Eagle94-A1

Attending district committee meeting last night, I was informed that I was going to be one placed on a sub committee to look at the district merging with 2 others. I have seen the writing on the wall for over a year now, this isn't the first time it's come up, but it is the first time that they are actively looking into it and getting folks together to see if it is feasible or not. I am looking for your expereinces, both positive and negative in regards to merging. All aspects: logistics, social, morale, activities, infighting, etc. A few things. 1) I know each and every situati

Rick, You are so correct in that there are over 500 different Native American cultures. And each has their own beliefs, customs, etc. Sorry if I generalized. I know better. Also please bear with me if I use poor wording below. I am not rying to denigrate or lessen the significance of anything. It's just my brain is frozen form all the snow and I can't think properly at the moment. Originally I learned from the Houma of SE Louisiana, but the concept of gifts has been reinfoced here is NC with the Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, etc. One of my theories, and again this is my theory based u

I was taught the gift is a sign of respect and it's good manners to do. I was told pipe tobacco is the best gift as there are religious and purification uses for it. Sweetgrass is another item that is good to get, but harder to get. Alcohol is a no-no, but other drinks and food are OK.

JS, 1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS! (And yes, that is me screaming at ya in a welcoming manner.) 2) The use of Native American culture in Scouting goes back to the very beginnings of the Scouting Movement in 1907, and some would say even before with Burnhill's influence on B-P, Seton's Woodcraft Indians, etc. 3) The perception of Scouting within the Native American community varies from individual to individual. I've met folks who had reservations about Boy Scouts and their use of Native American culture, and I have had others rejoice and gladly shared with us. See post # 76 for info

CNY, I have to ditto what Stosh said. I can speak with first hand expereince that if the guy takes over, it will be a train wreck. The troop will lose boys, and wither and die. I found out SM of the troop with my pack's CO was stepping down when he asked me to be SM. I had Wolf and two wannabe Cubs and declined. While I do have some regrets, and yes I do get angry with myself at times for not doing becoming SM, I know it was best for me and my family. The new SM is exactly like the ASM you have described. They have lost Scouts to other troops or dropping altogether. They did no

1) WELCOME TO DA FORUMS! ( a little late but, better late than never). 2) Before your Scouts pick patrols, I suggest they look at SCOUTSTUFF.ORG ( National Supply Division), http://www.patchtown.com/patrolpatches.aspx ( Patch Town), https://www2.advantageemblem.com/Home/Store.aspx (Advantage Emblem and Screen Printing), http://www.classb.com/bsa/patrolgear/ (Class B), and http://www.boyscoutstore.com/patches/custom-patrol-patches ( Boy Scout Store). 3) If they don't see anything they like, they can get custom made patches. They just need to provide the artwork. But that route

Thoughts and prayers are with you.

One thing that may be affecting the number of new Crossovers is that they may not have the cold weather gear needed to camp. I know my son's troop gets their new Scouts from the Pack in December. Their first weekend activity is in January, and it is a lock in. We drive to a nearby climbing wall, spend time climbing, and then do other activities when we come back. Last year it was First Aid. This year it was ILST. Oh, and the requisite goofing off time. One thing that isn't done on a formal basis, but does get talke about informally is gear.

Debbie 821, As others have pointed out the Guide to Safe Scouting does allow patrols to do day activities without any leaders, or 1 leader present. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34416.pdf There are a few instances, such as patrol activities, when the presence of adult leaders is not required and adult leadership may be limited to training and guidance of the patrol leadership. With the proper training, guidance, and approval by the troop leaders, the patrol can conduct day hikes and service projects. This exact same passage is found twice in the GTSS on pages 2 and

'99, Not everyone has internet service as fast as you do. Heck I know of a pack whose CM doesn't even own a computer! As a district level volunteer, I liked UVTS, WOSM's MoP, and other record keeping programs. But now that I have to use UVTS, and SCOUTNET, I have major issues with the network and programs they are using. Heck I'm still waiting for SCOUTNET to transfer membership and training records between councils like it was promised to us back in 1998!

To BP's defense a bit, BSA did de-emphasise the "OUTING in ScOUTING" with 1972's Improved Scouting Program. From 1972 - 1979 you could earn Eagle without a single night of camping. IMHO, today we are seeing some of the repurcussions of that era. I know of at least one troop that has leaders who earned Eagle during that era, and they rarely camp. Another piece of the de-emphasis of the outdoors is the fact that you only need to do 4 camp outs a year to get Bronze level JTE. On the concept of STEM Scouts and why some are upset. BSA is really big on "branding." BSA went after the B

Yep, a patrol's day activities do not need adults. And yes if there is an adult, only 1 would be needed since there would not be "one-on-one" contact. Wife was concerned that she would need to stay home with me since son is having a patrol meeting at my house. Not needed since A) it's a patrol day activity ( meeting) and no adults are needed and B) there won't be any one-on-one contact anyway.

TAHAWK, There are so many problem with Common Core, that many school districts, and some states, are doing away with it. The math examples I've read are so out there, that folks with math and engineering degrees have issues with it. Read on about my history comments. Pack, I couldn't read the entire link as it was to painful and aggrevating. First and foremost, I hate group work in a school setting. Some folks in the group do all the work, while others sit in the background. Other times, directions and goals are given out, only to find out that folks go off on tangents that have

My thoughts. 1) have the PLs or buddies talk to the ones who missed. We had a few who did not like to camp, and they did drop. We have one who is highly allergic to peanuts and he has very protective parents. We have one whose mom said no camping in cold weather. And we got a few who can only camp when dad has custody. And we have one extremely bizarre situation where oldest brother can go only if ex-step dad is not camping, and younger half-brother can only camp when dad has custody. 2) Scheduling. I know growing up, my troop had to deal with 14 different school calendars. No joke,

Good grief, I am so glad I homeschool. As a one time historian, I can tell you that is not how I was taught to read and understand historical documents. Nor did I teach my college students that either. You needed to know the time, events, etc to understand the document.

For me, this is Learning for Life under a different name. Me personally, they need to get rid of the "Scouts" in STEM Scouts and there is no OUT inthe program, only classrooms and labs.

I have a hard enough time doing the commissioner UVTS inputs. SCOUTNET is a pain to use, and I have high speed internet. I live in a rural area, and I remember it taking 4+ hours to download the online YPT due to connectivity. So I know we have units not logging in their service. Heck we have units not doing internet advancement still.

Make sure you don't get the jac shirt wet. While wool will keep you warm when wet, it bleeds. One of my uniform shirts has pink spots from when I was in the rain with the jac shirt on.

I fi've heard of the program, but not details.

In the troop I'm talking about, all of the scouts save one are First Class through Life. They have one Tenderfoot. Also to go along with #5 above. 5A) All the youth positions are appointed by the SM. Reason being to give everyone a chance at a POR.

Exactly! One of the reasons they are losing scouts. From talking to scouts who have left; 1) Meetings feel like school. 2) For those who have the MB already, boredom, misbehavior, or playing basketball are the options. 3) Focus is soley on the "older" scouts: working MBs and getting Eagle. The new Scouts are not learning the basic T-2-1 skills. 4) Not enough camping and fun. 5) Adults doing the work (which is really sad since they sent 2 Scouts to NYLT who came back fired up and ready to go, only to have the SM and adults shut them down) One of their scouts transerred and got

Peri, Alas, the troop in question is getting the parents registered as MBCs and they are doing MBs as their only program. Most camp outs they do now are MB weekends. One scout that transferred to us said the campout with us in which the scouts did trailblazing and goofing off was the best camp out ever. I can't wait to see him on one of our water weekends. Now that we got 2 trailer hitch equipped vehicles, SM can bring sailboat, and the other driver can bring the canoes. edited: reminds me of a Cub Scout pack with the leaders doing all the work

Peri, Sorry about preaching to ya. The entire "meetings = MB sessions" idea is hitting me personally. As you know, one of the troops in my neck of the woods is doing just that. While the boys in the troop are advancing rapidly, the troop is losing Scouts left and right . Way it looks to me, troop won't be around in 5 years, if not sooner.

Peri, A lot of folks, when the phrase "merit badges sessions at meetings," or however you want to phrase it, think completeing the entire MB at the end of X number of meetings. The Troop Program Features, or as some old fogeys will slip in at times "Woods Wisdom," focuses on skills rather than completing the MB. Can a MB be earned with a little extra effort, yep. I know when we did canoeing back in May for the trip, we covered requirements 2-12 either at the lake in training, and/or on the trip iteself. For those who want the MB, requirements 1 and 13 remain. Again the idea is to

BLW, One of the biggest differences between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts is the program. Cub Scouts has advancement oriented meeting now , whereas Boy Scouts is not so much. While some MB requirements can be met during some meetings, that is not the objective. What happens is that the PLC picks 12 topics they want to do during the year. Sometimes info can be found here http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34425.pdf, other times they make their own. I admit the only MB we ever taught was canoeing, and that was in preparation for a weekend canoe trip. Meetings were at the local la