A Scoutmaster's Blog

In addition to reciting the Scout Oath, Scout Law, or the Outdoor code as an opening for their troop meetings, the patrol leader council of Troop 68 has looked toward other ways to start their meetings. One code that seemed to make its way into a meeting every month or two is a little thing found in the ninth edition of the Boy Scout Handbook. If you have a copy of the book turn to page 42 and you will find something called the Knight’s Code.

To quote the handbook – “Baden-Powell got the Scout Motto and developed the Scout Law from the code of the knights of old.” This code is:

Be always ready with your armor on, except when you are taking your rest at night.
Defend the poor, and help them that cannot defend themselves.
Do nothing to hurt or offend anyone else.
Be prepared to fight in the defense of your country.
At whatever you are working, try to win honor and a name for honesty.
Never break your promise.
Maintain the honor of your country with your life.
Rather die honest than live shamelessly.
Chivalry require that youth should be trained to perform the most laborious and humble offices with cheerfulness and grace; and to do good onto others.

I think this is a pretty good code to even live by in today’s world. Other then wearing that heavy armor, that is.

When I was a Boy Scout in the 1970’s there was no such thing as a home video recorder, so there was not a Cinematography Merit Badge. There was the Photography Merit Badge, however. I like taking pictures so I thought I would try earning that badge. I grabbed my Kodak Instamatic camera that used 126 film, a merit badge book, and began taking pictures.

One of the requirements for the merit badge was to tell a story with photographs. I decided to do a story of the missing cookie mystery. The members of my troop would be the “actors” of my story. Even my scoutmaster got in on the action. He held sheets of paper with my opening and closing titles. I discovered, after the film was developed, that the writing on the paper was not dark enough and it was difficult to read the titles.

The plot of the story was simple. The troop’s snack, a batch of cookies, had disappeared. It was up to the troop members to find them. They began searching the building in which we had our troop meetings. Pictures were taken of my fellow Scouts looking in various nooks and crannies. They finally catch the cookie thieves in a corner of the balcony, eating the evidence.

Unfortunately, I never finished the merit badge. I do not know why not. Maybe I lost interest, or we lost our counselor. All I know is that I still have the photographs of my picture story. Here are the pictures for you to view, in the order they were meant to be used. The photos are thumbnailed. Click on any for a larger view.

100 Days of Scouting: Day #10.

As we enter the second week of 100 Days of Scouting, I thought it might be fun to ask you all a few trivia questions and see how you do. Just like in previous trivia posts, the questions from this one come from the 1986 Scout Trivia book. These questions are taken from the “Social Skills” section of the book. (Keep in mind that these questions were based on the 1984 edition of the Boy Scout Handbook.) Good Luck!

1) What causes fainting?

2) Which flag was raised over General George Washington’s headquarters on January 1, 1776?

3) There are seven basic silent Scout hand signals to direct a group of Scouts. Name four.

4) Most accidents are minor. Name three accidents called “hurry cases”.

5) What part of the Boy Scout uniform can be used as a cravat bandage?

6) Why would a few coins in your pocket be helpful in an emergency?

7) What system of signaling uses two flags?

8 ) What is the dignified way to destroy a Uniter States flag?

9) What direction does blood flow in an artery?

10) What are three ways you can make your community the best it can be?

Are you done?

Are you sure of your answers?

You are? Hmmmmm.

You better look them over one more time.

By the way, this is 100 Days of Scouting, Day 9.

Okay then, here are the answers…

if you are sure you are ready for them.

1) Not enough blood going to the brain.
2) The Grand Union Flag.
3) Single rank, council, troop circle, open columns, close columns, parallel file, dismissal.
4) Breathing has stopped, blood is spurting, poison has been swallowed, heart attack.
5) Scout neckerchief.
6) They can be used for a pay phone. (If you can find one in 2011.)
7) Semaphore code.
8 ) Burn it.
9) Away from the heart to the body.
10) Know your community, take part in it, feel pride in it.

How did you do? Which questions caused you to get out your old handbook?

When Mike Rowe attended the 2010 National Jamboree Arena Show the Boy Scouts went nuts! At that moment he was more popular then a rock star. And to top it off, he is an Eagle Scout. Did you know that a couple of Scouts had the chance to interview him while he was at The Hill? Yes they did. They asked him why he was not wearing his uniform. They asked him why he did not use all his powers to get a Dirty Jobs merit badge passed by the national office. They even got him to sing a song he remembered from his days as a Boy Scout. In other words, it was a fun video to watch.

100 Days of Scouting – Day 8

Monday nights are troop meeting nights. Tonight the older boys will be reviewing things for the Personal Management merit badge. Our two younger Boy Scouts will be finishing their Tenderfoot Ranks requirements (at least, that it the plan). I am hoping that the boy who came to our meeting last week to “test the Scouting waters” will be back this week. I also plan to show the Cubmaster the first draft of the Pinewood Derby trading cards I made to see what he thinks about them.

It will be a busy night, but I am used to it. I have been doing it for 30 years. In fact, if this troop ever folds, or if I decide to resign someday, I am going to have a hard time filling all the free time I will suddenly have.

I collect Boy Scout handbooks. I started collecting them shortly after I became a scoutmaster. I would check out any used bookstores that I would come across to find any Scouting themed books; handbooks, history books about Scouting, fictional novels. I have a decent collection. I have noticed that books in the used bookstores have gone up in price, dramatically at times, so I would guess that more people have been collecting them also. The last few books I added to my shelves have come from eBay.

The oldest Boy Scout Handbooks in my collection are from 1932. I was lucky enough to find two of them over the years. Both are in pretty good condition. Both have writing in them from the boys who once used the books. It is fun to look through them and see how Scouting has changed over the years, especially the advancement program. It is also interesting to how the Scouting program has not changed. Outdoor program, character building, and values are still an important part of the program. The more things change, the more the stay the same.

Do you collect handbooks? What is the oldest one in your collection?

The Scouter Mom blog posted an article today that caught my attention, and moved me to action. The article was about Cub Scout Trading Cards, similar to baseball trading cards. She described it as a possible den or pack project.

This gave me an idea. Now that I am a committee member of the Cub Scout Pack, and the photographer of this year’s Pinewood Derby, I thought I could take this card idea one step further and create 2011 Pinewood Derby cards. I opened the Pages program on my MacPro, picked out a business card template I thought would work, and went to work.

I had taken photographs of each of the Scouts holding their car, and a separate picture of each car. Both pictures were used on the front of the card with the boy’s name. On the back of the card I used a couple Cub Scout logos and the pack’s name and location. Then I printed them on business card stock. The picture above is the back of the card. The picture below is the front.

I think they turned out very well. I plan to make a set for each of the Cub Scouts who participated in the Pinewood Derby and present each Scout with a set at the Blue and Gold banquet this month. Have any of you ever done anything like this?

100 Days of Scouting, Day 6.

Today is the fifth day of the 100 Days of Scouting program. What do I write about? Hmmmmm. How about a quick shout out to Boy Scout Troop 68’s Charter Organization? For over thirty years the Melrose VFW Post 7050 has supported our Scouting program. They have been the troop’s sponsor since it began in December 1979.

Last night I received a phone call from Jim, the post commander. The VFW has had some tough times during the last few year and is in the process of selling its building. Jim needed to move boxes of records and stuff and was wondering if I could get a couple Boy Scouts to help. “That might be a bit tough on a Friday night”, I replied, “but I could give you a hand.” The only thing I was going to do was to post a podcast to the website. I met him at the building and it did not take long for the two of us to load his truck, unload his truck at another storage place, and load it a second time. We were done within an hour and I was able to do my good turn for the day.

How many other troops out there are sponsored by a VFW post?