desertrat77

Beavah, very true. Those old threads really highlight how many have departed. Lots of names I haven't seen in awhile. I hope they are doing well.

@@Cambridgeskip, thank you for sharing, it truly made my day!

So the scouts are forbidden from drinking Folgers, but they can swill those high sugar/high caffeine energy drinks? That's amazing. Here's my cynical thought: the trading post makes money from snacks and beverages. And the energy drink crowd tends to chain-drink them.

Lots of laughter and good times. Good exercise, swimming/running/dodging. After retreat and evening chow, have a root beer float at the trading post and shoot the breeze.

@@Cambridgeskip, would you happen to have a spare RSM about? They are very effective communicators.

Very true, Krampus. Philmont would be an ideal place to work for the summer. In '78, my weekly pay as a first-year camp staffer: 25 dollars, plus room (WWII tent) and board. Everyone did everything: troop check in, your activity location, cooking and KP (we cooked the first and last meal of camp, plus breakfast each morning...patrols cooked the other meals in the campsite). The experiences and memories are worth far more than money. Even at the time, I thought so.

Good old Charlie Hustle! His head-first slides were never pretty, but they were fun to watch! I think the Philmont burro races are safe for now...PETA is too busy protesting the milking of cows. An excellent name for a minor league team: Philmont Burros.

I had the privilege of going to camp at Bartle in the late '80s, as a guest ASM with a troop that had gone there for decades. A superb camp in every respect. Before taps, a few of us adults would hike to a high point above Truman Lake, and enjoy the cool breeze and wonderful clean scent that wafted from the water and surrounding nature. Peach Nehi floats at the old general store in the nearby town. Lots of tradition and pride.

In addition to Qwazse's excellent bubble ball suggestion, I'll offer one more: "Teens and adults: head first slide, you are out automatically. Feet first only." If the rules are few and simple, they'll be followed. Stationed at a base north of the Arctic Circle, we had a softball field with no grass. Rocks mostly. Sliding injuries kept folks from doing their job (ie broken leg). Leadership's new rule: slide and you were out. You could overrun any base, as if it were first base. Quick fix, easily understood. The games continued. Banning fun things is nothing but an escape hatch for weak leaders who cannot make sound assessments or decisions. Tweak the activity if you must, but banning outright is silly. At the end of the day, the pro-ban crowd is simply projecting their own fears, and preferences, onto everyone else. No bubble ball, no waterguns, no water balloons...we have insight into the decision makers' mind.

Irving's decision making process: - Is it fun? - Do kids play the game at non-scouting gatherings with little/no injury? - Is a lawsuit possible? - Will the attorneys' fees result in less money to spend on an upgraded executive coffee bar, or new ergonomic conference room chairs, at HQ? If the answer is "yes" to any of the above, the activity will be banned as soon as the paperwork makes it way thru the system.

True; but my criticism of the ISP is based on having lived thru it, Scout - Eagle. When I became an SPL/JASM, I also listened to the perspectives of my scouters who stuck with the program despite the glaring deficiencies of the ISP. These men were no malcontents, but good, solid, loyal leaders. Our discussions were not in front of the other scouts, but campfire/scouter time. Even as a thick-headed 16 year old, I could compare/contrast scout hand books, '60s era and the ISP 8th edition, and see the difference. 60K departure in 1 year cannot be totally explained by the tailing off of the Baby Boom. Other factors were afoot. (Edited to add) PS By my own observation and those of my scout leaders, many folks left the BSA because of the ISP, and the way it was implemented. Thankfully, enough old fashioned scouters stuck around long enough to guide us through the BSA's "darkest hour." PPS When the BSA dropped Camping MB from the required list for Eagle, everyone knew the score.

I see, thanks!

Krampus, does "re-evaluated" mean what I think it means? So the best thing for National to do: go to Sandy Eggo and tout the "positive gains...in the quality of its program." Two words: open bar.

From the '74 para: "Despite a loss in members, Scouting made positive gains in 1974 in the quality of its program. Membership on December 31 was 5,803,885." Gosh, that Improved Scouting Program was such an improvement, it prompted over 60,000 folks to depart. Once one mulls the particulars of that bit of wonderful spin, I guess the only logical thing to do is fly all of the execs to Hawaii for a meeting.

I remember MBs at the various camps (two camps in AZ, one in AK), but not very many offered at any. Crafts--Basketry, Leather, etc. Waterfront--Lifesaving, Swimming, Rowing, Canoeing Rifle and Shotgun Archery Nature lodge--Environmental Sci, Nature, Mammals, Astronomy Pioneering About a dozen total? Note: zero homework MBs, period. Except for Env Sci.

Indeed. Several stirring scenes are slated for the Council Air Conditioned Training Palace. Watch the scouters watch ppt presentations! Listen as they sing critter songs! Applaud as they break up into groups to brainstorm three reasons why scouts should not go on hikes. Gasp in amazement as the scouters go thru the buffet line. You'll be on the edge of your seat when the strat plan briefing begins. No one will be admitted to the theater when the inspiring, award-winning FOS pitchman begins his spiel!

Looking at the Camp Fiesta Island leaders guide, this jumped out--the Burly Boatswain Badge. Requirements: "Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be burly? Earn the title of Burly Boatswain by participating in a 4.3 mile run around the island, a night kayak&adventure, a mile swim, and the Salty Sea Dog Canoe Expedition. Event times are listed on the day-by-day and below. Age 14+. Tuesday 4:00 p.m. 4.3 Mile Run: (meet at the top of the boat ramp) Wednesday 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Salty Sea Dog Canoe Expedition Thursday 8:45 p.m. Burley Night Kayak: (meet at the top of the boat ramp) Friday 4:00pm Mile Swim: (must attend all practices)." And that's just one of many activities. They have something similar for adult scouters. Frankly, I've never read a camp schedule with so much good stuff--all kinds of different running, snorkeling, boating, swimming, and scuba opportunities. There's still time for "tie dye" Wednesday as well as a napping badge. Though they still managed to slip two of the Citizenship MBs on to the schedule, it's difficult to hold that against the camp management. Though I've never been to Camp Fiesta Island, I salute management and staff for putting on a darn good program.

Truth!

Alas, you lost most of the conference attendees at the word "hike." Fiesta looks like a superb camp. Nine weeks of camp and all are marked FULL.

Thanks for the heads up, Stosh. I was going to edit my previous and substitute "c**p" with "bunkum." Or perhaps "twaddle." But the neither seemed better than the original. I shall stand still when my beating commences.

No inside info, but if the strat plan folks at National are like the ones in the military, Irving is still building/tweaking the new one. Ink will be wet at the start of the conference, but that's how it goes. Strat planners are never very good about meeting their own deadlines--but buddy, you better met theirs I concur--"crap" is the right word to describe that 2015 council strat planning pfd. It just keeps a national committee of strat plan gurus employed. Building products to impress themselves. I hope the Hyatt has a work out room. Lots of meetings, luncheons, dinners. I wish the attendees all the best. I've been to a bunch of similar functions while I was on active duty. The very thought makes my head hurt.

+1

Krampus, sounds like you are describing my scouting days! I had some good scout instructors, youth and adult. By far, my best teachers were pain, embarrassment, cold and hunger. All temporary conditions, fortunately!

Congratulations to all!

If the youth pitchers can't find the plate, the coach shouldn't step in. Just let the game unfold like a train wreck. It will end. Not soon enough. It will be a very slow, painful span of time. But eventually it will end. The youths will have a moment to reflect, in the minivan, on the way home. "26 - 3...wow...unpleasant." If they have any grit, they'll figure out a way to prevent that kind of embarrassment from happening in the future. Same thing when the Roadrunner patrol screws up dinner. Let them eat the charred remains. They won't starve. They'll make a concerted effort to do better next time.