acco40

A Webelos Scout can get a SM conference from Troop 1 and may join Troop 2. If he has earned his AOL and his Scout Badge (it is NOT a rank) as minimum, he should have participated in at least two SM conferences. One can receive instant recognition without receiving a piece of cloth. "Hey everyone, Johnny just earned his 2nd Class rank!" The next week, he is presented with his cloth badge (recognition #2). The next month, he presented with his cardboard card at teh quarterly COH (recognition #3). It is all in the advancement guide folks.

BW, I hear what you are saying but if true why when I ask our council for the troop's records it has multiple chartered organizations (different COs at different times)?

Who owns the troop? Our unit doesn't have CO problems (at least none that are not too big!) but I have an ownership question. If one were to look up our unit's history (started in 1924) one would find that it was chartered by the city men's club (the local high school principal was the Scoutmaster), then it was charted by the Mason's ('32), then the Kiwanis Club ('37), then from 1951 to 1976 the local Episcopal Church. The Troop "folded" until 1989 when it was chartered by a different church (not Episcopal either) for one year and then folded again and then chartered again by the original Episcopal church in 1997 where it continues to this day. The troop number has remained constant. Now, technically, when the CO changed does the BSA then consider it a "new" troop or the same troop with just a different chartering organization? I'm not that interested in who owns the funds or equipment but just how does the BSA perceive (i before e except after c or in perceive?) the situation?

C'mon FOG, open up your blinders. Your post: "BSA doesn't allow discrimination based on race, so presumably would not allow a church that discriminated on the basis of race to be a CO" "Maybe if it was a white church. I know that AME Zion churches charter troops and I've been told by black friends that blacks who marry whites are not welcome in AME Zion churches. I'm not black so I haven't had the opportunity to test this." reminds me of a riddle. A doctor delivers a baby. The baby is the doctor's son but the doctor is not the baby's father? Why? You don't have to be black to test the AME Zion hypothisis. If you are white, marry a black and go test to your hearts content!(This message has been edited by acco40)

Wood Badge for adults is really just like JLT for youth in my book. The only real difference is that the course directors are usually better qualified and there is less variance between them than troop JLT. Also, just like JLT, if one goes in thinkg "this is lame" one doesn't get much out of the team building and leadership content of the course. The right frame of mind really helps. It also helps if you get to be a Bear! Also, in WB, you don't start out as a patrol. One starts as a member of a den. You begin the course as a Cub Scout and quickly transition to a Boy Scout.

I don't have my BSA resources with me but I recall that in The Scoutmaster Handbook it states that a boy's leader may sign off on advancement. I believe that it is purposely vague so a troop can suit its own needs. In a patrol of peers, many time the PL has not mastered a skill much better than his patrol mates. Also, peer pressure sometimes leads to a sign-off on requirements without a real mastery of that skill. As with all skills, paractice makes perfect and if I happen to see a Scout who has a low proficiency in a skill that another Scout has signed off on, I don't alter the records but make sure that Scout has every opportunity to practice and demonstrate that skill. One way is to have his teach that skill to others.

It is sad that our society has become so polarized that events like these occur on a routine basis.

Does the BSA have a strict definition of what constitutes "high adventure?" I'm aware of age restrictions for certain activities (13 and above), and that certain activities are generally understood to be high adventure activities but does the BSA have a strict definition or listing for high adventure?(This message has been edited by acco40)

Where would one find "bead etiquette" wrt Wood Badge? I don't recall anything in the insignia guide. For example, at a COH I would like to wear my WB beads and my troop neckerchief. I've been told by some the beads may be worn sans a neckerchief or with the taupe neckerchief or McClaren (McLaren?) taran only.

What do you get when you cross a Unitarian with a Jehovah's Witness? Someone who goes door to door but does not know why.

I have both SA and SM experience. Nothing is worse than being a SA with no task. As SM, I try to give the SAs specific tasks. For instance, on our outing later today, I will be conducting JLT for about 10 of our older Scouts and I assigned two of our SAs to provide activities to our NSP. Their guidelines were to keep the NSP and themselves away from the JLT course (no interruptions please) from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday. I gave them suggestions for activities for the NSP but what they end up doing is their call. Now, they come to me for advice, some say they can't make the outing, etc. I'm all smiles but insist they need to make it happen! If they will not be present, plan the activities and go through it with another SA or parent who will be attending. My main focus is to give them a clearly understood task, the resources to do the task and the freedom to do the task as they see fit (just like how I train the boys!). Although none of the BSA literature states it in a job description for a SM, one of my duties is to train capable SAs who could become SMs if they wish.

Padre, Proud Eagle, and others - I think you misunderstood my post concerning former President James (Jimmy) Earl Carter. Regardless of your thoughts, he WAS a Scoutmaster.

A Camp Fire USA member as a Scoutmaster! Sacre Bleu! What would Roy Williams say about that!

Some people are uniform police, some grammar. I do try to use humor. FOG, don't forget Uniates, Rosminians, Robber Synod, Melkites, Gallicanism, Byzantine Rite and many others. Because so many agree on religious topics, there are so very few choices!

What the heck is an Alter boy? Another phrase for a girl? A boy who participates in alternative activities than the ones sanctioned by his church? My biggest beef with service hours is boys (and parents, particularly mothers) who inform me (the SM) about the service they (or their son) performed after the fact. I politely tell them that the SM should approve the activity (for the purpose of granting service time) before the service is undertaken.(This message has been edited by acco40)

Wolf is a program for second graders or who are 8 yr. old, Tiger a 1st grade program or for boys who are 7 yr. old*. I've never seen any BSA literature that defines school years explicitly (Sept-Sept?, June-June?). For example, it is July and a boy has finished the 1st grade but has not yet started the second grade. Is he considered a first grader (Tiger) or second grader (Wolf eligible)? Hopefully, most units stay active in the summer. Traditionally, I've seen most units consider the boys to be in the higher grade level (i.e. Wolf in the above example and entitiled to all privileges that comes with it). I've taken boys who have completed the third grade but not yet started the fourth grade on a Webelos Woodlands camping outing. However, I also allowed a boy to finish up a Bear reqirement one summer with the stipulation that he finish up before classes start in the fall. (*All for non-LDS units).(This message has been edited by acco40)

Historical figures as Scoutmasters: James (Jimmy) Earl Carter

Not only a Boy Scout but an Eagle!

Bob White stated: Kids form judgements very quickly about others. everyone they meet falls into three categories. 1) People they like 2) People they don't like 3) People they think don't like them I agree with him on this topic. I'd also like to add that although a boy may choose 1, 2, or 3 about someone now, his judgement may change next week, the next day or in 15 minutes!

A good rule of thumb is three years for district volunteer positions. One year is spent with a mentor close by. One year on your own. Last year helping a likely candidate to take over. While no hard and fast rule exists, this is usually what our district follows. So, even if some individuals do a fantastic job for three successive years, they are usually rotated out. This prevents job burn out and gives others opportunities. Now, I would not like a hard and fast "three and out" rule but as a rule of thumb it is not a bad place to start.

Sometimes it is a numbers game. Troop 1 may have only three "venture patrol" boys, Troop 2 may have 2 and Troop 3 may only have one. By forming a Venture Crew, all six boys may get together. Also, we've just starting to have three NSP come into being and I've assigned an SA to each one. I've got one Troop guide and am working with the current SPL to provide two more. As SM, I'm going to concentrate on the two older (not quite Venture patrol) "regular" patrols. I'm already getting grumblings that the Scoutmaster is "abandoning" the younger boys. I'm not but I am getting spread thin. I've got two SAs taking training next month. Hope that helps.

No offense matua, but I think your thoughts are irrelevant. It is entirely the COs call. Unless matters such as a criminal record (and not paying child support is criminal here in the state of Michigan) are involved and the national council gets involved the leader decisions are up to the chartering organization and not anyone at the local council. P.S. I say this without any knowledge or experience with these matters!(This message has been edited by acco40)

Thanks for the advice guys. I think two factors come into play. One, "what is the minimum I need to do to advance" attitude by the boys wrt leadership positions. Two, they are under parental pressure to NOT take leadership positions because it would mean one extra meeting a month, "work" to be done outside of the acutal "1 hour a week" allotment, etc. One of the boys had an interest in beciming a PL until he talked it over with mom and dad. Ozemu, I don't think it is a case of breaking up a group of any sort but I do agree that I could probably do more to make leadership have more perks if you will to attract the boys.

First, our troop is expanding. We recently received twelve new boys at the end of February. We will be receiving 6-7 more in two weeks. Before the recent influx, we had thirteen boys (2 with one year, six with two and five with three years of experience respectively. The youngest of the five older boys (13), a Life Scout, has served very well as SPL for the past year (two six-month terms). The three oldest boys in the troop (15, 15 , & 14) just earned the Star rank. They are not currently patrol leaders or the assistant patrol leader (nor have they been). When giving them their SM conference and asking them their goals, all gave individual goals (advance in rank, earn more MBs, get Eagle, etc.). When I asked about leadership positions, all said no thanks, not interested and then gave a litany of excuses, homework, busy, sports, etc. When asked if they feel they have an obligation to the troop and how their actions show how they are living by the Scout Oath and Law their responses were on the line of "I'll be nice to the new kids." Now I realize I can't force them to take up leadership positions but I get really frosted when the boys have no desire to "step up", their parents don't want them to step up and then they (the parents) are the first ones to complain about the content of the meetings, etc. In the past, the SPL has appointed these individuals with "leadership" positions such as historian, librarian, quartermaster, etc. and even though I have reviewed with them particular job descriptions and tasks, none are carried out. My question, do you think I'd be over stepping my bounds as SM to either have a heart to heart talk with their parents or have a talk with the new SPL about appointing someone else to the leadership positions these boys currently hold?(This message has been edited by acco40)

All, have any suggestions on how to get committee members to wear their uniform while giving boards of review? Only our advancement chair will hear hers (my wife). The others "just don't get it."