A Scoutmaster's Blog

I would guess that most Boy Scouts and adult leaders have seen the enlarging machine skit. The story goes that whatever is thrown in one side of the machine comes out bigger and better on the other side. For example, a tennis ball thrown in one side comes out the other side as a soccer ball. The skit continues as things get bigger and bigger until the final item which is the punch line.

When the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 picked that skit to perform for the Buckskin closing campfire this summer I said, okay, but are you going to give it the Troop 68 twist? After all, Troop 68 does not do most skits the same way everyone else does them. We need to be different. We need to take the old skit and make it new and interesting again.

They brainstormed a few ideas, practiced it a few times, and came up with a version they felt comfortable with doing. Instead of Boy Scouts trying out the new Many Point enlarging machine, they would be a copy of not too bright hippies who decide to give it a go (thus giving the boys a chance to wear their new tie dye tee shirts). Unfortunately, the last enlarging does not go as the hippies had planned.

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You may have read about the Boy Scouts Tom Slade and Pee Wee Harris, but have you read any about their friend Roy Blakeley’s adventures? Roy was another character created by Percy Keese Fitzhugh as he wrote fictional novels about Boy Scouts in the early 1900’s. These books are now in the public domain and can be found on some epub book sites. Here are a couple of books about Roy to introduce you to his Scouting stories:

Download – Roy Blakeley
Download – Roy Blakeley, his story
Download – Roy Blakely, Pathfinder

Do you enjoy reading these books? Would you like me to continue posting links to this blog?

The Swimming Skill Award of the 1970’s and 1980’s is another one of the awards in which the requirements were taken and used in the current ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. This skill award was not a mandatory award needed to earn the First Class rank back then. However, there was a swimming requirement for the rank of First Class which is similar to the current beginners swim test under the Safe Swim Defense.

The requirements of the Swimming Skill Award were:

1) a. Tell what must be done for a safe swim with your patrol, troop, family, or other group.
b. Tell the reasons for the buddy system.

2) Jump feet first into water over your head. Swim 100 m (or 100 yd) with at least one change of direction. For the first 75 m (or yd) use any stroke. For the last 25 m (or yd) use the elementary backstroke. Right after the swim, stay in the water and float for a minute with as little moment as possible.

3) Water rescues:
a. Show reaching.
b. Show throwing.
c. Describe going with support.

4) Show rescue breathing.

And this concludes this series of posts about the Boy Scouts of America’s skill award program. I hope you enjoyed it.

Okay, I admit that I am a bit of a geek. I admit I like the Doctor Who television series. And of course I admit that I like Scouting. So I had to smile when I was directed to this site about Doctor Who keychains and discovered Boy Scouts mentioned in the description of the products. It read:

Be prepared with these timey wimey keychains

The Boy Scouts aren’t the only ones out there being prepared. The Doctor is always prepared for anything that might come his way. And if there’s a problem he can’t fix with his sonic screwdriver, he goes all MacGyver with whatever’s around. We figure if we have any chance of saving the world like the Doctor (or at least our own butts), we’d better equip ourselves properly.

If you are a Scouting and a Doctor Who fan you may want to check this out before it disappears like the TARDIS moving on to a new adventure.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/collectibles/e5c8/?cpg=wnrss

Earlier this year I was posting the requirements for the old BSA Skill Awards. I recently remembered that I have only posted about ten of the twelve awards. So, I thought I better get the last two posted so that all twelve are listed.

The Physical Fitness Skill Award was not a required award to earn the Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class ranks during the 1970’s and 1980’s. It was one that could be used as an optional. Eight skills awards were needed to earn the First Class Rank, five of which were required (Citizenship, Hiking, First Aid, Camping, and Cooking.) The requirements for the Physical Fitness Skill Awards have become various requirements in the current Boy Scout ranks from Tenderfoot to First Class.

The requirements of this skill award were:

1) a. Show that within the past year you have had a health examination by a doctor licensed to practice medicine. If the doctor told you some things to do, tell what you are doing about one of them.
b. Show that you have had a dental examination within the past year.

2) a. Record your best in the following tests:
push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, standing long jump, run-walk.
b. Set goals to do better.
c. Keep a record of how you are doing for 30 days.

3) a. List the four groups of basic foods needed in the daily diet of a boy your age.
b. Tell how this diet helps your body.

4) a. Satisfy your adult leader that you have good daily health habits.
b. Tell how the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs can hurt your health.

I find it interesting how these fitness requirements were optional a few decades ago but are now a mandatory part of every Boy Scout’s advancement program.

A couple weeks ago I went onto eBay and had a bidding binge on various sets of 2001 National Jamboree council shoulder patches. It had been awhile since I worked on my collection and I thought it was time to add a few more patches to the collection. There was a nice selection for sale that evening. I think I must have bid on several auctions, most of them sets of patches but also a few individuals. Most of the auctions went for more than I was willing to pay, but I did win a couple.

I received the 2001 Jamboree Orange County Council CSP seven patch set in the mail today. I am impressed. I had seen one or two of these patches when I was at the Jamboree, but I was not able to even think about getting the set of patches. I was able to buy the patches through the auction at a very reasonable price: $14.00 plus $2.50 for shipping. The patches are in mint condition and have not been worn. This is a great addition to my collection.

I also won an auction for a patch I did not even know existed. It is labeled as the 2001 National Jamboree Scouting Collectors of Minnesota. There seems to be a patch for each of the 50 states. According to the auction site only ten patches were made for each state, each with the same design but a different color scheme. I find that to be a little hard to believe because that very same night I found another of the same patch up for sale. If that is true, I now own 20% of these patches. The value of the patches seem to be directly based on the state. Minnesota was very reasonably priced. New York patches are quite a bit higher priced.

I do collect council shoulder patches from all times and all councils, but the 2001 National Jamboree holds a special place in my collection since I attended as a scoutmaster for Central Minnesota Council 1417. Our patch featured Paul Bunyan and Babe, the blue ox.

Now that I have been playing around with my Flickr account and adding pictures to the site (over 4000 so far), I thought I would share a few of the Flickr groups that are dedicated to sharing pictures of Scouting taken in the United States and around the world. Check them out when you get some time. You just might get a few ideas for your troop’s or pack’s program. Don’t be afraid to join the groups and add your own pictures to the groups.

In 1989, several women who were involved with the Scouting program in Melrose, met at the local community access television studio to do a talk show about Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting in Melrose. The show was titled The Women Of Scouting. It was broadcast several times over the years, usually during Boy Scout anniversary week in the first part of February. This program has been broken down into five parts for use on this podcast.

Part three of this five part series features Clara N. who is the mother of a boy who went through the Cub Scout program and graduated into the Boy Scout program. Clara was a pack committee member and very active in the Cub Scout Pack. She graduated with her son when he became a Boy Scout and joined the troop committee. Her son went on to become an Eagle Scout. When you watch the video you will see her enthusiasm for the Scouting program.

Click here to DOWNLOAD and watch this Podcast.

Subscribe to Melrose Scout Productions Podcast through iTunes (and rate the show)
or at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/melrosescoutingproductions
Leave feedback at the forums at PTC Media.