BOY SCOUTS

Anybody reading this forum should be involved in the Boy Scouts of America! I was called to be scoutmaster and I don't have any kids. My scouts had to get both the Fireman's chit and the Totin' Chit. Everybody carried a knife and a lighter and I made sure they used them properly. In some of the BSA camps fixed blades can't be carried by Scouts, but the leaders could carry what they wanted (and did).
 
Well, I may disagree about having a fixed blade vs. hatchet, but nothing beats and ax!

I remember our leaders deliberately skipped the Fireman's chit. They frantically kept trying to prevent us from starting fires. Something we knew how to do only too well.

Matt

------------------
AKA "Waxy" Master of Brain-Spew and Member of the HORDE


 
With all the scouts around here I had to chime in. Any one else from up north a firecrafter or mendicino? It was a great add on program for scouts when I was in Indiana(Life 85')(Mendicino 86') and I haven't seen hide nor hair of it here in Texas. Was wondering if anyone knew if it is still up and running.

Also, I just ran a group of 16 scouts through the paces for tot'n'chip and gave each one a ladybug when they completed it. The next campout 3 of them lost corners. Two cried when it happened. They won't be walking around with open blades again I garunnteee.

-Sam.
 
I am a leader in a Christian organization that is similar to the Boy Scouts that is called Christian Service Brigade. The group of boys (ages 12 to 18)that I lead is called Battalion. Our website is at http://www.templebaptist.com/csb/index.htm
We are currently putting together some kit knives that I ordered from Janze supplies. The boys are shaping the handle material (laminate "diamond wood")which will then be pinned or riveted to a full tang knife blank along with epoxy. We then intend to make leather sheaths. We have already covered different knife blade designs and uses and will be covering sharpening upon completion of the project.
I grew up in this organization as a boy and achieved its highest award - Herald of Christ.
I would encourage anyone to become a leader in this type of group. Kids these days sure could use some positive roll models.

Kevin Miller
Sarnia, Ontario
Canada

------------------
Look to the Lord and His strength, seek His face always.
 
well I was a trouble maker in boy scouts (kicked out of 2 troops) and I stayed in the third and made eagle 3 days before my 18th birthday, sure we all cause a little trouble every now and then, but so what some of these "leaders" were hard asses to me but real easy on the others. I also carried bigger knifes then every body else (who else do you know that took the blade off the folding saw and made the first "offical boyscout folding bowie?
wink.gif
)

also I have gone to 2 national jamborees (1993, and 1997)

but what I don't like are the military wannabees, and the real liberals who are in the troup. by the way have you seen the piece of crap they call the manual (the new one either 1998 or 1999)

also I was an adult leader before my second year of college, so I have been in scouting for a while and am still willing to pass my knoledge on to the others.
 
Go scouts!! I have said many times that there is no other group that I have been a part of where I learned more and had more fun. It was one of the best parts of my childhood. 90% of everything I know about the outdoors was learned thru scouting. Every boy should spend a few years in the Boy Scouts. If we can only preserve them from the liberal attacks of recent years. I would hate to see some gay or feminist trying to teach my boy how to be a man.
 
Originally posted by Normark
<snip>On top of it all we were a little too military for them. Different ways of doing things I guess..

<snip>
Click to expand...

Eric,
Not all troops are like that. When I joined the troop I was in, NO ONE was over a 1st class except the JASM. The was NO emphasis put on badges/ ranks - if you wanted to, fine. We cared about what you did in the FIELD. Everyone was expected to get their fire card by their 2nd or 3rd campout - ditto their Tottin Chip. We almost never were in uniform - the rules said you needed to wear 1 article of uniform clothing while traveling to be covered by insurance - that's what we wore.

We almost never (well, maybe 1 or 2 times/year - usually December/January) went to scout camp - Oh we went camping, but were more likely to be camped alongside some trail in the state parks or on private land (we averaged something like 14 2 night campouts/year)

About the time I left the troop, things were changing - we got a new scoutmaster who was hyped on rank. At that point, the average scout in our troop who had 5 years in was probably a 2nd class or maybe a first class - they (we) didn't care about rank. The new kids who came in under the new leaders only cared about their badges, and soon outranked the old kids, but guess who we had to evac out for hypothermia when it fell to -4 one time, and who could never figure out how to cook in the field? Camping started to go from a 1+ time per month thing to every couple of months. All the older guys left. The troop folded a few years later
 
I'm started in that direction, currently a Webelos leader for my son's group. I imagine as he advances I'll step into whatever role is available.



Is the totin chip for the BoyScouts the same as the one for CubScouts? Our group did that as a requrement for the Bear award last year. -that's about when the Dads started taking over ;)



rep; Bozeman is a great looking town/area. I almost moved there in 98'
 
I have been in Boy Scouts for over 30 years. While it has its problems and issues, overall a good organization.

Teach Totin' Chip too.

One thing to remember about Totin' Chip and the Scout policy on knives is that those in Scouting should carry and use only legal knives, expecially when involved in Scout activities. For example, we go to summer camp up in AR where the state maximum legal balde length in 3.5" - they enforce it for everyone.

There is also a good discussion on Scout knives over in the General area.


Originally posted by rep
Anybody reading this forum should be involved in the Boy Scouts of America! I was called to be scoutmaster and I don't have any kids. My scouts had to get both the Fireman's chit and the Totin' Chit. Everybody carried a knife and a lighter and I made sure they used them properly. In some of the BSA camps fixed blades can't be carried by Scouts, but the leaders could carry what they wanted (and did).
Click to expand...
 
Whittlin' Chip is for Cub Scouts - it involves training with a pocketknife only.

Totin' Chip is for Boy Scouts - it involves training with woods tools - knives, axes, and saws.

Originally posted by Sender
I'm started in that direction, currently a Webelos leader for my son's group. I imagine as he advances I'll step into whatever role is available.



Is the totin chip for the BoyScouts the same as the one for CubScouts? Our group did that as a requrement for the Bear award last year. -that's about when the Dads started taking over ;)



rep; Bozeman is a great looking town/area. I almost moved there in 98'
Click to expand...
 
Italy has two scouting organizations. One is affiliated with the Catholic church and the other is the more traditional, non - religiously aligned group. Aside from my deep distrust of the Catholic church, my opinion is that the Catholic scouts here spend too much time doing catechisms and not enough time in the woods. Anyway, all three of my children (ages 14, 9 and 8) are enrolled in the non - Catholic scouting organization. I've made a point of giving knives to all the scout masters, many of whom either had no knife (amazingly enough) or were carrying some POS that could certainly not be depended upon in an emergency. I try to explain that this is not an act of charity; I want them to understand that it is their duty to be correctly and adequately equiped. I hope I've achieved the desired effect, but, at the very least, the local scouting group has become a lot more openminded when it comes to the carrying of knives.
 
Hi,

Finally I have had some time to go over this post and I like it.

I found something in every post that I either recognize or also have experienced.

In Holland we now have a quiet liberal Scouting organization but when I first joined in 1964 (or about) as a cub it was stricktly boys seperated from girls and also was quiet Catholic.

Because of the changing of the way people went about their business (flower power/hippies/etc.) in the sixties there were very big problems in the Scouting organization in the Netherlands as there was a group that wanted more freedom and others that wanted to adhhere stricktly to "the old way".

I left scouting at the age of 12 when I left primary school and went on for secondary school (12-17/18 years) afterwards I went to University and when I finished that I married and when our kids were in the age of going to the cubs we went looking for a Scouting group and found one.
Our kids were put on a waiting list because of a shortage of Scout leaders. So they asked my wife an myself if we would be interested and we were because it gave us a possibility to be active outside do something for our new generation and because we are both University graduates inn Biology we just LOVE being outdoors and teaching (in a playfull non pressing way) kids about the beautifull things that still are left around us.

Soon we were officially installed in the group as "beginning leaders" and we followed courses (some) and every Saturday we were busy with Scouting. We enjoyed it very much and all I can tell is that it is addictive to do but should not be seen lightly as it will cost you at least 1 day a week but sooner or later you're busy at least an extra evening a week.
I just say this because the worst thing in my view that new "scout" leaders (to be) can do is start enthousiastic and the kids really start to "bond" and later on the new leaders start com,plaining that they hardly have time to do this or that and they start cancelling Saturday gatherings and replacements have to be found (other group leaders). In the end the kids are the real victims as often there are no real planned activities anymore but they just "go outside" the building and do a ball game etc. Then kids get irritated, lose interest and leave.

My experience is that our kids just love to do everything, I still remember going on a nature foodgathering trip and they collected the young small leaves from wath you call I think nettles. These plants sting like h.ll when you touch them "the wrong way" but when you carefully "approach" them from below and go with the leaves not against them they don't sting.
Well we collected a lot of them then we came by a chicken farmer and I already asked him if we could get some eggs from him which we got.
Then we walked back to our "Beaver dam" (club house) and started preparing nettle soup. Boiling the leaves fro at least 5 minutes to deactivate the irritating nettle stings and put in some bouillon cubes and finished the soup by putting in some raw eggs.

The parents came to "collect" their children but not one of them left without first having eaten a bowl of nettle soup.
Kids just love these kind of activities that are different from the ever present cartoon net or daft computer shootup games.
But one has to be prepared to plan these kind of active activities and not revert to siimple go outside and chase the ball kind of things.
Not bad to "chase the ball" once in a while but not every Saturday.

You guys&girls have the added advantage that you have so much "outdoors" sometimes a persons backyard in the US is larger then the "forest" we have to be happy with. Holalnd is just 125 by 200 miles and crowded with over 16 miljon people.

OK I blabbered enough for now, it's become dark outside and I have to go prepare some food.

See you all later on the Forums,

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
 
Good to see a Scouters from Holland here!

I have been in Scouting in the US for over 30 years. I enjoy it very nuch - as it sounds like you do.

What about knives in Scouting in Holland? Please tell us about that.

If you would like to email, let me know. I enjoy emailing Scouters from all over the world.

Thanks.

Originally posted by Bagheera
Hi,

Finally I have had some time to go over this post and I like it.

I found something in every post that I either recognize or also have experienced.

In Holland we now have a quiet liberal Scouting organization but when I first joined in 1964 (or about) as a cub it was stricktly boys seperated from girls and also was quiet Catholic.

Because of the changing of the way people went about their business (flower power/hippies/etc.) in the sixties there were very big problems in the Scouting organization in the Netherlands as there was a group that wanted more freedom and others that wanted to adhhere stricktly to "the old way".

I left scouting at the age of 12 when I left primary school and went on for secondary school (12-17/18 years) afterwards I went to University and when I finished that I married and when our kids were in the age of going to the cubs we went looking for a Scouting group and found one.
Our kids were put on a waiting list because of a shortage of Scout leaders. So they asked my wife an myself if we would be interested and we were because it gave us a possibility to be active outside do something for our new generation and because we are both University graduates inn Biology we just LOVE being outdoors and teaching (in a playfull non pressing way) kids about the beautifull things that still are left around us.

Soon we were officially installed in the group as "beginning leaders" and we followed courses (some) and every Saturday we were busy with Scouting. We enjoyed it very much and all I can tell is that it is addictive to do but should not be seen lightly as it will cost you at least 1 day a week but sooner or later you're busy at least an extra evening a week.
I just say this because the worst thing in my view that new "scout" leaders (to be) can do is start enthousiastic and the kids really start to "bond" and later on the new leaders start com,plaining that they hardly have time to do this or that and they start cancelling Saturday gatherings and replacements have to be found (other group leaders). In the end the kids are the real victims as often there are no real planned activities anymore but they just "go outside" the building and do a ball game etc. Then kids get irritated, lose interest and leave.

My experience is that our kids just love to do everything, I still remember going on a nature foodgathering trip and they collected the young small leaves from wath you call I think nettles. These plants sting like h.ll when you touch them "the wrong way" but when you carefully "approach" them from below and go with the leaves not against them they don't sting.
Well we collected a lot of them then we came by a chicken farmer and I already asked him if we could get some eggs from him which we got.
Then we walked back to our "Beaver dam" (club house) and started preparing nettle soup. Boiling the leaves fro at least 5 minutes to deactivate the irritating nettle stings and put in some bouillon cubes and finished the soup by putting in some raw eggs.

The parents came to "collect" their children but not one of them left without first having eaten a bowl of nettle soup.
Kids just love these kind of activities that are different from the ever present cartoon net or daft computer shootup games.
But one has to be prepared to plan these kind of active activities and not revert to siimple go outside and chase the ball kind of things.
Not bad to "chase the ball" once in a while but not every Saturday.

You guys&girls have the added advantage that you have so much "outdoors" sometimes a persons backyard in the US is larger then the "forest" we have to be happy with. Holalnd is just 125 by 200 miles and crowded with over 16 miljon people.

OK I blabbered enough for now, it's become dark outside and I have to go prepare some food.

See you all later on the Forums,

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera
Click to expand...
 
Wow, I really didn't et to find a thread about Scouting here... sure brings back a lot of memories.

I was involved with my Scout troop, Stamford 03, for 6 years before they closed it down. In Singapore, almost all Scout troops are affiliated to a school. Just so happened that the school I went to had 2 Scout troops... after some 20-odd years, they shut my troop down... damn politics.

Secondary school lasts 4 years (13 - 16) and that was when I got into Scouting. In Singapore, by 18 there's mandatory National Service... we go into the military for 2 plus years.

Most of my Scouters were either Commandos or Guardsmen (elite infantary) and when they came back to lead us, they passed on a lot of what they had learnt... and the cycle went on. That was the sort of tough group we had. But man we loved it!!

By 15 we had done the bug eating, jungle squatting routine... we had done so many things that on hindsight I'm surprised we weren't killed in the process. I have an American friend who was an Eagle Scout before and when we trade stories he shakes his head in disbelief. We pushed ourselves hard but we had a lot of fun...

But now, as I look at my 5mth old son, I wonder if I want him to become a scout. My father was a Scout, I'm a Scout... but I wonder if I want my son to carry on this tradition. It's not that I think the Scouts are too tough... on the contrary...

:( The Singapore Scout movement today seems to have degenerated into a sad shadow of what it used to be. When I was a new scout, the initiation skill were known as Tenderfoot Tests... and covered knife knowledge, as well as hand and felling axes. It was a great confidence builder for a 13yr old to know that he could wield a tool as basic as a felling axe and chop a tree in half (no trees were harm in these sessions, we always hauled logs in from what the parks department didn't want). Nowadays, I understand that knives and axes are considered too dangerous for them to learn.

What is included, are new merit badges like "Computer Skills"... WAITAMINUTE!! If you wanna learn computer skills, go join the computer club!! (no insult intended to anyone... coz, THAT'S exactly what I did... I was in both clubs)

I mean, the point of becoming a Scout is to go out and be a part of Nature... learn outdoorsy stuff... get dirty, fall down, come home muddy... play with ropes, knives, axes... FIRE!!

Along with some other change over the years, I personally feel that the scout association here has turned... soft. Great, just what the world needs... another "safe" extra-curricular activity.

I'll teach my son as much as I can... and I'll expose him to the great outdoors... but there's something about messing around with a whole bunch of kids your own age and just... be boys.


FLASHBACK
One of the things our scouters used to do to us was to make us do so many things (PT) included that we'd be exhausted by the time they stopped... sometimes well past midnight... AND THEN, we'd be given a pep talk.
Usually it was about co-operation, teamwork, sacrifice, how we actually had great potential, etc... the standard stuff...
(It was later on when we talked about what happened that we realised it was basic interrogation procedure to exhaust the subject to make him more receptive to whatever questioning or brainwashing... hehehe)
ANYWAY, I still remember one thing that was said to us that we had scoffed at as emotional mumbo-jumbo... The scouter said to us that our best friends would be made through scouting and from our peers.
Well, 15years on... and 6 of us still stay in touch; 4 of us meet up almost every weekend for dinner. That's how many of us were left after 6 years in the scouts. We started at 13 with a group of about 50... by the time we were 16 there were only 12 left. The rest couldn't cut it. *sigh*

I miss being a Scout, when Scouting meant what it used to. Old BP would cry if he saw Scouts the way they are today, coddled and pampered.
 
I can't let a Scouting post go by without comment. If I had to pick a single goal in my life that meant the most it was my Eagle. Their may have been more important goals later on in my life but for the value in relation to the time period that one ranks at the top. Over the years I have been a lot of things from student, to sailor, to engineer,to photographer. But I have always considerred myself a Scout.
Any man willing to take the time and effort to help with the Scouting program deserves out thanks.
 
Politics killed the spirit of my troop as well. I have many, many good memories of all my years in scouts. I learned many things about "roughing it" that people my age can barely understand. My most memorable campout was what they called the "Wilderness Campout" where we stayed in improvized lodgings. Ingenuity is the scout's best friend. But I will always regret that I quit before getting my Eagle. One day, perhaps, I'll have a son who wants to try for it.

I think scouts are a very good thing for youth WORLDWIDE (because it truely is worldwide as we can see from all the replys) I plan to continue my invovlment as a scout in the tradition of my great grandfather who was given the Silver Beaver award for a lifetime of service to the BSA.

Vicks

Troop 178, WD Boyce Council
 
I agree-with the original post, and wish my work schedule allowed for involvement. Not possible when you work nights and weekends.
I went through Webelos and up to life in the Boy Scouts. Like David vS, my family moved, and though I did join another Scouting group after moving, I never got as involved again, and didn't finish my Eagle, which I regret.
 
I was a bad boyscout. Took me 4 years to get my swimming badge now because I can't swim but because I was thrown out every year. Sheesh 1 organized fist fight and you get thrown out. Someone takes the arrow it took you forever to assemble and breaks it forcing you to bitchslap the **** out of them and they throw you out. Building the fire up till you're putting 16+ inch logs 5+ feet long on there with the flames up to 20' high, and they throw you out. Bunch of pansies... Knife throwing is against the rules, we were NOT allowed to have fixed blades (and my old 4" lockback buck knife wasn't allowed either).

Hell, when I was 17 we were supposed to go on a Klondike but we had about a foot of fresh snow so they cancelled it... Good 'ol BSA "turning boys into men"


-=Whittey=-
 
20' high flames huh?? BWAHAHAHA brings back memories..

My old school ahd 2 scout troops so we were always trying to outdo each other... like at campfires we'd organise. We'd try to see who could come up with the best way to start the campfire. One year we made a chinese dragon with a fireball made out of rags that slid down on wires from the second floor of the school right into the logs.

The logs had been drenched daily for weeks in kerosene so they burnt really well... hehehe but at one point, my buddy the QM decided the flames weren't high enough... so he walked right out there with a can of gasoline... hahaha.. we were pouring in huge cupfuls of gasoline into the fire (log base was about 3' wide and stacked more than 4' tall). HAHAHAHA we all lost the hair on our arms and eye brows.. but that was a damn nice fire... hehehe

oh and we threw knives everytime we were at camp... or in a field... but with fewer "civilians" around at camps, we even threw out axes once in a while... we had damn lousy aim though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top