Eagle94-A1

When I was a DL, I used my sons' books in conjunction with the Pack and Den meeting Guide (or whatever it was called), as a way to plan and organize my meetings. I also used the books in conjunction with planning Cub Scout day camp. As for reading aloud at meetings, no, it didn't happen. I may have assigned some sections to read at home. But never forced it. One son didn't read the books much. One son devoured the books. Current Cub is mixed. Areas he is interested in he reads. Other areas he doesn't

Why do I think it was deliberately mislaid? It seems as if folks at national, and a lot of pro at the time, didn't like Bill for telling htem in advance the ISS program would not work, and then coming back in from retirement to fix Scouting.

FYI rebate for for Mountain House TryMountainHouseFreeRebateForm.pdf

What kind of personal gear does your Scouts have? Do they have proper backpacks, i.e. external or internal frame backpacks with hip belts? Do they have good, broken in boots? Does anyone have backpacking experience to help them out and conduct shakedowns? My troop just started backpacking last year. We lucked out with some experienced folks helping out. But we had guys who had "challenges." I would definitely start off small at 5 miles max and make shakedown hikes mandatory for longer trips. And get them hiking on their own in their neighborhoods!

WELCOME TO DA FORUMS!!!!!! Regarding your grandfather's collection, depending upon where in NC you are at, I may have friends who can give you some info. PM if you need contact info.

I too have a land line.

Registered with the pack, not sure about troop. We are in a bit of "transition" as we have a new SM, soon to get new IH, and several committee members are soon to be stepping down. I do not know if they duel registered or not. Have the Cub training, and are supposed to do SM Specific and IOLS at summer camp. As to having it explained to them, yes it has been, and there was a little "push back" with one mom stating how another troop doesn't mind mothers camping. We told them point blank, mothers camping is not a problem, it's parents babying the Scouts and interfering that is the issue.

Don't get me started. we have 2 helicopter moms going to summer camp with the troop. The moms are so use to Cub Scouts and family camping that so far their kids have not camped with us. To quote the late Han Solo, and many others, " I've got a bad feeling about this."

One other concern that hit me this morning: helicopter parents. With national's new emphasis on family instead of boys, I see a major increase in the number of helicopter parents.

Been there, done that. We had folks in 14 different private schools, and 3 different public schools. One thing that helped us out was one SPL studied the troop's calendar for the previous 3 years and the attendance for the events. He noticed pattern where schools will schedule certain events XYZ weekends. We were able to schedule a little better with that info. Still could not get 100% attendance, but it did improve. Cleaveland

It's been a while since I did BALOO, but my class class had 2 females out of approximately 20. Last IOLS class had 1 female out of 10.

Wow. While my course was indoors at a UoS, there was minimal hands on stuff and no complaining. I only learned a new knot, and haven't used it since, but I'd been around the block a few times.

Add in "Grade." We had quite a few scouts not able to go on one trip b/c of a school concert. Miss it and fail the music class. I do not know where it's allowed, or even if it is still allowed where I grew up, but I know the schools arranged PE classes by sports teams. Long story short, PE was used as a study hall during the season, and their class was the practice/game.

Well from reading some commentary from gentleman who posted the pictures originally, I think my fears are truly legit now. There are folks proposing girls only camps.

Talk About Scouting!! is the group. I'm hoping the slide pulls up.

Every troop does things differently. In my troop, if a 5th grader is working on Scout and has the 5th grade Cyberchip from Cub Scouts, they already earned the cyberchip and thus do not have to re-earn it. They won't need to do it again until working on Star.

Mixed emotions on this. I've read the studies and experienced it growing up in both Scouting and schools: boys and girls learn better in single gender environments. I also know that girls do mature faster, and will see them taking over in leadership roles. That is already happening in Venturing and Sea Scouts. But my biggest concern is the BSA changing the program majorly to accommodate girls. This quote on one of the slides posted on facebook from the meeting greatly concerns me: " Do current programs meet the character and leaderships needs of older girls?" I'm sorry, but if girls want the BSA program, they need to accept it as is and not change it. On the other hand, I see where GSUSA is not meeting the needs of girls, and BSA's current (major emphasis)program would give them the challenges they want. I've seen seen coed Scouting work with Sea Scouts, Scouting overseas, Exploring and Venturing. I see the handwriting on the wall, and I got questions and concerns about it. But I admit I am a selfish person on this one, I want what is best for my sons.

It would open eyes. When I worked for national supply, I was part of a pilot program operating a store at a camp. I was hired because I had camp experience. Long story short, everything I wrote for the proposed Standard Operating Procedures manual was questioned repeatedly by my boss: from hours of operation to staffing to supplies to design lay out. Even when items were approved and finalized in the proposal, when executed they were still questioned. Boss had 0 experience working at a summer camp. Didn't have a clue. Two summers went by and there was constant questioning. Then the boss got assigned to work national jamboree. Let's just say the boss finally got some experience in working a camp store and understood why I planned things the way I wrote them. Current job has the managers doing rounds every day. They have to go visit x number of patients every day, and the floors change every week. Long story short a lot of changes for the better are going on as a result.

Praying.

Don't know the full situation. So I do not know if the SM has reasons or not. What I do know is that because BORs need 3-5 committee members, they need advance notice. I know in some troop's I've been in, you needed to ask for a BOR 1-2 weeks in advance so they could get enough people. In rare instances, specifically EBORs, it could take up 6 weeks between the request and the actual EBOR! Other troops have the BORs scheduled for a specific meeting night each month. That's how my sons' troop is. Since it is the Scout's advancement and therefore the Scout's repsonibility, he needs to follow the directions his SM gave him. And if he's going for Life, he should be able to handle thievery himself. Good luck to your son.

First time I've heard of these websites. I would add they need a better job of advertising them.

David, While we have our differences of opinion, we both have the best interests of the youth we serve. I'm sad to hear that you are stepping down and away from Scouting. But can understand why you may need to step down. Just do me a big favor if you don't mind? If one of your Scouts asks you to attend something like a Court of Honor, especially their Eagle COH, please do so.

My understanding of the LDS program from talking to LDS Scouters and reading their commentary on this announcement is that A) their 11 year old program is a set, repetitive program that is designed to get Scouts to First Class in a year, and is very adult leader oriented to the point that it seems like it is still Cub Scouts or "Webelos 3" and B) there is incredible pressure from LDS leaders on the Scouts to get Eagle before 14. I know I was pressured to get Eagle before getting into HS by my uncle. Thankfully not as much as my cousin was. Also I had a SM who realized Scouting needed to be fun. The more I think about my cousin, the more I can understand him leaving at 13 when he got Eagle.

Forgot all about the flush toilets and showers.

Can't answer the power tools part of your question, but can answer the caving one. When Leadership Corps became venture crews in 1989, then venture patrols in 1998, a series of pin recognition was created for HA type activities that they could earn. BSA based the program on the Varsity program. The Varsity letter became the Varsity/Venture letter, and the venture pins were created.. From 1989 to sometime after 1996, the pins were restricted both to purchase and to specific program. So all the sports related pins were Varsity pins and restricted to Varsity Scouts being able to earn them and teams purchasing them. All HA activity pins were Venture pins, with only Boy Scouts being able to earn them and troops being able to buy them. Sometime after 1997, I'm thinking August 1998 but do not know for sure, Varsity Teams and venture patrols could earn either set of pins. And like the Varsity/Venture letter, the pins became Varsity/Venture pins instead of Varsity Pins and Venture Pins. In my home council, neither Varsity or venture was popular. None of the Varsity pins ever sold, and the only Varsity/Venture letter and Venture pins (backpacking and survival), that were sold was me buying them to promote the venture program. It never took off.