okay, now what is a powder horn pls?

[ozemu]

Thanks for the answers to my previous question. Now the reaching out to new leaders thread throws up another.

 

I take it that a powder horn is a meeting of leaders. What is its purpose, who is it for, how often does it occur? etc

 

In know what a powder horn is in terms of equipment.

 

Thanks for your patience.

[Fat Old Guy]

"I take it that a powder horn is a meeting of leaders. What is its purpose, who is it for, how often does it occur? etc "

 

Powder horn is advance leader training for Venturing Advisors. Check out http://www.powderhorn-bsa.org/

 

"In know what a powder horn is in terms of equipment."

 

I'd like to know how a powder horn is related to Scouting. Powder horns were carried by the American frontiersmen who were the ultimate high adventure guys. Maybe that's the connection.

[ozemu]

Thanks FOG. I imagined it was a locally built and reasonably informal meeting. I only wish we could have similar training. Also wish I could have the option of a Venture patrol in my Troop. We would not lose so many Scouts after they turn 15 if we could. At 15 they MUST leave the Troop and go to Venturers. Most dont as they must leave the Group.

 

Aust Scout Groups have at least Cubs and Scouts. Many offer Scouting from age 6-26 without needing to leave the Group. The Group is managed by one parent committee and has a Group Leader who coords the Section leaders. Quite different to BSA. My Group does not have a Venturer Section and would not get enough for a unit. We might manage a small patrol. Hence my Scouts msut leave the Group and join another.

[Fat Old Guy]

"I only wish we could have similar training."

 

Every journey starts with a single step. Mighty oaks from little acorns grown. Etc., etc., etc..

 

You could start it. Get the literature from BSA and adapt for things like hanging upside down and the negative gravity that you have down there. :-)

[eisely]

Embellishing a bit on FOG's response...Historically, Powder Horns were horns off of cows that the frontiersmen converted to containers to carry their black powder in. I've never spent that much time around black powder, but I believe they sawed off the tips of the horns just a bit to provide a narrow opening to pour the powder into the barrels of their guns.

 

Just why BSA chose to use this term for the training syllabus, I do not know.

[saltheart]

"Just why BSA chose to use this term for the training syllabus, I do not know."

 

eisely,

 

Not everything that the BSA publishes and distributes, and not every name or caption is dead on the mark sometimes, and it leaves us to wonder.

 

I remember years ago the cover on an old Riflery Merit Badge Pamphlet. The character in the picture wore a Scout uniform with a First Class Patch, plain as day, for all to see...

 

...the character was male...and sported a full beard...looked every bit like he was 35 years old.

 

LOL...still wondering...

 

Powder Horn? Quaint and ringing of yesteryear in the frontier. Self-sufficiency and ruggedness. Good traits to have. But some might feel the name itself a little out of touch and not inkeeping with contemporary times. Myself? I like things that harken back to yesteryear. We lose a little of ourselves as species when we let our past slip away out of concern that the name isn't PC.(This message has been edited by saltheart)

[OldGreyEagle]

See, and I always thought it was a literary reference to the Ballad of William Sycamore by Stephen Vincent Bent:

 

"...When I grew as tall as the Indian corn, My father had little to lend me,

But he gave me his great, old powder-horn

And his woodsman's skill to befriend me."

 

I always thought the Powder-horn was symbolic of woodsman's skill passed down

 

 

[eisely]

Just to be clear, I have no objection to calling this training course "Powder Horn" or any other G rated term. Of course PETA might object to the term "Powder Horn", because of the implied endorsement of the suffering of cows for the benefit of humans...but I digress.

 

I too like the allusion to earlier times. In another thread some time ago, somebody pointed out how different councils adopted different names for their training courses, even though they were all supposedly going off of the same syllabi. For the benefit of people who move around - and Americans do move around a lot - I like the idea of standardizing the names whatever somebody chooses to call the courses.

[ASM514]

All simple dribble from non-Venturing adult leaders.... What a shame to shun a great program.

 

ASM514

 

Also

Venture Advisor Crew 514

[OldGreyEagle]

Not sure who you are talking about, Crew Committee Member and received my Poweder Horn on Sept 21 of this year. Can you point out the dribble?

[Fat Old Guy]

"All simple dribble from non-Venturing adult leaders"

 

I'm trying hard to figure out how basketball go involved here. That'd be Varsity Scouts, not Venturing. Right?

[ozemu]

FOG, about the little acorns...fair comment and maybe one day but as with most of us there is a line up of good ideas and that one is rated as unlikely and the effort as measured agaisnt other tasks is not reasonable at this time.

 

I teach canoe (flatwater), abseil, high/low ropes, bushwalking, emergency prep etc to adults as it is but the course is too long for volunteers. I am rated as a Scout instr in these skills too (took several years and multiple submissions - some things are international) and have been asked to help train SM's and adventure leaders. Would love the job but....family and work alas.

 

Maybe when the kids are older.

 

Still your training sounds interesting and I can't help dreaming. Am always curious to compare and learn / improve what I can.

[Fat Old Guy]

Work! The curse of the drinking class.