Useful Troop Progress Metric

[Deaf Scouter]

People don't realize how hurtful those comments are.

 

I can remember Webelos camp. We had 8 in our group, the exact number to fill a table. They had a thing of asking a counselor to sit at the table which of course the scouts HAD to do. I forgot how they won the privileged but our group was really into it and won every meal.

 

What the kids don't realize is it means someone in our 8 sits outside the group. Parents have to be with their kids not thinking they separate another parent from their own because the child wants in on the guest treat with the rest of the kids. They don't think to rotate that lone seat. Nor do they think let do kids and adults separate when its suggested.

 

After a couple days of these kinds of meals, a perfect opportunity on a hike presented a quiet time to make a small comment that was heard loud and clear by the adults that they could connect it back to the meal situation without the scouts' awareness. It put an end to the meal dilemma with the adults sitting together from that day on.

 

Adults really need to be aware of any little actions or comment of segration within any group be it unit, den or patrol whether its toward their own or another.

 

Sending them home is not harsh but rather a wakeup call that ANYTHING in this day and age that doesn't encourage diversity and courtesy is plain NOT acceptable. Those kinds of comments and actions are much more hurtful than people think. Scouting is not about self but about others... *winka

[SeattlePioneer]

One of the fancy pants private schools in Seattle allegedly has a cheer they do when they are losing:

 

"That's OK

That's all right

You'll all

Be working for US

One day!"

 

 

It's the school where Bill Gates and Paul Allen went to school and learned their programming skills, so it's pretty much proved to be true in Seattle.

[Eagle92]

Base,

 

Must respectfully disagree with your comment that "because while hurtful it wasn't that serious" because it IS serious. They are not following the Scout Oath and Law for starters. And it can lead to bullying, hazing, violence. Trust me I know.

 

I went to one "exclusive" private school in New Orleans where the local myth is that myth is that "you gotta have money, be the son of an alumnus, or be a genius to get in." How I got in I don't know. I was harassed because I was one of the many work study students attending the school, as well as some of my friends in the same position. A few fights did break out over the taunting. Funny thing is some of those that taunted have had 'challenges" as adults.

 

I am going back to the OP and ad another metric: How well the scouts interact with one another on the patrol, and troop level. I was fortunate in that my troop took all comers. Rich or poor, parents in a mansion or parent in prison, we took you. While we knew who had money and who didn't, we didn't let it affect us. We had inter-patrol rivalries, which is normal, and those rivalries didn't cross over any serious boundaries. BUT when it came time to work as a troop, look out. OR if another troop was causing problems with one of our scouts, WATCH IT.

 

Best case was a troop raiding the shower house, stealing towels and clothing, and then tossing them all over the trails. That didn't happen again

[Tampa Turtle]

I was looking at some data and the high performing patrol seem have higher attendance at campouts and more PL and APL's going.*

 

*That really sticks in my craw. We have too many Patrol Leaders who get elected and are AWOL at meetings and camp outs.

[qwazse]

TT: There are two kinds of absence.

 

The first kind PL no-shows and things fall apart in his absence.

The second kind PL calls APL and preps him for whatever needs done.

 

Either way you're missing a PL. They look the same on the books. But in one way his presence is still made known!

[Deaf Scouter]

Do you do a re-election if the absence is almost every week and cause the patrol problems? Is there a set standard that elected into that position means attendance at 80% of the meetings and campouts for example?

[Tampa Turtle]

We have a 75% attendance requirement but we don't take regular attendance. I am an ASM so I do not do PLC. I have been keeping an eye on the "staff" POR's leaving the "command" guys to the SPL-SM.

 

The Scribe, Webmaster, Librarian, Chaplin's Aid POR's seem to be making an effort this term so I cannot complain. I just see a lot of campouts where the PL and APL are not there for (often good reason). I will talk to the SM this campout.

 

Stuff seems to be running, though. The higher functioning patrols have an abundance of attending ex-SPL's, PL's so usually someone steps into the breech. The struggling ones don't and suffer.

 

It just bugs me. I see guys who want the job and deserve a chance who don't get the opportunity.

[Deaf Scouter]

I've been thinking about the attendance requirement and wanting to bring it up to the committee so I can implement it. I'm struggling to get a good program going when everyone ends up cancelling a campout due to lack of attendance. My last Troop meeting none of the new scouts showed cuz their old den leader who is my ASM was in Mexico. We have a campout this weekend which we are trying to get numbers for.

 

[Basementdweller]

Attendance is irrelevant.....i forget what the guide to advancement say.....the old way said active which meant not on suspension and fees are current

[Tampa Turtle]

What do you do to organize the campout? We require parental signed permission slips and payment usually the meeting before the trip. A sign up sheet preceded that by about a week. We get a few cancellations but also a few additions--which drive me crazy for finding enough seatbelts, grub planning etc.

 

Maybe with the new guys it was just a communication issue.

[Deaf Scouter]

I try to get the sign up sheet going but its like all want to do it at the last minute because they don't know what other schedules are.. *sigh

 

Other times its before getting the actual event locked into the calendar to begin announcing it because of so many conflicts. Next year I'm approaching things differently.

 

I like the active 75% participation. Right now people come when ever they want which makes it so hard with such a small troop in never knowing who is going to be at Troop meetings. It throws plans right out the window many times and having to go to a plan B or C.. *sighs

[5yearscouter]

Basement

what size uniform shirts do you need?

Just boy scout or boy scout and cubbies too?

Cause if I run across extra shirts anywhere I think I could find postage to send them to you.

I might could get you some green scout pants, depends on what size you need. We do tend to have a lot of extra size little green pants being outgrown right after the boys join the troop.

I imagine there may be a few other people on these boards that would try to send you stuff if you were to tell us what you need most.

 

[qwazse]

DS,

 

My situation is like yours. Best I can figure is make sure everyone who comes through the door is welcome and appreciated.

[Basementdweller]

Thx 5 year PM sent.

 

 

Our uniform closet is empty that is why I had to buy a couple new....

 

 

[Basementdweller]

DS and TT

 

What you two are doing should be done by the boys????

 

 

Or am I missing something.

 

The grubmaster makes the menu and collects the money, the trip planner recruits the drivers.

 

Again, the boys should be doing this if they aren't all ready

 

 

In rereading the thread, I will say that my troop camps and is active outdoors more than most that have responded hear. In about 8 hours I leave for another backpacking trip, with the older patrol. We camp 12 months a year and have day events 18 times a year....Just counted them up off the calendar.

 

Now sprinkle in the crew and the Pack.....Glad I get to retire from the Program side of the Pack in a couple of months.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)