InquisitiveScouter

HI there! Kudos to you as an ASPL for taking this on! You are setting a great example as a leader. Our Scouts love the medal "bling", too. There is a whole list of Historical Trails. Almost all have a patch...most have an attractive medal like the one you earned. You can find a lot of them here: https://tap.scouting.org/historic-trails/ From central NJ, here are some I would recommend: Battle of Monmouth (starts at Quail Hill Scout Reservation, you can camp there). http://www.natsihi.org/camping-hiking/battle-of-monmouth-historic-trail/ Here is the medal Another is the Washington Crossing Trail https://bsawcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Washington_Crossing_Trail_2016.pdf And the William Penn Trail https://bsawcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/William_Penn_Trail_Guide_and_Workbook.pdf Finally, if you camp on or near a trail, and do work to improve it, you can earn the BSA Historic Trails Award!! https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/historic-trails/ Happy Hunting!

Thanks @qwazse !!! - Scouters who intentionally disregard accepted and codified safety practices and common sense! A few specific examples: - The Scoutmaster who refused to get off the river when a thunderstorm blew in, becauseue it was only two more miles to camp... - The adult leaders at an Eagle Scout project or Woodwork MB class who allow Scouts to use power saws, etc....even worse, those who do it without even basic PPE like hearing or eye protection (watch this video at about time stamp 1:30)

@Eagle94-A1 I echo your experiences, in general, with most Summer Camps over the past two decades (there have been few exceptions)...I have become more and more jaded. And I feel as though I am titing at windmills... It's like a whole cheating scheme that everyone is in on...and no one likes it if you make waves to point it out. And it's all about the money...not about integrity or character building. Councils want money through increased camper numbers. The way to get that seems to be to have a high number of Merit Badges awarded. (notice I did not say "earned") The result is the Merit Badge Mill. Parents want to see results for their money. (awarded Merit Badges...notice I did not say "earned") Most do not understand the Merit Badge program purpose or process. Adult leaders want to see some tangible result of their time invested. (awarded Merit Badges...notice I did not say "earned") How many leaders have you seen giving grief to camp staffs when their Scouts get a partial at the end of the week? It is extra oversight, pain and paperwork to correctly call out a lot of bad apples https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-800_WB.pdf And most of the time, councils never follow up or take corrective action. Scouts want Merit Badges to make rank because Eagle Scout is their (and their parents') goal. Guilt about awarded, but unearned, Merit Badges does not enter into the calculus of most 11-17 year olds. "I need Eagle for my college application." The result is the "Paper Eagle Scout" Their is too much focus on the piece-of-cloth badge and ranks (the outward symbols), rather than the skills, experiences, and growth of the person (the inward man). Videre quam esse? Or, as Daniel Webster said... "The world is governed more by appearance than realities so that it is fully as necessary to seem to know something as to know it." The really sad part is, that the grand majority of MB's aren't really difficult to earn. The bar for most is extremely low, and easily achieved... What message are we giving youth who go through these camps, and do not earn the badge, but are awarded it anyway? What kind of person are we growing? "The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." There are many who will take exception to what I have said...please don't shoot the messenger...I have been involved in Scouting over 35 years. I have been on staff of 15 summer camps, have attended National Camping School four times, and have been a Scoutcraft Director, Aquatics Director, and Climbing Director. I have taken troops to summer camp for ten years. I have been a Merit Badge Counselor an untold number of times... So, I am speaking from those things I have seen over the years... I hope their is someone out there who has a vastly different experience...

@qwazse, We think a lot alike...it wasn't the Scouts' motives I would question, but the adult leaders who would organize such an event during a time like this. Those same adults who make the announcement... Totally agree with striking service hours as a requirement. Also agree with allowing adults to earn ranks...(Rovers, anyone?) As for Bird Study...that is as it used to be, along with Pioneering. We should start a thread for Pet Peeves!

The article above also explains; "The safety of these Scouts and all the volunteers are of the utmost importance to the United Way, especially during a time when social distancing is of high priority. Director Smith has put measures in place to make sure everyone is as safe as possible, “We are screening all of the volunteers when they come in, allowing only a group of 10 individuals to volunteer at a time, and are making sure we maintain the minimum six feet of distance between each other." Each situation will be different...but if an organization you wish to volunteer for does not support your adherence to, or the activity does not lend itself to the standing guidelines for social distancing and personal protection, then don't do it. Personally, I would caution any unit to limit this to activities of necessity...food distribution, pet care for health care workers, etc... Litter pick up and invasive species removal should wait. Also ask, what is the motive? If it is to make rank by fulfilling a requirement, then don't do it. This is the wrong focus for community service. How long before we see some headline with a Scout unit in an activity where they are not adhering to safe practices?

Yes, they had lots of other volunteers...and later our county was one of the first locked down in the state, and now has the third highest number of cases in the state. My line in the sand was the CDC guidelines. They were there for a reason...

Early on, but before the stay at home order, our local hospital asked for community volunteers to set up a large tent (an outdoor event-type tent like those used for weddings, about 72' long) outside the hospital so they could screen patients there before concentrating them in the building. We put together two teams of ten, mixed Scouts and adults. We told the hospital we would work shifts of four hours, and that we wanted to adhere to CDC guidelines of groups no larger than ten, we would stay outside the hospital the whole time, bring our own food/water, use port-a-john, etc. The hospital said they thought it would require more than ten at a time to set it up, and they could not support our stipulations. So, we declined the opportunity. A few days later, our governor issued the stay at home order.

This could mean the court will also deny Nationals move to have the court view the councils as separate entities for purposes of the overall litigation. Better go take some nice pictures of the camp you grew up with...it could be gone in the near future...

Sorry, but that kind of real Scouting doesn't pay the CEO's six figure salary. We need revenue! Sell more popcorn!

@Eagle94-A1. Unfortunately, the details of your story are not uncommon. There are many systemic issues across the BSA and US culture that do not bode well for the organization.

All good! But most council camps around these parts are about generating revenue for the council first, with Scouting a fairly distant second.

^^^^ Does this seem just plain wrong to any of you?? Good on you @RememberSchiff for meeting the need directly! Spot on!

We all failed. We try to pre-package Scouting into discrete things like merit badges, Summer Camp, service projects, etc. Scouting is a game with a purpose! Did he have a good game? Did we meet the purpose? What makes an Eagle Scout? As a Scoutmaster, I have written many letters of recommendation over the years. Some are easy. Some are not. The easy ones are long letters regaling the BoR with how I have watched this young person grow and learn, and some of the experiences we have shared. They usually end with this statement, "Jimmy is an Eagle Scout, and I am glad you have the chance to meet him and confirm what I have learned." For the ones that are not easy... "Jimmy has met the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout."

Ad blockers

Time to make the distinction between Scouting and the BSA??

Jameson76, That would be the cat's meow! A Troop having its own week long Summer Camp would be Scouting at its best:) I encourage you to try it... One issue with "industrial" Summer Camps is that Scouts are too "busy", as almost every moment of their day is scheduled for them. I encourage Scouts to keep one or two merit badge sessions free to do whatever they wish...nap, fish, hike, play basketball, swim, read, bird watch, contemplate the universe, etc.

Remember when the youth forms used to be good for 3 years??

Just had our Committee Meeting via Skype. Went really well.... We are finally getting with the 20th century! (Yes, 20th, not 21st)😛

That's a good idea, Barry.

Feedback is a gift Thanks, Qwazse. Agree. "If I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter." Who said that? Well, I have some corona-time now, so will revise accordingly...

malraux, Thanks for the input. I purposefully left those in. As you surmise, we are boy only. Will reconsider, though...

Thanks, Dale. Appreciate your taking the time to read...

Scouters, We are still planning for Summer Camp. Here is the info I send out to New Scout parents. This has been well-received in the past, but it is an issue I still deal with every year. Last year I had two egregious offenders. I would appreciate your input on the message following... -------------------------------------------------------------------------- If I were the King, I would decree that no parents should go to Summer Camp the First Year But every parent knows their new Scout much better than I do, at this point, so I defer to your right as parent to make the call. If the only way we can get a Scout to participate in Summer Camp is to have a parent attend, then the parent should go. If you and your Scout decide he can accept the challenge without you, then I would encourage and recommend you to give him that space and not go. This is a very delicate time for these young men. They are closer and closer to bridging into manhood, and many of them are just beginning to face their fear of that unknown and level of responsibility. Separation from parents and the comfort of home for a week is a test most have not yet gone through… In my experience, the first year of Summer Camp, after crossover, is a watershed event. When many new Scouts get that first “full taste” of what the Scouting program is for older Scouts, they choose to stop Scouting. It will be hot, sweaty, uncomfortable, and buggy, with new and unfamiliar foods, faces, and activities. Some things they will absolutely love, but they will not be good at some of the new experiences they are going to try, and many find they cannot deal with that level of physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual discomfort. For some, it is a breeze. The norm I have seen is that a few parents choose to go who are concerned for the health and well-being of their Scouts, and who have not yet established a level of trust in the way we do things. And that is just fine with me. Scout camp is a great place for you to either build that trust, or decide we are a bunch of incompetents who shouldn’t be allowed to take kids into the woods. Maybe one in a hundred comes to the latter conclusion. (Everyone experiences Scouting differently.) There will be some ground rules though… You are there to provide the same level of attention and help to all Scouts. If your Scout is getting “special” treatment from you, it makes the others whose parents aren’t there feel pretty down. This can contribute to serious homesickness for those whose parents are unable to attend. It has been the most prevalent issue with parents attending. One of the best compliments your Scout could get at the end of the week from his buddies would be, “I didn’t know that was your Mom/Dad!” You should not (actually, must not) pack your Scout’s gear. You can review the list of gear with him at home, and watch him pack it to make sure he has what he needs, but this should be on him. You will not be allowed into your Scouts’ tent to help him unpack, find any items, or otherwise deal with minor issues. He needs to struggle on his own, and seek help from his buddies. Without challenges, there is no growth. He will also have a tent mate who will probably be uncomfortable with you being there. We respect their privacy, but do conduct health and safety checks of their quarters. If you notice any issue, it is best to bring it to the attention of the Scoutmasters, and we look into it. Unless there is a serious or life threatening situation, you should be pretty much hands off…in observation mode…minor issues, injuries or illnesses should be dealt with by the youth leaders giving First Aid under the supervision of the Scoutmaster Corps. If a situation needs to be elevated, we let the camp health staff take care of it. My first response to most questions or issues is, “Did you ask your Patrol Leader?” If the Patrol Leader is baffled, I ask the PL, “Did you ask the Senior Patrol Leader?” And then I follow up to make sure the issue was addressed appropriately. You should take some training as an adult while you are there. Summer Camp is a great learning environment for everyone. Hope this helps you understand our philosophy of parents at Scout Camp!

I get the corporate structuring of Arrow and BSA. What I was writing about earlier was that Surbaugh was an officer of the two separate 501c3s, but being paid the exact same salary from both. Doesn't really pass the sniff test...

Great time to try some virtual Scouting with Skype or other platforms. Public Health and Emergency Prep MBs are great candidates...