A Scoutmaster's Blog

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. It is an excellent video that is still relevant to today’s Scouting program.

I think it is fun to watch these old videos to see how, or if, Scouting has changed through the decades. What do you think about it? Have you seen this before?

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I did not go along with the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 when they left for their weeklong stay at Many Point Scout Camp on Sunday, July 8th. The boys and the camp were on my mind all week though. I sort of missed being up there with the troop during their summer camp adventure so on Friday, July 13th, I took a day of vacation from work and spent it at MPSC.

I left home at about 8:00 in the morning. I planned to arrive at camp while the Scouts were at their merit badge sessions. I would join them for lunch and their afternoon activities. I even thought about staying long enough to watch the closing campfire in the evening. I did not plan to stay overnight. I purposely left my sleeping bag and cot at home so I would not be tempted.

I arrived at MPSC shortly after 10:00 am. By 10:30 I walked into the Seton campsite of the Buckskin Camp to find assistant scoutmaster Eymard busy in the screen porch reading a novel he had brought along. I took a few pictures around the campsite and sat down for an update of how the week was going. We were the only two people in camp. It was very peaceful.

I had noticed a new building under construction across the road from our campsite. We got up from our chairs and Eymard lead the way to what would be the new Buckskin Handicrafts Lodge. The shell of the building was complete but it still needed siding, screening, and interior finishing. The new building was somewhat larger than the old building which was located about about four or five hundred yards south of the new site. This new lodge also had a basement which could be used as a storm shelter during inclement weather.

Eymard and I took a short walk to the Buckskin Lodge. I was shocked and surprised to see the two buildings (the lodge and the nearby trading post) had been remodeled into one large building. The lodge interior had been totally redesigned to create a larger meeting room, new staff office, and separate staff kitchen/dining room. I think I stood their for a moment with my mouth open as I walked into the lodge. It was no longer the building I had known for the last 25 years, but I liked the way they had remodeled the area. I had know about the new Handicrafts building, but the lodge was a complete surprise.

One new feature of the Buckskin Lodge caught my attention almost immediately and brought home how our lifestyles have changed over the last decade. The small mail cubicles for each campsite had been replaced by new larger cubicles, each having its own electrical outlet for adult leaders to plug in their cell phone chargers and other electronic devices. I was told this was a suggestion from Granny, the camp’s chief cook, who had seen a lot of devices plugged in at the dining hall over the last few years. She thought there must be a better way, so the staff came up with a great solution.

One of the troop’s Boy Scouts was at the trading post when Eymard and I walked in. Eymard decided to go back to the campsite so Alex said he would take me to the other new addition to Buckskin Camp.

A few years ago Many Point closed the old conservation lodge so it could be used for a new purpose. A yurt was erected in Buckskin to serve as the Nature Center. A new permanent nature lodge is now under construction near the yurt. It looks like this new building will also have a basement that will be able to serve as a storm shelter. The yurt may become a small zoo of local critters found in the area.

These new changes have me already thinking that I will need to pay the troop a visit next year when they attend Many Point Scout Camp. I want to see how everything turns out and what, if any, new programs will be provided.

Last month I finally broke down and bought an iPad (the newest version). I have been having fun with it. It looks great and works well. I have to admit, playing Angry Birds on an iPad is a lot more fun then playing on an iPod Touch. I have downloaded dozens of books that are in the public domain, especially all the fictional novels I can find written about Boy Scouting during the early years of the movement. Most of the stories about Pee Wee Harris, Roy Blakely, and Tom Slade are waiting on my iPad’s hard drive waiting to be read.

I have also downloaded a couple of Scouting related apps.The first one was MyBadges, written by Kevin Butler. It is an app which quickly puts the requirements for Boy Scout ranks, merit badges, and other awards on the screen. I have used this app while sitting on a board of review and found it to be quite handy, although one Boy Scout may not agree with me since I found a current requirement that was not listed in his handbook which was about 5 years old. Kevin has been doing a pretty good job of keeping his app current with the latest BSA handbook.

Which brings me to a problem I found. I was going to download the Boy Scouts of America app of The Boy Scout Handbook. After all, I am still involved with Scouting and thought it should be on my new gizmo. I went to the App Store to download it and stopped dead in my tracks. I have not purchased it, and will not purchase it. Here are the reasons why…

First of all, The B.S.A. has not updated the Handbook App since November 7, 2009. Yes, you read that correctly. 2009! For an organization that wants its members and volunteers to stay up to date they have really dropped the ball here. Heck, they come out with a new printed handbook every year. Why should I pay $9.99 to download a handbook that does not even contain the latest requirements for ranks and training?

And the price of $9.99, which just happens to be the same price as a physical handbook, but yet does not let me (or a Boy Scout) write in it and keep track of things like we can in a real physical copy? I think the price should be a couple bucks cheaper but I think I understand the reasoning behind it. After all, I was going to buy it until I started looking closer at it.

Third, the app is only available as an iPhone App. Really? Come on B.S.A., get with the program. Over 50 million of these devices have been sold. I am sure I am not the only Boy Scout volunteer that owns an iPad. I had thought the B.SA. was trying to be more modern and catch up to current technology. It seems to me they have been dropping the ball in a major way with this app.

Fourth. And speaking of dropping the ball, have you read the reviews about the latest version of the e-hanbook? (Which, keep in mind, came out in 2009.) They are not glowing, I can tell you that. The main gripe seems to be that it is not much more then a pdf version of the handbook. Excuse me national office, but if I am going to pay for an ebook, I would like it to be an ebook with at least a fair amount of accessible features. The book should be interactive, like the B.SA. says a Scouting program should be for its boy members.

So, I will not be purchasing the B.SA.’s Boy Scout Handbook app. At least not yet. I would like to, but the national office needs to work on this program and at least update it, if nothing else. Or could it be that this app is not a big enough seller for the B.SA. to care about? That would be a shame.

I would be interested on hearing from you if you use the Boy Scout Handbook app. Do you think it is useful? What is your general impression of it. Write a comment and share your user experience with us.

Everyone seems to do Top 10 lists at the end of a year, or something to review the past year, so Cubmaster Chris and I decided to a list of top Scouting events for the year of 2010.

Each of us chose 5 things to talk about during the latest episode of The Leaders Campfire podcast, covering national and local events. I am not going to print the list here because I want you to listen to the podcast.

Check out the episode (#82) at
http://www.ptcmedia.net/the-leaders-campfire/

What were your top 5 Scouting events for the past year?

Every year since 1982 I have attended a long term camp with the Boy Scouts of Troop 68, Melrose. Most of these have been week-long summer camps, but they also included five treks at Philmont Scout Ranch, one trip to the High Knoll Trail of West Virginia, one trip to the Northern Tier High Adventure Base, and a trip to the 2001 National Jamboree in Virginia.

The troop has attended three summer camps during the last three decades. We have been to Tomahawk Scout Reservation in Wisconsin twice. Crow Wing Scout Reservation in Minnesota was a favorite of the troop for five years. Many Point Scout Camp became our home in the early 1990’s. We have been attending camp at MPSC now for 23 years. The boys really seem to enjoy themselves there.

Five Boy Scouts of Troop 68, along with Eymard, the assistant scoutmaster, and myself, attended camp this year. Once again, we stayed in the Buckskin subcamp of MPSC. This was the fifth year we stayed at the Seton campsite, which is a small site located on the top of a small hill. The site is in the middle of Buckskin, near the lodge, trading post, and shower house.

Troop 68 was one of the first troops to arrive at MPSC on Sunday, July 11th. I think we may have been the first troop in Buckskin for the week. Four of the five boys had already attended camp in the previous years so they knew the routine. They set up their tents, moved in their gear, changed clothes, and headed to the beach front for their swim checks. Eymard and I set up the screen porch and dining fly after they left.

The troop had supper in the camp’s dining hall but the senior patrol leader and his assistant had supper at the lodge with the other SPL’s and ASPL’s in camp. It would be the first of a few meetings they would have during the week with the staff.

After supper, the troops participated in a tour of the camp which took the boys to each of the program areas. It was during this tour that the boys discovered were their merit badge classes would be held. All five of the Troop 68 Scouts would be working on the Weather merit badge. Three would be working on archery (a two hour course), and the other two would work on Lifesaving (also a two hour course). The boys would be busy all morning with classes. Troop activities would fill our afternoons. Open program areas would keep the boys busy in the evenings.

Sunday evening ended with the staff’s opening campfire program. The program was great. It was very entertaining while introducing us to this year’s staff. It was a fantastic start to the week. (Check out the Melrose Scout Production Podcast for videos from the campfire.)

As we walked back to our campsite the boys declared that they would be going straight to bed. They were tired. I was quite surprised. Usually, the boys want to stay up a bit later the first night at camp. It was one of the few times I was in bed at summer camp before 10:30. As I laid there on my cot I thought to myself, “It is good to be back again. Almost like coming home.” As the MPSC rouser states, “Many Point Scout Camp, that’s the place to be.”

I slept well that first night.

It was a good weekend plan. We would arrive at the campsite Friday night, set up camp, have a relaxing evening, sit around the campfire, and go to bed. After breakfast on Saturday we would work with the younger Boy Scouts on their Tenderfoot Rank, play disc golf, try our luck fishing, go for a pontoon ride, maybe go swimming, and end the day with a campfire. We would take down camp Sunday morning after a quick breakfast and head home for Father’s Day.

The permission slips for the outing were due on Monday, the 21st. Only one Scout, out of ten Scouts, turned in his slip on schedule, but others said they planned to attend. One more turned in his fees on Tuesday, another on Thursday. Food was bought Thursday night for five boys and two adults.

I received a call Friday afternoon in inform me that one Scout was ill and would not attend the outing. I received another call after I got home from work from another boy who told me his mother was ill and that a family function had come up so he would not be going on the campout.  That left only one Scout to go camping Friday night since the other two Scouts planned to join us Saturday morning. After a few phone calls, we decided to change it to a one day event.

Saturday morning arrived. The Boy Scouts were to meet at my house at 8:30 am. Only one arrived on time, and he came alone. His brother was sick that morning and would not be attending. The last Scout arrived 20 minutes late. We were down to only two Scouts and two adults. I was not pleased, but there was nothing I could do about it.

We stuck to our Saturday plan. We worked on advancement. We played disc golf. We went for a pontoon ride around the lake. We caught a few fish. We enjoyed eating some-mores around the campfire. It was an enjoyable day for everyone involved.

Unfortunately, food for four people for four meals had been bought. We do not have any other weekend outings planned until August. The dried good will keep of course, but other foods will have to be used.

As a scoutmaster I was disappointed with the turnout, only two for ten. I realize that I have no control over sickness and family activities, but it is still frustrating. I will get over it though. Summer camp is coming in July and we have a decent group attending that.

The Patrol Leader Council (PLC) is one of the key elements of youth leadership within a Boy Scout troop. The senior patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, and patrol leaders use this monthly meeting to plan troop meetings, courts of honor, and the monthly outing. This is one way they practice the leadership skills of communication, planning, and compromising.

Our troop’s PLC meets the fourth Monday of the month, from 6:30 to 8:00 in the evening. They have an agenda which starts with a roll call and agenda approval. Old business is followed by new business which then moves into planning. The planning portion of the meeting, during which plans are made for troop meetings and activities, is usually when things get bogged down. The boys do not seem to enjoy planning things. Of course, as an adult leader, this is when I have to bite my tongue and stay quiet. I could plan the troop meetings in ten minutes instead of the 45 minutes it takes the boys. But if I did that, the boys would not be planning THEIR program. I do not want this to become the scoutmaster’s program.

There are a few guidelines I have put into place though. Troop meeting openings must contain something patriotic and something Scouting. An opening may only be used once per month. The boys must come up with three separate patriotic and three different Scout openings. The same “once per month” also applied to the game and meeting closing. This gives us a fair amount of variety and keeps us from doing the “same ol’ thing” each meeting.

I also encourage the youth leadership to only use one opening, closing, and game from the previous month. This allows us to have five or six different things in each area over a two month period. It makes it a bit more difficult for the PLC, but it works out well in the long term.

The youth leadership takes even longer to plan a troop outing. I encourage them to brainstorm a list of possible activities, then pick the ones they like the best, and finally post them into an agenda. Sometimes this goes smoothly, but other times it is like working with first graders.

Do we always get the work done during the ninety minute patrol leader council meeting? No, not always. If the boys would stay on track they could easily accomplish their goals. They have a tendency to stray from the agenda. Sometimes a look from the scoutmaster to the senior patrol leader is enough to get things back on track. (Sometimes it is the scoutmaster who got them off track in the first place.)

Even though the patrol leader council meeting can appear to be an inefficient way to get things planned, it is a great way to develop youth leadership skills and keep Boy Scouting a program for the boys, planned by the boys. I should know. I have been participating in them for nearly thirty years.

So, you are a Boy Scout, or a Boy Scout leader, who has an iPhone or an iPod Touch. Did you know that there are a few apps available just for you in the Apple iTunes App store? Yep, that’s right. There are now apps available for the Scouting geek in us. These apps range in price from $.99 to $9.99. Too bad they are not free.

The Boy Scout Handbook – $9.99 – Here is the complete version of the latest handbook for your favorite gadget. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-boy-scout-handbook/id327240445?mt=8

eBook, Boy Scout Handbook – $2.99 – Here is a copy of the first edition Boy Scout Handbook. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ebook-boy-scout-handbook/id338143841?mt=8

Merit Badges – $.99 – Would you like a copy of the requirements for each of the merit bdages available to you on your iPod? Here is your wish fulfilled. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/merit-badges/id358082137?mt=8

Guide To Safe Scouting – $2.99 – This one is for all the adult leaders out there that have an iPhone or Ipod Touch. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/guide-to-safe-scouting/id359071452?mt=8

ScoutTracker – $1.99 – Keep track of one Boy Scout’s requirements as he earns the various Boy Scout Ranks. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scouttracker/id347388213?mt=8

Unfortunately, I do not own am iPhone or iPod Touch, yet. I own an iPod Classic. I am waiting for the iPod Touch to come out with a camera. However, that has not stopped me from downloading some apps I wish to put on my iPod Touch. I already downloaded the Merit Badge app and will soon be downloading the Guide To Safe Scouting app. If you have already downloaded and used any of these apps leave a comment here about what you think about them.