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How effectively you apply the Scouting advancement method hinges on how well you understand the subject. The National Advancement Team has released a bunch of new educational resources that you ought to check out. While Scouting advancement is at least some part of leadership training I think we owe it to our Scouts to take…
New Dutch Oven Recipe for Boy Scouts
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: Pioneering is the knowledge and skill of using simple materials to build structures that are used in a wide range of Scouting activities.
We formed our new troop last month and we had to start afresh with troop equipment. Due to limited funds and a commitment to get "back to the basics" we decided to forgo gas / propane stoves for the patrols …
YOU’LL USE IT AGAIN AND AGAIN The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: A butterfly knot is a fixed loop tied in the middle of a rope.
It's been a couple of years since I designed the old Scoutamstercg.com and it was past time to add some new features that should make things easier to find. I've re-grouped the articles to a better category structure that you can access from the ‘index' tab in the menu.
Registration for the 2013 National Camping School session is now available online. The site is available only to local councils, which will verify that the applicants have been approved by the Scout executive or designee. Here is the registration link: reservations.scouting.org/profile/form/index.cfm?PKformID=0x29489461a .
Seth Godin recently posted this concise analysis: There are only three reasons to really chew someone out for something they did, only three reasons to have an emotional tantrum, to use cutting language and generally make them feel lousy: 1.
The Outdoor Programs Committee at the February board meeting approved the following change to NCAP and Guide to Safe Scouting . This change takes effect immediately. As we reprint publications, the language will be changed. The change now allows Tiger Cubs to attend resident camp with their adult partner or guardian.
Our Blue and Gold Banquet is next week, and that has me thinking about the Webelos to Scout transition. There is quite a bit of difference between the Cub Scout program and the Boy Scout program (or at least there should be) and often Scouts struggle with the the change as they leave Cub Scouting…
Today's Sunday coffee is gear heavy. eerrrr light. This week I once again received a few pieces of the Birthday list. Dutch Hooks to add to the z line for the tarp and my new stove the solo stove. Here are the links to see these items close up.
Cyber liability is one of the most rapidly growing areas in today's use of Internet-based operations. The threat of hacking and stolen data reinforces the need to evaluate your security procedures and develop a written information security plan, or WISP.
You are good enough. Most people are afraid to do things because they are afraid they're not good enough
Cub Scout leaders are among the most committed of our adult leadership. They way overspend their "one hour a week" planning and conducting weekly den meetings and field trips, planning pack meeting participation, scheduling meeting rooms, sending out newsletters, wrangling …
The Ocean Rules. No Pun Necessary. Is there a better place for high adventure than the high seas? Not likely. That's why Sea Base exists. If it has to do with the ocean, and it's fun, it's probably something you can do at Sea Base.
Posted in Outdoor Recreation Venturing Ranger Award Elective – Hunting To complete the Venturing Ranger Award requirements for Hunting , a Venturer must take a hunter education course, learn about hunting rules and regulations, and plan and carry out a hunting trip.
The Journey of Scouting includes the Journey of Webelos Scouts. It is vastly different from that of the Tiger, Wolf and Bear Cubscouts. First, there is the Webelos Rank itself. Then there is the Arrow of Light Rank. All obviously must be completed before the awarding of each Rank. Over the past 18 months or
Tonight, the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 will use their troop meeting time to begin sales of their spring fundraiser, a Dad's Belgium Waffle Supper to be held on Friday, March 22. The Scouts' parents will drive them around town as they try to presell as many tickets as they are able in one…
Derek Hansen, Scoutmaster, lightweight backpacker, and as his website says "hammock enthusiast", recently sent me a copy of his book "The Ultimate Hang". It is an illustrated guide to hammock camping and a book that even the most experienced hammock camper or backpacker should have on their shelf.
As we begin the use and implementation of the new camp standards and the National Camp Accreditation Program , this update is being provided to clarify which items are required this year by each council. In general, the process begins with a focus on the camp assessment process.
In this podcast a discussion with Scoutmaster Jeff Kvistad, Jeff's troop is unusual in several respects, but much like every other Scout troop in others. I think you'll enjoy hearing Jeff tell us the story of his troop and what they do.
Put most simply, the sheet bend a very useful knot. It’s a very basic joining knot for tying two ropes together, and when a lot of pull is applied, it’s easier to undo than a square knot (reef knot). It is most always referred to as one of the most essential knots to learn, and…
The classic chariot race has been run in a variety of ways. This one uses an H-Frame Trestle , which is the basic component of many pioneering projects. For that matter, in pioneering circles when we refer to a trestle, we mean the H-Frame, so there should be no confusion.
The IRS recently released the Form 990 and instructions to be used to meet the May 15, 2013, filing deadline. Many local councils have engaged an auditing firm to prepare their Form 990. Please note that your executive board needs to review your council's Form 990 before you file it with the IRS.
I have collected a fair number of Scouting related items during the thirty-plus years I have been involved with our local Boy Scout Troop. One of these items is a vhs tape of Boy Scout Leader Fast Start Orientation from 2002.
Posted in Fitness Baseball Pin for Cub Scouts Are your Cub Scouts thinking about baseball season already? The baseball players in your pack can earn the Baseball pin from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program. If they play on a organized team they have probably already done many of the...
As I pointed out last week in a post, the Pack Committee submitted me for the Unit Leader of Merit Award as Cubmaster. It is and will always be one of the great highlights within my life to be a part of Pack 221. To be honored as such at the Blue & Gold, was
One of the things I like about Scouting is how the entire program from Tigers (or Lions now) to Eagles gradually provides age-appropriate opportunities for growth in the areas of character, citizenship, and fitness. One of the many tightropes a scout volunteer leader, such as den leader, cubmaster, and scoutmaster, needs to walk is balancing…
I've watched Scouts who struggle with the traditional square lashing (especially getting it tight enough) learn the Japanese square lashing quickly and go on to actually building stuff rather than fiddling with lashings. The Japanese Square Lashing is a vast improvement over the traditional square lashing Scouts normally use that involves tying clove hitches.
You might need to put on a jacket if you spend too much time studying the mystery photo from the January-February "Where Am I? - Freeze Frame" contest . The frosty scene appears to have stumped many of readers last month. Out of 208 guesses, lucky reader Ben Lake of Georgetown, Texas , (number 92) takes home the…
Click to open March 1 issue The March 1 issue of the Finance Impact Department's e-Letter has been published and is available online. While continued deliberation and input on changes to our membership standards will prove healthy and in the long-term interest of the movement, the public manner in which this debate has been inadvertently…
A compete amateur radio station in a box can be sent to your council for free*! Too good to be true? Nope. That's the offer from Icom America, the BSA sponsor I told you about in June that will supply radios to the 2013 jamboree.
Roundturn with Two Half Hitches The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: This is one of the basic knots that is very reliable for a number of uses in pioneering work.
There has been much said, yeah.. even here on this blog, about how Scouting has changed to meet the needs of the lowest common denominator. A greater emphasis on merit badge work shops and staying within an arms reach of a cell phone.
The Journey to Excellence council dashboard was due to be updated with 2013 data on February 8. However, the 2013 results are not yet available, and we apologize for the delay. There is a significant project under way that includes a new data management system, and this project has a major impact on JTE.
Richard Francis "John" Thurman (4 April 1911 – April 1985) was Camp Chief of Gilwell Park from 1943 to 1969. In 1943, he introduced the Gilwell woggle awarded on the completion of basic training, and the Gilwell scarf and the Wood Badge beads were awarded on the completion of Advanced Training.
A Scout is Reverent. A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others." Excerpted from page 47-54, Boy Scout Handbook, 11th Edition, (#33105), copyright 1998 by BSA, ISBN 0-8395-3105-2 I like this type of religion. It's my style. There isn't any falling down in the
Physical Fitness Troop Program Feature for Boy Scouts The Boy Scout Planning Guide suggests a Physical Fitness Troop Program Feature for March 2013. This program feature offers the opportunity to introduce concepts of exercise diet, and healthy habits in a troop setting.
Do Cub Scouts have improved character, health, and academic achievement over boys who aren't in the program? Empirical evidence says yes, but soon we'll have scientific data to support what we all think we know. This September, a three-year study by Baylor University and Tufts University will seek to answer that question and more.
As a Scouting employee – whether you work at the National Council or at one of our local councils throughout the country – you are one of our most valuable resources when it comes to delivering our program. To gauge how well we're supporting you in this mission, we conducted our first-ever online employee engagement and satisfaction…
The fall 2012 executive summary and the fall 2012 highlights infographic are now available online. (Go to www.scouting.org/jte and scroll to the Voice of the Scout section, then click the link for Findings and Analysis.)
Have you heard about the new MyScouting Tools? The MyScouting Tools recently became available to volunteers and leaders, and many have expressed positive feedback. Designed to encourage volunteer involvement and empowerment, some of the current features available include the ability to update their primary address, phone number, and email address; and the ability to view…
Improve your council's JTE score with the new 2013 Council Toolkit for Success . (Also available at www.scouting.org/jte by clicking on the bullet point in the Scorecard or Council Tools section.) The purpose of this tool is to provide volunteers and employees resources to help them improve the Journey to Excellence score in their service area.
The February issue of Marketing News has been published and is now available online. In this issue, read more about "Marketing the Adventure of Scouting"! 2013 is unofficially dubbed "The Year of Adventure" in Scouting. With the Summit High Adventure Base opening, the 2013 Jamboree in July, Philmont's 75th anniversary, and the new reality TV…
Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Boy Scouts who want to learn more about conserving our natural resources can work on the Soil and Water Conservation merit badge . Conservation isn't just the responsibility of soil and plant scientists, hydrologists, wildlife managers, landowners, and the forest or mine owner alone.
What's your favorite thing to do when it comes to Scouting or Venturing? Archery ? Service ? EMS ? Whatever it is, you probably know a ton about it. You're probably even pretty good at it. And with great knowledge comes great responsibility.
BSA driver Scott Lagasse Jr. Do your Scouts like fast cars? Do I even have to ask? Let's face it: Getting your guys to tune in and cheer on the BSA's No. 8 car at this weekend's NASCAR Nationwide Series race won't be too tough.
Last fall's Voice of the Scout results have been out for some time now. I have looked at it a few times but quickly grew frustrated with trying to figure out what it was saying or what it all meant.
Today, the BSA National Council is drawing attention to a study conducted by Baylor University . Funded by the Templeton Foundation , this was an independent study of the differences between adults that were Eagle Scouts, had been Boy Scouts, and those that were never Scouts.
The results are in, and it's been another banner year in the BSA's Journey to Excellence. More than 90 percent of our 286 councils earned bronze, silver, or gold recognition in 2012, with 64 percent of councils improving their total points or remaining gold-level performers.
The reality TV show "Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout?" will premiere on the National Geographic Channel on Monday March 4 , at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central time. You can find resources like fliers, posters and Web banners to promote the show online here .
The other day I received my latest copy of Scouting Magazine. (For those of you unfamiliar with that publication, it is the B.S.A.'s official magazine for adult leaders of the Scouting program.) I have always enjoyed reading Scouting and often got a pointer or two from each issue.
Everybody is on! Some years ago a newly-formed and very young troop, barely a year old, attended a Council-wide Camporee. One of the patrol competitions was an Everyone on the Tripod race. They entered three patrols. When the smoke cleared, and the judging was completed, out of over fifty patrols present at the camporee, they…
This is a simple and quick way to tie a tripod lashing. The wraps are not woven in and out between the spars. The running end is just simply wrapped around all three, rather tightly. Gerald Findley refers to this lashing as a Tripod Lashing with Plain Turns.
Win $25 because Boy Scout Trail hit 1,000 likes on Facebook this week! That means for every person that likes Boy Scout Trail, about 41,000 people like Sponge Bob Square Pants. :-) But, hey, it's a start. To celebrate, I'm giving a $25 Scout Shop gift card to a random one of those Likers .
For Founder's Day : I came across this postcard in a collection of Scout memorabilia. Drawn by Baden-Powell, this series of cartoons was first published in 1918. More information about the series is available in an article by William Hillcourt .
On Saturday 2nd of Feb, I completed Challenge Number 18 on the 40B440 - Go watch Gloucester play rugby
The last post to the Melrose Scout Productions Podcast contained the first of three parts of an eleven year old Boy Scout Leader Fast Start Orientation vhs tape I have in my Scouting collection. This post features part two of that training tape which covers the troop Outdoor Program .
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That's a trick question. Yes, they can. Effectively immediately, the policy forbidding Tiger Cubs from attending resident camp has been reversed. As Scout Wire first reported yesterday , the change allows Tiger Cubs to go to resident camp with their adult partner or guardian.
BSA Tiger Supplemental Den Meeting Plan I – Go See It: See a Performance BSA provides a set of Tiger den meeting plans for Cub Scout den leaders. There are 16 basic Tiger den meeting plans and then some additional supplemental Tiger den meeting ideas.
Larry Green (no relation) has an excellent website and blog on the subject of Scout Pioneering : My name is Larry Green and for over twenty years, I've been a student of the late, greatly-loved and widely admired Adolph Peschke, author of the (previous) Pioneering Merit Badge pamphlet, and the acknowledged designer of thirty original "boy-sized…
I don't get paid to blog. Matter of fact, I don't even pay for the website, it's a free service from WordPress.com, that's why sometimes you see the odd advertisement down at the bottom. It's a hobby and probably a …
Sir Robert Baden-Powell was born on February 22, 1857 making today his 154th birthday. After returning from Africa as a hero in the Bohr War he noticed his military manual "Aids to Scouting" was being used by boys all round the country.
The following text and some of the drawings are by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: We could imagine the first lashing made by man was wrapping a few strips of bark around a stone to hold it to a tree branch…
The challenge built into this activity comes into play after the lashing is finished. The patrol is simply building a very well-lashed A-frame. As with all pioneering endeavors, team work is essential. With this challenge, it’s absolutely necessary! Alligator Pit Materials for each patrol: 2 4″ x 8′ spars to serve as A-frame shear legs…
It’s a race, but, you got to tie ‘em tight! The square lashing is the basic type of lashing for most pioneering projects. The more a Scout ties them, the more they become like second nature. That means, when the tying of an efficient and tight square lashing is “no sweat,” building a pioneering structure…
The following text is by Adolph E. Peschke as presented in the 1998 printing of the 1993 edition of the Pioneering Merit Badge Pamphlet: Once you learn to tie and use the constrictor knot, you will wonder where it has been hiding in all those knot books and why it isn’t in wider use today.
This weeks Sunday Coffee with Scoutmaster Jerry is full of coffee and adventure.. This weekend our Troop camped out up at White River on Mt. Hood. It was a great time and lots of skills practiced and learned. Sunday Morning around 4:00 AM our Troop encountered an unexpected attack.
Did you know much about leadership before becoming a Scout leader? Perhaps you did, if you were a Scout as a youth, or you were a class officer, team captain, or president of your JA company. In the work world, …
The last two posts to the Melrose Scout Productions Podcast contained the first and second parts of an eleven year old Boy Scout Leader Fast Start Orientation vhs tape I have in my Scouting collection. This post features part three, the last part of that training tape which covers the Troop Committee.
Venturing Ranger Award Elective – Lifesaver To earn the Venturing Ranger award, a young man or woman must complete eight core requirements and four electives. One of the electives to meet the Ranger award requirements is Lifesaver. To complete the Venturing Ranger Award requirements for Lifesaver , a Venturer must have a BSA Lifeguard certification or Red…
This podcast features our February Scoutmaster panel discussion. We answer email questions about how positions of responsibility are determined among youth leaders and the Scoutmaster's role in making this happen, offer some advice for how to go about getting a Troop that's off track back on track, and the issues involved in replacing a Scoutmaster…
The premiere of Are You Tougher Than a Boy Scout? is close enough we can taste it. In fact, it's close enough that we can now set our DVRs to record the six-episode series, which debuts at 8 p.m./7 p.m.
For Daniel Bolen, r iding the bus will never be the same. Not after the middle schooler was dropped off at school last week by NASCAR driver Scott Lagasse Jr. in his No. 8 Boy Scouts of America Chevy. Daniel, wearing a racing helmet that's his to keep, strapped in as Lagasse zipped through the…
Being an expert marksman is all about discipline. Develop that and your skill, accuracy, and precision will fall in line. Feeling like you're dialed in? Then you can help others by volunteering for a staff position at The Barrels . As you can see from the photos above, things are shaping up nicely for shooting sports…
Marbles Belt Loop for Cub Scouts Marbles is a classic outdoor game which kids can still enjoy today. So have your Scouts grab a bag of marbles, draw a circle on the ground and earn the Marbles belt loop from the Cub Scout Academics and Sports program .
It is the Scoutmasters obligation to work to achieve the Aims of Scouting… that's pretty much it. To do that it should be every Scoutmasters goal to get every Scout to the rank of First Class not Eagle Scout. If you take a look at the requirements to achieve the First Class rank you will…
Don't believe that Train and Carly Rae Jepsen are actually performing at the 2013 National Scout Jamboree? You don't have to take my word for it any more. Now you can hear it straight from the performers' mouths. Below, check out short video clips of Train, the closing show headliner , and Carly Rae Jepsen, the…
We had our first Court of Honor with the new troop last night. Went pretty well, the SPL and MC followed a standard script, they had a bunch of scouts they recruited to light candles, say the opening and closing …
First, you can give up your seat on the sidelines and get into the game. Paying visitors this summer can sample some of the same high-adrenaline activities that the Scouts experience. At past jamborees, a lot of the fun stuff - BMX, climbing, shooting sports - was off-limits to visitors.
Sometimes it seems we are doing all the right things but the results we are hoping for never materialize. When Scout leaders grow frustrated with their work it's usually because they are making one or more of the following mistakes: 1.
I have a really crazy idea. It has been floating somewhere in my mind for over a year now. I've thought several times about posting it here but for some reason I haven't. Maybe it's because things have slowed down for me (Scouting-wise) that I finally decided to do it.
When the Boy Scouts of America reaffirmed its long-held membership policy last June after months of media coverage and national attention to the issue, some leaders thought that signaled an end to the conversation. Not so, as you no doubt know.
It's not so bad when you're right by the cars on a weekend campout, but if your food is lost while deep in the backcountry on a high adventure, you can be in big trouble. With a couple days hiking between your crew and the nearest trailhead, running out of food probably won't kill you…
Yesterday a Boy Scouts of America review of ‘Values and Membership Polices' was announced on the Scouting Magazine Blog where a link to this B.S.A. website with comprehensive information about the review is available. I'd suggest reading the information available there for a pretty thorough understanding of how the membership policy of excluding people based…
Simple Indoor Closing Flag Ceremony One of the most popular posts on my site it the Simple Indoor Opening Ceremony . This is a very basic ceremony to open your den, pack, or other meeting. But what to do at the end?
Most first aid training is based on a "rapid response" assumption. That is to say that you are less than 30 minutes from an Emergency Medical Service response. Scouts are often doing things in areas where that response is much, much further away.
Finally, something everyone in our nation's capital can agree on: The Boy Scouts of America prepare youth for life. That's why the BSA sends a delegation of Scouts from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and Scouting programs to Washington each year to deliver the Report to the Nation .
Using the 14′ Double Ladder Signal Tower as a point of reference, here are plans for a very tall campsite gateway that should stand out (and up) and serve as an impressive feat of Scout engineering. Since this 14′ structure won’t be climbed on, the spars can be considerably thinner in diameter.
Allow me to play devils advocate here for a minute. There has been quite a bit of discussion lately via email and in Scouting circles in which I find myself regarding Scouts in our programs. One argument is that Scouting is for every young man, the converse is that Scouting is not for everyone.
Sculpture Merit Badge for Boy Scouts Working on the Sculpture merit badge give Boy Scouts the opportunity to create three dimensional art. This merit badge introduces Scouts to sculpture, an art form that allows an artist to express what he sees and feels by using these three dimensions by shaping materials such as clay, stone…
While representatives from the Boy Scouts of America toured the nation's capital this week, guys and girls from Scouts Canada did the same - only 500 miles to the north. The BSA's Report to the Nation was delivered this week in Washington, D.C.
Hey, there's a lot going on today, but this is much more important and I just had to share. I love Physics. I love Oreos. I love Portland, Oregon. I love inventors. I love dry humor. And, this video has it all !
35 years ago, Kathy Hall was a single mother of three in search of a male role model for her then 7 year-old son. She decided to enroll him in her neighborhood Boy Scout troop, under the Grand Towers district.
The Central Minnesota Council, B.S.A. is taking Scouting to new heights this summer when they sponsor the St. Cloud Air Show on July 20-21, 2013. The weekend promises to be a blast and will feature special events for local Boy Scout troops and venture crews.
In the beginning, there were two things that drew a boy to Scouting. One was the adventure and fun activities involved. The other was the romantic idea of being a real man--a Scout. When I read Baden-Powell's works it seems to me that he was intent on taking the lowest, meanest, roughest boys, giving them…
It's that time of year when everyone is busy planning and gearing up for an exciting year of activities ahead! Our customers are already eagerly sending in orders for their awesome shirts for upcoming events and we've already received some fun photos to share!
________________________________________ We talk about "Scouts in Action"… How about a "Scouter in Action" in one of the least-probable locations on the planet!? Check out this video, sent to me by John Fox, of the Daniel Webster Council, NH. It's the story of Keith Blackey, a veteran of the Vietnam War with a lifelong involvement in Scouting.
