OldGreyEagle

I used to be a BEAR, and a good 'ol BEAR too. But now I've finished BARING, I don't know what to do. I'm growing old and feeble, and I can BARE no more, So I'm going to work my ticket if I can! Back to Gilwell, Happy Land, I'm going to work my ticket if I can!

The scoutcraft director is a son of an Assistant scoutmaster in the Troop, so I did this one: The stalwart director of scoutcraft wishes to squash the rumor that Cooking and Pet Care will be combined I did this one: The Procrastination merit badge's first meeting which was cancelled on Monday and moved to Wednesday will be postponed to Thursday. To which a scout asked, whats the Procrastination merit badge? The Program Director replied: "I'll have to get to you on that" Seeing as the Scoutcraft director was from my home troop, I toyed with "TRoop 362 wishes to announce its annual Scoutcraft Director Look alike COntest with its fabulous first prize of total facial reconstruction, but I decided that was over the top even for me.

Then it would be gran pe're of course(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

Pierre is moi, and was at Camp Minsi, Minsi Trails Council. C'est Dommage he is unaware of what you speak

It was a successful week at Camp. Seeing as I am a Camp School qualified Range Master, I talked to the Camps Range master about helping out at the rifle range. Since we took Camp School together, he had no problems whatsoever at this. We doubled up open shoots, he did shotgun while I did rifle. Normally there would only be one session a day, but we made it two. Of course, it wasnt Mr. GreyEagle who ran the open rifle; it was my alternative identity, Pierre Aloysius DuMount, the French Voyageur. The kids got used to calling me Mr. Grey Eagle in my scout uniform, and Pierre in my outfit. Either way, we got lots more youth through the merit badges as there was much more shooting time available. I was able to help with the Wednesday night muzzle loading demonstration, the Range master wore his Civil War clothes and Pierre helped plug it at the evening meal. Unfortunately, one day I was unable to change clothes and Pierre ate lunch. As luck would have it, the entre was hamburgers and of course, Pierre got mustard on his muslin shirt, its ok though as I told the scouts it was after all Frenchs Mustard It was quite a hike, down to the rifle range for the morning shoot, back to camp to change into uniform for lunch, and then back down to rifle for the afternoon shoot as Pierre. But then, I did lose 7 pounds. One of our assistant scoutmasters re-upped his BSA lifeguard status and was awarded a memorial at closing ceremonies. It was a float with the water fronts staffs names on it, I asked him if it was an Atta Buoy, and there was no response. He and I did Who is the Scoutmaster at the Friday night campfire. I attended frigid Foggy, a 6:30am jump in the lake every morning every day. The camp has a Scoutmaster Merit badge program that is designed to get the adults into the program area and I earned the fifth year rocker, it meant I helped serve food at the dining hall, did a service project for the camp, made a camp gadget, and 10 other things. The adopted youth from Russia with MS found a few shortcuts as he called them, ways to get around camp that didnt require him being driven by golf cart or car and he completed four merit badges. The scout who walks with arm braces tried as hard as he could not to use the carts/cars. But did shotgun and rifle. He completed rifle, but not shotgun. The newly minted 18 year old asst scoutmaster who needs a walker was our communications officer with plenty of radios. The First year scouts completed what is called "Trail to Adventure" the first year program and we wore out our canvas camping chairs doing Boards of Review each night. The Scoutmaster would do 2-3 scoutmaster conferences a night and we would follow with the BOR. We had enough adults in camp to complete them. There was growth in teamwork and spirit. We took 36 scouts to camp this year and acheived a perfect score in campsite inspection twice during the 5 days. After the first perfect score on Tuesday, an asst scoutmaster challenged the troop if they got another perfect score, the would allow the troop to "pie" him. Sure enough, the next day a perfect score was reached and the pie was delievered in the dining hall Friday night in front of the whole camp. All in all, a great camp week, it was sad when it ended as Camp Minsi is where I live, I am just in exile the other 51 weeks of the year. Pictures may be seen at: http://www.troop362.com/2007_summer_camp.htm (Pierre was wearing my boots when the picture was taken, as it had rained almost all night and he didnt want to get his moccasins muddy)(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

OK, so I am back what did I miss?

Will be rolling to Camp Minsi in a few minutes, all you guys remember to play nice while I am gone... Heck, who am I kidding, have a great week!

I disagree with BadenP

Where in Central Illinois? I used to live in Bloomington, am now in Bethlehem PA

I thought the OA used its Native American orientation to honor the continents inhabitants and would want to seek out as much "real" information about native traditions. In my area I know the Lodges want to learn more about the native inhabitants and if they had your son and you, you would be revered. They want the information you have.

It is the tradition of the camp I am headed to next week to allow humorous, or nearly so, announcements. Here are a selection of old standards: The first meeting of the Procrastination merit badge has been postponed til Wednesday, Scouts taking the Existentialism merit badge are urged not to look to others for help The Camps Literary Guild will hold its' weekly discussion on Friday, this weeks topic, "Lord of the Flies, Myth or Plausible". The discussion will start at 1:30pm, come to the Fire Circle and turn left at the stave with the pigs head stuck on it. I am looking for fresh ideas, anyone?

Awhile back I was at the company picnic and a VOlleyball tournament was underway. The players would constantly fall into the net or hit the ball into the net and the net was very unsteady, wavering around etc and the games were being stopped for an inordinately long time while the net was fixed. I wandered over and saw they were just wrapping the guideline around the stake and then it would pull off and the net would sag etc. After a few more times, I went over and tied a taut line hitch. The big obnoxious guy (every picnic has one) leans over my shoulder so I could smell his beer and brat drenched breath and harrumps that he has never seen one of those knots ever work. I smiled back. The games went on, the net was still sagging when hit by the ball, and would fall over when run into by players, but repair was much faster with the taut line hitch. After the games were over, the big guy came over and told me he had never seen that kind of knot work before until today. I told him probably because today it was tied by an Eagle scout. Pre 9-11 I always had my pcketknife with me. It was the subject of much derision angled towards me, mostly in fun. Then came the evening when a bottle of wine needed to be opened and my knife had the only corkscrew around. The next day a box needed to be opened and I fairly had to keep a log of who had my knife and who would get it next. I stopped carring the knife after 9-11 because with the amount of travel I do, I left quite a few at NSA counters before I stopped carrying them.

Knots and Scouting go together like baseball and applepie, like peaches and cream, like peanut butter and jelly, like Latin/Greek and Classic Education... Latin and Greek are foundations of a classic curriculum, why? Does anyone speak Latin anymore or classic Greek? Why then is it still taught? Why would anyone teach a dead language? Well, as my first year Latin teacher Father Daniel Stempora would say, "Mental Gymnastics, Gentlemen, Mental Gymnastics", after memorizing a list of Latin verbs and nouns and using them, you begin to beleive there isnt anything you cant learn. Sometimes the knowledge that one can learn is more important than the skill learned Knots have the cachet of the outdoors, of being a woodsman that does not have to rely on bungee cords or velcro, because you know how to work with ropes, "like the old ones". Of course learning the knots is not enough. They have to be employed, regularly, at meetings, on outings, anywhere until the are second nature. The Mission of the Boy Scouts of America, in shorthand is to teach young people to be good people of morals. If we dont supply fun, then the youth wont be around long enough to learn anything. It's fun to learn a new skill, even more to be able to use it, often. (This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

I think wearing the uniform provides a lot of good within the program. Scouts from other troops can see where the unit is from council wise, what rank the scout is, what office he holds if any and what merit badges he has, if a sash is present. A lot is told from a properly worn uniform down to how many years the scout has been in the program.

I just noticed this at the YMCA where I swim. Posted all around the Pool is the statement "Pool will close for any lightening/thunder". We may not agree with it, but if the YMCA is doing it, it's more than just the BSA being soft(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

The Pope is infallible when speaking "ex cathedra" on matters of Faith and Morals The above statement is as true to me as someone saying they know Adam and Eve were real people because they are in the bible

here at Northeast,PA. we still remember the scout who was killed at Goose Pond scout reservation by lightning and perhaps the reticence of the staff had more to do with liabilities with rain and lightning strikes. This was discussed at the forum and I beleive while we couldnt tell what would happen, perhaps canceling things when its raining out of concern for lightning safety is one of them.

I would say whatever was decided at the end of the initial Board of Review. Perhaps if the scout is in charge of the troop library, the Board of Review letter may look like this: Dear Tommy, As you know, you did not receive the rank of Star at the board of review held on (dated). Another Board of Review has been scheduled for you on (date). Before that time, please assure the following has been done concerning the Troop Library: 1. Inventory of all Books with publication date and author 2. List of all merit gadge pamphlets 3. List of outstanding library items in the possession of scouts 4. List of publications/books.resources that would augment the library 5. Construction of a new carton/case/device to transport the library We on the Board of Review hope to see you on the (repeat date) having accomplished the above. Thats all, not a lot, just what the expectations are and when the next Board of Review is to be held. Of course, the scoutmaster and any interested adult may help Tommy along, ask if he needs help with organization, fabrication, etc. Letting him know he is not alone, but that no one will do it for him either. I know my "letter" is not much, but I use it as an example. In a "real" situation I am sure much more would be covered.

Regardless of the change, IF a change is made, who wants in the pool before we get complaints on style, fit, quality, color, texture, design, etc.?

What are we back to advocating death again?

Got into a long protracted discussion with the principal of the local catholic high school awhile back. He had spoken during Sunday Mass about Catholic Education and how valuable it was. He had reams of statistics about how many of that years seniors were already accepted into College, a pretty good number as I seem to remember, what the average SAT scores were, how many of recent alumni had gone on to achieve graduate degrees. he concluded by saying he was staying after mass to answer questions. I stayed afterwards. I asked him what sort of technical/vocational programs they had. He responded he didnt have any, the focus was on college preparatory work and again began to repeat his statistics on percentage of college graduates after 4 years. After he was done, I asked him a question which he had no answer, I asked him if he realized Jesus could not have learned carpentry at his school.

and then, again Trev, the Pope is only infallible when talking about faith and morals and talking "ex cathedra", something last done in 1950.

It does some strange, doesnt it? There seems to be a segment of the population who never want children to fail, to the point of having schools do away with the Honor Roll, National Honor Society, et al and seemingly not wanting to put any praise on anyone for being "smart" less some other student feel dumb but in athletics, however, higher, stronger, faster, seems to be the motto And we wonder why kids have screwed up priorities, its a learned behavior

CNYScouter your daughter does realize she won't be able to earn Eagle like her older brother appears on task to do or her younger brother could if he joins the Crew as a first class scout from a troop? Who said adults only on the Venture side?

One could read the Pioneering Merit Badge book, the final chapter, titled "Pioneering Kit" gives a pretty extensive explanation of what is needed spar and rope wise along with dimensions and some auxilary equipment to consider. Is there a copy of the Pioneering merit badge book in the Troop's library? It would seem to be an excellent acquisition