RainShine

We do, and I can. I like very much the advice of committee regularly discussing state of troop. Its not happening now.

If you like good news, I have some to report. The patrols in our unit are much stronger now. I nudged a little, and the SM and ASMs were quite open to the changes. There was a reforming of the patrols along the lines of natural gangs I spoke of in my original post. The patrol with the older boys chose to keep their old patrol name. The patrol of younger guys created a new patrol with its own new identity. There is now no question who is in what patrol. No more going to the list at the back of the room to check. There is now a patrol meeting during each troop meeting. These ar

Well after I sent this I thought to do a search on this site on the topic. Found some advice. Some folks eat the costs, others have Scouts chip in $3 up front to cover meals. Chipping in up front seems like a good simple approach.

How do your patrols divvy up the cost of meals? Our Scouts parse the meal into ingredients and send Scouts to the store and hope it comes out about right. For instance, for dutch oven apple cobbler, one guy goes to buy cake mix. Another guy supplies butter. Another guy gets a can of pie filling. This cant be right. Come to think of it, this is probably done to distribute the responsibility, not the cost. In our adult patrol, if the duty roster has me making apple cobbler, I buy all that stuff in one go. And, in a collegial manner, I simply incur the cost knowing another adult will get it

The Scouts BSA literature says the annual planning conference is attended by the youth leadership (PLC). But we have elections twice a year. So the youth leaders that comprise the PLC when the conference occurs create the annual program, but then months later another election happens and now a new PLC executes the plan. Seems best that the PLC that creates the program execute the entire thing. Then if it stinks its their fault (eating their own dog food, as the saying goes). If the next PLC executes it, they may disagree w it and undermine the plan, or perhaps be overwhelmed by th

Our patrols elect patrol leaders every six months. But we offer ILST only once a year, in winter. So the guys elected in summer get no training which seems like this is an unfair situation. I suppose we could get busy and offer ILST in summer. What do others do?

The troop leader guidebook, vol 2, p 60, says this.

Returned from Camp Baldwin, OR couple weeks ago. I am sold on patrol cooking at summer camp. Okay yes it is harder but its better. Our troop is on the path from being 'troop method' to being patrol method. I'm certain patrol cooking at summer camp accelerated the improvement. The older patrol needed no assistance whatsoever and we received no complaints from them. The younger patrol was consistently 'in the weeds'. From cooking and KP to making their merit badge classes on time, talking over each other and giving contradictory orders. Always just shy of disaster. The older scouts swooped

Good stuff folks, thanks. There's no rush on this - its a 2020 project - so if the boys choose to pursue it we have time to investigate and get prepared. If there are any more ideas, please keep them coming.

most definitely

Okay I can see I don't even know what questions to ask. I'm the worst kind of dreamer, the kind that doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm considering proposing to the boys a canoe trek. This is on the Hood Canal in Washington state. Salt water. Drive to Belfair State Park, camp. Canoe to Twanoh state park, five direct miles, and camp there. Then on to Potlatch state park, another ten miles as the fish swims. A dad in a truck could participate by delivering the patrol boxes to each camp so the Scouts don't have to canoe w all their stuff. I realize those are direct measurements (by go

Typically, with a mixed age group of Scouts 11-15yo, how far could a group comfortably canoe on a fair weather day?

Second class nature requirement First class nature requirement So I'm kinda new to Scouting but I'm all trained up and now I'm a position to sign off requirements. When I first read the Second Class requirement I read it like the boys could see or hear an animal, record it in the handbook, and when they get ten animals I would sign the requirement. And I think that's what they said at IOLS. Great. But now I'm reading First Class. 'you may show evidence by..' Hmmm... So, for Second Class, does this mean they have to show me the evidence? Like a plaster cast of a track or a

We just returned from Camp Baldwin. Two thumbs up!

Our Pack activity schedule tracks with the school year, starts in September and ends in June. So the Webelo Scouts completing fifth grade in June are welcome to join the local Scout troop. My son crossed over last year in June with his den buddies. But the Scouts were backpacking and going to five-day summer camp. It was a big leap for my son, especially summer camp. Its okay, he got through it. They all did. Learning more, the Troop was doing much easier car camping and hikes in March, April and May. Surely would have been an easier transition. Plus when we arrived in June, it was summer

Okay thanks. Indeed I intend to complete the forms for our own use and not turn them in. I don't want to recreate a method for measuring improvement. I suppose if I thought we were going to get Gold I would change my mind! 😉

Thanks for the feedback. Was reading about Journey to Excellence and the forms ask about advancement numbers.

How do Patrols and Troops track advancement as a group? Like, to see how many advanced in the last six months or year? Excel spreadsheet or something?

Sorry I didn't mean that. They were creating the agenda for the next few weeks, leading up to the next outing. I was hoping patrol method would get a night. I was hoping to schedule it, not have it at PLC. Yes elections would involve every Scout, absolutely. Sorry I just wasn't clear.

My son crossed over a year ago. I’m on the Committee and attend meetings and outings. It’s a real nice troop, 80 years old, solid reputation in the district. The Scoutmaster is a fine fellow with deep experience. He has forgotten more than I will ever know. The ASM’s are great and I like them personally. 20-some Scouts, we have a meeting once a week and an outing every month. Good retention, advancement is slow perhaps. Everything is fine. But… I do not see Patrol method. Now, I have no prior Scouting experience so I wouldn’t know any different except I’ve been reading books and this foru

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