David CO

I was a Scoutmaster back then, and I would say that you had missed the "Golden Age of Scouting", which was well over by the time you came along. I agree that someone who came up in scouting in the 90's (or later) might not see today's scouting program as being altogether different from what they experienced as youth.

This game is nothing new. My college did something similar back in the day, and I was required by one of my teachers to attend the 3 hour time-wasting exercise as a part of one of my classes. He would later have cause to regret it. The game was a little more complicated than WAYC, with a few more embellishments (bells and whistles), but it was basically the same. It was about the distribution of the world's resources, and we were supposed to conclude that everyone would be better off if everyone would just share and share alike. You can imagine how this went over with me. In our game, we were divided up into tables (not patrols) which were directed to compete against other tables. After only 20 minutes, everyone at my table figured out what was going to happen, so when we had a pause to consider our next move, we chose to stop playing the game. The people who were running the game got upset and ordered us to continue. We refused. The four teachers who were having their classes participate in the game came over to our table to ask us why we weren't cooperating. We said that we felt the game was a violation of the school policy which prohibited psychological experimenting with students without their informed consent. We felt like we were being used as unwilling lab rats. The teachers called for a half hour break, during which time they questioned the game leaders. They concluded that the game did indeed violate school policy, and cancelled it on the spot. A heated argument then ensued between the game people and the teaching staff about whether or not they would be paid their fees for putting on the exercise. They weren't. Everything turned out pretty well, in the end. The 4 teachers grabbed a couple of their colleagues and set up an impromptu debate, three on three, with the professors debating the issues surrounding the distribution of resources. It was a good debate, and well worth my time. I got an A in the class.

Strange game. The only winning move is not to play. I didn't do WB. I win.

If they are mentioning those two groups, then there is a third group who should be mentioned as well. Themselves. They are seeing the Eagle Scout award as a resume item, to gain them access to academic or military advantages, and they have already devalued the award far more than either of the other groups ever could.

Most of us have earned degrees and professional certifications which took much more effort, demonstrated far more achievement, and gained far greater recognition than an Eagle Scout award. I would be embarrassed to see an adult who is still trying to earn a child-sized award.

I couldn't disagree with you more.

If you're upset about your unit going to a 3 digit unit number, look on the bright side. With the direction scouting is going, they may yet go back to single digit unit numbers sometime soon.

That makes sense. If two councils merge, and they each had a unit with the same number, one (or both) of the units has to change. It is unfortunate, but necessary. Perhaps they can follow the example of Prince and be called "The Unit Formerly Know As..." . When my unit faced a number change, the CO opted to use its street address for the new unit number. Several units did this since all street addresses in my town start with a 3 digit number. One unit, which had a PO Box, used the PO Box number. Another unit went in a opposite direction, asking for a 4 digit number to correspond with the last 4 digits of its phone number. If any boys forgot the unit's phone number, they could just look it up on their uniform.

Which might also explain why I don't put my name on any of my posts.

I would imagine that many of the scout execs in LDS heavy districts and councils might happen to also be members of that religion. I wouldn't be surprised if many of them leave voluntarily when the LDS unit charters expire. I also wouldn't be surprised if the LDS leadership helps them to find new employment. If LDS is starting their own youth program, won't some new jobs be created as the old BSA positions are eliminated?

...On second thought, good activity.

You know why this is a bad idea. The boys will be spending the whole day swinging on ropes, like Tarzan, and bouncing on the air bags. Not a lick of roofing work will get done.

If this was a different thread, on a different topic, I might tend to agree with some of the statements that I have read here about retention. I cannot agree with them in the context of this thread and this topic. When scouting loses a large number of boys, en masse, because a Chartering Organization pulls out of scouting, it is not the fault of unit scouters. It was not a failure of the unit scouters when a Catholic diocese dropped out, it is not a failure of the unit scouters that LDS is dropping out, and it will not be a failure of the unit scouters when the next big group drops out.

As little as I can. I don't advise it while posting on-line.

No, but it can sure mess them up.

Are you suggesting that units ignore BSA policy changes?

That is a pretty safe assumption.

That's why lifeguards always wear dark sunglasses.

It makes perfect sense that they might ask you guys for help. Nobody wants to see them bend over to pick up trash. But seriously, I did lifeguard duties at the YMCA a few times when a local naturist group rented out the pool. It is really not very exciting once the novelty of it wears off. Before you ask, lifeguards are required by code to wear their traditional red/white lifeguard uniforms while on duty, regardless of how the swimmers are attired.

I am not at all squeamish about BSA having separate units for boys and girls. I just don't believe it is going to happen. Once these linked units are firmly established, BSA will announce that they no longer see any reason for separate units, and they will all be officially merged into co-ed units. BSA is taking an incremental approach to changing over to co-ed scouting. It has no intention to keep the girl units permanently segregated.

I'm not quite sure what it is you are suggesting. Who are these "true experts" supposed to be? Youth members? Unit leaders? District commissioners? Council executives? Some of us might feel that after twenty, thirty, or forty years of service in unit level scouting, we might be considered to be experts.

I would have thought that you, as a lawyer, would have added Thrifty to your list. You must be well aware of how expensive a roving eye can be.

Because the wife goes clean out of his mind?

I try to stop. I really do. I just can't seem to help myself sometimes.

It is against the rules. Besides that, I will refer you to the movie Stand By Me.