A Scoutmaster's Blog

February 8, 2010, marks the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. This year is also the 30th anniversary of Melrose Boy Scout Troop 68, of which I am the scoutmaster. We usually set up displays around town during Scout week so I have some serious work to do in the next couple of days.

Four local businesses have given us permission to place exhibits about Scouting in their lobbies: Central Minnesota Credit Union, Freeport State Bank, US Bank, and the City of Melrose. Each display is designed to fit on an eight foot long table. The displays include literature, books, patches, memorabilia, and photographs.

During the last patrol leader council, we discussed themes for each of the four exhibits. We wanted a different one for each place so people would get to discover more about Scouting. Besides, I do not have enough stuff to do four displays of the same theme. This year’s themes are:

High Adventure – This will highlight the BSA’s high adventure bases but will concentrate on Philmont Scout Ranch. It will include mugs, plaques, posters, and photo albums.

National Jamboree – Since this is the year of the National Jamboree we added this as a theme for one location. I attended the 2001 Jamboree as the scoutmaster for Central Minnesota Troop 1417 so most of the display will feature items from that trip, including the uniform and tee shirt, photo albums, patch collection, and a new shadow box with various memorabilia.

Scouting History – I have collected quite a bit of Scouting memorabilia during the last thirty years and some of it will find its way into this display, including a 1932 Boy Scout handbook and fictional novels from 1911. Last night I put together a shadowbox featuring Boy Scout rank patches from the 1980’s, the current patches, and the special 2010 anniversary rank patches. (See the picture above.)

Boy Scout Troop 68 – This will probably be the largest of the exhibits since I have collected the most on this subject. The hardest part will be deciding which of the thirty photo albums will be a part of the arrangement.

The displays will be set up this Friday and Saturday. Each of the businesses is allowing the exhibits to be in place for two weeks. I have been told that past displays have been popular, especially the photo albums. I will take photos of each of the displays and post them online for you to see. Check back to this blog for an update with the link.

Mike, a former member of Troop 68, recently posted a quick note of our troop’s forum about something I thought was awesome, but mothers may not appreciate. Boy Scouts like guns. Every summer camp has rifle and shotgun ranges. Many Boy Scouts hunt for game when they are old enough. It seems one company has decided to do something a little special for those Scouts during the 100th anniversary celebration. Henry Rifles has created a couple of special commemorative rifle to celebrate not only the Boy Scouts of America, but also Eagle Scouts.


The first rifle (quoted from the website)- The Boy Scouts of America celebrate their 100th Anniversary in 2010. To commemorate this occasion, Henry Repeating Arms announces the release of its Henry Golden Boy “Boy Scouts of America® Centennial Edition” licensed rifle. To mark this milestone, this special rifle features the Scouts Oath, Scouts Law, scrollwork and traditional Boy Scouts of America logo embellishing the receiver, as well as a 100 Years of Scouting logo and Centennial Edition gold filled etchings in the buttstock and forearm.
http://www.henry-guns.com/press_bsa100.cfm


The second rifle (again from the website) – The gleaming nickel-plated receiver is adorned with spectacular engraving hand cut by Henry engraver Rob Bunting. The right side is highlighted by the image of a majestic bald eagle accented by distinctive American scrollwork and a banner proclaiming the proud sentiment of all Eagle Scouts: Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle. The left side bears the image of the famous Eagle Scout™ medal and banners reading Eagle Scout and Boy Scouts of America. The engraved images on both sides and the winged leaf border are selectively plated with brilliant 24-karat gold.
http://www.henryrepeating.com/h004es_eaglescout.cfm


Check the links for pictures of these guns. They are gorgeous. I wish I had a couple of thousand dollars laying around to buy them, but unfortunately, I am saving to replace my car this summer. Besides, I don’t think I could ever bring myself to actually fire one. Have any of you purchased one of these rifles?

This 78th post to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast is the final of four videos featuring the open house held by the Central Minnesota Council on September 2, 2009, to celebrate the “A Century Of Values” tour. This video features other activities that were taking place on the grounds of the council office (displays, bottle rockets, fishing, rope making, bouldering wall, etc). You will see that the Cub Scout age boys had a fantastic time participating in all the fun.

I am sure that you may have heard by now that the United States Mint will be issuing a commemorative coin in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. As authorized by the Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act, the United States Mint will produce silver dollar coins in proof and uncirculated qualities. The United States Mint website now has a page devoted explaining the design of this special coin. The site states:

“The obverse (heads side) design depicts a Cub Scout in the foreground with a Boy Scout and female Venturer in the background saluting. Inscriptions are CONTINUING THE JOURNEY, 1910, 2010, IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY. This design represents the Boy Scouts of America of today, as the organization has recognized the need to include other programs for younger boys (cub scouts) and older boys and girls (venturers), reflecting the great diversity of our nation. It is a dramatic representation of how the Boy Scouts of America has evolved over the past century to form a strong foundation of leadership, service, and community for all the youth of America.

The reverse (tails) design features the Boy Scouts of America’s universal emblem. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, BE PREPARED, E PLURIBUS UNUM and ONE DOLLAR.”

http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/commemoratives/index.cfm?action=2010BoyScouts

I plan to purchase some coins when they become available in the spring. There will only be 350,000 of them made. So I suppose I better buy one, two, or three hundred of them. Oh, wait. These one dollar coins will cost more than one dollar won’t they?

This post to the Melrose Scouting Productions Podcast is the third of four videos featuring the open house held by the Central Minnesota Council on September 2, 2009, to celebrate the “A Century Of Values” tour. Where the first two videos in this series featured the special RV that is touring the country and the presentation of the mural, this video features some of the other activities that were taking place on the grounds of the council office.

The Central Minnesota Council, BSA, held an open house on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, to kick off a year of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Hundreds of people attended. There were plenty of games for the kids, a dinner provided by the Jamboree troops, and several displays showcasing the history of Scouting. There was a lot to do and see. I was there with my cameras, of course.

The Central Minnesota Council, BSA had some very special guests pay a visit on Wednesday, September 2, 2009. Ed Basar, Gordon Draper, David Berger, Don Cimo, William D’Hondt, Kenneth Mills, Ken Norin, members of Team 9 of the “A Century Of Values” RV Road Tour, had arrived in town for the council’s 100 Years Of Scouting open house. Team 9 arrived not only to display the specially designed motor home but also to present the council with a print of a very special mural. (More about this on the next podcast.)

Well, it has finally happened. I guess you could even call it a milestone. I have been the scoutmaster of Melrose Troop 68 for 25 years! A quarter of a century. Over half of my life. I thought I was scoutmaster for a long time when boys started joining the troop who were born after I became scoutmaster. Now I have parents of Scouts who are younger then I am.

When I look back at those 25 years I have a lot of great memories. Oh, there are a few memories that are not so great, but I can honestly say that I have enjoyed most of my time spent with the program.

As this milestone approached I began to think about all the time I have spent on Scouting, and what the statistics would look like. I would like to use this blog to share those stats with you.

I have been to 18 week-long summer camps. I have been to Philmont Scout Ranch six times, five on a trek and one for scoutmaster training. I have been to the High Knoll Trail of Virginia, and Charles Sommers Canoe Base in the BWCA. In 2001, I was the scoutmaster of Troop 1417 at the BSA National Jamboree.

I have attended nearly 270 monthly troop outings. Over 170 of these were weekend camping trips and activities. I have been to 25 troop yearly planning sessions, over 270 committee meetings, and close to 275 patrol leader council meetings. I have lost track of how many district roundtables I have attended.

There has been over 100 courts of honor held during those years. I have seen fifteen Boy Scouts from Troop 68 receive the rank of Eagle Scout. Twenty-two other Scouts made it to the rank of Life Scout. Nearly 250 boys have had me as their scoutmaster.

These statistics represent the time I have spent with the Scouts of Troop 68. They do not include the time spent on the district, council, or national level.

After 25 years I can honestly say that I have enjoyed, and been honored, to spend this time with the Boy Scouts of Melrose. I would like to thank them, their parents, and everyone who has helped with the troop over the years.