Jump to content

Cubmaster Jerry

Members
  • Content Count

    202
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Community Reputation

10 Good

About Cubmaster Jerry

  • Rank
    Junior Member
  1. Yep, working on final plans for a split of my unit as we speak. I may realize that our attirition rate is "normal" but it is still discouraging. As it is, about a third of this years rate is from boys who paid at SNFS and just never showed up for anything. Can't figure that one out.(This message has been edited by Cubmaster Jerry)
  2. Before we take a name off a charter please give the Scout or his parents a call and invite him back. Absolutely! My CC and I as well as the DLs have made A LOT of phone calls this year. We just want to make sure that it isn't something about our program that drove them out. Jerry
  3. Tis the season for recharter. For comparison sake, I'd like to get a feel for what is "normal" - if anything at all really is - when it comes to how many boys are lost over the course of the year. Many of you might recall me mentioning my unit and how large it was - and is. In September, after tallying the new boys from School Night, we had a roster of about 135. Historically, before my arrival, I am told that my unit experienced losses of about 40%. This figure included not only those who dropped but those who graduated. I felt that was excessive. Mainly because at the end of las
  4. CNY writes The issue is that Troops like this are giving Scouting a bad repretation by presenting a poor program and turning youth off of scouting. And there is nothing anyone can do about it And that is because of the way the BSA organization is designed - to provide - or force (depending on which way you look at it) the responsibility of governing the program on the individual leaders rather than providing oversight. Again, depending on how you look at it, that can be good or bad. Beavah, again, I think you misunderstand the direction of my comments - or maybe I should apologize
  5. Very well said, AvidSM. Thinking for oneself is not something that comes naturally, unfortunately. It has to be learned. We as leaders and parents can preach and teach ethics and morals to our scouts and children. However, if we do not give them the opportunity to decide for themselves, they will always be looking for direction even when they are alone and have to make the decision themselves. Jerry
  6. I hope that you didn't misunderstand me. I certainly do not think that the BSA should mandate "cookie-cutter" programs where we are all the same. Nor do I think that we should give a particular responsibility to someone who is not suited for it. In my last unit, the W2 leaders always wanted to plan B&G as it was their graduation. The CM filled in parts where needed. It is not done that way in the Pack I am in now. It's my program start to finish. Both were very successful. The individual I met at NCS who was B&G Chair and in charge of the whole program was hesitant about
  7. I transferred from a Pack of 45 to a Pack of 135 last year. There are a few limitations that my larger Pack has to endure because of the larger size. Probably the biggest hurdle we have to face as a large Pack is where to hold our big events such as B&G and PWD. For example, for this month's B&G we have to make sure we have room for 400 people to sit and eat as well as space to do the program. Pack meeting activites are another big adjustment I had to make as Cubmaster. It's kind of difficult to play a game at a Pack meeting with 100+ boys. However, the overall administration act
  8. Here's my bite worth: Admittedly I know very little about my sister Troop. That is because the individuals running the Unit are difficult to get ahold of. As such, I can't speak of their implementation of the Patrol method, how they run their Merit Badges, or any other aspect of their program. But I can tell you that they have a very difficult time recruiting and retaining boys. So someting is not only different but something is wrong. So much so that out of the 40 or so Webelos that my Pack has graduated over the last three years only a small handful have moved into this Troop - and
  9. Beavah writes: The BSA is "a resource provider for community organizations to use in running their own youth programs. Emphasis on their own" So if you were a CM/SM of a unit and had a majority of the boys who preferred to not wear uniforms, you'd be ok with that? And, if these boys, who had never been introduced to camping because maybe this particular unit is in a metropolitan area, and therefore they have no desire to go, you'd be ok with that? If that is the case, then you, or your CO, would then be altering the aims of Scouting to suit the desires of the youth you serve. As
  10. I am not saying that all units should be the same nor am I suggesting that the BSA tweak or rewrite its books at all. However, there is a right and a wrong way to do things buried amongst the tremendous amount of flexability that we as scout leaders have. If council is given the same level of flexability as units are then I can certainly understand that. But, is my council exercising their flexability when they tweak the books so that my unit can be awarded Quality Unit when we didn't earn it? Are Troops that don't employ the Patrol method exercising their flexability in how they r
  11. I too feel that as CM I should not only know the names and faces of each boy but as many parents as I could try to remember as well. While I feel that way, it doesn't make it any easier for me. I usually have a tough time remembering names. And with 115 boys in the Pack, that makes it even tougher. But I keep trying. I attend as many Den meetings as I can to help in this endeavor. For me, it's a big hill to climb! But I am doing my best! Jerry
  12. Eamonn writes: "She went on to say that it is time the old timers like me...Stood down and gave new people the opportunity to lead the Council.. " A sure sign of the fact that you were successfull as a Scout leader in instilling the Core Values and Leaderships skills in scouts that you led. Congratulations! Jerry
  13. Whew! Still catching my breath after having just returned from National Camp School. A whirlwind weekend of about 35 hours of class time certainly provided me with the information and energy to run a great Day Camp this summer. However, after sitting back and reflecting on the weekend, probably the biggest question I still have is just where does the effort to run a standardized program break down? Why are councils and units run so differently when the BSA sings the same tune to everyone? Admittedly I am kind of hung up on following standards. Whether it is in scouts, work, or elsewh
  14. Have to agree with FScouter. One person - one job. But we all know it can't always be that way. Fortunately for my wife and I, who have both been registered leaders for 6 years now, we have always had the opportunity to only wear one hat each. However, that did not stop my wife from telling me how I should wear my hat, if you get my meaning. I never claimed to be the greatest CC or CM but I always do my best and know the boundries of the positions. My wife is far less diplomatic than I am and even less patient. She often felt that I should share her more direct style rather than use
  15. Thanks for that clarification guys. Checked my copy of the Bear Handbook, v.2004 and there it is! Did that change? I haven't been a Bear leader for about 5 years but could swear that it used to be that way. Or maybe I just took it for granted and extended what I knew about the Wolf program into Bear. Though, in the end, does it make a difference? What's the point? I think I would prefer to include those unused Achievement Requirements than allow a scout to complete an Elective requirment multiple times and have that count. Jerry
×
×
  • Create New...