all is well with scouting, except a 30% decline in boys life subscriptions

[scoutldr 732]

Reading about the NASCAR promotion above, I couldn't help think about my nephew whom I reported on in another thread. ("ya can't trust the adults...they promised to take us camping but they never did!")

 

We lure them in with NASCAR, but then once they're in, do they ever see or hear about NASCAR again? Isn't that a dirty trick? Kinda like the restaurant owner who sends a pretty girl out on the street to hand out free pizza samples...only once in the restaurant, there's no pizza (or pretty girls) on the menu!

 

As Beavah would say, "Wassup wit dat?"

[Venividi 35]

Your CM story resonates with me. Back when I was a (new) CM, had a successful roundup with 10 or so tiger applications received. My eyes lit up when I reviewed the applications, and saw that half of the dads listed that they were either Eagle or Life scouts. Thought I was in luck in having so many parents that had so much scout experience, and expected to see an overwhelming show of scout spirit in leading the tiger program that year. Every one of them turned down the opportunity. Even after multiple requests. I couldn't help but be dissappointed.

[RangerT 10]

I am new to this forum but not to scouting. I have been reading all this ratrap about how scouting is dorky, out of date, not relevant to kids today and it really makes me steam. First of all scouting was never intended to appeal to all boys, as others have stated in this forum, and for the boys it does appeal to there is no finer youth program. As an Eagle scout I thank scouting for all it has given to me rather than rip it all down and turn it into some lame video arcade style game. All scout leaders should be proud of the BSA and to learn as much as they can to deliver the best program they can. Yes there may be problems at National and council levels but how much more of a problem have untrained, unmotivated and plain lazy scout leaders caused? If there is a problem in a unit 99% of the time its with the adult leadership who are unable to guide the youth leaders to develop a quality unit program. Thats what needs to be fixed first. As was said in Field of Dreams, "build it and they will come." Sorry for the tirade, I just needed to get it out, I'm off my soapbox now.

 

Y.I.S.

[brianbuf 10]

Ranger T, who wants to "turn it into some lame video arcade style game"? Certianly not me.

 

Brian

 

visit www.savescouting.org

[evmori 11]

Ranger T, who wants to "turn it into some lame video arcade style game"? Certianly not me.

 

Other than the cosmetic changes you have suggested, Brian, what do you want to change? I have asked you this before & you have yet to answer. Time to step up to the plate, Brian.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[brianbuf 10]

I've been at the plate swinging and hitting for weeks now.

See the website! It has several of my ideas. Perhaps scouting only needs a "cosmetic" update. I am not in favor of changing the values or lessons... just using a modern approach to reach more kids. Too many folks, when they hear "change scouting" automatically think someone is trying to make it into "a video game" expereince or whatever was just said above.

No, don't change scouting... just repackage it in terms and icons that the youth of today can relate to. Just like BP did in his day! He used icons and items from his day to appeal to boys 100 years ago. We should follow his lead and do the same... use icons and items from our day to appeal to boys in our day. Never change the values or lessons to be learned. My 2 cents.

[ScoutNut 147]

Brian - Even after repeated requests, you STILL have not shared what SPECIFIC "terms, icons, & items of today" you WOULD use.

 

Your website is NOT specific, so please do not pull out that old, repetitive, evasion.

 

[evmori 11]

Brian,

 

Your website is like tofu roast beef. It looks like roast beef & smells like roast beef. But it ain't roast beef. No substance. Only complaints that seem to be only your opinions you have formed from talking to a few people & a bunch of fluff. So please quit telling everyone to read it. There is nothing to read!

 

You never addressed the questions posters have asked about your data (the little you actually have). That's what I meant by stepping up to the plate. You might have been to the plate but your forgot to bring your bat!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[brianbuf 10]

I brought my big barrel bat ed.

Lets see.

You want the facts, again.

#1. Boys life down 30% .. from 650K to 450K right off their rate card. Call them for one. They are free.

#2. Link on my website to the BSA site showing a 10.9% venturing decline in a single year.

#3. Posts on this and the other one you lurk in stating numbers are down this year, and from reliable posters.

#4. I have the Aug 2006 report, as discussed on the other site, showing numbers are down, verified by other posters there.

What more do you want?

Do you think #s are up? What proof do you have?

 

Icons that I would use.. how many times do I have to refer to NASCAR here and on my site as one thing that is working (see again, my site and Scouting magazine Sept 2006). That is one icon.

 

Now, about the bobwhite patrol.. how many non-scouter youth would know what a bobwhite is... a little out of date with main stream youth I would say.

 

Ed, I have never posted this "proof" or "fact"... I actually said to PM me your email and I will send it over but unsure if that made the thread... so, here it is.. I am unsure if the formating will work, and it is long, but here is your so many times requested proof that scouting enrolment continues to decline 2006 YTD. Again, unsure how this will look. In word it is perfect, as you have the full page.

 

Here I am at the plate, big barrel (if you have a clue as to what that is), and a swing, and a hit, and it is going going going, gone.. home run!

 

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICARS 559

MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION - UNIT/GROUP RANKINGSREGION - CLASS

August 2006

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 200 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 5 640 NEW YORK, NY 109,866 114,620 4,754 4.3% 1 NE 5 82 BETHESDA, MD 1,749 1,771 22 1.3%

2 NE 5 82 BETHESDA, MD 71,668 72,038 370 0.5% 2 NE 5 640 NEW YORK, NY 1,350 1,366 16 1.2%

CLASS 200 TOTAL 181,534 186,658 5,124 2.8% CLASS 200 TOTAL 3,099 3,137 38 1.2%

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 300 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 5 220 BALTIMORE, MD 38,551 39,514 963 2.5% 1 NE 5 220 BALTIMORE, MD 992 1,006 14 1.4%

2 NE 5 525 PHILADELPHIA, PA 56,729 55,991 -738 -1.3% 2 NE 5 527 PITTSBURGH, PA 857 840 -17 -2.0%

3 NE 5 527 PITTSBURGH, PA 44,215 43,536 -679 -1.5% 3 NE 5 525 PHILADELPHIA, PA 698 618 -80 -11.5%

CLASS 300 TOTAL 139,495 139,041 -454 -0.3% CLASS 300 TOTAL 2,547 2,464 -83 -3.3%

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 400 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 5 333 OAKLAND, NJ 21,671 20,729 -942 -4.3% 1 NE 5 66 EAST HARTFORD, CT 682 681 -1 -0.1%

2 NE 5 66 EAST HARTFORD, CT 34,315 27,332 -6,983 -20.3% 2 NE 5 333 OAKLAND, NJ 572 547 -25 -4.4%

CLASS 400 TOTAL 55,986 48,061 -7,925 -14.2% CLASS 400 TOTAL 1,254 1,228 -26 -2.1%

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 500 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 6 397 ROCHESTER, NY 18,428 18,688 260 1.4% 1 NE 6 397 ROCHESTER, NY 495 512 17 3.4%

2 NE 5 72 MILFORD, CT 21,328 21,602 274 1.3% 2 NE 6 358 FLORHAM PARK, NJ 468 482 14 3.0%

3 NE 6 364 ALBANY, NY 15,755 15,842 87 0.6% 3 NE 5 72 MILFORD, CT 488 496 8 1.6%

4 NE 6 502 LEHIGH VALLEY, PA 28,593 28,680 87 0.3% 4 NE 6 364 ALBANY, NY 485 490 5 1.0%

5 NE 6 358 FLORHAM PARK, NJ 15,578 15,546 -32 -0.2% 5 NE 5 330 MANCHESTER, NH 637 642 5 0.8%

6 NE 6 81 WILMINGTON, DE 14,063 13,718 -345 -2.5% 6 NE 6 502 LEHIGH VALLEY, PA 540 544 4 0.7%

7 NE 6 404 MEDFORD, NY 16,526 15,839 -687 -4.2% 7 NE 6 404 MEDFORD, NY 423 419 -4 -0.9%

8 NE 5 330 MANCHESTER, NH 17,826 16,273 -1,553 -8.7% 8 NE 6 81 WILMINGTON, DE 397 379 -18 -4.5%

9 NE 5 546 PROVIDENCE, RI 22,435 19,919 -2,516 -11.2% 9 NE 5 546 PROVIDENCE, RI 523 499 -24 -4.6%

10 NE 5 227 BOSTON, MA 15,985 11,345 -4,640 -29.0% 10 NE 6 380 BUFFALO, NY 483 408 -75 -15.5%

11 NE 6 380 BUFFALO, NY 19,389 12,615 -6,774 -34.9% 11 NE 5 227 BOSTON, MA 335 227 -108 -32.2%

CLASS 500 TOTAL 205,906 190,067 -15,839 -7.7% CLASS 500 TOTAL 5,274 5,098 -176 -3.3%

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 600 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 2 341 TOMS RIVER, NJ 8,479 9,082 603 7.1% 1 NE 4 512 GREENSBURG, PA 307 314 7 2.3%

2 NE 6 218 PORTLAND, ME 15,715 16,577 862 5.5% 2 NE 2 352 PRINCETON, NJ 318 325 7 2.2%

3 NE 4 515 MECHANICSBURG, PA 7,581 7,960 379 5.0% 3 NE 2 341 TOMS RIVER, NJ 269 274 5 1.9%

4 NE 6 386 MASSAPEQUA, NY 10,521 10,798 277 2.6% 4 NE 4 515 MECHANICSBURG, PA 279 283 4 1.4%

5 NE 2 352 PRINCETON, NJ 15,140 15,204 64 0.4% 5 NE 6 386 MASSAPEQUA, NY 337 341 4 1.2%

6 NE 4 512 GREENSBURG, PA 8,681 8,708 27 0.3% 6 NE 2 374 SALISBURY MILLS, NY 278 279 1 0.4%

7 NE 2 777 DOYLESTOWN, PA 8,077 8,006 -71 -0.9% 7 NE 2 388 HAWTHORNE, NY 261 261 0 0.0%

8 NE 4 539 WEST CHESTER, PA 8,827 8,683 -144 -1.6% 8 NE 2 777 DOYLESTOWN, PA 231 230 -1 -0.4%

9 NE 2 388 HAWTHORNE, NY 8,159 7,785 -374 -4.6% 9 NE 6 218 PORTLAND, ME 415 406 -9 -2.2%

10 NE 1 236 HAVERHILL, MA 7,088 6,733 -355 -5.0% 10 NE 4 539 WEST CHESTER, PA 208 200 -8 -3.8%

11 NE 2 374 SALISBURY MILLS, NY 8,361 7,931 -430 -5.1% 11 NE 6 373 SYRACUSE, NY 394 378 -16 -4.1%

12 NE 1 249 CANTON, MA 9,866 9,249 -617 -6.3% 12 NE 1 249 CANTON, MA 265 253 -12 -4.5%

13 NE 6 528 READING, PA 13,674 12,338 -1,336 -9.8% 13 NE 1 236 HAVERHILL, MA 268 249 -19 -7.1%

14 NE 2 802 MANNHEIM, GX 6,939 5,332 -1,607 -23.2% 14 NE 2 334 MILLVILLE, NJ 352 325 -27 -7.7%

15 NE 2 334 MILLVILLE, NJ 9,846 7,252 -2,594 -26.3% 15 NE 2 802 MANNHEIM, GX 237 217 -20 -8.4%

16 NE 6 373 SYRACUSE, NY 14,463 8,551 -5,912 -40.9% 16 NE 6 528 READING, PA 325 272 -53 -16.3%

17 NE 2 347 MORGANVILLE, NJ 10,330 5,773 -4,557 -44.1% 17 NE 2 347 MORGANVILLE, NJ 236 186 -50 -21.2%

CLASS 600 TOTAL 171,747 155,962 -15,785 -9.2% CLASS 600 TOTAL 4,980 4,793 -187 -3.8%

05-Sep-06 PAGE 1

 

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICARS 559

MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION - UNIT/GROUP RANKINGSREGION - CLASS

CLASSIFICATION: 700 August 2006

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 700 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 1 244 FRAMINGHAM, MA 5,012 5,585 573 11.4% 1 NE 2 661 SAN JUAN, PR 294 324 30 10.2%

2 NE 4 500 BUTLER, PA 3,903 4,113 210 5.4% 2 NE 1 244 FRAMINGHAM, MA 186 198 12 6.5%

3 NE 3 375 HORSEHEADS, NY 5,001 5,185 184 3.7% 3 NE 3 382 FALCONER, NY 162 171 9 5.6%

4 NE 2 661 SAN JUAN, PR 6,135 6,343 208 3.4% 4 NE 4 500 BUTLER, PA 143 150 7 4.9%

5 NE 2 690 RANCOCAS, NJ 7,575 7,743 168 2.2% 5 NE 3 375 HORSEHEADS, NY 200 205 5 2.5%

6 NE 3 382 FALCONER, NY 2,670 2,692 22 0.8% 6 NE 3 391 GENEVA, NY 133 136 3 2.3%

7 NE 1 592 WATERBURY, VT 5,931 5,932 1 0.0% 7 NE 3 400 UTICA, NY 220 224 4 1.8%

8 NE 3 391 GENEVA, NY 2,850 2,751 -99 -3.5% 8 NE 3 532 ERIE, PA 232 235 3 1.3%

9 NE 4 508 JOHNSTOWN, PA 3,606 3,464 -142 -3.9% 9 NE 1 234 CHICOPEE, MA 152 153 1 0.7%

10 NE 1 230 LANCASTER, MA 3,228 3,054 -174 -5.4% 10 NE 2 690 RANCOCAS, NJ 161 158 -3 -1.9%

11 NE 3 376 BATAVIA, NY 3,372 3,123 -249 -7.4% 11 NE 3 368 BINGHAMTON, NY 219 211 -8 -3.7%

12 NE 1 234 CHICOPEE, MA 3,593 3,291 -302 -8.4% 12 NE 1 592 WATERBURY, VT 252 242 -10 -4.0%

13 NE 1 254 WORCESTER, MA 3,709 3,375 -334 -9.0% 13 NE 4 508 JOHNSTOWN, PA 189 181 -8 -4.2%

14 NE 2 501 MOOSIC, PA 4,658 4,229 -429 -9.2% 14 NE 2 501 MOOSIC, PA 184 175 -9 -4.9%

15 NE 3 532 ERIE, PA 5,722 5,123 -599 -10.5% 15 NE 4 524 LANCASTER, PA 245 233 -12 -4.9%

16 NE 4 544 YORK, PA 6,111 5,438 -673 -11.0% 16 NE 1 230 LANCASTER, MA 111 104 -7 -6.3%

17 NE 4 524 LANCASTER, PA 8,115 7,114 -1,001 -12.3% 17 NE 3 376 BATAVIA, NY 164 153 -11 -6.7%

18 NE 1 216 BANGOR, ME 4,425 3,745 -680 -15.4% 18 NE 4 544 YORK, PA 228 207 -21 -9.2%

19 NE 3 368 BINGHAMTON, NY 7,333 5,980 -1,353 -18.5% 19 NE 1 254 WORCESTER, MA 139 125 -14 -10.1%

20 NE 3 400 UTICA, NY 8,782 5,687 -3,095 -35.2% 20 NE 1 216 BANGOR, ME 224 185 -39 -17.4%

CLASS 700 TOTAL 101,731 93,967 -7,764 -7.6% CLASS 700 TOTAL 3,838 3,770 -68 -1.8%

NORTHEAST REGION YOUTH MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION

CLASSIFICATION: 800 TOTAL UNITS/GROUPS/POSTS

REGN LAST THIS REGN LAST THIS

RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG RANK AREA CNCL CITY/STATE YEAR YEAR DIFF % CHG

1 NE 3 393 ONEONTA, NY 2,056 2,921 865 42.1% 1 NE 3 366 AUBURN, NY 23 29 6 26.1%

2 NE 2 410 ST THOMAS, VI 282 338 56 19.9% 2 NE 2 410 ST THOMAS, VI 17 21 4 23.5%

3 NE 1 224 YARMOUTH PORT, MA 1,398 1,560 162 11.6% 3 NE 2 67 GREENWICH, CT 37 41 4 10.8%

4 NE 3 366 AUBURN, NY 993 1,047 54 5.4% 4 NE 3 393 ONEONTA, NY 127 140 13 10.2%

5 NE 4 504 BLOOMSBURG, PA 2,326 2,443 117 5.0% 5 NE 4 221 HAGERSTOWN, MD 114 116 2 1.8%

6 NE 2 67 GREENWICH, CT 2,240 2,321 81 3.6% 6 NE 4 497 REEDSVILLE, PA 107 108 1 0.9%

7 NE 1 243 DALTON, MA 2,795 2,780 -15 -0.5% 7 NE 1 224 YARMOUTH PORT, MA 59 59 0 0.0%

8 NE 4 221 HAGERSTOWN, MD 3,390 3,279 -111 -3.3% 8 NE 2 69 DERBY, CT 43 43 0 0.0%

9 NE 4 497 REEDSVILLE, PA 2,347 2,269 -78 -3.3% 9 NE 1 243 DALTON, MA 119 118 -1 -0.8%

10 NE 2 69 DERBY, CT 2,304 2,195 -109 -4.7% 10 NE 4 504 BLOOMSBURG, PA 80 79 -1 -1.3%

11 NE 4 533 WILLIAMSPORT, PA 2,266 2,128 -138 -6.1% 11 NE 4 757 CUMBERLAND, MD 62 61 -1 -1.6%

12 NE 4 509 DU BOIS, PA 2,272 2,097 -175 -7.7% 12 NE 4 533 WILLIAMSPORT, PA 138 131 -7 -5.1%

13 NE 3 405 KINGSTON, NY 1,734 1,520 -214 -12.3% 13 NE 3 538 WARREN, PA 39 37 -2 -5.1%

14 NE 4 757 CUMBERLAND, MD 1,071 910 -161 -15.0% 14 NE 3 405 KINGSTON, NY 80 75 -5 -6.3%

15 NE 3 538 WARREN, PA 873 740 -133 -15.2% 15 NE 4 509 DU BOIS, PA 112 102 -10 -8.9%

16 NE 1 225 NORTON, MA 2,632 1,999 -633 -24.1% 16 NE 1 225 NORTON, MA 100 80 -20 -20.0%

CLASS 800 TOTAL 30,979 30,547 -432 -1.4% CLASS 800 TOTAL 1,257 1,240 -17 -1.4%

NORTHEAST REGION TOTAL 887,378 844,303 -43,075 -4.9% NORTHEAST REGION TOTAL 22,249 21,730 -519 -2.3%

05-Sep-06 PAGE 2

 

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICARS 559

MEMBERSHIP/PARTICIPATION - UNIT/GROUP RANKINGSREGION - CLASS

CLASSIFICATION: 800 August 2006

NATIONAL TOTAL 887,378 844,303 -43,075 -4.9% NATIONAL TOTAL 22,249 21,730 -519 -2.3%

05-Sep-06 PAGE

 

 

[evmori 11]

#1. Boys life down 30% .. from 650K to 450K right off their rate card. Call them for one. They are free.

 

Someone posted the actual numbers for this & 30% it ain't. The paid circulation on the BSA site is 90,154,380. No idea what year that is for. I would guess 2005. So you source that states 450K is s little off.

 

#2. Link on my website to the BSA site showing a 10.9% venturing decline in a single year.

 

And you continue to use this % as the average for all areas when the average is around 3%.

 

#3. Posts on this and the other one you lurk in stating numbers are down this year, and from reliable posters.

 

I don't lurk. And yes I know the numbers are down but they are in no way down as much as you are inferring they are.

 

#4. I have the Aug 2006 report, as discussed on the other site, showing numbers are down, verified by other posters there.

What more do you want?

Do you think #s are up? What proof do you have?

 

Thanks for posting that gobilty-goop at the bottom of your post. That was about as effective as your website.

 

I don't think numbers are up on average. Never said I did. But you doom & gloom tale is just that, a tale. Poorly done job by a Woodbadger.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

 

[BrentAllen 10]

Brian,

Even though I said I had my fill of you, I will try to help you out here.

 

Respect

Respect is a two-way street. If you want it, you have to give it. Coming on these boards and calling all of us who disagree with your ill-informed opinions "old timers" with our heads in the sand does not show respect. Making sophomoric remarks about one of the WB patrol names does not show respect. Failing to learn the WB song, and then complaining about it, does not show respect. Making derogatory remarks about WB symbols, which many of us hold very dear, such as the woggle, does not show respect. Wearing non-BSA pants to WB, no matter how comfortable, does not show respect! Do not expect us to respect your opinions and ideas when you show our program such little respect.

 

WB is not mandatory. It is advanced adult leader training. It has nothing to do with the boys, in regard to the boys knowing anything about the patrol names, symbols, icons, etc... Whether a WB patrol name is a Bobwhite or a Gladiator, it will make not one bit of difference to a boy in deciding to either join or leave Scouting. The boys do not attend WB, and have only the slightest interaction, if any, with WB. I'm sorry you felt WB was a waste of your time - now stop wasting ours, arguing to change it.

 

As for your ticket, if you spent even one minute conducting any research at all - right here on this very page - you could easily find the declining numbers have been discussed in the most minute details. You would find the numbers have been dropping since 2000, when the US Supreme Court upheld the BSA's right to free association. Groups supporting gays and atheists have been attacking the BSA ever since. That policy has cost the BSA some membership. The sad thing to me is your apparent lack of any research at all on this ticket item. The sad thing is many of us here participated in those discussions on membership numbers, numbers going back to the 50's, and you show up with one year's numbers and want to change the world! We know what the numbers are, we know they are posted on this site, and you haven't even bothered to find them - and we called "old timers" because we know how little you have studied the subject and we disagree with your assumptions.

 

I have pointed out how the one group that most represents your vision of Scouting - polo shirts for uniforms, no "old" icons or symbols, no goofy patrol names, no outdated merit badges - Venturing - has dropped by a higher percentage than any other area. How do you explain that? Are you going to ignore this question again?

 

You show all the traits of a bad researcher. You are only looking for the evidence that supports your predetermined conclusions. Any evidence to the contrary you dismiss as coming from an "old timer" who is out of touch with the boys, and has his head in the sand. I don't know whether you are in touch with your Scouts or not, but I do know you know nothing about my unit and the reasons for our success.

[SSScout 1616]

"All politics am local"

 

Personal story: When I came back from Roundtable with the information that our District Camporee had to be rescheduled from its original site/date due to a previous scheduled event, the question was NOT "how can we go there on that date" but "who's in charge this year?" And when I named the name (different than the year before), the Troop Committee together nodded and said, "then we'll go." The Program is the most important thing. Next, is the Parents commitment to the Boys. Without that commitment, THERE IS NO PROGRAM. Is that a triad? Program--Boys--Parents.

 

Icons, uniforms (a nudist Scout Troop?), activities, all tie together, but again without parent commitment, there is no program. If the Boy says PLEEZE MOMMY AND DADDY I want to be a Cub/Boy/Venturer/Sea Scout, it means little if M & D say "I don't have the time " or "I don't agree with the ((insert du jour bone of contention here))". Please review sons explanation above.

 

Number crunching can lead one to the river, but it can't make your horse thirsty (uh?).

 

All you umbrage taking folks out there, PLEEEEZE realize we are ALL on the same side (outside) of the elephant that each of you is trying to describe BLINDLY to the others (another Rudyard Kipling reference). It ain't worth the extra blood pressure.

 

YiS

[brianbuf 10]

Yes, all the extra blood pressure ain't worth it.

 

They ask for facts, I post it (albiet it did not format) and they shred those facts. HINT: look at the end... scouting is down over 2% this year over last.

 

Another Hint: Look at the sticky on at the top of this forum.. a huge discussion on droping numbers.

 

It is a fact, Jack. Like it or not. I think I just hit another home run! Score 2 to nothin.

 

And I think my website is so well written, so well visited, that I am up for the sliver antelope or sliver beaver. I will post here when I get them. Thanks for all the web visits... agree or disagree... it helps my chances for more BSA awards! (Ok, The last paragraph was written tounge in cheek... but go ahead... attack it... a nice slow pitch for someone without a sense of humor to really go after me on).

 

Brian

www.savescouting.org

[hops_scout 9]

If you think your facts are so solid, why do you have to make us click from site to site to actually see them???

 

Look, Scouter.com has a DISCUSSION board; not a "go to my website to see why you guys are screwed up" board like you're making it.

 

 

 

PS-- 8 days is not "swinging and hitting for weeks now"

[evmori 11]

Brian,

 

Every time your "facts" are questioned you dodge the question. You have no basis for anything on your site or anything you posted here. This, without a doubt, is the saddest & poorest WB ticket item I have ever seen or heard of. You should be ashamed.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10