Rumors

[sctmom]

Is the New Leader Essentials different than the old Basic Training? We did view a newer video but most of it still seemed like the one I took 2 years ago. Also, it took much longer than the 90 minutes stated on the BSA website.

 

BSA website says 90 minutes for New Leader Essentials and up to 3 hours for Leader specific. I would say ours was the opposite. Three hours for everyone and then 90 minutes for leader specific.

 

[Bob White]

The Guide to Safe Scouting specifically states that BALOO TRAINING is required in order to take a pack camping.

 

Webelos Leader Outdoor Training is the official title used in all current scout training resources, the Cub Leader Handbook and the Guide to Safe Scouting.

 

New Leader essentials (even when I talk fast and follow the syllabus) takes me two hours and 5 minutes to deliver.

 

It is unlike any single training offered in the past. It does however incorporate snippetts of videos that were used in a variety of training courses in the past. Job specific training varies in length depending on the job.The shortest is about 2.5 hours and the longest is 7.5 hours.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[janssenil]

Wow, Sctmom, you actually know parents that will sew a Bobcat badge on and then take it off to sew the Webelos badge on (for the tan shirt)?! I wish I could get our parents to just sew a badge on period.

[sctmom]

I think I know parents who have the grandparents sew on the badge OR they use glue. :-)

I actually sew on mine and my son's by hand. Periodically I have to resew them because they come undone.

 

[yaworski]

I don't know what the big thing is about sewing. I learned to sew patches on as a Cub Scout (back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth).

 

For me, the most difficult thing is getting the patches in position. Measure, pin, measure, re-pin. Once it is in place, it takes me about five minutes to sew a patch onto a uniform.

 

I suppose the problem for most is that since"home ec" is no longer required, mom's haven't learned to sew and most men think that sewing is beneath them. Just like men used to think that typing was a "girl's class."

 

I've been thinking about running a sewing clinic for my troop.

 

[SR540Beaver]

Ok, I'm going to look stupid here. My son just joined Webelos last week and I was one when they first started 35 years ago. I know that Akela is a/the leader and relates to the Jungle Book. Having seen the disney film when I was a kid, I know who Baloo is. But who or what the heck is Baloo in Webelos? I've yet to hear the term at the meetings I've attended or seen it in my son's Webelos book.

 

Another question about the colors. Someone mentioned that it be awarded when the boy gets his Bobcat or Webelos badge. I bought one when we bought the uniform. Is this something he isn't supposed to wear until it is awarded. Frankly, the literature needs to be a little clearer on what to wear and when.

[Bob White]

The only official use of BALOO in scouting is the name of a training course. Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation. It is a mandatory course for someone in a pack to have in order for the pack to go camping.

 

Bob White

[sctmom]

Webelos don't really talk about Akela and Baloo from the Jungle book. It is different than 2nd & 3rd grade Webelos.

 

The thing about the colors. If someone told you it is to be rewarded when they earn their bobcat that is just a pack decision. That is NOT something BSA says. As far as BSA is concerned they can wear it anytime. Ask your son's den leader.

 

[yaworski]

"Webelos don't really talk about Akela and Baloo from the Jungle book. It is different than 2nd & 3rd grade Webelos."

 

2nd and 3rd Grade Webelos? I thought that Webelos Cub Scouts were in the 4th and 5th grades. :-)

[yaworski]

"Ok, I'm going to look stupid here. My son just joined Webelos last week and I was one when they first started 35 years ago. I know that Akela is a/the leader and relates to the Jungle Book. Having seen the disney film when I was a kid, I know who Baloo is. But who or what the heck is Baloo in Webelos? I've yet to hear the term at the meetings I've attended or seen it in my son's Webelos book."

 

To be pedantic, your son joined "Cub Scouts" and is a "Webelos Cub Scout" although most seem to snip the "Cub" right out of there.

 

Bob may be right but Baloo seems to be a traditional designation for the Assistant Cubmaster. BSA sells a "Baloo" hat pin that I believe predates the BALOO training by more than a few years.

 

You might consider that the Assistant Webelos Den leader is Baloo. Now we need to determine who is Baghera (sp?) :-)

[SR540Beaver]

To be pedantic, your son joined "Cub Scouts" and is a "Webelos Cub Scout" although most seem to snip the "Cub" right out of there.

 

Yes, I'm aware that it is all part of Cub Scouts. I didn't mean to imply otherwise. I started out in Cub Scouts earning my Bobcat "pin" (this was over 35 years ago) and then Wolf and Bear and the next step was Lion. The year I was to become a Lion was when Webelos was introduced, so I became a Webelo. My wording was merely because he joined Cub Scouts as a Webelo and not at an earlier age/rank.

[Bob White]

Don't mean to put a damper on a good story but Webelos Dens were started in 1954, so unless you folks were in Webelos 48 years ago rather than the 35 you are sighting you were not in the initial webelos program. When I started in 1963 (39 years back) my father had already been a Webelos Den Leader for two years.

 

Bob white(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[sctmom]

Oops, I meant 2nd & 3rd grade Cubs. Just read later last night that Akela is the leader for Wolves and Baloo is the leader for Bears. A lot of the new literature refers to Cubs as 2nd & 3rd graders ONLY and Webelos as a different "thing".

 

Bob, Check about Webelos again. I quickly looked a 1954 Bear book and it still refers to the Lion rank. Webelos was the highest award for Cubs at that time, it was what we call the Arrow of Light today. I think Lions were changed to Webelos in the mid to late 60's. In 1954 Webelos still stood for Wolf Bear Lion Scout.

 

[evmori]

Bob,

I thought BALOO training was necessary if Wolves & Bears went camping. I thought if you were taking Webelos camping, you needed WOLT?

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[sctmom]

BALOO training is needed to take the pack camping. Tigers, Wolves and Bears cannot go camping as a den, only with the pack and only at approved locations. Tigers can only camp at council sponsored events --- like parent and pal weekends.

 

I haven't seen that Outdoor Webelos Training is required to take Webelos camping. I did read last night that it is recommended if you don't have experience camping, you should camp with a troop or with a few experienced campers.

 

Another point -- Baloo is the big bear in the Jungle Book story. The training BALOO is an acronym. The wolf and bear cub books tell the Jungle Book story and have pictures of Baloo the bear helping the kids.