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Favorite thing to recite around the campfire?


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I believe I heard one time, that playing words like that is called 'spoonerisms'. That is where you take the first letter of one word and switch it with an adjacent word. It can be funny like: if you want to catch a pransome hince, be sure to slop your dripper, but make sure you talk through the story b4 you tell it. Changing letters can sometimes get you in trouble. We had an ASM telling a story like that one time until he came to the word firetruck. He stopped in time, but still was embarrassed.

 

bd

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Paul - Thanks, that's the one. I always remembered the "don't forget to slop your dripper" line. I'll drop you a PM about getting the others from you.

 

Big Dog - Yes, spoonerisms is the term. I had forgetten it until you said it. They can be funny, but you have to be careful. I did a search on Rindercella and found some other versions that weren't appropropriate for the campfire.

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Our boys love short, true, stories involving heroism, sacrafice or adventure. I pick up a few here and there, Readers Digest used to carry more of that kind of thing. It must be done from memory or by a highly skilled reader. I think the boys are inspired to do likewise, stories are a powerfull way to teach, i.e. the Jack London comment above

 

Anybody know of sources of such stories?

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Have to share a story, showing the signs of the times! When I was at my woodbadge course last summer, someone tried to recite "the Cremation of Sam Magee." But he had trouble with remembering the whole thing. People would start to call out the next line and he'd get going for another verse. And he'd roll with the punches and ham it up and keep going. But then it got to a point where no one remembered the next line.

 

So what do you you know, in the middle of nowhere, at a campfire, late at night, someone pulls out their PDA and gives it to him to read! Then it was too funny! He didn't know how to operate it, so as he's reading the poem and if he got stuck with the PDA, he'd read write into sink with the metric verse, questions about how to operate it, like how to move down to the next page.

 

It was the best read of Sam Magee I've ever heard! I'll never see it the same again.

 

.....Guess you had to be there!

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Reminds me of the new priest using the palm pilot for his homily notes. It was a pretty good idea, especially since he moved around the congregation during the homily to keep everyone more engaged. The only problem was he would occasionally have to pause, pull out the stylus, and page down a bit. It killed the flow of it, but oh well.

 

I am afraid my troop doesn't sing or recite anything around the fire. We used to tell stories, but that has also died out. I don't even think I know anything to use any more. The best thing I know off hand I am afraid I couldn't use around a troop campfire, though I have told it around a fire during a different sort of Scouting event.

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Opening (Have a boy read each one)

 

Let us draw from this campfire, with all its vibrancy and warmth, the secrets of Scouting and the spirit of brotherhood.

 

In its light we see new chances to be helpful and to do our best.

 

From its warmth we strengthen the bonds of fellowship and learn how to get along with others.

 

From the ring around the fire that keeps its power in check, we learn how we can curb our tempers and become good citizens.

 

From the smoke that rises out of the fire, we learn to lift our eyes upward and worship God.

 

The spark that started this fire reminds us that little Good Turns can lead to greater deeds.

 

Just as the fire needs wood to bum brightly, so do we need the care and love of our parents to burn brightly.

 

In its leaping flames, we see the fun of Scouting and the job of life.

 

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(Great Closing)

 

May the peace of the forest,

 

The song of the birds,

 

The inspiration of the hills,

 

The warmth of the sun,

 

The strength of the trees,

 

The fragrance of the flowers,

 

The joy of the wind,

 

The calm of the lake,

 

In all of which is the creator,

 

Of all good things,

 

Be in our hearts tonight and always.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks to the guys who replied, I got some ideas I can use, just in time for summer camp. I'll keep checking for more.

 

I've been looking for a Scoutmaster chat room to get some tutering. For years I've struggled for excellence, and our local exec and other troops I've visited never seem to have any answers that work for me. My troop is not a unit B. Powell would be impressed with, yet the the Council says it is the best unit in my 2 region area. I hope more of us struggling volunteers find this site and can raise the Scouting standards.

 

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Here is a game you can try. You'll need one other person in on it and the scouts initials or at least their first name. It starts off by you saying "I'm going to go camping and I'm going to bring a rake and a swimsuit hence my initials are R.S. your friend does the same for his then goaround the circle, now when the scouts get a wrong answer the both of you say "nah you can't go camping" now as scouts dont get this you can answer for them "You could go camping if you brought a tent and a tarp if the boys initials were T.T. but still make him come up with the answer.

Anyway the scouts enjoyed this and ya guess who was the last one to "get it"...me

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