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Instead of having hourly merit badge classes to addend, what if boys had the same facilities and activies available to them and the opportunity to simply do whatever they wanted?......this is exactly what we have in one of our Council Camps called Open Program. With the exception of the waterfront there aren't any Merit Badge Periods. So the boys decide what Merit Badges they will work on and go to that area and stay for as long as they like. And even at the waterfront if a boy wants to work on Swimming Merit Badge or lessons for 2 periods he can. All the areas are open after dinner...and non-waterfront late into the evening. The first year camper program was a little more structured. We went the first time 3 years ago(right after a council merger) with a group of nearly all 1st year campers and some boys completed lots of work, some just a little and some just hung out at times...but we moved those along.

Twocubdad, Actually next summer we will be attending a camp that does not have "regular" merit badge classes. W're headed to Camp Bell which is part of Daniel Webster's Council Hidden Valley Scout Reservation. HVSR has 2 camps one with the traditional program that services about 800 scout a week. And Camp Bell which services a much smaller number in Patrol style. The Patrols choose what to do each day of the week...so if they pick equestrian then they spend the day with horses...they may be able to earn merit badge and they may not. Among the activities they can choose is a day in the climbing barn, the farm, water skiing, Sailing, Logging camp etc. But they spend the entire day...they also have to cook their own Breakfast and Dinner. Box lunches are brought to the day's activities. We will also spend the following week at our own Council camp which has an open program. Don

I'm having a problem with a number of posts here in particular those from Bob White, who in general appears reasonable and knowledgeable. First the issue of the Scoutmaster signing the Blue Card prior to starting a merit badge. You've seemed to ignore the possibility that a scout may be attending Camp as Provo. In this case the "Scoutmaster" can be the Provo Scoutmaster. This past summer the Provo scoutmaster not only signed a number of Blue Cards but also was the councilor for a slew of Merit Badges...not part of the Camp Program. Several Merit Badges such as Pets, Dog care, Cooking, White water just to mention a few were signed and were not completed. You have to complete a log for Pets and Dog care. You have to demonstrate techniques for White Water in "Running Water" not a bathtub/pond or lake. You can't earn Horsemanship with a carousel. This is fraud period. I have reported the incident to the council and they may act on it. But you say I must award these badges because the councilor has committed fraud is ludicrous. It's the death of common sense ! I will not dishonor all those that have earned their badges and especially Eagle Scouts just to comply with a rule that was made by some committee with it's head in the clouds. The fact that the official rules doesn't take fraud into consideration seems to beg, no it pleads us to take the high ground here. What happened to "Trustworthy", what happened to "On My HONOR"...we're going to lay down our principles for some ill-conceived, poor thought rule. I'm sorry that is jail house lawyering. Wrong is wrong and will always be wrong not having specified in the rule doesn't make it right. I'm appalled at this whole discussion. I was reading these posts in order to work through this very issue and hoping that I could find some intelligent answers and suggestions to a heart wrenching dilemma. The person in question is wood badge trained, silver beaver recipient and the parent of an Eagle Scout yet she has given away Merit Badges like candy at halloween....this forum is sorely lacking the depth I was hoping to find Don