A Scoutmaster's 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.

Facebook. Myspace. Twitter. Linked In. Social websites seem to rule the internet these days. Everyone and their grandparents seem to be using them. Most of the Boy Scouts of Troop 68 have a Facebook profile, as do I. In fact, I have an account on all four sites.

None of these sites existed in the year 1999 when I began creating the troop’s website. We added a BBS to the site so the boys could leave messages for each other. When the BBS became over run by spammers we switched to a forum in which members needed to be registered. That eliminated the spam since I controlled who was a member. The troop forums were well used for many years. Until social websites. Until Facebook.

These days the troop forums are seldom used. Part of the reason is that we now have a small troop. But the major reason is Facebook. The Scouts use Facebook to keep in touch online. They can easily share pictures and videos, and they can add friends who are not in Scouting.

To tell the truth, I do not think many of the current Boy Scouts even think about the troop forums anymore. The only people to visit the message boards anymore and actually leave a message are troop alumni who used to use the forums regularly. The site only receives a couple new messages a month these days.

I have been thinking about creating a Troop 68 fan page on Facebook. Has your troop done this? How is it working for you?

(This is part 3 of one of the worst days I had at Philmont Scout Ranch. Amazingly, it ended pretty well.)

Wednesday, August 5, 1992, Day 8

A buck, two does, and a yearling are grazing in the meadow that borders the east side of our site. Tom is trying to in get close for a good shot with his camera. Corey has grabbed mine and moves in on the yearling. The fawn avoids him but the nine point buck moves closer. Tom sneaks around behind the buck and tries to steer him closer to Corey. We are going to have many pictures of deer when we get home.

The excitement never ends. Jason’s water bottle has been attacked by a chipmunk. Greg and Paul keep pushing the blame on each other for the sticks being thrown at each other. I wish they would shut up and drop the subject. It is shortly after 5:30 when the crew gathers around the campfire ring. For the last two days Al has been working on his version of how Santa Claus Camp got its name. It has developed into a full fledged story. The group grows quiet as he begins to tell his tale.

Suddenly, Peter yells. A chipmunk screams. That is right, screams! Everyone turns to see Pete standing halfway up the hill holding a rope in his right hand. Hanging, and I do mean hanging, from the rope by its neck is a chipmunk. Peter has finally caught one after patiently waiting with the noose lying over the burrow hole for the last fifteen minutes. The poor little creature is squirming around like crazy, trying to get get out of its predicament. Finally, after a few seconds, the noose loosens enough for the critter to fall to the ground. In a flash it vanishes. We are not bothered by mini-bears any more that night.

The laughter dies a few moments later and Al once again begins the story of Santa Claus Camp. Al has written an excellent story. The crew agrees. The meadow is a popular place with the deer this evening. There are even more of them grazing. Maybe they wanted to hear the story of old White Cheeks too.

Supper was pretty good but several scouts are complaining that there is not enough food. Josh seems to be near starving. If this is any indication then the Spoden monthly grocery bill must be in the thousands of dollars.

Several of us sit around they campfire and discuss world matters after supper. Others go to the edge of camp to watch the nine deer that are grazing. Four of them are bucks. One of them has a very nice rack on his head. Tim can’t believe what he sees. He sits there with his back against a tree and just watches them.

This is part of the magic of Philmont. Even in today’s fast paced electronic age boys will sit for over a half hour and watch the deer as they graze only twenty feet away. There are not many places left where a person can do that anymore.

Greg, Nathan, and Paul walk down to the showers. They want to get some of the Philmont grime off their bodies. Tonight we have our first campfire. Ross seems to the one who actually wanted it. We all sit around it and enjoy its warmth for the next twenty minutes.

It is time to do Roses and Thorns. Most of the crew agrees that the last thirty minutes of today’s hike was the thorn. Josh and Tim choose their rose and thorn as there being only three days left. Corey surprises everyone by naming today’s hike as his rose. Greg’s rose is taking a shower and being clean again. My thorn is the ‘thirty minute’ hike. My rose is the end of the ‘thirty minute’ hike.

Most of the crew is in bed by 8:45 p.m. Al, Ross, Pete, and Jason stay up a bit longer to enjoy the fire. The evening is turning cool.