Boy Scout
Why is scouting unique in its continual success in raising reliable men?
Good men don’t automatically raise themselves. Think of the Lord of the Flies or other dystopian stories. You will see stories straying far from the Scout Law.
The internet tells us that Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” (As a historian, I have searched electronically all the Douglass primary sources I can to find that quote in context and to cite its true source. No luck. I fear this quote is as accurate as Ben Franklin’s old adage, “Everything on the Internet is true.”) From personal observation, many would agree with Douglass.
The famous researcher Abraham Maslow demonstrated that successful people meet their physical needs before meeting their psychological needs. Once physical and psychological needs are met, academic curiosities can be pursued. Once an intellectual self-assurance is reached, it is easier for a man to face deprivations of food, shelter, and water. Read the rest of this entry »
New Guide to Safe Scouting (2015) Announced
BSA has announced the latest revision to the Guide to Safe Scouting (2015). This important document should be included with your scouts’ medical forms on every outing. It is available in PDF format for easy upload to mobile device (particularly when out of cellular range) or on the web, where it is updated quarterly.
This Guide is more than just the policies and procedures of the BSA. All scouters pay a small fee to BSA every year to contribute to the BSA insurance program. As I understand it, BSA is “self-insured.” This means that the BSA keeps its own pool of funds to pay on insurance claims made by Scouters and Scouts over the course of a year. The Guide to Safe Scouting not only serves to educate Scouters on how to run a safe program, but provides an outline of practices that the insurance will cover. In other words, by outlining “best practices” for scouting activities, the Guide reduces the risk that harm will come to our youth, but if harm does come while using best practices, the insurance covers the claim.
Each year, BSA studies incident reports from units, scout camps, and other sources. BSA identifies activities that have unusually high rates of incidents. The types of incidents are then considered for a re-write in the Guide.
Consequently, scouters who are familiar with each year’s revisions to the Guide to Safe Scouting are more likely to avoid problems areas. Often the issues revised in the Guide do not filter down to revised training as quickly as we would like. The Guide’s revisions then help scouters be current even before they have sat through a class.
Quiet tradition in North Star units
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Several units in the North Star District have quietly honored our late military servicemen.
Two separate American Legion Posts have teamed up with local scouting units to gather and give respect for military members who have died. Each gathering is a little bit different.
In Zionsville, the American Legion Post #79 hosts the scout units on Saturday, May 16, 2015. 
Post #79 serves as the chartered organization for Pack 105, Troop 804, and Crew 408. These units will gather together. The units will then break into teams to place flags on military graves in and around Zionsville.
In Broad Ripple, the American Legion Post #3 hosts a slightly different event on Saturday, May 23, 2015. This event is open to all scout troops, regardless of chartering organization. For the past 10-15 years Troop 18 has participated. In recent years, Pack 35 and Troop 35 have participated, too. Post #3 serves breakfast beginning at 7:00 AM at the Post, located at 6379 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220. This Post places flags at Union Chapel Cemetery and Crown Hill Cemetery. To participate in the breakfast, the Post asks for RSVPs by Wednesday via email to Rees Morgan or by phone to (317)924-2154.
If units decide to participate in the Post #3 event, please provide statistical information at this link. This does NOT replace the need to contact Mr. Morgan, but it does help the District Programming Committee track participation in community events.
Ordeal is less than a day away!
Are the boys in your scout troop or venturing crew planning on attending tomorrow’s opening of our chapter’s Order of the Arrow ordeal weekend? If they received their written invitation to be a candidate for the ordeal or for brotherhood, they should plan on attending.
Existing brotherhood members of the Order should plan on attending to enjoy some time of fellowship. Please make sure to visit our chapter website to turn in your reservation.
What is Order of the Arrow? It is the official honorary society of the Boy Scouts of America. It is a unique honorary society. Candidates are elected by all the boys in their troop to become candidates for the Order.
Remember that adult scouters and youth members who have moved to our district should transfer their membership in the Order of Arrow to our chapter. Membership is based on the member’s district where his active unit is located not where the member was originally inducted.
Ordeal candidates, ordeal members, brotherhood members, and vigil honor members, join us at Camp Redwing!
District committee structure
As we have been working to rebuild the district committee, I have learned how the Boy Scouts of America structures their committee system. It is a little bit unusual, so it is worth sharing more broadly.
Each committee in the BSA system is interlinked with more than one committee outside of itself. What does this mean?
Let’s look at one example. Since Cub Scout recruitment is going to be a major issue in the next 90 days, let’s look at the membership position on a pack committee.
2015 Central Indiana Merit Badge University
UPDATE: 5/7/15. Moved to top of blog. This event does not appear on district calendar because it is a council event. (This blog is a supplement for the Council’s website for North Star, not a replacement.)
The Seventh Annual Central Indiana Merit Badge University, sponsored by Crossroads of America Council, will be held at Greenfield-Central junior high school, May 15 through the 17th, 2015. Greenfield, Indiana is on I 70, 14 miles east of Indianapolis I 465 bypass.
They will be offering 61 different merit badges in 110 classes over five sessions beginning Friday evening and cont
inuing through Sunday morning. Fees vary by session length in cost of supplies. Meals are included during the Saturday sessions. Official BSA adult training courses such as scoutmaster specific training, merit badge counselor introduction, troop committee challenge, and youth protection are available. More information at
Originally posted 4/21/15.
Troop uses technology to emphasize Scout Law
Here’s an interesting article on how to marry the Scout Law with technology-use rules in your troop.
What does a “Scout Banana” teach a Scoutmaster?
Clarke Green runs an impressive blog and podcast at scoutmastercg.com. He makes learning to be a scouter fun and addictive. His 30 years as a scoutmaster come through in every posting.
In an older podcast (Episode 174), he talks with a newly minted scoutmaster running a brand new troop. The scoutmaster recites some of his lessons learned in the field. The most fascinating part was his story about the Scout Banana. Listen to hear his lesson.
What did you learn?
For Cubmasters, this is an invaluable podcast to learn what awaits your Webelos. It demonstrates why scouting works.
Preparing for Homesickness
I often listen to Clark Green’s Scoutmaster Podcast and read his blog at www.scoutmastercg.com. In several episodes and posts, he returns to the question of “how to deal with homesickness.”
In episode 171, for example, he talks at length about the importance of encouraging the young scout’s parents to be actively involved in discussions with the scout. The discussions should focus on what the scout can expect at summer camp. Clark also talks about the problems phone calls home from camp create. He underlines this point with research, suggesting that short times away from home are hurt by phone calls home. To avoid these problems, Clark recommends an agreed plan for written correspondence home often but no calls for short to several-week long trips. Clark also describes the importance of mementoes from home to create some familiarity in strange surroundings, such as stuffed animals or favorite items.
Stu announces dates for Camporees
In his wrap-up message for the Spring 2015 Camporee, Camporee Chair Stu Bowes announced the dates for the Fall 2015 and Winter 2016 Camporees.
The 2015 Fall Camporee will be held at the Blind School from Friday, October 9 through Sunday morning, October 11, 2015.
The 2016 Winter Camporee is scheduled for January 22-24.
RSVPs can be made on the Events page.
Looking forward to seeing you all again next Camporee!
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