LeCastor

Ok, I'm all for discussion of the issue at hand. Let's keep it Scout-like and refrain from name-calling, please.

Maybe less if you include the time you spend here! HEY-oh!

If you have 45 minutes this is well worth watching!

Cześć, Julia, and welcome to the forum! My Boy SCout Troop is from Wisconsin (USA) and our Scouts enjoy knot-tying relays right now. They are also fond of playing games of "hide-and-go-seek". As for singing, though, they are pretty shy and tend to keep silent--unless they think I'm listening and then they sing a lot! But it's mostly songs from the radio.

Well, let's take comfort that we're getting free publicity!

I love Scouting and I want to do the best job I can do. The downside to that is people always come to me and ask me to do things. So I have a hard time saying "no," and I understand this and readily admit it. Lately, I've started to wonder if maybe potential volunteers (who are already involved) have this attitude now: "oh, no worries. LeCastor'll do it so I don't have to spend my time doing it." In my opinion, I do a good job and I enjoy the things I volunteer to do. However, I've noticed that I just can't give everything 100%. Imagine that. So over the past 3 months I've been asking others to help me by taking over some of the things that I have been doing for four years. Slowly but surely I'm taking hats off and putting them on other people! I firmly believe that, if you include people and praise them for what they've done, getting new volunteers to step up is possible. Let's not get bogged down in the mire of hypocritical non-volunteers. (Could we call them Muggles? )

Dude, do I have to fix YOUR district, too!? Well, at least I don't have to fly to yours...

I just can't seem to get worked up over this issue. Believe me, I tried....Just for the sake of participation. But I can't get exercised over it. Ha, ha, ha... Personally, I've never seen water guns used in Scouting but I can see how it would be fun to squirt ppl in the summer... As for Fox News and other media outlets making fun of the BSA, let 'em do it. That's just entertainment television as far as I'm concerned. Same goes for MSNBC or whatever non-Fox watchers watch. (I have an old TV that my friend gave me. It's one o' them cathode ray tube TVs from '94 that requires a special digital box so I can get 6 channels...) Water guns aren't on the 10 essentials list and don't make the cut on Bill's list of items for a campout.

I think the story of Carson Buck is interesting. Initially his wife was a Den Leader and he just happened to stop by one night, got trained as a Scoutmaster, and then took off and never looked back! http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%20Disk3/Fayetteville%20NY%20Bulletin/Fayetteville%20NY%20Bulletin%201968%20pdf/Fayetteville%20NY%20Bulletin%201968%20-%200616.pdf Bill Hillcourt lived with Buck in his final years near Syracuse, NY. So just approaching someone who you think has no interest, piquing their interest, and then training them can lead to awesome things!

@@pargolf44067, this isn't a new issue by any means. Packs and Troops have been in need of more volunteers for years and years. In his book The Commissioner's Corner, Darnall Daley talks about this issue and his advice is to take every opportunity to explain why YOU are involved and why others should also become involved in their kids' Scouting lives. Also, he suggests giving people small tasks to do to help you personally and before they know it they're in for the long haul. (Sneaky, huh? )

The uniforms are different today, too. I wouldn't mind having a more rugged shirt/shorts combo.

Not quite sure yet but I'm pretty sure it's in the vicinity of Madison. Our PL is due to give us old farts an update soon.

I was reading the 5th edition of the Handbook for Boys last night and thinking about the differences between 2nd Class and 1st Class requirements. There was more trust of the Scouts, 60 years ago, to go out and Scout/Patrol on their own.

Hmm, the Scouts in my Troop are no longer embryos. I'll concentrate on making sure they are taking full advantage of the Patrol Method. Sure am looking forward to that paddling trip in June. Some things never change! Thank God!

This thread is no longer about "Program". If it continues to stray I will move it into the dark world of Issues and Politics.

I saw this mentioned in Boys' Life a few months ago but there was never any push made in our district/council to promote it and it sounds like that might be the case for your area, too. If camping/outdoors is lacking in a unit I can see this being a motivator. However, if the outdoor program is alive and well I don't know if it is needed, in addition to the outdoors-related merit badges we already have. That said, congratulations to your Scout for taking the time to earn it!

@@Renax127, this post isn't very helpful to your question, but I did stay at a Super 8 motel in Sioux Falls once. Here's a link to the Sioux Council: http://www.siouxbsa.org/ Perhaps you'll find some contact info there?

Congratulations, @@pargolf44067, for stepping up as Scoutmaster. Did you have a discussion with the out-going Scoutmaster prior to his talking with the Scouts about being "held accountable to their duties," "doing more detailed planning," etc? Or was that just his take on things? I'm merely curious. I hope the outgoing SM will stay on and help you implement Scouting as it should be. You can never have too many volunteers, right?

Are we making this too difficult? "Scouting is not an abstruse or difficult science: rather it is a jolly game if you take it in the right light. In the same time it is educative, and (like Mercy) it is apt to benefit him that giveth as well as him that receives." B-P, Aids to Scoutmastership ******************************************************* Here are some neat Patrol Method resources from Scouts Canada: http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/patrolseries.html

@@desertrat77, meet me at the airport? I'll fix your council, too.

I'm a BEAVER! And I'll always be a beaver...

@@Eagledad you and I don't always see eye-to-eye but I agree with your take on Wood Badge. Thanks!

@ I'll fix Wood Badge in your council while I'm there fixing your district.

But the idea behind ticket goals is learning how to formulate a goal and make it reality. It's not about "one and done." You have 18 months to complete the ticket which is plenty of time. No, you don't have to take Wood Badge to make goals and improve Scouting in your area of influence, as it were. Wood Badge is just another training opportunity that happens to focus on vision and mission. Where to you want to go and how are you going to get there? You are never truly done working your ticket.

I agree with this statement. In my opinion, treating homosexuals and heterosexuals as equals in society doesn't mean making any deal about sex.