hot_foot_eagle

"All" does wind up being a pretty big word. I, for one, have been involved in at least two groups that skipped the storming phase entirely. In both cases there was an external threat that bonded the groups. I'm not versed in Tuckman and Blanchard, but the BSA position still seems a useful model for discussing group dynamics in general terms.

To some extent shortridge's observations are correct; scout camps try to restrict adventure so boys will keep coming back. Our older boys did a week-long high adventure trip this summer made it quite clear that they are done with scout camp. On the other hand, I see a non-scouting group that I might expect to spend much of their time learning about life and religion indoors instead doing all sorts of outdoor activities without being overwhelmed by policy. (Look Ma! No Tour Permit!) We sell our children short when we get too concerned about age appropriateness of activities. Think of the responsibilities very young boys had while Americans were still hacking their way through the frontier trying to make a new life. Boys are bigger, healthier, and better educated today than ever. I wouldn't send a canoe full of unfit and inexperienced 11 years old down a whitewater river, but le Voyageur's portage is a great example of what I'm talking about. His portage should be an opportunity for leadership, teamwork, and personal challenge, not a reason to restrict youth from adventure.

I had a bit of an epiphany the other day when my oldest son came home from his church youth group with an invitation to go whitewater rafting. He's very excited about the opportunity to try it out. Since he's only 12, he has to wait another two years for that type of adventure at scout camp. He also had a great time at church camp this summer. Among other activities, he had a chance to do some rock climbing and the high ropes course (COPE). He'll have to wait another two years to do that at scout camp, too. Do you see the trend? The BSA has become so paralyzed by risk management that we're being out-scouted by non-scouting organizations. We need to be challenging our boys and giving them adventure at an early age and we seem to be failing by design.

Another option is tree sort cards. I got a set from Forestry Suppliers. The cards have holes punched in them for various tree and leaf characteristics. Take the deck and identify one feature, e.g.: simple vs. compound leaf. Poke a wire through the appropriate hole and shake the deck and the cards are sorted into two stacks - one of simple-leafed trees, one of compound-leafed. Repeat with another characteristic until you've eliminated all but one and that's your tree. In addition to being accurate, it's a fun learning tool for boys to use.

We run Cub day camps and a Webelos resident camp, but haven't done a Cub resident camp yet. I have noticed a very strong correlation between WRC and Boy Scouts in my Pack. Very nearly 100% of the boys who complete WRC cross over to Boy Scouts. Of those, the ones that do well at WRC (good time, no homesickness, no dehydration issues, etc.) stay in scouting for the long haul.

A timely thread - I just got back from my physical, and I'm 2 lbs. over max. And I could be one of those borderline cases without enough fat to lose in order to make the cut. What's a guy to do? I can't understand the height/weight restrictions as they relate to medical evacuations. Medevac helicopters, for example, generally have a max patient height and a max weight, but they are independent and based on the aircraft design. Moving a downed hiker in most cases is similarly dependent on max weight. I think national had the right intent here, but didn't think this one all the way through.

BrentAllen wrote: > "I wonder why he left Mother Teresa off the list - maybe because > she was devoutly Christian and pro-life? Sorry, but I know > Christian bashing when I see it..." Ironically Mother Teresa seems to have hade serious questions about her own religious beliefs, even as she continued to perform all the good works for which she is so well known. I believe reports giving insight into her loss of faith were published around the time of her passing. If we keep telling ourselves that we are "preparing young men to make moral and ethical decisions. . ." etc., I wonder why we so adamantly reject the very boys who, by our own admission, need exposure to exactly what we offer? Are we afraid?

It sounds like the Crew is off to a great start. Is the plan to move forward with other training and certification? EMT, CERT, etc? I'd like to hear more as this project progresses, too.

Our Pack schedules one Pack meeting per month and one other activity. We used to do quite a bit of camping, but it seemed like only a small number of people would attend. Now we do more day trips and have better success - until baseball season, but that's a rant of its own. I can say from experience that if the dens are not active, good Pack activities can keep the boys (and parents) involved and excited about Cub Scouts. More than one a month might be too much, but it should work if everyone understands that you come to the ones you can, and don't worry about the others.

I'm a bugler from way back in my youth. My son is interested in becoming a bugler, too, so we've done a bit of looking around. Just about every bugle call is available online in print, and as an mp3. We found good information on the US Army Band website, and on Wikipedia. For me, at least, learning by ear was quicker than reading the music. No more buglers than there are these days a troop call probably isn't needed in the beginning, but once you have a bugler it might catch on...

Another take might be to do a prescribed menu (jambalaya, spaghetti, or whatever) and let the patrols choose the ingredients to make the dish(es). In addition to taste, you could also use other grading parameters (simplicity, lowest cost, scratch-made, etc.).

I have two sons who actively participate in Karate. Perhaps it's only our dojo, but there has been a strong emphasis from the day they started on the responsibility that comes with power. "Fighting" has always been presented as a defensive action of last resort. I think that the current popularity of MMA muddies the waters a bit when it comes to the martial arts, but the Karate prohibition predates this fad. Based on the benefits I've seen for my own boys and others, I would like to see the BSA reconsider their stance on the discipline.

A question for those more familiar with scouting history: What did the BSA do to survive the Depression? Did they alter their mission or program? How were membership numbers affected? Are there any lessons to be learned for today's rough economic times?

Our PWD is 7 Feb with district 2 weeks later (we're hosting the district event). We've added a sisters' class and a judged car show. The car show is open to any car of any vintage. I'm hoping that the car show inspires some creativity and excitement for next year.

BW, I think you're using the word "exclusive" in the sense of a sole provider when my argument would define it as superior and/or desirable. But I suspect you knew that.