KC9DDI Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 SM asks the boy how to stop severe bleeding. One wag yells out "use the EDGE method, but make sure he doesn't bleed out before he is enabled!" Funniest (Scouting-related) thing I've heard all year. Also shows how little real buy-in we see from the youth over these foolish acronyms we've used to replace actual training and leadership development in our program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudu Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 83Eagle writes: Yeah, nobodys perfect but the boys seem to be having fun... I'm surprised that nobody has diagnosed your depression, 83Eagle: You suffer from Cub Scout Dad "Make It Fun" Syndrome! 83Eagle writes: Nevertheless, the sheer volume of problems is depressing. What if the troop my son wants to join ... patrols dont camp 300 feet apart? Are you looking for fellow Cub Scout Dads to tell you that it is only human nature for old people to resist modern "leadership skills" innovation (like EDGE, Wood Badge, and subprime mortgages), or are you really concerned that your son will never get to experience Baden-Powell's minimum standard for the Patrol System? If it's the later, then I have some good news for you: 21st century Boy Scouts (the outdoor ones) find as much excitement in the adventure of unsupervised Patrol Hikes during the day and camping their Patrols 300 feet apart at the destination, as boys (the red-blooded ones) did a hundred years ago. If it's fun, you don't have to "Make It Fun." Yours at 300 feet, Kudu (This message has been edited by kudu) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83Eagle Posted November 21, 2011 Author Share Posted November 21, 2011 And there it is! I knew it would only be a matter of time. That whooshing sound you hear is the point going right over your head... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 On a side note (and I am nothing but side notes) Our most "high functioning" patrols (which are 2 of 5--some are struggling)rush to pick up their own Patrol camp site and keep going farther and farther from the adult location. The other three keep wanting to clump near the fire ring... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudu Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Tampa, We have 16,334 acres for your two Real Patrols to spread out up here at McGregor Smith, if they don't mind all the wild hogs, alligators, and eagles. http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/flying_eagle-mcgregor_smith_reservation.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Yes you have mentioned that. I brought it up with our camping chair. We are on a swfwmd property this weekend, only group camping on 2,980 acres. Worked out to 596 acres a Patrol. If they would use it. Since we had to bring our own water it widens your choice of campsites. Lots and lots of critters, mostly bunnies, coyotes, armadillos, and cow skeletons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudu Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 I brought it up with our camping chair. Oh, you mean your PLC? Do you have copies of their Recreation Guide, the FREE 152 page book of topographical maps? This stuff is pure gold if your two Real Patrols are backpacking now: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/ http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/publications/search.php?id=13 Yours at 300 feet, Kudu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Yes. Our CC is a SWFWMD Land Manager; which is very handy. I agree the PLC is the way to go. I do not work with them. I think the way it works now is the PLC picks what kind of activity they might want to do and the camping chair starts checking options. The PLC plans the program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudu Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I agree the PLC is the way to go. Not always. The PLC (and Troop elections) can be a trap when a Troop transitions from Webelos III to the Real Patrol Method. I could not get our popularity contest Patrol Leaders to vote for a backpacking trip, so I announced to the Troop that the older adults were going on a "backcountry fishing trip" if anyone was interested. About half the Troop signed up. When we got to the destination, I picked the two natural leaders, told them to divide the group into two equal ad hoc Patrols, and to go find cool campsites at least a football field apart. On the subsequent trips I had these natural leaders pick the Scouts they trusted to behave well away from the adults, and plan unsupervised backpacking routes to the locations where they would meet the rest of us at the end of the day. Everyone seemed to survive these weekends without "controlled failure" and "learning about democracy" OK, and as backpacking became more popular my two natural leaders were eventually elected as SPLs. The advantage of backpacking is that the Cupcake Scouts, older trouble makers ("F-150 Scouts"), and adult Webelos III leaders all select themselves out. Your Troop's real Boy Scouts can see how the Real Patrol Method works when everybody loves what was once called "Scouting." That would be your two "high functioning" Patrols:" The ones that "rush to pick up their own Patrol camp site and keep going farther and farther from the adult location." This very impulse is what made the Scouting of Baden-Powell and Green Bar Bill so very popular, back when Scouting was an adventure that boys actually wanted to try. Depressing as that might be. Yours at 300 feet, Kudu http://www.youtube.com/user/At300Feet#p/a/u/2/9FKUybw6qRI (This message has been edited by kudu) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAHAWK Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 And when is to "safe" to allow Scouts to elect their leaders and let them lead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudu Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 And when is to "safe" to allow Scouts to elect their leaders and let them lead? It took about a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAHAWK Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Wow! Serious case of WIII. Hillcourt in his 1930 Service Library pamphlet "The Patrol Method" anticipated that there could be bumps in the road. Of course, he is writing of boys with nothing to "unlearn" about an adult-led unit.(This message has been edited by TAHAWK) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle92 Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Actually you can download for free USGS maps from their website. They are not the typical topographical maps though. They are actual sat pics with the topographical information on top of them. I think they are actually better since it the actual image and can get a better idea where you are. Also they have the UTM grids on them. I admit it threw me off since the UTM grid has it's own declination which is different than MN, but what's cool is that you can figure our your position to w/in 10 meters with the map, and then relay that info easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Our Troop was we had a lot of parlor scouts wanting to defect to a prettier unit. They gave the SM an ultimatum and he replied "we are sticking to boy-led patrols and outdoor orientation". They said they are leaving which led us to push forward in that direction... Funny thing now is a lot of the "weak campers" (to be charitable) now want to stay seeing all the fun the other boys are having. Parents are in a ticklish spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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