CalicoPenn

Wind and Jewel Caves? Mount Rushmore? Devil's Tower? The Badlands??? We all know the two most important places for any Scout group to visit in South Dakota (and Wyoming - home of Devil's Tower) ranks far above any of those spots. The Corn Palace and Wall Drugs must rightfully be at the very TOP of the list. CalicoPenn (removing tongue from cheek now)

>>But, not so long ago those immigrants tried to assimilate as soon as they could. They learned English and tried to fit into American Society. Yes, they kept their heritage. But, they worked hard to become citizens - LEGAL citizens. They were proud to be Americans. Americans first - not hyphenated Americans. What happened since then? Now, in certain parts of the country, an English-only speaking person can feel lost.

I think our National Anthem sung in any language should be just fine - I've heard it sung in the language of the Lakota and in the language of the Pottowatamie and it was just as moving as when sung in English. Moreover, I'd guess that at least half the time, the words aren't sung when the National Anthem is being played anyway. I know when I compare the sung version versus the instrumental only version of the anthem, that I find the instrumental only version to be a lot more powerful and moving. Calico

Unwritten rule of speedo wearing - No speedo wearing if over 25 (or European). I grew up wearing speedos about 7 months out of the year (competitive swimming - summer league, winter league then high school). I thought nothing about wearing them at summer camp - I was used to them. I did wear a pair of "lifeguard" shorts (think Baywatch - not baggie, not board shorts - more like nylon gym shorts) over them when I wasn't swimming, not out of modesty but because it kept the suit from getting damaged sitting on concrete pool decks or sand (official reason from the coaches) and because eve

One more thought pertaining to the 2-year rule. This doesn't mean someone needs to be a member continuously for 2 years. It means that one must complete the camping requirements within 2 years of election. If someone completes all the camping requirements in just 1 year, they are eligible to stand for election (and in very active troops, it is possible to meet the camping requirements in just one year). By the same token, the 2 year requirement to meet the camping requirements is a maximum. You must complete the camping requirements no more than 2 years prior to election. By example, if

Under OA requirements for membership (according to the Guide for Officers and Advisors) all persons under the age of 21 are eligible for election as youth members, and only those who are 21 years of age or older are eligible to be candidates for adult membership (just so no one gets confused, once a member, always a member - provided dues are paid - if you become a member as a youth, you do not have to go through the process to become an adult member - it's automatic). Under the election procedures section, it states that EVERY registered active member of Boy Scout troops AND Varsity Scou

"Troop has threathened to learned how to play the Bugle!" Bring a bugle next camp - next time someone threatens to learn how to play the bugle, hand that person the bugle, the bugling merit badge book (I think it's combined with the music merit badge book), look them straight in the eye and say "You're on". CalicoPenn

Top 3? 1) The day I joined Cub Scouts 2) The day I crossed over to Boy Scouts 3) The day I joined my first Explorer Post As I reflected on this, I realized that everything else - including earning the Eagle Scout award and being honored with the Vigil Honor, all flowed from these three events. CalicoPenn

packsaddle, I knew about Russell Henderson because I followed the Matthew Shephard case pretty closely. I studied Richard Angelo in my criminal pyschology class. But I verified memory of those by simply typing into my internet search engine the terms Eagle Scout Murderer (or you can use Criminal - you get similar results). This led to the others - and also to the debunking of the Manson Eagle Scout myth. The search term also brings up local cases of Eagle Scouts that were charged with murder and with cases where the victim was an Eagle Scout. I know we hate to see bad news connected

I've been opposed to this idea (and I remember discussing this idea back in the early 80's with people in my Lodge - I suspect this idea has been kicking around for longer than that) but John-in-KC may have hit on something that could swerve me into another direction. Vigil knots for those who received the honor as a youth. The Order doen't have ranks, and all members are to be treated equally - that means no special privileges for Vigil Honor members. Other than the differing sashes, there should really not be a separate lodge flap for Ordeal, Brotherhood and Vigil Honor members. I

Other than a mention that Penn and Teller are athiests, it doesn't look like Merlyn is making any point other than reciting an article talking about what Penn and Teller are going to be talking about on their Showtime show. Of course, other's will read into the post what they will. No matter what you might think of the program (and without seeing it, you won't know what is discussed other than what was mentioned in the quoted article) those known in their community to be active in Scouting (for many, the "go to" people for questions about Scouting) may want to watch the program if only t

I've heard many people make the claim that the BSA can revoke an Eagle Scout award for murder or for "moral transgressions". It sounds like one of those things that seems right, but just isn't. There are no verifiable incidents of the Boy Scouts of America revoking someone's Eagle Scout award after it's been earned. Once the award is earned, it's earned - it can't be revoked by the Boy Scouts. What can be revoked is membership in the NESA which may have given rise to the belief that the Eagle Scout award may be revoked. As for the contention that the BSA can waltz in and demand th

MVScouter has presented an idea in another thread I thought deserved its own thread (hope you don't mind me borrowing from your thoughts on this MVScouter). What do people think of a suggestion to create a Vigil Honor knot? MV Scouter (who is also a Vigil Honor member) suggests (in a reply to a reply): "As to the Vigil knot, it was my thought to have the Vigil knot as a replacement, if some so choose to do, for the small Vigil triangle. An honor that prestigious should be adequently displayed on the uniform...I have the support of the Council Executive (the Supreme Chief of the

"CalicoPenn---I would not presume to know the uniform requirements and policy's of Venturing, so if your post votes to wear jeans, so be it. However, there is a time and a place for everything. Please reread the post from kraut60. I'm in total agreement with him on his viewpoint. We all wear uniforms, whether it's Scouts, our jobs, a wedding, a school band, or on a baseball diamond. Would you wear shorts when playing high school of college baseball. Obviously not. It's not the uniform. So, you feel you must stand by your principles at a LEC meeting by wearing your Explorer Post jeans. Okay.

Interesting question - makes me wonder if I enjoy cooking because of Scouts or if I enjoyed Scouts more because I liked to cook...except I really don't like cooking outdoors much (except for barbecuing and open flame roasting). When I go camping now, I rarely cook anything (other than maybe a steak, chicken breast, or pork chop/steak roasted over an open fire). Instead, I tend towards a diet of "raw" foods - fruits, vegetables, nuts, salads, cheese and sausage, etc. Winter is an exception and even then my "cooking" is heavy on boiling water for oatmeal or pasta. Most of my early cookin

I simply don't believe it is appropriate for someone to tell another person from another unit that their uniforming is incorrect, if they haven't asked for your help/opinion. That's the key part (which was left off) - if they haven't asked. If they've asked for your help/opinion, then that's an altogether different kettle of fish, but if they haven't asked, then don't be surprised or offended if they tell you to mind your own business. If they're indignant, its likely because they think you're being rude, not because they think they're wrong. I'd counter the helpful argument with the f

It is appropriate to point out uniforming errors - to the members of your own unit. It is not appropriate to point out uniforming errors to members of other units - unless asked by them for your help or comments. I fully understand the indignation expressed by those who are told by some stranger about their uniforming errors - I don't understand the concurrent indignation expressed by those "uniform cops" who are told to mind their own business. If your own unit has boys wearing worn and ripped jeans, and chains, then those are the boys you should be speaking to - not to the SPL of an u

I wonder what your chapter is tasked with doing by the lodge? You mention that a bunch of scouts and adults are sent through ordeal each summer - that sounds like the ordeal is done as part of summer camp, something many lodges do. My experience is that most lodges who do ordeals during summer camp also do the call-out ceremonies during summer camp as well - is this true of your lodge? If so, this likely leaves just one task for a chapter to do - elections - and let's be frank, elections aren't a very high profile, rewarding task - its an administrative function that must be done - and

We had a deck of cards, some dice, and a travel Yahtzee game in a Crown Royal bag - and as I recall, we never had a bottle of Crown Royal in the house anytime I was growing up - we probably got the bag from a neighbor - they were (still are) the perfect small bag for carrying little things in - and after all, a Scout is Thrifty. No one ever made a big deal out of the Crown Royal bags, and duct tape over the logo wouldn't be able to hide the origin of the bag from anyone since it's a pretty unique bag. When I read the thread this was spun from, my first reaction wasn't that there was a bottle

Thanks FScouter for the info from the Commissioners Fieldbook and the link to the scouting.org website. Commissioners may be registered as a committee member for a unit, but as I stated, ideally, they should not then serve as the Unit Commissioner for a unit they may be serving already in another role. There may be Unit Commissioners in places (such as the case stated by the original poster) but that situation is ripe for conflict of interest problems as the Unit Commissioner should be a neutral party where a particular unit is concerned. It's clear that a Commissioner cannot be cro

Some folks are bound to be displeased by this answer, but so be it - history is what it is. Baden-Powell placed no importance on reverence in his Scout Law at all. It doesn't even appear. Here is Baden-Powell's Scout Law - all 10 points of it (note, the 10th point was added in 1911 so wasn't part of the original). 1) A Scout's Honour is to be Trusted 2) A Scout is Loyal 3) A Scout's Duty is to be useful and to help others 4) A Scout is a Friend to All 5) A Scout is Courteous 6) A Scout is a Friend to Animals 7) A Scout Obeys Orders 8) A Scout Smiles and Whistles u

The Unit Commissioner is a District level leadership position. They act as mentors, resources, liasons (to District/Council) and mediators to their assigned unit's leaders. According to the BSA website for Commissioners, Commissioners must not be registered simutaneously as unit leaders. One of the reasons for this is because they may be called on to mediate leadership disputes within a unit. Though Commissioners may hold a committee position within a unit because they have a son in the unit or have historical ties to the unit, ideally they should not be the Unit Commissioner

Just when I start to think of myself as becoming an "old dog", someone posts something to remind me that maybe I'm not. Beavah's post did that for me again. As I read the list of new sports, new school subjects and new devices, I realized that my generation (Gen X - I was born in 61 - and no, Boomers, I refuse to allow you to claim me as one of your own!) invented most of it (especially those sports), or fully embraced it (all that new technology/science), and that I've done a lot of it long before today's kids have done it (which of course could mean maybe this stuff isn't as new as it

To piggy back a little on Aquila's post - as mentioned, the explosion of organized youth sports (beyond the old little league baseball and Pop Warner football) is relatively new. I think we can say that a good part of that explosion is the result of something else that is relatively new - the majority of kids graduating high school moving on to college - it wasn't until the 1960's when the baby boomers were encouraged by their parents to go on to college (which their parents had not done) and do better than their parents that college started to become an expectation for high school students.

::"If the scout completes his Star Rank BOR on Jan 1, 2006, the tenure for his Life Rank can follow consecutively and begin on July 1, 2006, even if he has not been afforded the opportunity of a BOR? And subsequently would the same follow with Life to Eagle, regarding tenure?":: If the Scout completes (and completion includes passing the BOR, he can't just have a BOR, he has to pass it too) his Star rank BOR on January 1, he can have his Life rank BOR on July 1 (and no earlier) provided he has met all the other requirements. Same holds true for Eagle - in this example, provided he has me