Green Bar Bill featured in SCOUTING

[skeptic]

I just finished reading a nice tribute in  Scouting Magazine on  Greenbar Bill, William Hillcourt.  Not only is there the article by Mike Ray, but Bill is also the subject of Mike Surbaugh's short editorial piece.  Do not know what has brought about the renewal of Bill as a major player in Scouting, but it is surely time.  Hopefully it may be a harbinger of his Scouting knowledge in Boys' Life, as well as perhaps more in Scouting.

[RememberSchiff]

On 12/20/2017 at 10:48 AM, Tampa Turtle said:

Received the January Boys Life and January-February Scouter Magazines yesterday. My observations:

- Skimmed the Boys Life, seemed like a typical Holiday/Winters issue. Long article on spotting Depression which given what I have seen in Scouts and that we had a suicide this year was probably a good move. No mention of BS4G.

- Scouter. Banner on front page about girls in scouting. Carefully crafted FAQ inside (which should have been done a month or two ago) about the logic of the decision and the fact that many 'rogue' units where having sisters do things at many Packs anyway. I thought the article was OK though I found the discussions of all the reach out meetings and especially the survey was so overwhelmingly positive. As I now have little expectation that National will tell the truth if it conflicts with their goals--like gblotter I am more sad than angry now--it is frustrating to hear the CES say that the survey that I actually took and saw was very slanted was crafted to carefully ask people what they really thought --it was almost impossible to say "NO" to the proposal in that survey.

Overall the editorial content and style of Scouter seemed to thankfully return from the vague 'Family Camping' and generic  theme of the last few issues to the norm of requirements, leader tips, and interesting scout news items. I DO NOT think it was a coincidence that the 'Girls FAQ' was between the introductory message from the CES on how he met Green Bar Bill not once but twice and an actual article on Green Bar himself. I think some old timers were being placated or it was an attempt to send a signal. 

The article of Boys and Anger issues was a good one. I appreciate both magazines trying to educate on issues common to folks on the ground.

At least that was my opinion.

Trying to cross-link @Tampa Turtle comments from another topic here. - RS

Edited December 27, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[JasonG172]

Thanks for the heads up, mine came in the other day but I haven't had the chance to flip its pages yet. 

[skeptic]

I am waiting for this forum's founder to write his biography of Bill.  It would be great to add it to those of the other greats of our program.  Also would like to find one on Robinson, even though he was more YMCA overall.  His short-term assistance in those first few years were critical.  Probably a few other pretty important names buried in those first couple of decades, but they tended to stay in the background.

[LeCastor]

Yes, it was very nice to see the write-up of William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt in this month's Scouting.  When I came back to Scouting as an adult I visited a Troop near my house and after about a month the Troop Committee asked me if I'd be their Scoutmaster.  What a dream come true!  Though, I wanted to make sure I knew as much as I could going into it, so I re-read my 9th edition handbook and really started to get into the other writings of Green Bar Bill.  He became my personal guide.  We in the BSA owe a debt of gratitude for the efforts GBB made to keep the outing in Scouting and for bringing us Wood Badge here in the United States.  I my opinion GBB is a legend and one of the absolute greats of the BSA and world Scouting.  

For those who are interested, I found a neat video of GBB visiting the first Wood Badge course in an Ohio council, course # EC-390.  GBB gives a nice overview of how Wood Badge came to the United States in the late-1930s and then officially in 1948.  You may watch that monologue here beginning at roughly1:11.  Also, don't miss the part at the end where GBB talks about the demise of the 2nd edition of the Fieldbook at 1:42!

 

[DuctTape]

The first fieldbook is one of the best publications ever done by bsa. I would argue that it is possible to have an awesome scouting program if patrols focused only on the fieldbook and did the pow wows.

 

Edited January 12, 2018 by DuctTape