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1tree

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Everything posted by 1tree

  1. That would be nice. While I am concerned about Scout safety, some of the rules are getting out of hand. I have given up trying to get scouts excited about lashing since we can't make much that is exciting. When I was 10 I went to camp and helped make a 40 foot signal tower. It captured my imagination and drove me to learn knots which I had previously struggled with. I learned to deal with water because I had so much fun canoeing. They need to look at the hard reality that scouting is NOT seen as relevant to more and more youth and parents. The fact is that the world doesn't care what us
  2. Here is a thought - have HIM lead a discussion with the scouts and get their thoughts. Even younger scouts can be quite insightful. And thy will then know why the leader is doing the sign differently.
  3. I am with MikeS72 on the issue. While there could be issues with arranging meetings with girls, outright refusal is counter to the values of the organization.
  4. Yea, some of us don't live in the pristine world you believe in. Here is the thing - a new troop likely doesn't know what scouts is about. They don't know what program they want. They don't know how to begin to assemble it. Follow the standard shrink wrapped advice and you end up the norm: new troop dead in under three years. For all the posturing there are a number of realities that keep getting glossed over. First is the Baden Powell came to a movement which was already happening without him and happened to use his book. Second, kids are different now then they were then. The world
  5. Some observations here: YPT is a huge concern and often not well understood. The being said, my take is that for a MB session you must have two adults over 21. One of them must be a registered adult, the other can either be registered or the parent/guardian. Review the one on one requirements regularly. But really I don't see a reason for this to happen in a MB session. I would encourage having a discussion with the SM. But limit said discussion to something that is meaningful and constructive. Unless you live in an area where the next troop is a long distance away, fig
  6. Well to be blunt if I were the SM and heard a breath of this discussion the US would NEVER be at another meeting of my troop. End of story. I would first speak to my COR, then to my DE and make it clear. I would call and have said person removed for trespassing if he/she showed up at another unit event. But also for a more complete discussion lets take a moment and see the requirement as written: 4b - Show the proper care of a rope by learning how to whip and fuse the ends of different kinds of rope. Now which words state that the scout must put flame to the rope? We can argue all da
  7. Which brings back memories of my being a scout. I recall my SM asking me first to teach another scout various skills. Then after teaching them send them to another scout to verify. Later I was to teach and sign off without anyone verifying. I realized the program when the time came for me to stop teaching and start verifying some of those I had taught. My troop is just three years old so we don't yet have a full compliment of older boys. But we are moving the right direction and scouts teach while a leader sits off and observes. Then the scout teaching lets us know when he believes the wo
  8. And... you may have the reason your pack is so small. Few parents want their children exposed to such behaviors.
  9. While it doesn't go into the part you are looking for here I would encourage you to look through my presentations from UoS on starting a new troop. Perhaps cover some of the things you haven't considered. http://t243sachse.org/index.php/university-of-scouting/2019
  10. I am completely in favor of scouts learning to handle firearms because it teaches responsibility. Most will step up to the added responsibility that a firearm represents. My experience is that younger scouts are safer after time on the rifle range. It can also teach them concentration and focus. Unfortunately while the BSA has started promoting the idea of shooting teams inside the BSA program (great idea), they have the typical blinders on when it comes to their rules for implementation. In short, while I love the idea I would skip the BSA if starting a shooting team in favor of Civilian
  11. At our council's University of Scouting I have had a class on stating a new troop the last two years. (I signed up to teach before the announcement was made.) And... predictably a large percentage of the participants have been looking at female troops. I have also spoken with a good number of leaders in my area. Most will start their female units out meeting at the same time and place. Going to the same campouts. And one said he told his committee that they should specifically look at me and the troubles I have had getting my troop off the ground. Here is the thing: some of those troops w
  12. What a laughable lie. Why not just admit that they feel guilty for those who are old enough but couldn't previously join? If it was so new troops could have trained leaders, then they would make exceptions for new troops. The simple fact is that few new troops have scouts who have attended NYLT. And now troops will have to make it out of the three year death zone before sending their first leaders. But hey - lets all congratulate ourselves for a job well done.
  13. From the sound of it, they weren't yelling at the kids, but about them. Which is probably worse. Something I would expect to correct a scout for not an adult. But as the op has pointed out there might be something missing. But really, with 38 scouts working how hard could it be to have setup the bon fire? If the work was so short that there wasn't time for a scout to turn in their homework and get over to help, then how big a project is it anyway? I think the scout leadership should have dealt with the issue. And with 40 scouts, that works out to at least 5 youth. (4 patrol leaders and the
  14. This is a bit late, but... I think a lot could be accomplished by pushing camps to make classes longer and set maximum student-instructor ratios. For that matter, they should also remove all endorsement of camps offering completion of badges a scout simply can't complete. For instance, Cooking MB simply can't be completed in a summer camp experience. Unfortunately there are too many who put too much emphasis on advancement. The ideal is that advancement occurs as a side effect of the experiance.
  15. I don't think you will find a rule prohibiting the Webelos from using sheath knives. But here are the concerns that come to mines. Some troops prohibit sheath knives. Most scout camps prohibit them (at least at summer camp). There are no requirements for the Castaway Adventure which would call for a sheath knife So my opinion is that your better off leaving out sheath knives for the Webelos outing. For all the reasons above I would highly recommend any scout start with a good folding knife. If they own one knife then I highly recommend a quality folding knife. As a second knife I would cert
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