vumbi

Hedgehog said:

 some anachronistic leftover from a by-gone era.

"Wow.  If that is how we view the program, we are destined to fail. "

That is the view of many parents who make the comparisons between STEM camp, science clubs, and scouting. Or so I've been told by those parents.

The use of new communication tools (phone, two-way radios, email, instant messaging, text messaging) has nothing to do with the traditional delivery of the scout outdoor program. The adaptation of these tools does not mean that the people delivering scouting in the traditional manner are Luddites for not embracing changes to the program itself. They are two totally different concepts.

Yeah, that cleared up your point. 

So riddle me this.... why is bugling, which no one really knows what it's supposed to do is still a POR?  

Somewhere, even in that alternate universe you're evidently in, a bugler is actually doing what he's supposed to do in his POR. Why not? He's sounding the start of the day, sounding the changes of actions, and then sounding the end of the day. He's the foundation for making sure everyone is coordinated in time. His POR is really important.

Let's see, I'm going to need some rope to make this tripod lashing, like a lot of it. And I guess I'll have to figure out how big it needs to be, whatever. How do I start this again? Something called a clove hitch, or whatever....might as well get started...wait, there's an app for this I think,,,just need to find it....

But first let me take a selfie!

Gee, I'm sure looking for them to add "Convenience Store Sales" and "Service Sector Work" or maybe "Lawn Care" to the MB quiver. Sheesh.

In my humble opinion, this online training will be just as timely and up-to-date as what you probably would get from a face-to-face experience. Just take it and check it off on the list. If you really want to learn how to do things, talk to the people who are doing them.

Interesting comparison between this thread and the one about 'how we failed'. Here we're talking about communications and praising FB, etc. Yet the skills we try to focus on in the program are the equivalent of semaphore or Morse Code.

So to satisfy the question of the other thread, perhaps we should try to imagine what goes through the mind of a boy who is waving a flag while his phone ringtone is telling him to check the next tweet. And then we wonder why scouting's niche is getting smaller and smaller.

I tend to agree with David CO. This unit and others in the area have very active outdoor programs and yet for scouting there is a minority of boys who join units. All of the things David suggests are true in this area regarding after school science activities: fairs, summer camps, etc.

I entertain the possibility that the reasons so many more young people (girls are sometimes in the majority for science) attend these things are (aside from being co-ed) that our popular culture is permeated with the fruits of science and technology and that parents are more likely to push in the direction of STEM as opposed to some anachronistic leftover from a by-gone era. And viewed in those tems, I can't say I blame them.

Scouting has always been a niche program. It's just more in the minority today than in the past. It isn't dead and it isn't dying and we haven't 'failed'. We're just coming to grips with a reality that's always been there.

We do not have a FB page or group. Some of the boys do but not the unit. I think there are better ways to make oneself known to the community. One way is to be active in the community and actually be seen by people.

When was the last time you said something like, "H'mmm, I think I'm interested in finding a club in our local community...let me check Facebook."? If anyone has EVER asked that question I'm sorry for them.

Scouting is an idea. It will never die. BSA might. But scouting will live on as long as someone remembers or reads about it and just imagines......

Scouts with geek potential; imagination; 3-d printer; positive plastic model; negative ceramic mould; hot torch melting some empty ammo cartridges; positive medalions. Any design. Any quantity.

Twocubdad, that seems plausible to me too. BadWolf, LOL, in other words, they don't know what the rationale is, they're just doing something..LOL.

Yes, yes, I can read the responses and I have read the documents. To say that one is following some set of instructions is not the same thing as a rationale. It is merely admitting that one has substituted directions from an authority for a rationale.

So regarding the references, if the most direct way is simply to follow the instructions on the application and let the council contact references if they like, then what is the motivation to elaborate on that with scoutmasters or advancement chairs (whoever the designated person might be) collecting sealed envelopes and all the other variations?

If absence of reference responses cannot stop the BOR, then it is clear that failure of a reference to respond should not hurt the scout. So how many candidates have been disqualified as a result of bad references, letters from persons who agreed to act as a reference and who then took that opportunity to 'bad mouth' the candidate? Any at all? Would we really trust a reference like that? If the number of such disqualifications is very small then why all the hullabaloo in the first place? Wouldn't the BOR discover some problem without the references? Or is that the reason, that we simply distrust the candidates?

Thanks but I am still hoping someone can provide a rationale for all these variations. What I'm reading is more evidence of still more variations of how this is handled. No one seems to know 'why' we do it all the different the ways we do it except that for unknown (or unexplained) reasons, we've always done it this (whatever) way.  The term 'arbitrary' is coming to mind.

Did this the first time face to face. It wasn't all day but it was way too long and I can't figure out how the district found the most ignorant person in the area to 'train' us. But they did. Most everyone in the room just suffered through and got 'annointed'. There is something special about 'face-to-face', and it isn't 'good' special.

I guess that whether or not all these variations are 'adding to the requirements' is another issue but does anyone have any idea what the rationale IS behind all these variations? It's one thing to have different rules here and there...it would be nice to know why. Just curious.

We basically interpret the application literally: "Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf."

Nothing there that requires the scout or the unit to do anything more than supply the names. So that's all we do.

I'll add that our district doesn't make these decisions, the council does. I've never known whether or not any of those names are ever contacted for letters. I've also never heard of a candidate having problems as a result of the references. It seems like if you can find someone to provide the reference, it is unlikely that the reference will be a bad one.

We do a fundraiser in conjunction with both the pinewood derby and then later with the blue and gold. If someone has an idea for a fun fundraiser in the fall we do that as well. The chartering organization actually has asked us to help with a shared fundraising pancake breakfast on occasion.

OK, what's with the 'reputation' thing? I don't understand it at all.

BTW, Pselb, I'm a newbie sort of as well. Welcome. This place may seem a little...what's the way to describe it...dominated by certain personalities? at times. Try to pay no attention to that. There's good information as well, just need a sifter.

One more little piece of advice: Don't waste your time with (and definitely don't let your children see) the Issues & Politics forum.

Hello VWMomma, I agree. The adults should lighten up a little and just let the boys learn.

What we do is if our den is picked to do the ceremony the entire den practices beforehand. All of the boys get to participate and practice carrying the flags. And then we basically do a lottery to pick the ones who carry the American and pack flags and the rest of the den enters with the color guard. That way we get everyone into the act in one ceremony. Eight boys, by the way, is a good size for a den.

So glad to be past this. It wasn't exactly one of the most pleasant things to do but for either the boys or the adults. Popcorn...never again.

So, 5yearscouter, did the pack die? That's what it sounds like.

A skunk under my tentmate's cot. This was at summer camp when I was a teenager. I can't remember why I woke up but I thought I heard something so I turned on my flashlight and...surprise! I think he had some snacks or something. I was frozen, hoping the guy didn't wake up and freak out or something.

So....I waited for a while, checking things every few seconds with the flashlight. The skunk didn't seem to care at all. Then it left.

I wondered if it had a regular 'circuit' or something. So I followed it for a while. Everyone in camp was asleep. The skunk was in its own world, checking garbage cans, tents. After about a half-hour I got tired again and went back to my tent and asleep.

My tentmate woke in the morning and asked me if I smelled skunk somewhere. I just said 'yep, a little'. I never told him.

Danger, a few times. Always alone. I take risks if I'm alone but I'm super careful if I'm with someone. The last thing I want is responsibility for someone else getting hurt.

Hottest temperature was 117 degrees F in California a few years ago. Coldest, h'mmm.... that would be Slovakia back in the final days of 1999. Caught in a blizzard that killed a bunch of people in Europe. That would be the most snow too. I have no idea how deep it was.

Welcome to the active forum, Lurker.  

 

You can register any name you wish and then change it in your profile.

Cool! I'll give it a try.

[a few minutes later] OK, tried to return it to what I had originally intended. Evidently the system thinks that name is taken. I'll just stick with this one.

I agree with the person who was banned (wonder what THAT was all about). I couldn't care less about service stars. What counts is what we're doing right now.

I agree with Hedgehog that it would be suspicious of being 'adult-led'. But that is merely a suspicion and I'd try to follow up on this to make sure before moving on. Or it could be that they already have so many volunteer Eagles that they just can't fit any more in. No? ...I guess probably not.