MikeS72

Depending on the size of your troop, you may well have been limited to one scout elected, but that was not the blanket rule. I was elected 50 years ago, and there was a chart in the OA handbook showing how many scouts could be on the ballot, based on the number of scouts in your unit. (I am at work, and that 50 year old handbook is at home, so I cannot give the exact ratios - as I recall, we were allowed up to 4 and I was the only one to be elected that year) It then showed how many of those on the ballot each scout could vote for; and how many of those scouts could be elected. Just as today, it took a minimum of 50% of the votes cast to be elected. Having a limit on how many you could vote for, and having a limit on how many could be elected, made the OA more difficult to get into than the 'elect them all' thinking of many current troops.

Only been on this forum for a little more than two years. On the other hand, this forum (or the internet for that matter) were not around when I went to WB. MT-14; 1972😤

** Prerequisite for Dragon Slaying?? 🤣😋

I agree that you should try to do this behind the scenes, so to speak, so as not to needlessly embarrass the SPL. I would also want to make sure that the activity introducing the correct information takes place as soon as possible, as there is always the chance that the one bit of the SPL's presentation that stuck with a scout was the incorrect part. I consider first aid one of the most important skills that we teach scouts, as you never know when or where you might be called upon to use those skills. I remember being at a Webelos to Scout transition weekend hosted at our local camp a few years ago. There were a number of areas manned by local troops showing the Webelos how to build a fire, set a campsite, make rope, do knots and lashings, dutch oven cooking, etc; all of which really captured their attention. The last activity area of the day for our group was first aid. Coincidentally, we had just completed the First Responder activity with them a couple of weeks earlier. One of the first situations they 13-14 year old scout leading the demo asked was what to do if someone cut their arm. Several of our boys raised their hands and said to apply pressure to the wound. They were promptly told that they were wrong, and the scout in charge pulled out a tourniquet! They were at times told that the first thing to do for a heart attack was to raise the feet and pack the victim in ice, that if bite by a snake they should try to get close enough to see if the eyes were round or a vertical slit, along with several other errors. Not wanting to stand up and make a scene by telling him all of his instruction was incorrect, we sat through to the end and left the area. Before leaving I suggested to the SM (who was not actually in the presentation) that as a long time Red Cross instructor, I would recommend they review those items with this scout, and then responded to my Webelos who wanted to know why they were told that they answered everything wrong, when they knew they were correct. We spent a few minutes explaining that this was a young scout, who was probably giving them the same information that he had been given, and that yes, all of the answers they gave during the presentation were indeed right on the mark.

If they are going to hitchhike, they might as well go a little further north to Patriot country!🤩

Remember that well. I chose to use semaphore for my First Class requirement.

As a child of the 60's (I joined, and earned Tenderfoot in 1964), I do not recall ever seeing a scout be asked to leave the troop because it took them too long to earn Tenderfoot. We were a military family, and as a scout I belonged to three different troops. Most of us earned Tenderfoot and Second Class fairly quickly. It did take me a little longer than some to earn First Class, as I had to learn to swim before that could happen. 😁

I would venture to say that some of that 57% number is due to the idea that troops should elect every eligible scout every year. In some cases, that results in having no eligible scouts the next year. The 71% ordeal rate is probably about right, especially considering that some troops do not give scouts the option to decline being on the ballot. Sash and dash has always been around, and always will be. I was inducted 50 years ago, and while retention rates were higher, there were still those who wore the flap, but never attended meetings or activities. If it were as difficult to be elected today as it was 50 years ago, with election quotas and limits, we would probably see more of those elected considering it an honor rather than a right, and being more involved after completing their ordeal.

Unfortunately, that way of thinking is becoming more prevalent. I am all for recognizing those who stand out, and whose troop feel are worthy of election, but too often I hear units being encouraged to elect everyone who is eligible. Part of the rationale is 'we need numbers'. When we elect everyone eligible, rather that only those that their troop feels are truly deserving, we are getting numbers on paper only.

I would have to go back and look at everything that went out, but I thought I saw something that seemed to say that fees to council would be capped, and could not exceed the national fee. Here in Central Florida Council we pay $17 for council insurance.

There is already a digital version available as part of the subscription. I read it on my tablet, my scout reads the physical copy.

We generally do very well as a district, and are hoping that we will do even better this year, since Scouting For Food is no longer the same week as our school district food drive. When we are trying to go door to door, and students from 87 school are bringing donation to class every day the same week it gets tough.

Unless I am mistaken, there was already a re-charter fee for the unit of $40.

Indeed. We collect $5 monthly in dues, and spend far more, (re-charter also comes out of dues) depending on fundraisers to make up the difference.

That is likely where your $24 goes. We can spend quite a bit of money at CoH time, particularly after summer camp, when the number of merit badges earned can be significant. Each merit badge your scout earns is $2.49, each rank patch is $1.99, we also give parent rank pins which are $2.49. Position patches are $2.99. It adds up quickly.

Doing that backwards. Shouldn't you have thrown those interns into the volcano ahead of time, thus warding off the increase???😋

Not as bad as it could have been. Without any increase our cost would have been $50 per scout, $33 to National, and $17 to Council. This will put our per scout cost at $77. With a little belt tightening I think both of my units will be ok.

Explorers are now a part of Learning For Life.

I was thinking more Dolphins 😋

My but I love an optimist!

I both got an e-mail from Scouting Wire and saw it on multiple Scout related Facebook pages.

Actually, building the latrine was one of the first things we had to do at the start of my week long Wood Badge course back in '72! Didn't even count toward my ticket!!🤣 We usually end up sharing a campsite, since we generally take a dozen or so to camp. We then switch off days with the other troop being responsible for cleaning the shower room.

Well, we are both Floridian's, but it looks like you are just north of me, in North Florida Council. I am in Central Florida Council, and was referring to the set up at Camp La-No-Che. We were at Woodruff in July of 18. That was the camp that labeled the adult showers as for both adult and for female youth. There were quite a few of them in the block we used, so there were no issues (also, if I remember correctly, there were no female units that used that particular shower block) Daniel Boone had a shower house with 18 individual rooms; I think that the fact that they all had locking doors is why there was no male/female distinction made.

In many cases I would agree; fortunately, not in all cases.

I agree with the 'don't wait until the last minute' thing, and what it does to those of us who have to stand in front of a room full of parents and or Scouters and explain that we are not the ones to be throwing stones at when these things are announced just before taking effect. My DC and I were on the way to a meeting at the council office this past Sunday, and were in agreement that if there absolutely has to be a fee increase, it should wait until re-charter time NEXT year. I do at times wish there was something better than popcorn to raise funding that helps both the troop and the council. I know how tough it is to ask someone to throw down $30 for a bag of popcorn, and still keep a straight face. I also do see the direct results that some of that money that makes it to the council, in the form of camp improvements, scholarships, etc; so I and my Scout get out there and sell as much as possible. I have been to many camps that need to do better with restrooms/showers, not just for female Scouts, but just in general. This summer's out of state camp had shower rooms that were a considerable walk from the campsite, and nothing designating male/female usage, despite several girl troops being in camp that week. Last summer, we were in a camp that also had very large shower blocks shared by several campsites. They had put up signs on the row of adult only showers designating them as for both adults and female youth. Our local council camp (and based on some of your posts, @Jackdaws, I believe we are in the same council) has restroom/shower facilities in each campsite, so if we have a female unit in camp, they already have their own showers. Granted, it is limited to 2 showers, 2 toilets, and 2 urinals in each site, but most other camps I have been to, troops would love to have that available. As to anyone reading the surveys, I have to believe that someone does. I know that I go online and read the comments in surveys submitted by school staff after they attend training. I want to know if they feel my instructors are doing a good job, and if they feel that there are any changes we need to look at before the next session.