FScouter

The council advancement committee can give permission to submit the project and board of review through another district. Ask them. Explain the delays you're experiencing. Talk to your unit commissioner, district executive, program chairman, and district committee chairman too.

"That's the way we do it" Idea for a speech at your next committee meeting: I'd like to be considered part of the "we" in our Pack, and here is my idea, which by the way comes from the Cub Scout Leader book and was also covered in the training. Does anyone have any objection to trying a idea supported by BSA? Who could say no?

Dues are not the admission price to a meeting. They are essential to the successful operation of the troop. Each boy is responsible for his dues even if he misses a meeting. The troop scribe collects the dues each meeting and records who paid and how much. BSA provides a patrol dues envelope that has a place to record dates and amounts paid. The envelope is turned over to the troop treasurer. It's a bit of a hassle collecting dues each week and keeping the records. But we're not in the Boy Scout business to simplify and streamline everything for the boys. Dues and collection and record keeping is their chance to learn about their financial obligations. It gives the troop scribe meaningful responsibilities that are essential to running the troop. The Scoutmaster Handbook has a good discussion about troop finances and dues.

Another problem out there is bylaws themselves.

"Basically asking, why is that? Then saying that's interesting because here it says this. When I did this I would normally have the supporting BSA documentation." I too find that to be an effective technique. I'm not new anymore but still use it. Another approach when someone makes an incorrect statement about a "fact" or "policy" not supported in the literature is to express interest in learning more about it and to please quote the written source. Or to simply say "I don't think that is supported in the literature, could you tell us in what publication that can be found?"

Our boys can't afford $50 or $100 in one shot. Weekly dues they can handle, plus they learn something about budgeting their expenses and paying their own way. Mom's $100 check once a year teaches them they don't have to worry about how stuff gets paid. They pay $1 per meeting. That amount covers the administration of the troop including annual re-charter, accident insurance, awards, and Boy's Life. Campouts cost $10. Money earning events including popcorn pay for summer camp, equipment, and everything else.

Submit a project through another district and see what happens.

"Working with a merit badge counselor gives Scouts contact with an adult with whom they might not be acquaianted. This is a valuable experience." - BSA

The church doesn't trust any Scout leaders with a key? See what happens when the Scout people don't develop a good relationship with the chartered org? Why would the school want to restrict the membership by closing the pack?

Is the counselor one of your troop adults? How did the boy come to select that particular counselor?

anarchist - Are you saying that boys lost fewer items when you used the singing routine, and now, without singing, they lose more items? With singing (good old days): find item, hunt down kid, make him sing, return the item. Lost & found box remains empty. No singing: find item, put in lost & found box. Get bigger box as necessary. Try this: find item, hunt down kid, return item, remind boy to be courteous by saying thank you (if necessary). Lost & found box remains empty.

Grumpy is correct in that the orientation guide says the Scout and the counselor together will decide the projects. It does NOT say the counselor will dictate the options the Scout must take. It does not say the counselor has the last word. Why would a counselor not want to help the boy pursue the options that interest him? The merit badge program is one of Scoutings character building tools. Boys learn skills that may help them choose their lifework. They may develop hobbies that will stay with them their entire lives. I think counselors should be facilitating this growth and encourage the boys to choose their own goals and to pursue them. How does eliminating options the counselor doesnt like help this growth process?

It seems quite obvious that the boy decides what badge he wants to work on. The boy reads the merit badge book, which gives him the requirements. The boy chooses the options presented to him in the book. Now, if some adult wants to take control of what obviously is the boy's choice, I would ask the adult to reference the BSA publication that gives him that prerogative. There is a merit badge counselor orientation guide, and if you like, I'll find it and quote what it says.

"In some cases, as in a badge being worked on by the troop, it's hard to go to another MB Counselor." I can see how a group of kids would require many options, and that would certainly make it more difficult for the counselor. Hmmm, maybe that's a reason why troops should not do merit badges. Let each boy decide what badge (and badge options) he wants to pursue.

goodkidsmom - Do you think it would be OK for a merit badge counselor to write his own MB book, based on the BSA requirments but leaving out the parts he doesn't like?

To whom are the requirements in the merit badge book directed, and who will be doing the "do"?

Here's 5 freebies: http://www.scoutstuff.org/cgi/catalog

A better clarification might have been "age 11", and skip all the confusion about ifs, ands, ors, buts, grades, and AoL requirements, which reference Webelos badge requirements.

"In our case it is cost compared to growth rate. My children grow way too fast for the cost of the pants to be effective." Your kids don't grow out of civilian pants, only Scout pants? Durability of Scout pants must be pretty good then. "...the pant will have a line where the old hem was." Seems like a minor detail considering the extra life one can get out of the pants. "Why can't BSA make an official policy to allow reasonable alternatives, such as blue jeans and navy blue pants and shorts for Cubs?" Do you mean an official policy to abandon the uniform? You're not fooling me, blue pants is not a uniform. "As long as the color was kept to a monocolor (no trim in other colors) dark or navy blue, ..., I believe overall appearance of the pack would, in fact, improve." Maybe. How would the pack look if all the boys wore the uniform? ... is the 'regulation' uniform detail really more important than an attempt to conform to a standard...? Whatever the standard is, there will be those that dont like it. And we already have a standard. I guess Id have to say that those that dont like the uniform dont have to wear it (and wont anyway). Wear your street clothes with pride. But lets not dumb down the program to assuage those that are feeling guilty about rebelling.

So you counted uniforms and the number is x. What kind of a statement are you leading up to? Are you offering this up as proof of what?

Yes, I agree that the boy must be accountable. Several posts here have had the tone that once a boy has a position, he can coast through his six months without doing much work. The point I wanted to make is that the SM has a responsibility to train and guide the boy such that the boy can do justice to the position. The SM needs to work with the boy during the boy's tenure to ensure he performs in a satisfactory manner. Should the boy still decide to shirk his duties and do nothing, the SM is still accountable as to whether or not he accepts the performance of the boy as meeting the requirement for rank advancement.

BSA could have amended the AoL requirement by setting a minimum age and accomplished the same result for boys entering Boy Scouts. Apparently they have less of a problem with young AoL recipents than with young Boy Scouts.

"... our council informed us that we are not allowed to solicit donations donations from anyone (even local businesses). They state that funds must be earned. ". Did your council tell you why boys must earn funds and may not solicit donations? Is it because the council wants to keep a lock on donations for themselves?

And if a boy genius somehow completes the 4th grade at age 8 or 9 ...?

MidwestMom - I wasn't trying to be critical, just pointing out for those readers that may not know that BSA has included job descriptions in the Training Kit. Ultimately, the Scoutmaster is accountable for the amount of work accomplished by the boys holding positions of responsibility.