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Look up while riding a bus or train today, and you'll probably see ads for the latest movie or hit TV show. But if you rode one of San Francisco's famous streetcars in the 1930s, you might have spotted the Boys' Life advertisement seen above.
Horsemanship Merit Badge Wood Badge is finally over. After all these years, waiting for the calendar to sync up with an available slot in the class, yesterday we left Gilwell. I have to admit, it was nice to make new Scouting friends, and get to know more people that have our kids best interest, and…
In this Podcast: Do volunteers have a role in protecting and maintaining the quality of advancement work? This week we answer a question about merit badge applications that raise concerns over the quality of the work done to earn them. Links in this Podcast: Subscribe to the Scoutmaster Newsletter Podcast Music null
A bit of a 'light' Scouting week for Wayne this week as the day job has taken over for a change, however he found time to catch up with Malta's Scouts, and dent his in tray.
The amazing tale of the man who outwitted his Nazi captors is revealed.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW Canoeing Sailing Backpacking Climbing Kayaking Cycling Mountain boarding Trimaran sailing War canoes Our trekking program is unmatched by any Scout Camp in the region, all crews get Kevlar canoes, the latest in cooking equipment (both jet boils and/or whisper lites) along with comfortable PFD's and properly sized paddles.
Huntsville, AL - On Saturday, we teamed up with Alabama Outdoors for a new event in the Huntsville community. We were joined by many local and national organizations like North Alabama Canoe & Kayak (NACK) , Chaco , the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama , Born Wild Ministries , Priority Medical Training , HEMSI Search Dog Unit , and Boy Scouts…
Day 63: The Robotics merit badge gets officially launched on Tuesday. I picked up the merit badge pamphlet at the scout shop today and it's pretty cool. You can see the requirements and worksheet on the Robotics merit badge page.
Once again, time has passed me by.. I suppose it is true what they say about time flying when you are having fun. So here is a quick update, I am not to sure that anything inspirational or motivating will come of this, well maybe.
Busy Monday at work for me. Talked to several Scouts and Parents today. Sent out an email to all the New Parents asking for feedback on their first month in Scouting...good and bad Got some great responses from the New Parents Talked with the Outdoor Chair about some possible issues with April Campout...it all worked…
PROGRAM OVERVIEW Canoeing Sailing Backpacking Climbing Waterskiing Floodwood Mountain Scout Reservation is a high adventure base located in Tupper Lake in the Adirondacks It is owned by the Northern New Jersey Council, Boy Scouts of America. Floodwood specializes in hiking and canoeing treks.
The Newest Merit Badge: Robotics An important part of a Boy Scout's journey, merit badges have been around for over a 100 years. The scouting handbook says "A merit badge is an invitation to explore an exciting subject. With more than a hundred to choose from, some merit badges encourage you to increase your skill…
Indian Lore Merit Badge Today is a great day. Even though it is raining, it is still a bright day--because the Robotics merit badge was launched. I'm excited that this merit badge is out--combined with the Inventing released last year, and the quietly mentioned Game Design coming out in the next 18 months, I'm not…
When people think of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), they envision activities like camping, knot-tying, and canoeing, but soon, they'll need to add robot-building to that list. Scouts in 2011, through the introduction of the Robotics merit badge, now have the opportunity to design, build, and demonstrate a robot of their own creation.
Not a lot of scouting on Sunday, committee meeting, done in about 45 minutes…new record for our pack, and yes, we had attendance. Discussed upcoming pack meetings and getting ready for summer camp…I also mentioned to some of the parents that they should encourage stuffing money into their scout accounts, as we in the troop…
Yeah, I know. This is supposed to be YouTube Tuesday. Well, excuse me (as Steve Martin used to say). I found a great little video on a website called Vimeo that I thought would make an excellent suggestion for today.
This is Show #82 and I am joined by our District Commissioner and our Program Vice Chair in a discussion about Youth Protection and how it effected recharter. Listen in and then weigh in by leaving a comment, feedback, or a voicemail to the SMMVoice mail 503 308 8297.
This is Show #82 and I am joined by our District Commissioner and our Program Vice Chair in a discussion about Youth Protection and how it effected recharter. Listen in and then weigh in by leaving a comment, feedback, or a voicemail to the SMMVoice mail 503 308 8297.
1. Buy the best you need Waking up (or worse yet no being able to sleep) chilled to the bone in a cheap sleeping bag really drives home the importance of having adequate gear. If you and your Scouts aren't warm and dry or don't sleep comfortably you'll have miserable camping trips.
The bulk of today's Scouting activity was working with myroadtoeagle.com. As previously mentioned this "software" (it's all web based) is in beta but it's really moving along nicely. Several times during the day I found some issues and within hours the developer(s) were able to make updates to address the issues I had. We have
What a day for me. Not feeling up to par and have the Troop Physical that evening. The entire day is a blur...meeting starts and by the time it was over I had talked to 130 Scouts and countless adults.
Nothing in our nation's laws requires Americans to spend time volunteering. But still, millions of adults each year give tons of their precious time to the Boy Scouts of America. Why? In honor of National Volunteer Week , going on now, I went in search of an answer.
Cave Junction, OR On Monday, Team West traveled to southern Oregon to work with students at Evergreen Elementary School in Cave Junction, OR. Each classroom that we visited was very enthusiastic about learning Leave No Trace. Pictured above, students from the first and second grade class, pose with their hang tags and their new fuzzy…
Insect Study Merit Badge Typical Wednesday. Plenty of Scouting to do and never enough time to get it done. One fun tidbit today: my quote was prominently displayed on the Scouting magazine blog. Also, forgot to mention yesterday that I have gotten one part of my Wood Badge ticket off and running.
For a blog called Jabbering I don't do much talking
Following on from the launch of the My Body, My Choice sexual health programme last week, a few thoughts come to mind. I have been reading a lot of the press coverage and the vast majority has been extremely positive.
The Scout Association's annual Census results will be released tomorrow.
Today I: Began the long trip home after the cruise Continued reading scouting books Today we pulled into port early in the morning. Based on the fact that our flight back home was not until around 6pm, we were in no hurry to get off the ship.
Being a Scout doesn't make you a hero, but there are a lot of who heroes who were Scouts. Kazimierz Piechowski is one of those heroes. Mr. Piechowski was a young Scout from Poland caught in the wake of Nazi hate. When the Nazis invaded…, in 1939, the scouting movement was seen by the invaders
Kind of a slow day, so maybe some words of wisdom or something like that… Read twice, reply once…I am usually really good about making sure that I have a good grasp on a topic before I make a comment.
Day 65: A scout and his dad came over after school to fix a tent pole in his patrol's tent. Only took about 10 minutes and now he can help teach someone else the next time it's needed. He learned a figure eight stopper knot.
Tom Gillard is a Scoutmaster in Tullahoma Tennessee. We struck up a correspondence after he was part of a session about the patrol method I presented over the internet for a group of Scouters attending a Merit Badge University. Over the past couple of months Tom has written to tell me about his experiences applying…
Todays post comes to you from a field next to an AGI in Essex, why you ask?
Have you ever seen those TV shows where they have hidden cameras, trying to either catch someone doing something stupid or trapping them in a situation they have to explain away? They are great testaments to how people act and what they will do.
The 2nd Wednesday of the month is Troop Committee Meeting. This month is was a little light in members, several were missing but we got business done. My report was about the past month in the Troop....we are averaging 100 Scouts per meeting, reported on the campout success, future plans for the rest of the…
Come join the Daring Adventures program at Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department's Lake Pleasant for a kayaking adventure. Kayaking is relaxing, adventurous and most importantly, fun. Gliding free across the water, seeing wildlife and recreating with friends are some of the best reasons for kayaking!
Ever since its debut in 1904 , the Olympic gold medal has represented the pinnacle of athletic achievement. But if gold signifies the best in sports, why does the Boy Scouts of America use silver to represent its top awards? Take the Eagle Palms, introduced in 1927, as an example.
Carbondale, IL - On Tuesday, Team East joined several Girl Scout troops for an evening awareness workshop. To introduce the scouts to the Leave No Trace program, we drew on various activities from the PEAK program , including What Principle Am I?
Inventing Merit Badge Cranking through some Scouting today! Heading out tomorrow on a backpacking trip--lots of rain scheduled, of course! We have about a dozen Scouts going, and seven dads. The dads are a great group of guys, and this is as much of a chance for them to relax as it is for the…
Census results report a sixth successive year of growth.
Around The Scouting Campfire #23 is ready for your enjoyment. In this episode Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, talk about getting outside to play. The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 sing a song about an experience they had with some cattle.
Around The Scouting Campfire #23 is ready for your enjoyment. In this episode Scoutmaster Steve and Buttons, the radical Boy Scout, talk about getting outside to play. The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 sing a song about an experience they had with some cattle.
• The Troop started working on the Hiking track in Program Resources. Heavy debate ensued as to which camp and trail to take but I'm letting the boys sort that out. • Announced that next week will be our next patrol elections. • Literally took a page from my 1938 SM handbook and played Crows
Tonight's troop meeting wasn't what I had hoped for…smaller turnout. When 5 out of 11 aren't there, it sure makes a difference. We started working on lashings and I didn't really do a good job explaining it… The scouts got it and did well with it, but I think it was something that they didn't…
I first wrote about mess kits five years ago. Most of the advice remains the same but enough has changed to justify and updated version; For a number of years I was stuck on the idea that real campers only carry only specially manufactured camping gear.
2nd Thursday of the month is Roundtable! I love Roundtable! As soon as I walked in I bumped into @mattlackner and we chatted and then someone came up and said how much he loved our Twitter banter, it was @iPublicPolicy.
Compromise is always wrong if it means sacrificing a principle" This was the bold statement I found this week from my fortune cookie and it made me think of the Leave No Trace Principles . If principles are the fundamental truths that guide rationale and behavior, then the Leave No Trace principles guide outdoor behavior and…
Have respect for all things, big or small!
The latest census of Scouts has revealed that nearly 10,000 new people joined the adventure in 2010. Almost half of the number – 4,330 – were girls. This number for the first time exceeded the number of boys who joined (3,796). There are now more than half a million Scouts in the UK, a 14% rise from…
Day 67: I guess it all evens out in the long run. Last year, every weekend campout was warm weather. It was so warm in January that the snowhuts melted, everyone wore shorts camping in April. This winter we were camping during the season's deepest snowfall, the coldest night, and it looks like the last…
Tonight I convinced the wife to be a guinea pig for me and test out a new dutch oven recipe for me. The recipe is pretty simple, I’ve seen variants of it everywhere, but this is the first time I’ve tried it.
Journalism Merit Badge Watching the weather closely. Looks like a lot of storms in the South today, headed this way. We are going backpacking tonight and tomorrow, staying until Sunday. Eleven Scouts and 6 adults headed out for a little adventure--and rain.
There was a fairly decent turnout for this spring's Boy Scout Troop 68 sponsored Dad's Belgium Waffle Supper fundraiser that was held Friday night, April 15th. We served 296 people in all, not counting the Boy Scouts who worked at the supper.
I'm going to be giving a presentation, manning a booth really, at our council's upcoming Tradeshow of Scouting. My planned focus was going to beoffering activities for units about evaluating different types of shelters and how they can be improvised. It's also about understanding the necessities for survival in a natural disaster and how Scout
Thank goodness for Friday. Fish Fry night (that I missed due to work) but got to do a little Scouting.. -worked on my part of the Sunday Eagle Court - chatted with some Scouter - talked to a Life Scout about his Eagle Board next week - worked with the Advancement Chair on some missing awards Yours In…
The other night, I caught the tail end of our District's round table meeting and one of the Scouters brought up the old Patrol trek carts that scouts used many years ago to haul their camp equipment when the boys hiked to camp.
Landscape Architecture Merit Badge Rain started about 3:30AM. All of the Scouts, ages 11-14, were up and ready to go by 7AM. Last night we had 3 miles of up to get to the campsite. Great view over a rock ledge of a neighboring town a couple of miles away.
I have finally completed a major part of a goal I have which is to scan all the Scouting pictures I have taken over the years. On Friday, I finally scanned the last of the pictures from the 1980′s. That is over 2050 photographs that use over 1.5 GB on the hard drive.
The hardest part about volunteering is the realization that not everyone cares or can be convinced to.
Wayne has been in Cumbria welcoming a new Scouting Ambassador, toasting Reivers District's success and remembering what it is like to be new and feeling alone...
You can now enjoy mobile Scouting with the new badge app.
Today was definitely one of the few rare days that's light on Scouting. We worked outside as a family to get the yard and garden ready for summer. After that I spent a couple hours trying to purge the basement. Former Cubmaster now Scoutmaster's basement… Gee you think there was any Scout stuff to be
Law Merit Badge Just gorgeous out today! Since today was kind of an unplanned break from Scouting, I had most of the day to recover from the trip yesterday. Managed to get everything in my pack, including the pack, up on the clothesline.
The first thing you notice when you see the Boy Scout handbooks from the 1950′s is ghost of the American Indian as he rises above the campfire. This is the fifth edition of the Handbook for Boys. By the time the January 1957 version came out they had been a total of 15, 500,000 handbooks…
Four new scouts survived their first (and probably most miserable for awhile) campout with the troop. Friday evening was cold and windy, but the tents got set up before the rain really started. The rain started, turned to sleet, then snow as the temperature dropped.
Sorry for the delay...been a busy weekend and a long Monday ahead prepping for the week. Saturday: - helped out our Troop Swim Coordinator at the local High School Pool. Just about all 141 Scouts have taken the BSA Swim test...and passed - sent out a reminder about the Eagle Court on Sunday - tried to fulfill a…
In this Podcast: Volunteer training past present and future. Turning the tables on you – four questions for listeners to answer! Reflection on an Eagle presentation. Links in this Podcast: What makes a Trained Leader? Subscribe to the Scoutmaster Newsletter Podcast Music null
On St. Patrick's Day 2011, the Heart of Virginia Council received a little extra green-the folding-money kind-from the BSA Alumni Office. The council, headquartered in Richmond, was the Southern Region winner in a random drawing to receive $5,000. Rick Bragga, the National Alumni Committee member who presented the gift, pointed out that the money does…
The Scout Association has launched the My Badges app which contains all the information and requirements for each badge and award from Beavers through to Network. This is an excellent idea which means we can have all the badge requirements available in our pockets on our mobile devices.
Leatherwork Merit Badge Man, am I sore. My leg muscles are rebelling every time I to up and down the stairs. The joys of backpacking! This is Holy Week, so a number of my usual things have fallen off of the schedule.
Cascade Locks, OR. The 3rd annual Trail Skills Collge was held at Cascade Locks Marine Park in Oregon on April 15, 16, and 17. The College, which is free to all, teaches participants about building and maintaining trails. There are a variety of classes to choose from including trail tread construction, cross-cut and crew leadership.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW We run a superb range of sailing adventures for Scouts that offer excellent value for money. Your group can learn how to sail while traveling from island to island in the Sea of Abaco in the beautiful northern Bahamas.
Day 70: You never know where you'll find someone ready to chat about Scouting. Had my dental check this morning and mentioned to the lady doing the check that I had been camping with Scouts this past weekend. She proceeded to tell me all about her time as a Girl Scout leader - my part of…
And now, it is time for a little musical number from a place known as Philmont Scout Ranch in a land called New Mexico. Let us watch and listen to a group of minstrels that go by the name of the Rayado Ruffians as they play the little tune, "Cindy".
Yesterday continued the basement clean-out which meant visits from the ghosts of scouting past, present and future. Piles of personal memorabilia, piles of "hand off to Cubmaster" and lots of ok "I can toss these to the trash." It's a pretty slow process as I don't want to mistakenly throw away a photograph or other
Tuckered out from a LONG weekend of Scouting but I still managed to get some in today: - worked on the Summer Camp Newsletter - prepared the Summer Camp Presentation PowerPoint for the next meeting - chatted with Co-Host @SM_Shawn - entered some 1st Year stuff into TroopMaster - ran some TM Reports for the Troop Guides and Patrol Advisors…
It seems like playing catch up is the norm these days on the blog, I think once this Wood Badge course is over things may settle down just a bit. So let me share with you whats been going on since the last post on Thursday.
I started a new segment on the Podcast this week.. Its called BLOG ROLL! This weeks featured blog is Scouting in the Great Outdoors By Scouter 945. You can about it in Show #83 coming out tomorrow. I am following this blog in particular as I want to see the prep work they do to…
An Eagle Scout Coin Knife by Northwest Territorial Mint makes a great gift for someone achieving the rank of Eagle in scouting. The minted die-struck coin casing is durably designed, with a high-quality finish. The coin knife has a solid weight to it without being bulky, and the tools pull out easily without sticking or…
Lifesaving Merit Badge Paperwork day! Today was all about paperwork. Fill it out, double check, cross-reference, file, save, and send out follow-up emails. It can be so tedious ...but a necessary evil. I should try to find someone to do it, but I'd end up going over it all again anyway.
I am so bad about writing, or am I? I have written more in the last 2+ months than I have written over the last 2+ years. I have had some good words of wisdom, given some good advice and have gotten a lot of positive feedback.
Photo by Flickr user "NJ.." Even Scouts need a reminder to protect our planet. And because Friday is Earth Day, now's the perfect opportunity to talk to the members of your unit about doing their part. Sure, the Boy Scouts of America has a well-deserved reputation for being environmentally friendly, but we can't rest on…
The Membership Impact Department is pleased to announce the addition of Rudy Gonzalez to our staff. In this position, Rudy will join the National Council on April 18 as a membership specialist on the Membership Recruitment Team and will be responsible for supporting the team's primary mission of providing tactical support to local councils in…
I was pleased to interview wilderness medicine pioneer Dr. Paul Auerbach in Scoutmaster Podcast 57. When I asked what common health concerns a Scout leader should watch for he put hydration pretty high on his list. He mentioned Elete in the course of our conversation and said that his fellow volunteers had relied on it…
What a day. Work got in the way of Scouting today. We had some wild weather across Indiana and with the boss on vacation they asked me to help set it up. Nothing sucks worse then being the one who has to call co-workers and let them know they need to either stay to 2am…
I like the simplicity of this patch from April 8′s Name That Council . However, that same simplicity made it nearly impossible to identify the mystery council as Bay-Lakes Council , based in Appleton, Wis. But somehow, Tracy Bess of the Buckskin Council and 70 others figured it out.
fielded an email from a Scout (through his parent) about getting a blue card for another merit badge; emailed another parent about permission for scout to attend upcoming camping trips including summer camp. We've got 2 schools of parents in the troop, those who were Cub parents who are very involved as far as troop
Mammal Study Merit Badge Tenebrae service at the church tonight, so no Scout meetings--parking lot will be full, and a lot of our Scout families will be there. On a personal note, my daughter is very overdue having their baby...and it looks like her kids, my future Cub and his sister, are coming to my…
Episode #6 of WBtv addresses the relevance of the BSA. As we enter our second century of existence, will Scouting be as relevant to kids today as it was in its first century? Are kids and their parents still interested in what we have to offer?
This is an article written by Suz Lipman, Social Media Director of the Children & Nature Network . We just reserved our tickets for the Seattle talk on May 12th. We are so excited! Richard Louv will be coming to Denver on June 7th & 8th.
Beginning in 2013, Venturing Crew members are eligible to participate in the National Scout Jamboree. There has been an overlap between this policy being established and the recent publishing of an updated version of the Guide to Safe Scouting, which states that only Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts can participate.
Well it took 72 days but I finally had a day that I think was Scout free. A couple emails sent and read up on some Scout blogs (including a couple really good posts) but outside of that my contribution for today was zero. OK that was fun now back to WORK tomorrow.
In this show we explore ways that we can encourage our Scouts to find their faith. A Scout is Reverent, so how do we help them practice it? In this show we also start our new segment Blog Roll! This show is sponsored by the Other Scoutmaster Handbook Enjoy the Show!
In this show we explore ways that we can encourage our Scouts to find their faith. A Scout is Reverent, so how do we help them practice it? In this show we also start our new segment Blog Roll! This show is sponsored by the Other Scoutmaster Handbook Enjoy the Show!
What do you do when you have Scouts that do want to advance in rank? What about not wanting to go to Summer camp? What do you do when they just show up and hang out? These are age old questions that I hear over and over again at Round table and in discussions with…
Bring your "A" game…that's what I was talking about with a Scoutmaster Bryan. We have a few issues with our district. In our district, we have what is commonly called the "old war horse" patrol…you know these guys. They are the ones that wear the red, wool jackets, have all kinds of awards and expect…
This recent post from Seth Godin encourages us to think about the way we approach our work as Scout leaders: We train kids to deal with teachers in a certain way: Find out what they want, and do that, just barely, because there are other things to work on.
The BSA has a very good Emergency Preparedness program. It encourages our Scouts and Adults alike to plan and prepare for an emergency. You can read more about it at www.scouting.org. One of the important aspects of the Emergency preparedness program that I find valuable is the extension beyond the family and house.
Sorry, it was supposed to be a Scout Nation evening but that changed when my son got the phone call...he is going for his Eagle Board Thursday night. That meant a little pep talk and some prep for me, getting my uniform ready and practicing my introduction speech :) I stopped by the Scout Offices to…
Menomonie, WI - Last weekend Team East was out in the land of cheese for a two day Trainer Course hosted by Stout Adventures at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. The nine participants were well prepared to take on the challenge of learning how to practice and teach the seven principles of Leave No Trace in both…
