SSScout

Glue On Patches . Thoughts as they occur to me... An adult Leader leads by: Example: Properly attired. Correct Badges in place, uniform clean and worn without embarassment (even into the Mcdonalds on the trip). Do all the ASMs wear Scout uniform? Only the SM? How 'bout the CC? Anyone else? Encouragement: Take the Scout aside and remind him kindly and without rancor of his badge placement and uniform usage. Is there a problem you can help with? Guilt: Perhaps a SM minute could be used to ask about the pride of being a Scout. How to honor those that have trod the trail before us. What happens when we wear it "in public"? Instruction: Unit Commissioner (used to be called Neighborhood Commissioner?) comes thru and gives a Uniform Inspection, with appropriate reward for the best Patrols (advance notice given, natch) and appropriate comment about good and poor appearance. Hand Sewing: The practice of making the patches with the plastic back makes'em much harder to sew on. The needles don't go thru the plastic easily. The lack of uniform coloring makes it hard to find matching color thread. (MBs use to be rimmed all in green. Howmany different hues now?.) The "Badge Magic" works for a while, but falls off all by itself eventually. Don't dry clean!!! I would never use the "BM" on the wool leader jacket. Teach your Scout to Sew... " BADGES? WE DON' NEED NO STEENKIN' BADGES!!" " Teach.. your Scout to sew... your Daddy's patch... will never fall off... and see ... him stick his thumb.. he's not so dumb... he'll beg his motheeeer... and... don't you stop to ask him why... he'll just look at her and cry.. til she gives in and sews it oooon and he'll tell her "Mooooooom, you know I love you!! " ( apologies to CSN&Y)

It is good to make'm think. I'm only a fledgling ASM, but as a CM, the circle up goodnight was new to my pack. The previous CMs only marched the flags out and said goodnight. I marched the flags out, then gathered the boys in the hands-over circle and spoke of the Scout family. Then I invited anyone else who was a Scout or had been a Scout to join in the circle. The family gets bigger! Then I reminded everyone that family includes moms and dads and bro and sis , and invited everyone else to join the circle (hands over hands is HARD for some adults!). More reminding about the family that is Scouting, and perhaps how family helps each other, picks each other up when someone falls. Then ,if the time feels right, a short pithy something, then the SM benediction(...til we meet again) and SQUEEZE hands goodnight... MORALITY is what one does when one is with others. CHARACTER is what one does when alone... YiS...

Flag burning is , I seem to hear , either a very extreme form of protest or an extreme form of respect, depending on the context. And context is always an important consideration in making a judgement. Question: What sort of person (that is to say, why) would not recite the "Pledge of Allegiance" during the usual flag ceremony? And how would you react to such?

I must agree with trevorum. The numbers do sound a little dated, but yet they ring true. They are "close enough", I think. Scouting is, after all, a self selecting group, disregarding the non-participatory parent. Once a boy becomes a Cub or a Boy Scout, it will become apparent early on if they like it or not. As Scouters, we need to be sensitive to what 'enables' that self selection. YiS SSS