desertrat77

None stand out as high quality. Darn shame, too. If National is going to go thru the effort of publishing, the pamphlets should have some standard of excellence as a primer to the particular subject.

Allenj, your comments brought back a powerful memory from the '70s As a staff member at camp, I worked with a DE who also served as aquatics director during the summer. He was a great mentor and role model. Like all DEs, he worked hard, long hours, but he loved scouting and it showed. That changed a bit when we got new council leadership. The scout artwork and memorabilia in the DE's office was then covered up with all kinds of charts and stuff...we didn't see the DE at scouting events as much because he now spent most the time in his office with a calculator and stacks of pape

Afscout, Chin up, old man...pick yourself up, brush off the dust, mentally push aside the booing from the stands, and get ready for the next play. Your teammates are depending on you. As for the busybodies at meetings that want to know the details of why you didn't earn Eagle, or those that flaunt their Eagle, keep in mind they represent a small but annoying part of the total population of Eagles. The same could be said of woodbadgers and OA vigil honor folks too. Lots of good folks in all three camps (Eagle, Vigil, WB), but it only takes a couple that like to strut around

Thankfully, the flame of true scouting wasn't completely snuffed out during those dark years. We had dedicated scouters that didn't quit, and conducted scouting programs that borrowed heavily from the traditions and ideals of the previous eras. We may have been wearing red berets, but we were still doing the same things as the scouts of yesteryear--outdoors, camping, pioneering, hiking, boating. And I think we had just as much fun as the guys from the past. Brownsea II--I remember my SPL coming back from that...he was fired up about scouting like never before. Leadership Co

In the long run--better off to charter as needed.

Excellent thoughts, all. The best patrols are gang-like, in a good way. However, it takes time and a certain amount of independence to grow to that stage. Depending on parents and scout leaders, the scouts may or may not have the freedom to do so. Patrol bonds will not form properly with mummy and daddy sweeping their sons' path at every turn, nor with over bearing adult leaders who want the troop to conform 100 percent to their (the leaders') image of scouting. These dynamics will snuff out the flame. Given the right measures of instruction and freedom, within the bo

Welcome Pedrosdad!

Well, one never really knows what regrets may linger as the years go by...I met a scouter not long ago, very successful, mid 40s, who stalled out at Life as a scout, and is still kicking himself for it. John in KC: rock solid advice.

Having lived it, I agree with BadenP's analysis of scouting in the '70s and thereafter. Today: Too much powerpoint and sitting around. Not enough camp fire smoke or hiking in the rain. Sure, you'll find adventure-driven programming here and there. But not as a cornerstone of the BSA as a whole, which is too bad because it was the BSA's main selling point.

Staff actions were over the line. Fred, I agree--the unit scouters are responsible for the welfare of their scouts...if staff is out of line, scout leaders can and should tell staffers to "stand down." I too learned this the hard way. As with any organization, especially a closeknit and isolated one like a camp staff, certain behaviors and attitudes develop. They can be good, but they can be bad as well, as evidenced by the case presented in the original post. A little too full of themselves. If a crime was committed, call the cops. If not, then a course of action should be deci

My humble contribution to green shirt history: Working at scout camp in the late '70s, each staffer got two '50s era dark green explorer uniform shirts. The council had a warehouse with all kinds of old cool stuff like that. These shirts were wonderful. I still have one. The strip said "Explorer/Exploring" (can't remember off hand, the shirt is boxed up somewhere), and the circle/V patch was on the right pocket. Though we weren't technically Explorers, no made an issue of it. I suspect that practice may have been widespread. Sewed on instructor patch, eagle knot, lodge

Txbobber, thanks for the info and best wishes to you and your scouts. Ya'll deserve the very best.

RR, welcome! Spent many years as a scout and scouter in S. Arizona....

- Take some time each day to do absolutely nothing - If the camp offers an astronomy familiarization session, go...even if you have no aspirations for the MB, the camp is quite different at night and the stars will be amazing. - If at all possible, bring back little tokens of thanks for your family members...something you made at handicraft, or an inexpensive trinket from the trading post, or a really cool rock you found on the trail...you'll be surprised at how much they'll appreciate the gesture - Steady, dreary rain? Get out of the tent and rally your fellow scouts...ham it

Mid '70s, my scoutmaster at my first summer camp was a WWII vet who had lost a lung in combat. He had trouble in the high mountain air, but was otherwise very fit. He never complained and walked everywhere. When it was time to move out as a troop for camp flag ceremonies, or chow, he'd start with us, and have to rest along the way. He always caught up in a minute or two. Year around, he never missed a campout, and always slept on the ground. This made quite an impression on me...I still think about him.

Eagle92, for some reason, I keep envisioning a cart mysteriously appearing inside the mess hall....

For the truly disabled, and the elderly, yes, I can see. For the other campers: hit the trail, inhale some clean air, and put one foot in front of the other...next thing you know, gosh, you have arrived at your destination! Gotta haul stuff, staffers? Use the handcarts or carry it. Bigger stuff, the camp ranger can drive it in the rattle trap pick up truck. Calico: got a chuckle from that...it's true, back in the day, those golf carts would have been prime targets for every prankster in camp! Day 2, they would have been inop, missing, "decorated," creatively placed, and t

Welcome Ed, and best wishes for a great JOTA!

Scoutfish, that is true, I'm old! As much as I like to reflect on scouting days from the past, we need adults like yourself that have fresh perspectives. Keeps us from being hidebound. Balance between heritage and new ideas is good. Re the topic at hand: to butcher a pop song from years ago "everybody plays the troll, sometimes...."(This message has been edited by desertrat77)

Could be a generational thing too. We are a couple generations removed from the era when Western movies were popular. A couple years ago, I was watching a cowboy movie with my eldest daughter. It wasn't a famous one, but a standard issue movie with all the usual plot devices. My daughter had a bunch of questions--what are they doing? Who is such and such character? To me, someone raised on the Western genre, I found it ho-hum. But it was quite interesting and new to her. All that to say, many of the cubs may have never seen Native American in any setting, be it a stere

Tahawk, srisom, great points all...and I agree, oftentimes the bureaucrat's pleasure isn't secret at all. The silver lining, as others have already pointed out: a bureaucrat rarely leaves sight of the mess hall or meeting room.(This message has been edited by desertrat77)

Bureaucrats have one goal in life: a never ending quest for relevance and power. It overrides common sense, the greater good, professional courtesy, and mutual respect. Unfortunate incidents are rarely dealt with in a measured manner. A bureaucrat will always err on the side of making a new rule, or policy, or process to overcome future incidents, however remotely possible they might be. Which naturally means more workhours, more paperwork, more employees, equalling in more power for the bureaucrat, who gets a secret pleasure from it all.

I think BadenP's thoughts about the chasm are correct. Ann, well said.

OGE's description of the Big Bang cannon is spot on. I have two and they are wonderful.

I too was terrified of the water as a kid...Red Cross swimming courses were invaluable for me. There are many ways to help a scout learn to swim, and the benefits are life-long.