, I hope you find your Holy Grail of a boy-run Troop. I know that if I visited 50 Troops in 3 years I would have found at least 50 ways that boys were running things instead of 50 units that weren't perfect.

As our Troop heads into yet another year of patrols, leaders and elections, I thought I'd share something that we have been doing in our Troop for 5 years now, and it helps set the boys' attitude as they vote for SPL, or even for PL (though that one usually comes down to who wants the job within the Patrols of older Scouts!). Before we do the election, I get out my trusty whiteboard and dry-erase markers and ask the boys to list the QUALITIES that they feel a leader should have in a boy-run Troop (which we are). I never censor what they say, they do that themselves, for example if someone

Okay, back to my original question, which was about participation in Camporee events. The letter of the "law" states that "Webelos Scout dens should not compete against or partipate in activites designed for Boy Scouts.". I want to have ONE set of events that all Scouts and Webelos participate in (Lord knows with all the lawyers in America, I hesitate to have any "dangerous" events), but with separate scoring for the Webelos, and separate sets of awards. The rule does not seem to allow this. Perhaps it's a matter of interpretation? It wouldn't be the first time. Thanks!

I am a former Cubmaster, and am now a Scoutmaster (for the past 5 years). Our Troop has always invited 2nd year Webelos from a couple of neighboring Packs to come to and participate in Fall Camporees and winter Klondikes with the Boy Scouts. We did not usually have them stay overnight, but they went around and did the events. Sometimes we mixed them in Patrols with older Scouts (the older Scouts really enjoyed this), and sometimes they went around as their own Patrol- it depended on how many Webelos went to the event. We have had a separate set of awards for Webelos dens who compete, but

I have encountered both situations, one very recently. For the Scout who was nervous about participating in the flag ceremony (he mentioned it to the SPL when he was asked to do it), we had an Instructor assigned to each of the new Scouts (not just the Scout that was nervous) and the Instructors walked with and gave quiet advice to the new Scouts about what to do when. It helped the nervous Scout and set a good example for the older Scouts. We almost got kicked out of Dorchester CA about 4-5 years ago because of noisy Scouts at night. At the time, we had a big tent that slept (er, I

Tony- I helped organize the 2002 Klondike for our district, and it was a big success (not much snow, but cold enough!). I am the Jr. Leader Roundtable Commissioner, and we got the boys together in early November (at Roundtable) and asked them what they liked best in a Klondike Derby. We set some guidelines (fun, Scout skills, age-appropriate, etc.), and then did a brainstorming session. We laid out the rules for such a session (everyone's ideas are welcome, no criticizing,etc.). They started out slow, then came up with some great ideas, then drifted into strange ideas. With every ide

Rooster, I read through this entire thread before I posted this (as it is of interest to me), and I think your quip back at Bob was uncalled for. I was wondering when one of you was going to take the lead and start a new post centered around the last 10 messages. But, then again, the title of this thread IS "A Rather Interesting Comment", and I gotta admit, all of these have been "rather interesting comments" . Like I said, this (UW) topic is of interest to me. I was at a District Committee meeting last week and one of the commissioners brought up the following scenario: A group

Evmori- Thanks for your comments. My last post got so long (yes, I was aware of that ), and I am glad you said what you said, because I needed to add something. I read the entire manual (at least all of the parts that were either general info or related directly to Troop Advancement). Until then, I did not feel comfortable making any statements about what I felt the Policies said or were supposed to mean. Yes, it is open to interpretation in (in my opinion) too many areas. However, most everything that is written IS. That's the beauty and the curse of the English language.

I now possess (and have read all of the Boy Scout scections thoroughly) the Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures manual. Like any other written instrument, it is difficult to include the variety of information that this contains and put it into "the best" order so as not to be confusing. This manual covers the Procedures and Policies for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts (rank AND Merit Badges), Varsity Scouting and Venturing. If you don't read ALL of the applicable sections (if you skip through looking for information that supports your viewpoint, for example), it can be downright mis

Bob- I didn't feel "jumped on" at all- I simply suggested that I'd rather keep things in the forum in case someone (like you) saw something I posted as not in keeping with the Scouting program, then they could "jump in". It was a real eye-opener for me about the way we do MB's in our Troop not following the methods and purpose of the program. We have been doing MB work at Troop meetings since WAY before I became SM. We were also a completely adult-run operation. We changed to a Scout-run program over the past 4 years, but we kept (in fact, refined) the doing MB's at Troop meetin

For me, it is sometimes difficult to be certain what information I possess comes from my association with existing Troop operations and what came specifically from training. That's why I continue to read and ask questions, and attend as much training as I can. And that is the shortest post I have made in this Forum (sorry for the other long ones!).

Well, the discourse on this post has certainly taught me one thing- this is a VERY misunderstood Policy. At first, that made me feel better (ignorance, like misery, loves company). But now, I am concerned about 1) The amount of training adult leaders NEED to go through and 2) The content of the training being clear enough on this Policy Like my original post said, I have been through a good deal of training, and I took that training very seriously. I believe in doing things by the book, but I am also human and slip into the "here's how we do it" mode from time to time. Alwa

Bob White- Looks like we are online at the same times. Funny, your mannerisms and phraseology remind me of my favorite mentor in Otetiana Council, also named Bob (though I think he is a Beaver). Massawepie is still as great as ever- it's where our 40 boys are going this summer. Camp Cutler (I think you are referring to it) has become a premiere summer camp for Cubs, plus a great all-year camping facility. We do a lot of leader training there. Check out www.otetiana.org. I'm on the web committee, soon we'll have Camping info up there (that's my current assignment). WBE

Chippewa29- If it's OK with you, I'd rather have those discussions in this Forum. I got some feedback from Bob White about what I posted here, but in another Forum where I had posted a request for help. It seems that the way we do Merit Badges and elect positions of responsibility are not permissable. I need to get more info on this, because these two program components have yielded excellent results (Scouts come to meetings, take responsibility, actually LEARN something from doing MB's, but most of all they LIKE this structure. They also feel that the elections of positions is far m

LongHaul- I'll field both of these (I think I have learned enough at this point to give it a whirl- Bob, please jump in if need be). 1) "Failing" an SMC is not technically a correct phrase. If I have an SMC with a Scout, and we accomplish what they are intended to provide (a discussion of the Scout's advancement, helping them set goals, making suggestions for improvements, listening to their feedback about Troop goings-on, etc.). It's hard for me to imagine a Scout failing at that, unless he never shows up. It's not a pass-fail thing, it's an event, an occurrence. 2) I always th