By-laws

[evmori]

FScouter,

Good point but if the Troop defines "serve actively" and puts it in writing then that eliminates the "gray area" and puts all the Scouts on the same page.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagledad]

>>If the boy is in the gray area of "active", hows about the Scoutmaster meeting with him to talk about it and agree between themselves whether he has been actively serving?

[eisely]

I certainly concede that many issues are raised that are addressed somewhere in some BSA document or training curriculum. One of the difficulties, as pointed out, is that there are so many of these scattered around, that it is not easy, even for experienced scouters to find answers to common questions. As BW frequently, and rightly, points out, too much variation from the basic program creates something that is not a scout program, or at least not in sync with what is intended. Training is a partial answer, and an important answer, but it carries one only so far.

 

Coming back to the issue I raised as an example of lack of clarity, I am familiar with a situation where a boy was turned down at his Life BOR on exactly this issue. Maybe the BOR was wrong, but there were no standards and the SM probably should not have waved this guy through. The boy had time to recover and still get his eagle, but he dropped out. This particular incident was more a reflection on general troop management than a reflection on the rules. However, the lack of clear rules was a necessary pre condition for the fiasco.

 

 

[Eagledad]

>>However, the lack of clear rules was a necessary pre condition for the fiasco.

[SR540Beaver]

By-laws are often like liver. The more you chew, the more it expands and the harder it is to swallow. My apologies to those strange folks who actually like eating liver.

[FScouter]

The best meal I ever had was at a little place outside of LaCrosse, Wisconsin. A big plate of chicken livers covered with bacon gravy, and hot biscuits. Man, that's good eatin'!

[OldGreyEagle]

Ewwwww!

[eisely]

LaCrosse? I was just there and expect to return from time to time. What was the name of that place and where is it located?

[FScouter]

It's been awhile. The place was a chicken ranch in the olden days. It's downstream from LaCrosse a couple of miles, past the biggest 6-pack in the world, then east on 33 or 61 3 or 4 miles. You'll have to ask someone in town. I was looking for a down-home local flavor kind of place, as opposed to the Perkins.

[SR540Beaver]

Biscuits and gravy.....mmmmmm, good eating! Chicken livers....great catfish bait if you leave them out in the sun for a few hours.

[Eagledad]

Ewwwww!

 

OK, been there and done that. But I didn't enjoy it.

[FScouter]

I can tell you that the most bestest liver is fresh hog (same day). I hear that in the olden days they just reached in and sliced off a warm hunk. I don't know about that, but fried up gently with some onions, heaven! Man, ya gotta LIVE!

[ScoutMomAng]

Thanks for all the input! I certainly am learning a lot, even about liver!! I personally have to agree with the "Ewwwwwwwwww" but I might try it as a fishing bait someday! My cats like the turkey and chicken livers though!

 

The more this discussion about Merit badges, Committee Chairperson and by-laws goes on, I continue to believe that there is really no need for a "by-laws". A Troop Guide pamphlet is more in order for example:

 

Troop MMM says that it follows BSA guidelines and firmly defines in it's own belief the following "gray" areas.

 

Since our troop only meets the first three Tuesdays of the month then the Actively serve guideline means that a scout must be present in at least two of those meetings and one camp out.

 

Or something like that. I haven't noticed many other "gray areas" than that one. I actually encountered that one as a Webelos leader and since I don't encounter that again I will address it in my "parent meeting" at the beginning of the new season.

 

Thanks for all the advice, I will let those interested how it goes when we have our meeting Thusday.

 

I have one question that comes to mind before I go to this meeting.

I have been told that the Troop Master and Assistant Troop Master "work" for the Committee Chairperson. I find this VERY hard to understand and hard to believe. Please help me on this one or clarify if you can what this is supposed to mean.

 

Ang

[ScoutNut]

As it is with the Cubmaster of a Pack, the Scoutmaster & Asst Scoutmasters work TOGETHER with the Committee Chair & the COR to provide a BSA program to the Boy Scout Troop. The SM deals with the program aspects & the CC deals with the business aspects and helps the SM provide the activites the boys want.

 

 

[Laurie]

Ang: I believe you mean Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster? The Boy Scout Fast Training is on-line and short, and it may help you out some.

 

I did a quick check, for I don't think that as volunteers we "work" for one another, but rather that we work together, serving in different roles that support one another, with the common goal of providing program support to the youth.

 

From Fast STart On-line:

 

What does the troop committee do?

 

>Ensures quality leadership is recruited and trained, including Scoutmasters and assistant Scoutmasters.

 

>Assigns qualified assistant Scoutmasters to continue the program if the Scoutmaster slot is vacated.

 

>Supports leaders in carrying the program.

 

>Responsible for finances, adequate funds, and disbursements based on the annual budget developed by the committee.

 

>Serves on boards of review and courts of honor.

 

The Role of the Scoutmaster

 

>Trains and guides boy leaders.

 

>Works with other responsible adults to bring Scouting to boys.

 

>Uses the methods of Scouting to achieve the aims of Scouting.

 

>Can be male or female, but must be at least 21 years of age.

 

>Is appointed by the head of the chartered organization.

 

There's much more, and if you stick with the resources, you'll find that most questions continue to be answered. Good luck, and hope this helps. The on-line training is found here:

 

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/faststart/index.html