FScouter

"But who has the authority to tell him what to wear?" Any member of this organization.

I believe the Cub Scout Ceremonies book also includes a sample flag ceremony. If you PM me your e-mail address, I can send you a script of a ceremony written by a Marine for a roundtable presentation.

There have been comments to the effect that mixing up patrols on a campout solves a problem. Yet the problem has not been stated except as "not enough participation", as if it is understood by everyone what this problem is. Why is a virtual patrol "necessary". Can anyone be more specific about the problem(s) that are being solved by eliminating a patrol on a campout? Just trying to understand the thought process.

There are about 38,000 different flag ceremonies, or you can create your own. It just needs to be respectful. There are no required words. The Cub Scout Leader book contains a sample ceremony.

SPL and ASPL are approved leadership positions for Star, Life, Eagle, and palms. I hope no one is suggesting that those positions are not valid ???

I cannot believe that any leader would tell a patrol that they would not be allowed to participate unless they had a minimum number. Why can a patrol of 2 on a campout not work?? For that matter, why would one boy not work?? What is the objection to this?? I'm not seeing the value in a dummy patrol with a "good" number of boys at the expense of eroding patrol identity. The number of boys is NOT a prerequisite for the patrol method to work. The recommended number of 6-8 helps the patrol method work most efficiently. Having fewer on a campout does not mean the patrol method will not work. Eliminating a patrol for an outing removes all opportunities for the members of that patrol to work together and learn and grow. Why would an adult leader do this? The fact that this "virtual" idea might come from boys and be "boy led" doesn't mean it's right. Part of our job as leaders is to guide these boys in the right direction. The solution to lack of participation is NOT to dissolve patrols. So again, why can a 2-boy patrol on a campout not work?

"The solution is obvious: ..." And until the aims and methods are re-written, what aims and methods do we unit leaders use? Do we re-write them now as we see fit and wait for the day that BSA sees the light and catches up to us? How can 38,000 different units write their own version of aims and methods and each one have the best version? If unit 999's version is "best", 37,999 other methods must be wrong. As a unit leader myself, I don't have time to evaluate 38,000 other aims and methods. BSA has already done that. Who am I to second guess?

I've changed my mind. A court of honor is a Boy Scout function. It is perfectly acceptable for an Eagle to help plan his court of honor. Many different ideas can be done. But it is still a Boy Scout event and a formal one at that. I'm all for boys exhibiting their independence, but for the love of pete and out of respect for the organization that is bestowing him this honor he can at least wear a complete and correct uniform. He can be the center of attention, but that does not mean it's OK to mess with the uniform.

Thank you all for your contributions towards making this discussion informative, persuasive, thought provoking and heartwarming. It makes one proud to be a Scouter. [un-Scoutlike comments have been deleted.] (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

Agreeing with Eamonn, perhaps my comment was not clear. If a boy wants to wear a kilt or pink pedal pushers or both at his COH, there may be an argument for letting him do so. But there is no justification at all for allowing him to mix those things with the uniform. The uniform is described in the Boy Scout Handbook. Details about neckerchiefs, belts, insignia, etc. are found in the Insignia Guide. Sorry, but pink pedal pushers aren't part of a uniform, and neither is a kilt.

What are some of the reasons a patrol of 2 boys cannot function on a campout such that they must form a virtual patrol with others in order to be successful?

"We need to have something to show this boy." You will never find something that says a kilt is not part of a Scout uniform. You will never find something that says pink pedal pushers are not part of a Scout uniform. Hows about you ask him to show YOU something? But consider also that it is his court of honor and he is planning it. If he wants to wear pink pedal pushers, let him.

Here's a solution to the problem of high price. Go the the Sam's Club and buy cases of Orville or Jiffy Pop or whatever. Sell it for the same price as Sam's. I'd bet that would reduce (but not eliminate) comments about the price. Unit sales volume would go up too. Sound like a plan?

Boards of review are staffed by troop committee members. Communicating with adults is part of the "adult association" method of Scouting. Kids already know how to talk to kids. This is all very clear, not merely a "suggestion". The Scoutmaster Handbook, the Troop Committee Guidebook, as well as the Advancement book all spell it out in detail.

Agreeing with Eamonn. Sometimes it's difficult to be objective. Commissioners function best when they don't have a vested interest in the unit they serve.

Boys should be encouraged to earn the money for their weekly dues. Paying dues regularly is not easy, but it helps develop character in each boy. It gives him experience with handling money, teaches him financial responsibility, and gives him a positive attitude toward earning his own way. Families should be urged to find ways that boys can do small things around the house or neighborhood to earn money for their dues. - From the Cub Scout Leader Book.

Not a day goes by I don't learn something new. Thanks for the update.

All prices are fair. If a willing buyer and a willing seller trade $40 for a bucket of popcorn, both are happy or the deal would not be made.

How about a Klingon uniform with a BSA hat?

Scenario 1 can be used for several rank requirements, and merit badge requirements too. Just because the SM is lame in the way he does requirement sign-offs does not make the requirement lame.

OGE makes a good point about revisions, and perhaps someday there will be a way to know what all the changes are without comparing old with new page by page. For now though, there are at least two publications that do list changes made since the prior version. The last page of the Guide to Safe Scouting lists the topics and pages that have been revised. The Boy Scout Requirements book lists all the merit badges and rank requirements that have changed since the previous year's edition.

The orange book is "D", the next revision would be "E". Likely a QWERTY typo.

I remember taking my dime to every Cub Scout meeting. On those days I couldn't buy an ice cream sandwich after school.

Dues and earning money are part of the troop program. It is up to the PLC to plan how they will earn the money needed to do their plan. When they become adults, they will have to earn and budget to match their plans. NOW is a great time for boys to learn this, on a scale they can handle. I don't see this as a a thing we should turn over to parents or committee to figure out. Adults taking over this responsibilty robs the boys of part of the program. How can a Scout be "Thrifty" if he has no part in the money end of running his troop?

What would one do with a joke interpreter strip?