Scoutmaster

Recovering Slowly

I haven't posted to the blog for several days owing to a computer hard drive that decided to go bad. I am slowly recovering, although I lost (apparently) lots of data.

Thanks for your patience and continued readership - things will be back on an even keel next week.

For what it is worth take the time to back  up your documents and pictures - mine are probably gone for good.

Solar Camping

Solar power can be harnessed to heat water, charge batteries and even cook on campouts. I doubt these ideas will ever supplant fires or stoves but they may go a long way to reducing our impact and practically educating our scouts (and ourselves) about the viablility of these technologies.

The Solar Cooking Archive has several projects readily adaptable to camping and an excellent FAQ
The Minimum Solar Box Cooker made from two cardboard boxes looks promising.
Solar water pasteurizer from recyclables.
Solar Shower heat water for showers, washing dishes and general use. Bag holds 5 gallons, has a flexible shower hose and on/off spigot.
Solar Battery Charger available to charge 2-4 AA batteries for flashlights, cameras etc.
Solar Water Heater built from rubber pond liner that recirculates into a five gallon plastic bucket. The article suggests that the water could be heated to over 100F (110F is suggested for hand washing and 180F for sterilyzing dishes). The water in the bucket could be used to heat water with another coil or in a pot instead of being used directly.

1928 Principles of Scoutmastership

I found this circa 1928 document noodling around on the web.
"Principles of Scoutmastership In Relation To Boy Development"  begins by defining the development we seek for our scouts, how scouts think, how they develop, what Scouting does to effect that development and what the Scoutmaster can do to further the process. This nearly 80 year-old advice is a sound now as the day it was written; some things never change.

I found the following excerpts particularly inspiring;

Not Change but Growth

Someone has asked, "How much can the boy be changed? Who would want to change him-- this tousled-haired, noisy, fun-loving, vigorous follower of our footsteps? Would we, if we could, have him quiet, subdued, serious? Never. How much can he grow? That is different."

Scouting's aims for boy growth and boy development have been repeatedly stated as character building and citizenship training.

Let us get these aims clearly in mind for there are still plenty of us who, while we seem to accept them, conduct Scouting as if the actual objectives were the teaching of subject matter, the awarding of badges, the making of Eagle Scouts, the development of well-drilled Troop organizations, the perfection of craftwork experts. We must continually remind ourselves that such things are only tools, only means to the end of helping the development of character.

A poor Scoutmaster may build obedience, but a good Scoutmaster builds morale.

The writer remembers going through one of the public buildings in Washington, D.C., with a party in charge of a guide. You can imagine how we were herded from room to room; how the monotonous voice of the guide pointed out in stereotyped language the features to be observed-- "On the right we have so and so. On the left you will see so and so. Overhead is so and so." One thing after another in quick succession. You can see us being dismissed at the main entrance gasping for air, confused and rather bewildered.

The writer also recalls being in a party which climbed Mount Monadnock one bright morning in company with the man who maintained the lookout station... We were finding the trail. Our ranger was in the rear. It was all new ground to us and it was fun finding the way. We stopped as we wished to examine a rock formation and to marvel at a waterfall. We asked questions and the ranger answered us. We came to a place where the trail was in doubt and we argued about it. The ranger was there to settle it when we inquired.
The guide volunteered no information, except to throw in a hint here and there and to answer our queries. Probably we missed a lot of interesting features. Probably we didn't see all we should have seen, but we surely got more in every way out of that trip, under that guide, than we did out of that human encyclopedia in Washington, D.C.

Scoutmastership is to us the Monadnock types of guiding-- a gentle pushing rather than a vigorous pulling; a quiet suggestion rather than a noisy command, a problem offered rather than a solution given.

Speaking of Punishing

Punishing a boy seems a necessity every now and then.
How far do we get as Scoutmasters when, after a youngster has kicked over the traces, we call him in and, angry ourselves, give him a good bawling out? He just resents it and usually resolves next time to not get caught.

That's why the thinking Scoutmaster tries other methods. He realizes that punishment from within is better than from without, and so he appeals to the boy's pride, to his best feelings, to the way other people feel about him-- in a friendly and sympathetic way, trying to set up an attitude within the boy, which will produce real regret and determination for success next time.

The times when angry "call downs" are superior to quiet appeals to pride are few and far between."Praise publicly and censure privately" is a good rule for the Scoutmaster.

Challenge

But it isn't that we should make things easy for boys. They don't respect the leader who appeals to them to do a thing, to undertake an enterprise because its easy.  The "They're-only-boys" man has no place in Scouting.

Boys want to do things that are hard, that challenge, that make success difficult to attain. You try letting boys slide through on their tests and see how poorly you will rate in comparison with a man who makes them know their stuff. The presence of a difficulty makes interest greater, effort harder and success sweeter.

The full document is available as a PDF file.

 

 

7 out of 25

Bill Swanson, the CEO of Raytheon gives away a little booklet titiled '25 Unwritten Rules of Management' I have gleaned seven of them that seem particularly useful for Scoutmasters;

1. Learn to say, "I don't know." If used when appropriate, it will be often.
2. It is easier to get into something than it is to get out of it.
3. If you are not criticized, you may not be doing much.
4. Look for what is missing. Many know how to improve what's there, but few can see what isn't there.
5. In completing a project, don't wait for others; go after them, and make sure it gets done.
6. Confirm your instructions and the commitments of others in writing. Don't assume it will get done!
7. Don't be timid; speak up. Express yourself, and promote your ideas.

Webelos to Scouts

Successfully transitioning Webelos into a Scout Troop is a perennial process that merits some discussion. This transition is one of the more administratively overwrought subjects in Scouting - lots of heat and little light.
Our success in bringing Webelos into our Troop is based on some simple concepts;

1. The transition is the responsibility of the Troop in general and the Scoutmaster in particular.
2. Maintain an ongoing relationship with Scout Packs and Webelos Dens;
1. Providing Den Chiefs, supporting outdoor events and inviting Webelos to one or two Troop Outings over the course of the year.
2. Regular communication with Pack and Den Leaders
3. Actively promoting visits of Webelos and their Parents to Troop meetings.
4. Keeping groups of Webelos together once they join the Troop.

The most decisive moment is the Troop meeting visit. We conduct several of these this time of year. I speak with parents in another room while the Webelos, led by one of my senior youth leaders, join in with the program. My presentation to parents is a reasonably informal talk about how our Troop operates, how it differs from Cub Scouts, and answering questions. I have several of my senior Scouts drop in on this presentation to talk about their experience in the Troop, something that parents appreciate and says more about our program than any presentation from me.

During the Patrol meeting period of our Troop meeting the Scout leading the Webelos shows them the Troop neckerchief, shoulder loops, and number insignia they will receive upon joining. He also reviews the requirements for Scout Rank and shows them the patch and award certificate they will receive - making the point that they will earn their Scout Rank within the first couple of weeks they are in the Troop.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we emphasize our welcoming and accommodating attitude. We are perfectly willing to work with the Den or Pack's schedule for transition, we are always prepared to help and we attach no requirements to joining other than the boy is the proper age (other local Troops have a laundry list of requirements for parent's participation, attendance etc). Nor do we have quotas, limitations or any other unnecessary impediments to membership.

Once they have joined we keep groups of Webelos together. Sometimes a Den forms a new patrol with their Den chief as Patrol leader, sometimes they join an existing patrol, but usually as a group, not in ones or twos. Sometimes a Den leader or parent will suggest that a couple of the boys would be better off separated and we typically take that advice. The rationale here is that the boys have been together in their Webelos den (and sometimes for several years before that) and will feel more secure if they stay together.

Although some Troops have them the 'New Scout Patrol' scheme has never really appealed to me. It seems that the Scouts do better in a 'real' Patrol, not some artificial subspeices of a Patrol. It takes a Patrol Leader several months to find his feet and a few more to really do the job well. The idea of rotating new Scouts through the Patrol Leader job a month or two at a time sounds ineffective.

Naturally we do not allow any hazing or bullying and actively promote the attitude that our older Scouts are there to serve and lead the younger Scouts. I squelch any attitude that new Scouts are in any way a burden to our older Scouts. If they complain about having to work with 'little kids' I commiserate by saying; "I have been working with little kids like you for longer then you have been alive; it is a challenge but I never get tired of it."

We consistently recruit and retain Webelos at a healthy rate even with the normal attrition of one or two of ten over the next year.

More Marshmallow Madness

A Solar Marshmallow Roaster made with a fresnel lens and a cardboard box. Is it improper to roast marshmallows in the daytime?
Tee-Shirt with giant marshmallow roasting a man on a stick.
Smorestix white birch roasting sticks
Keener Wiener rotisserie for roasting weiners or marshmallows.
Marshmallow Chef Stick hardwood, custom engraved, roasting sticks.
Grill Thing ingenious screw-on metal fork for foraged marshmallow sticks

Marshmallows

Once a delicacy reserved for royalty made from the sap of the mallow root in ancient Egypt the modern marshmallow has evolved into a campfire favorite. Connoisseurs who consider a stick passe can now choose from a variety of utensils to toast the perfect marshmallow.

Spinmallow Couch Potato meets the great outdoors!
Mallow Master "The Mallow Master is the only marshmallow cooking tool that indicates when the marshmallow is perfectly roasted."
Electric Marshmallow Toaster Three revolving prongs
Coghlans makes several types of gadgety marshmallow forks
The Rolla Roaster is a telescoping fork that rotates.
Believe it or not there are an amazing number of smores makers. The strangest is this one that features ersatz plastic sticks.
Marshmallows are available in the familiar cylinder, an incredible variety of 'peeps' and the semi-liquid Fluff Campfire Brand marshmallows are an old standard. Their website offers a excellent collection of s'mores receipts. Jet Puffed marshmallows available in multicolored (and flavored) ' Funmallows' or covered in toasted coconut. Martha Stewart loves homemade marshmallows

Fire from the Sun

Concentrating the sun's rays with a magnifying glass is a reliable method for lighting fires. Simple burning glasses are a fair day alternative to  the flint and steel or friction methods of fire starting if one has the proper tinder.

Charred cotton cloth is the most reliable tinder for catching the spark from a flint and steel or the concentrated rays of the sun.

Soda Can Firestarter Start a fire with a soda can and a chocolate bar

Burning Glass on Wikipedia

Big Burning Glass an 1952 article from Time Magazine about a French burning glass that ' can melt 130 Ibs. of iron in an hour.'

Tinder Box with a built-in burning glass

Purportedly Archimedes burned ships by using a mirror to concetrate the sun's rays.

 

Courts Of Honor

A court of honor is a ceremony for the presentation of badges. Don't underestimate the importance of ceremony to scouts. The formal public presentation and recognition of a scouts achievements are an opportunity to emphasis scouting's purposes, they should not be slapdash or off the cuff. In the same way they should not be so constrained as to make the participants uncomfortable.

Courts of honor are for scouts and must speak to them, not just their leaders or parents. The tone is one of honoring achievement formally. If scouts are laughing up their sleeves at the florid theatrics of an overblown ceremony it may be time to rethink your program. Likewise if the court of honor is just a slog through calling names and handing out badges it is missing something.

As in most things the answer lies in the Scouts themselves. Given some parameters and presented with the task of writing a court of honor what will they come up with?

My experience has been that Scout-aged boys appreciate tradition, brevity and meaning. Ceremonies outside of Scouting whether religious or secular usually follow an established ritual framework that allows some personalization. When we go to commencement exercises or weddings we expect some common elements to be part of the proceedings that reflect a shared concept of what the ceremony celebrates.

My guidelines for an effective presentation at a Scout court of honor are:

• Brevity - 30-45 minutes seems to be about the right length. Theatrics are punctuations, not sentences they are most appropriate in opening and closing the ceremony. Get to the point quickly. Present awards in groups - it cements the concept of uniformity and shared achievement and eliminates tedium.
• Simplicity - Simplicity is memorable, complexity is aggravating to the participants and the audience.
• Uniformity - Individual honors are presented in the same way, at the same time. For example all the tenderfoot rank presentations are done together and receive equal weight. No favorites, no special treatment for individuals. If there is an extraordinary individual achievement associated with the award make it a separate part of the ceremony.
• Clarity - What is the award and what did it require to earn it, temper this aspect with brevity.
• Predictability - We have used the same basic script for many years. The scouts appreciate the ceremony by being familiar with it. Change for sake of novelty is, in itself, as predictable as an established program. Changing the ceremony too often undermines the purpose of uniformly recognizing achievements.
• Solemnity - Honor is the theme, not humor. These are not mutually exclusive; humor is good so long as it supports and does not detract from honor.
• High Standard of Presentation - Ceremonies are theatrical, presenters play a role. Don't expect an effective ceremony without rehearsal. The inevitable mistakes and omissions must be anticipated and handled in an unruffled, professional manner and never at the expense of the attitude of solemnity.
• Scout Presented - These are the Scout's achievements. While it may be appropriate for the Scoutmaster to present some of the higher ranks they should not overshadow the Scouts role in a court of honor.

A brief, uncluttered, professional, predictable and meaningful presentation is appreciated by the honoree and the audience. 

Note that adding new unit-based awards, traditions and other procedural elements to a court of honor creates an expectation that they will be there forever.   Be cautious of creating something that will ultimately demand so much time and effort that it becomes unsupportable in the future.

Ask Andy

"Ask Andy" is an on line column by a commissioner who answers Scouting questions with a good deal of humor and common sense. Andy gets it. Commissioners deal with some hairy situations; Andy's advice indicates he has seen it all.

There are a not so surprising number of questions that amount to 'how many square knots can dance on the head of a pin' (I am constantly amazed  people have time to worry about the alchemy of proper patch placement) but there is much that will help any Scouter.

Andy doesn't pull punches either;

Answering a Commissioner who described his duties as a patch inspector:

As a Commissioner, the only thing worse than being known as "the council cop" is making a reputation for yourself as "the patch police"!  Why?  Because it's petty. So, here's my recommendation: CUT IT OUT!

Answering someone who had taken on too much in Scouting and wondered how to get his family back on track:

Buddy, your family’s not off the track—you are! Personally, I’m really not thrilled with the“hats-piled-high” approach to volunteering in Scouting.  Fact is, I think it’s a great killer—of people and units, too.

Answering concerns over Troop rules about active participation:

It's dangerous, usually pretty darned illegal, and ultimately frustratingly fruitless for a Troop to try to create rules for the "be active..." rank requirement.  More often than not, they have to bypass the rules they've made again and again because each situation is going to be unique.

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