Jump to content

The Scoutmasters Other Handbook and other books


Recommended Posts

GKloose spoke of this book in the original thread. I have been interested in this book for some time, but I really don't know much about it.

 

Can anyone who has read this one tell us a little about what it contains? I would also be interested in hearing about other non-BSA published books which could be of value to adult leaders.

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I still have my copy of "The Scoutmaster's Other Handbook". I liked it, but didn't get as much new information from it as I'd like. There were some nuggets of info that I thought "hey, I would love to do that here". It was good to read from the standpoint of sharing of stories.

 

For someone transitioning into Boy Scouts from Cubs it would definitely be a good read.(This message has been edited by BulldogBlitz)

Link to post
Share on other sites

The Scoutmaster's Other Handbook is a nice resource. It was written by a long time SM & eagle Scout, Mark Ray.

 

It is a source of practical usable program info. Some of the topics are program planning, outings, high adventure, Troop meetings, ceremonies, advancement, parents, Troop admin., money, and more.

This is real world advice. A lot of it you know, but I pick it up and skim through from time to time and always get some ideas. The author is BSA friendly and does not get into Council or pro bashing. It is very positive.

 

I like it so much, I bought a copy for the SM of a Troop that I am UC for. He enjoyed it and found it helpful. I wish I'd had it when I started out.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Skip, Klose not Kloose. :-) (sometimes I get Klouse and Klaus too -- still waiting for a Kloise)

 

The amazon description isn't very good, but I think the reviews are more telling:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Scoutmasters-Other-Handbook-Mark-Ray/dp/0965120732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267016277&sr=1-1

 

Lots of ideas and resources. Not a bad value for $12.78. If you've been around the block for awhile, maybe not as useful. Fills in some of the practical gaps that the standard manual doesn't fill.

 

I also found a 3rd edition SM Handbook via amazon. Honestly, I think the 3 "must have" resources for a new/novice SM would be the regular SM Handbook, the 3rd edition, and the Ray book. That stuff, and a few online resources, then you probably have just about everything anyone would ever need.

 

Guy

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

A good level-headed book, and an interesting read. If nothing else, it will help you more clearly define your program, by deciding which parts you agree with and those you don't. He sticks to the BSA program pretty well, and refers to the Aims and Methods, but also dives into some other areas not covered in the SM HB. I would recommend adding it to your library.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the good information. I will look toward adding this to my library, as well as a 3rd ed. SMHB. I was somewhat disappointed that no one recommended BPs Aids to Scoutmastership. Though now available as a pdf at numerous websites, it is an intersting read, and has much useful information.

 

I am not as familiar with Hilcourt as I should be. Did he have any out of BSA publications worth pursuing?

 

Sorry GKlose, it was probably too much coffee yesterday.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"I am not as familiar with Hilcourt as I should be. Did he have any out of BSA publications worth pursuing?"

 

Depends on what you mean by 'out of BSA pubs'.

 

In addition to the various BSA handbooks and such he did, he also did:

 

* A bio of B-P ("Two Lives of a Hero")

* edited editions (World Brotherhood edition) of B-P Scouting for Boys & Aids to Scoutmastership

* Golden Anniversary of Scouting book

I believe a couple of books from Golden Books on Camping and such.

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

BS,

Do you have B-P's "Rovering to Success"? That is a good one to add, if you can find a copy. I can't find a print date in mine, but it appears to be a second edition, 9th printing. The Forward, explaining it is a new edition, is dated Sept. 1930, Pax Hill, by B-P. It is filled with short stories and advice for living a good life, according to B-P.

Link to post
Share on other sites

BS,

ANYTHING WRITTEN BY GREEN BAR BILL IS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!! (yep I'm shouting as GBB is "DA MAN WHO SAVED THE BSA.") The works he wrote, both inside and outside of scouting are EXCELLENT ( caps for emphasis this time) and I strongly recommend.

 

Ok I may be a little prejuidiced as I think GBB was awesome and concur in the saving the BSA setentiments. ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

No problem, Skip -- sometimes that "o" key does stick, especially with caffeine contributing.

 

I joined in May '71, and was working on 1C by that same fall. I probably finished in Spring of '72. I didn't have the pre-'72 handbook, but may have had a copy from one of my older brothers. So, the '72 handbook was one I used, but I think I was already working on Star by the time it came out.

 

The "important parts" of the '72 program revision for me were the patrol leader training and the leadership corps (is Rick spitting out his coffee at the moment?). I do remember noticing that one could pretty much earn Eagle with Swimming/Lifesaving, and camping, and I thought revising rank requirements for skill awards was kind of goofy.

 

(personally, I have a feeling about what happened -- someone at national got the idea that immediate recognition was important, and fell in love with belt baubles -- so much so that when the skill award disappeared, the idea was salvaged, or reused, at the CS level...so we still have the Academics and Sports program now, for Cubs; not that immediate recognition is a bad thing -- my troop used to hand out colored beads that we wore on a leather lace hanging from our belts; but those were more for events, not rank requirements)

 

When going through that leadership training, I didn't think one way or the other about it. It was all new stuff for me, and it wasn't that boring. The novel idea, for our troop at the time, was that patrol leaders went off on weekend training, which was run by the SPL and our SM.

 

Guy

Link to post
Share on other sites

Eagle92, I get the impression that you have an opinion of GBB. If that is true, I would like to hear how you REALLY feel about him. No, really, don't hold back. ;-)

 

I knew that GBB did many of the BSA books, I was really questioning what he may have written that was not an official BSA publication. Thanks for the list, emb021. I did not realize GBB had a hand in Aids to Scoutmastership; I always thought that was a British pub, directly from BP.

 

GKlose, I consider myself a pragmatist rather than a nolstalgist. I went through scouting in the late 70s and early 80s, so I grew up in the heyday of skill awards. Looking back, I vew them neither fondly, longingly, nor critically. My recollection is that they were a means of teaching basic outdoors skills (camping, cooking, hiking, conservation, environment). I see the "modern" rank requirements as being a sample of the same basic skill sets, just without the instant recognition. This is neither good nor bad, just the way it was and now is.

 

As a young scout, I felt my skills were mediocre, at best--certainly no better than my closest peers. But I camped out every month and cooked every meal of mine on an open fire I built (or assisted with), cleaned up, and cannot recall burning a meal--as a first year scout. I question how many of our first (or second or third) year scouts could do that now.

 

I admire the concepts of the program which work. My interest is to create a program which is effective, teaching scouts skills and responsibilties which will help them grow as citizens and individuals. I greatly admire and am a student of the American "Patrol Method" as well as BPs "Patrol System." I will look for all the tools I can find to best incorporate these programs into a modern application. Thanks all for the ideas.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"I did not realize GBB had a hand in Aids to Scoutmastership; I always thought that was a British pub, directly from BP."

 

"Aids to Scoutmastership" DID come directly from BP. It was his book for scoutmasters.

 

What happened was in the post-war years, Hillcourt (with the permission of Lady BP) edited both "Scouting for Boys" and "Aids to Scoutmastership" to create the "World Brotherhood" editions of these 2 books. I think it was basically to bring the language up to current use, and remove the 'britishism' of the original works. The BSA and other scout associations (I know Scouts Canada did) published these to be used around the world to restart scouting. You can get paperback edition of these fairly easily (and cheaply) off eBay.

 

the wikipedia article on Hillcourt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_hillcourt lists all his major works, and lists several non BSA works he did.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...