perdidochas

The trucker's hitch is a great example of a use for half hitches. Most of the half hitches I use in outdoor living are in trucker's hitches.

After reading the rest of the story, I would amend my response to you've given them a chance, let them move on. The boy can either go to a Venture Crew, stay in the Eagle Troop, join a 3rd troop, or become a Lone Scout.

If he is an asset to the troop aside from the advancement issues, it seems like a perfect time to take him back. No more advancement issues, and he can contribute. I'd let him in on a probationary basis.

In our pack, our tradition is that Webelos who have earned the Webelos badge (and the 2nd yr Webelos leader) use the three finger salute.

I didn't subscribe to Boys Life for my boys when they were Wolf Cub Scouts. Then about February of that year, I noticed that my son was checking out Boy's Life magazines from the School Library. Decided then that we needed to subscribe. I do think that the magazine is a lot thinner in content than it was when I was a boy. I think a Scout skills column, or something like that would add to it's attractiveness and usefulness.

Joebob, Google is your friend. You should be able to find something online.

In marching bands, the seniors are leading and teaching the freshmen, just like our older scouts lead and teach younger scouts. That said, I do agree that we need to provide more adventure at ALL levels of scouting, from Tiger Cubs through Venture Scouts.

I think the Boy Scouts would die if we required the rigor that sports and band requires. The good thing is that we are year round. If a scout can't participate due to band in the fall, they can come back to full participation in the winter. If we didn't do that, the band and football students would be gone. Also, scouts is an individual activity that you can do at your own pace. Band is also, but marching band isn't. It's a very regimented activity.

Neal has a good point. If someone doesn't get an award because they didn't meet the requirements for the award, it's not punishment. If someone doesn't get an award because the person in charge doesn't like the person's behavior (outside of the behavior needed for the award), then it can be a punishment.

Boomerscout had the best solution. Talk to the scoutmaster after a month, and see if there are any problems.

runintherain, The grubmaster issue we are also noticing. Besides Summer camp, my son has been on two campouts and is planning the third. He was grubmaster last campout, and since nobody else wants to do it, it seems he will be grubmaster this campout. Part of it is being the former Webelos Den leader's son, I guess. Part of it is the reluctance of 6th grade boys to volunteer for work. (in our Troop, we have a new boy patrol. (I'm a committee member, but have only been one since March, so they didn't ask me about it. I think that a better idea is mixed age patrols, but I'm new, and am still seeing how the troop operates.))

Re: "I don't want a boy to know the latest fad in pedagodgy. I want him to know that he has it in him to hand down a skill to someone else. " The purpose for mnemonics like EDGE is to teach the boys a useful way to organize teaching a skill. It's not meant to make it harder, but easier and more effective. It's pretty much the way we all should teach a skill anyway. Tell them how do do it. Show them how to do it. Help them do it. Give them chances to do it.

My reading of it requires no campouts. First for Outdoorsman: Do Two of these: 1. Present yourself to your Webelos den leader, properly dressed, as you would be for an overnight campout. Show the camping gear you will use. Show the right way to pack and carry it. 2. With your family or Webelos den, help plan and take part in an evening outdoor activity that includes a campfire. 3. With your parent or guardian, take part in a Webelos den overnight campout or a family campout. Sleep in a tent that you have helped pitch. 4. With your parent or guardian, camp overnight with a Boy Scout troop. Sleep in a tent that you have helped pitch. And Do Five of these: 5. During a Webelos den meeting, discuss how to follow the Leave No Trace Frontcountry Guidelines during outdoor activities. 6. Participate in an outdoor conservation project with your Webelos den or a Boy Scout troop. 7. Discuss with your Webelos den leader the rules of outdoor fire safety. Using these rules, show how to build a safe fire and put it out. 8. With your accompanying adult on a campout or outdoor activity, assist in preparing, cooking, and cleanup for one of your den's meals. Tell why it is important for each den member to share in meal preparation and cleanup, and explain the importance of eating together. 9. Discuss with your Webelos den leader the things that you need to take on a hike. Go on one 3-mile hike with your Webelos den or a Boy Scout troop. 10. Demonstrate how to whip and fuse the ends of a rope. 11. Demonstrate setting up a tent or dining fly using two half hitches and a taut-line hitch. Show how to tie a square knot and explain how it is used. 12. Visit a nearby Boy Scout camp with your Webelos den. You can do all of the above without a single campout. Here are the AOL requirements: 1. Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge. 2. Show your knowledge of the requirements to become a Boy Scout by doing all of these: * Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath or Promise and the 12 points of the Scout Law. Tell how you have practiced them in your everyday life. * Give and explain the Scout motto, slogan, sign, salute, and handshake. * Understand the significance of the First Class Scout badge. Describe its parts and tell what each stands for. * Tell how a Boy Scout uniform is different from a Webelos Scout uniform. * Tie the joining knot (square knot) See the Boy Scout Study Guide. Use this handy Memorization Wheel to learn and review the Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan, and Outdoor Code. 3. Earn five more activity badges in addition to the three you already earned for the Webelos badge. These must include: * Fitness (already earned for the Webelos badge) * Citizen (already earned for the Webelos badge) * Readyman * Outdoorsman * At least one from the Mental Skills Group * At least one from the Technology Group * Two more of your choice 4. With your Webelos den, visit at least * one Boy Scout troop meeting * one Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity. (If you have already done this when you earned your Outdoorsman activity badge, you may not use it to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award.) 5. Participate in a Webelos overnight campout or day hike. (If you have already done this when you earned your Outdoorsman activity badge, you may not use it to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award requirements.) 6. After you have completed all five of the above requirements, and after a talk with your Webelos den leader, arrange to visit, with your parent or guardian, a meeting of a Boy Scout troop you think you might like to join. Have a conference with the Scoutmaster. 7. Complete the Honesty Character Connection. 1. Know: Say the Cub Scout Promise to your family. Discuss these questions with them. What is a promise? What does it mean to keep your word? What does it mean to be trustworthy? What does honesty mean? 2. Commit: Discuss these questions with your family. Why is a promise important? Why is it important for people to trust you when you give your word? When might it be difficult to be truthful? List examples. 3. Practice: Discuss with a family member why it is important to be trustworthy and honest. How can you do your best to be honest even when it is difficult? Similarly, you can do all the above without a campout. Now, you can't do it without several outdoor activities, but no camping is absolutely required. I will admit, it's easier to schedule all of those with a campout.

I had a thought on this. If First Class scouts were present, they would be sufficient to make it an "official" outing. After all, they can sign off on rank advancement for the earlier levels.

The knot represents "doing a good turn" In Baden Powell's own words: "The Scout's Necktie I HAVE had a conundrum propounded to me as to the relation between a good turn and the knot in the Scout's tie. My idea was, and is, that the Scout should, in the morning, tie an extra knot in his necktie, or leave his necktie hanging outside his waistcoat, until he had done his good turn for that day, when he could resume the ordinary fashion of wearing his tie inside his waistcoat or with only a single knot in it. Through stupid wording on my part some confused impressions on the subject got abroad; but I don't think it mattered much -- the good turns were done all the same."

What you didn't mention is that the Webelos Uniform can be changed into the Scout uniform for only a couple of bucks. My oldest son wore his khaki shirt for a year and a half as a webelo, and a half year as a Scout. He still has several years left in it. Also, start comparing the price of soccer cleats/shinguards, etc., and things don't look so bad.

Scoutfish, I'm not sure I would like to know. It would result in it being much harder for the boy to escape his past. If it's not just an isolated incident, the new scoutmaster will find out quickly enough. If he contacted me, I would answer fully and truthfully. I'm just not sure if it would be good to contact the new SM. I'm a former middle/high school teacher, and being warned about a student by a former teacher never did me or the student any good.

SMB, If the council knows the details, then you aren't morally bound to share it with the new Scoutmaster. I'd let them do the dirty work.

BSA24, I disagree that an 11-yr old Tenderfoot isn't a help as a den chief. Admittedly, the only den chief I've ever had is the above, he was a help, especially when working on the Scout Oath and Scout Law. He was also helpful in teaching knots, as he had just learned them himself as part of working on First Class (and below). An 11-yr old Tenderfoot Den Chief is better than no Den Chief at all, but probably not as good as a 15 yr old Star Scout.

First, I do agree that scouting does strange things. However, I kind of disagree with the whole idea you have that BSA members are somehow anti-international. I guess it's because the Pack my boys were in had an Italian member (Italian Airforce pilot's son), and quite a few of the boys in our Pack have lived part of their life overseas (we are in a military town). Also, anti-U.N. doesn't mean anti-international. I'm against the U.N. because of it's peculiarities. It doesn't mean I don't have a great respect for other countries. (Heck, my Mom was a Green card holder until I was in my 30s, and I have a German cousin). I'm not certain why all this isn't advertised, but honestly, I don't see much advertising at all for Scouting. The YPT stuff started to be developed in the late 1980s (from my Googling of the subject). Not certain when it began to be required, but it was before my time as a leader (which began in 2004). In terms of tax status, from the 2009 financial report: "Income Tax Status. The National Council and its other affiliates: Learning for Life, the Learning for Life Foundation, and the Boy Scouts of America National Foundation, are exempt from income tax under Section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and have been classified as organizations that are not private foundations."

Novice, Can an atheist truly do his duty to God?

I did #1 last year, and will do it again this year. Basically, they get a quick intro to scouts--if they want the badges, etc., they need to work on them on their own. Other than that, they participate with the other second year Webelos. I do encourage them to advance, but I do that more like a Boy Scout Leader, in that there is not enough time to accommodate everybody. My loyalty, first, lies with the Webelos who are in their second year.

I did #1 last year, and will do it again this year. Basically, they get a quick intro to scouts--if they want the badges, etc., they need to work on them on their own. Other than that, they participate with the other second year Webelos. I do encourage them to advance, but I do that more like a Boy Scout Leader, in that there is not enough time to accomodate everybody.

What level of detail do you want? Have you tried google maps?

Horizon, Objective science doesn't back a biological basis to homosexuality. It also doesn't deny it. The research results are inconclusive, except for results of research done by politically active gay researchers who have an obvious bias. If gay volunteers were allowed, I would predict the Boy Scouts would disappear. IMHO, for the most part, the people that claim that the gay issue is why they aren't in Scouts wouldn't join, and the current members would be wary of sending their teenage boys out into the woods with gay volunteers.