Need a Scoutmasters Minute

[Gutterbird]

I have been asked to do a SM Minute at the closing of a Blue and Gold Banquet next month. The banquet's theme is the 100 yr. anniversary and I am wanting a SM Minute that would go with this theme, but I am coming up blank. Anybody got any good ides?

 

[Scoutfish]

Fashion!

Talk about how fashions come back time and time again. Lether bomber jackets of WWII became popular again in the 80's

Right now, stuff like spandex from the 80's is popular again.

A few years ago, stylres from the 60'sand 70's were hot again.

 

Then you have t's and jeans: They never went out of style, They may have been modified here or there, but still were always instyle. They were teseted and were tried and true.

 

So what does this have to do with scouting? Well. some stuff just stands the test of time. No matter how old, it's just always in style just like the jeans. Scouting has stayed instyle. Sure, tere might have been some mdodificatons here or there, but scouting is tried and true.

 

 

Or something along those lines!

 

Good luck!

[Scoutfish]

WAIT! Forget that 1st one...it's stupid!

 

You ever read Aesop? I always liked this fable:

 

The Man, Boy, and Donkey

 

A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: "You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?"

 

So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: "See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides."

 

So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: "Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along."

 

Well, the Man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said:

 

"Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey of yours and your hulking son?"

 

The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.

 

"That will teach you," said an old man who had followed them:

 

Please all, and you will please none

 

 

So again, what does this have to do with scouting?

 

Well, maybe scouting is a journey, but a journey that each scout must choose. He can try to please his mom or dad, he can try to please his Scout Master. He can try to please one or all of his friends - but it doesn't matter if he doesn't try to please and do what is best for himself.

[moxieman]

If you're at a Blue & Gold Banquet, that implies you're talking to the Cubs. How many of them know the story of how Scouting was founded in the USA? Why not just talk about that? You know--how that British Scout helped William Boyce find his way in the London Fog? Most of these cubs have probably never heard the tale. See page 27 of the current BSA Handbook for the tale.

[Exibar]

oh, I like the Aesop's fable as a scoutmaster's minute.... I'm going to use that at my B&G this Feb!

 

thank you!

Mike B

[eghiglie]

thanks fish