| Last updated October 21, 2004 |
Scoutmaster's Minutes
The Bullfrog
Once there was a very large green bullfrog who lived in a modest sized pond. Even though many
other animals and fish lived around this pond the bullfrog didn't have any friends. You see, the
friends he once had were gone. They were tired of his boasting and tried to stay out of his way. This
situation changed when the geese began to migrate through the area. Two geese actually became
his friends. They spent many a long day visiting, swimming and doing the things friends do. Then
one day the two geese told the frog it was time for them to continue their migration. The frog was sad
and asked if they could take him with them. He suggested that they let him climb on one of their
backs and hang onto their neck. Both geese agreed that he was entirely too fat for one goose to
carry. Further saddened, the frog began to think and finally came up with an idea. Listen, he said,
How about we take a string and each of you take hold of a end with your mouth and bite down hard,
then I will bite in the middle of the string and you can fly me between you. The geese pondered the
idea and decided to give it a try. All were ready and the geese began to flap and run. The frog hopped
along with the string in his mouth until he was lifted from the ground and was airborne. Oh what a
feeling thought the frog. Onward they flew for days on end until they flew over a farmer out in his
field.
The farmer looked up and upon seeing the geese and frog remarked, "My, my, a flying frog I wonder
who taught those geese to fly such a big frog?"
Hearing this the frog said, "I DID!!!." That night the farmer feasted on very large succulent frog legs.
Check your ego, don't let it get so far out of control that you lose your friends or worse yet, end up
on someones plate.
-- Thanks to Greg Gough, SM Troop 201, Ozark, MO. I used to be an Owl but I will always be an Eagle!
The Snake
A group of Arapaho Indian boys decided it was time to prove to the tribe elders that they were old
enough to be considered men. By custom, the rite of manhood included living alone for one week in
the wilderness. Each boy was instructed to only take a knife with him and come back seven days
later and tell of his adventures. One boy, wanting to prove that he was more of a man than the others,
decided that he would climb the snow-capped mountains for his week of adventure. Surely, living in
the snow and cold is a hardship that the elders must agree that only a man could endure. So, he
walked an entire day across the plains to the foot of the mountains. He climbed halfway up the
mountains to the snowline when a snake spoke to him.
"Help me," the snake cried.
"Why should I help you, a rattlesnake? You are known to bite and kill people," replied the Arapaho
brave.
"I am cold and almost frozen. Please put me in your warm shirt and take me down the mountain to
where it is warm where I can survive," said the rattlesnake.
"How do I know that you are not going to bite and kill me?" asked the brave.
"Why should I bite the person who saves my life?" replies the snake.
"Ok. I do not like to see anyone die. Promise you won't bite me?" asked the brave.
"I Promise," replied the snake.
So the Indian boy placed the snake in his shirt and walked down the mountain. As he opened his
shirt to let the snake out, the rattlesnake bit him.
"WHY DID YOU BITE ME? You promised you wouldn't bite and kill me!" yelled the young brave.
The snake replied, "You knew who I was when you picked me up. You have nobody to blame for
your death but yourself."
Today Scouts, one doesn't prove his maturity by living alone in the wilderness anymore, but instead
shows that he is a man by living wisely in the streets and making good decisions by himself. There
are rattlesnakes hiding in the streets today that go by the names of marijuana, cocaine, crack, speed,
acid, ...drugs. Drugs will falsely promise a lot of good times and laughs, but will instead lie to you, get
you to steal and break the law in other ways, and if not kill you, rob you of your health and brains.
The few hours of chemical-induced pleasure may cost you the rest of your life in permanent brain
damage and physical disability.
When you decide to prove to others that you are mature enough to be a man, prove it by making the
right choice not to do any drugs and stick to that decision. Ok?
-- Thanks to H. Alan Schup
The Empty Pot
The following is a paraphrase of "The Empty Pot" by Demi.
A Chinese Emperor is dying and needs to pick his successor. Since he loved gardening (this is the
outdoor angle), he decides to let the seeds choose. He calls all the children to the palace and gives
them each a seed to grow. They are to return in the Spring with their plant; whoever has tended their
plant the best will be named Emperor.
One little boy, known among the children as an excellent gardener, cannot get his seed to grow. He
tries repotting several times, no luck. At the end of the year, he has nothing but an empty pot to
present to the Emperor, while all of the other children bring huge, beautiful plants of varying kind.
However, the Emperor had baked all of the seeds so that they wouldn't grow. Only one child was
honest and brought forth the empty pot. He was rewarded with being named Emperor. --Thanks to a
contribution to the GirlScout-List
A Lesson in Trust
This is a "true" story I related to our Scouts.
It seems that before the first man walked on the moon, NASA found an area of New Mexico where the
topography was similar to the surface of the moon. They decided that it would be a good idea to take
the astronauts and the lunar lander there to check out the equipment. They arrived at the area and
unloaded all their gear. During the second day while working with the equipment they noticed a flock
of sheep on the horizon. As it drew closer they could see several dogs herding the flock and two
Navaho Indians walking behind. The Scientists knew that they were Navaho because the reservation
was near by. The Two Navaho Indians set down on the ridge and watched them work for several
hours.
Seeing the Navahos watching them, two of the scientist decided to go talk to them. After walking up
the ridge they soon discovered that the old Navaho could only speak in his native tongue but his
son could speak English. The old man said several things and his son translated, "he says, what are
those things down there?" The scientist explained that they were men in space suits and that they
would be traveling to the moon by rocket and once there they would get out and be the first men to
walk upon the moon. The old man nodded and said a few more words that the son translated "so,
they will walk upon the moon?" And the scientist confirmed. The old man nodded and said a few
more words. The son said, "he wants to know if he can send a message to the moon with these
astronauts." At this the scientist became very excited and searched their gear until they found a tape
recorder. The old Navaho recorded his message. The scientist asked the boy to translate but he
wouldn't.
They worked about a month next to the reservation but every time they asked someone to translate
the message they would listen to it, smile and shake their head no. Finally they found a Professor of
Native American studies that agreed to translate the message in exchange for some funding on a
research project. He listened to the tape and smiled. He said, "this message is a warning, it says,
Look out for these guys, they are coming to steal your land."
You may wonder why I told this story as my Scoutmasters Minute. Our program element this month
is Leadership and the reason the old Navaho sent this message was because he did not trust the
white man. Trust is a very important part of Leadership. If you cannot trust your leader or he cannot
trust you, your patrol will not be very effective. Trust is also very fragile, it takes only one action on
your part to destroy the trust others have in you. Often times when trust is breached it can never be
rebuilt. A Scout is Trustworthy. And now may the Master of all Scouts be with us till we meet again.
Goodnight Scouts!
--Thanks to Greg Gough, SM Troop 201, Ozark, MO.
I Used to Work in a Zoo
This is a Scoutmaster's minute that I used recently that still has the Scouts talking. It starts with the
following story told in the first person. You have to keep a straight face. I have had several ask me if I
really did work at the zoo :). Here it is -
When I was 16 I discovered that having a job would be of great value to me. It would be of value
because I could buy gas for my car, pay for my clothes, etc. The problem with being 16 and wanting
a job is finding one. Luckily my dad knew the caretaker at the zoo and he asked him if they needed
any help. He said to send me down for an interview. The very next day I went to the zoo and met him
in his office. There we talked for a while and finally he told me he had a job that he thought I could do.
He told me to follow him and we went through a series of tunnels and alleys (employee entrance)
until we emerged by the gorilla cage. I noticed that the cage was empty. He pointed to the cage and
begin to explain that the gorilla Mabel was getting very old and had just yesterday gotten sick and
had to be taken to the vet. Mabel was one of>the feature attractions at the zoo and the kids just loved
to see her. Mabel never did much but sit on the branch of that big tree and held onto the rope that
was hanging down. He went on to say that he had a gorilla suit I could wear if I would be interested in
sitting on the branch for 4 hours at a time. It sounded good to me so I told him I would.
The next day I went to the zoo, put on the gorilla suit and climbed into the cage. I sat on the branch
holding the rope and soon there was a crowd of children pressing their faces to the bars. About an
hour passed and I began to get into this gorilla stuff. I would grab the rope and swing across the
cage. The kids thought it was great so I started swinging higher and higher. In the next cage there
was a lion and he was becoming irritated by my antics and began to pace his cage and roar. I kept
swinging and started to swing to the lion's side of the cage and would use my feet to push off of his
bars. I could really swing out far and he roared even louder. All of a sudden I missed the bars and
flew through and dropped into the lion's cage. I landed on my back and was stunned but
immediately got up and ran to the front of the cage screaming "help me, help me, I am not who you
think I am". Just as I got that out the lion jumped on my back and knocked me to the ground. His
head was at my neck and he said, "shut up stupid or you will get us both fired".
The point to the story is that I took the job because it had a value to me. You will hear on TV news
reporters say that we have a valueless society. This is incorrect. Even gang members have values,
they value things like money & drugs. Everyone has values, it is the principles that determine what
your values will be. The Scout Law sets a foundation of solid moral principles, from these come
good values. Goodnight Scouts!
-- Thanks to Greg Gough, SM Troop 201, Ozark, MO.
The Monk and the Missionary
There is an old story of the missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh. He was traveling through the Himalayas
with a Monk in the bitter cold. Night was coming and the Monk said, "If we don't reach the monastery
by nightfall, we are in danger of freezing to death." Just as they reached a narrow path, they heard
the cries of a man who had fallen over the edge. The Monk said, "Do not stop. God has brought him
to his fate. He must work it out himself."
Sadhu replied, "God sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him." The Monk went on and
Sadhu climbed down a steep path. When he found the man, he saw that his leg was broken and he
could not walk. Sadhu made a sling from his blanket and tied the man to his back. He then began a
body torturing climb. He made his way through the deepening snow. It was dark>and it was all he
could do to follow the path. He perserved, and faint with exhaustion, he finally saw the lights of the
Monastery. As he moved toward the light, he stumbled for the first time and nearly fell. He did not
stumble from exhaustion, but over an object. As he brushed the snow off the object, he looked down
and saw that it was the body of the Monk.
Years later when a student asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?" he replied, "To have no
burden to carry."
-- Thanks to Alan R. Houser, Scoutmaster, Berkeley Troop 24
I Wish I Was That Brother
Upon graduation from college, a few years back, a young man received a gift from his older brother.
It was a shiny brand new Packard. The car of his dreams! One morning as he approached the car he
saw a young lad of 12 peering through the windows into the car! Obviously enthrawled with the car,
the lad didn't hear the young man approach. "Is this your car?" the lad asked when he noticed the
man. "Yes it is!" the man responded! "Wow! This is a nice car!" remarked the lad, "How much did it
cost?" "I don't know!" answered the man. "It's your car, but you don't know how much it cost?"
exclaimed the young lad. "No," stated the man, "you see, my brother bought it for me!"
"I wish...I wish...I wish" stuttered the lad. The man thinking he's going to say, I wish I had a car like
this. "I wish I was like that brother!" finished the boy! Amazed at the lads response he offerred to
drive him around the block! As they were driving, the lad requested if he would drive him home.
Thinking he wanted to show off that he was riding in a new car to his friends, the man agreed! They
drove more than a few blocks to where the boy lived and as he turned onto the street the man
noticed that it wasn't the best kept neighborhood! The houses were dirty and broken. He pulled up in
front of the boys house. "Please wait," the boy yelled as he ran into the house! "Oh, he's probably
going to get his family to show off the new car", the man thought to himself. The door to the front
door opened and out came the young lad. In his arms he carried a small boy, crippled from birth! The
lad brought him out to the car and stated as he hugged his younger brother, "See just like I told you!
It's a brand new car! And someday, I'm going to buy you one just like it!"
How unselfish this boy was....to be the kind of brother that looked after the other first! What kind of
Scout are you...Are you like the older brother!
--Thanks to Peter Van Houten
Boys Shave Heads in Show of Support
Yorkville, Illinois; Dec 4 1992
Radiation treatment may soon cost Mark Lowry his hair, but his bald head won't stand out in the
classrooms at Cross Lutheran School.
When his classmates learned that Mark, 13, would undergo chemotherapy, all 15 of them decided to
have their heads shaved in a show of support. By yesterday only two boys in the seventh and eighth
grades weren't bald - one was due for a haircut this weekend; the other was Mark who came home
from the hospital this week with a full head of hair.
"It probably won't be for long, though," Mark said.
Mark learned only recently he had leukemia and started chemotherapy treatment last week.
Classmate Travis Busch then came up with the headshaving idea, but cleared it with Mark first. "We
didn't want him to feel we were making fun of him," said Travis.
How long do the boys plan to go hairless? "Until Mark grows his hair back," they said. --AP
--Thanks to Anne Riddick
Being Honest by Peter Van Houten
I'd like to share an experience I witnessed last night that exemplifies the virtues of honesty and the
principles of being a Boy Scout!
Beyond my role of Scout leader I am also a little league coach for the minor league. I was scouting
(interesting choice of terms here) the team we'll be playing tomorrow and noticed they had a very
talented first baseman. He was older than the rest and already a good 5'5" tall. Unfortunately, he'd
had the misfortune of a couple of bad plays which resulted in the runners advancing to 2nd base.
He's also been getting some abuse from the other team for his size and race, being Indian (as from
India).
Let me add that the other teams coach doesn't exactly have the personality that generates good
sportsmanship, and I witnessed him chewing out a couple of his players for not running fast
enough, or doing EXACTLY what he told them to do.
Now that I've set the scene we'll bring you into the 4th inning. Score is tied! Two outs! Saied (sp???)
is playing 1st, runner currently on 2nd. The ball is pitched and hit to 2nd baseman who throws to 1st
base. Saied catches ball as runner touches base, but ball rolls out of glove! Umpire calls runner OUT!
The opposing coach and most of his parents went ballistic, and I mean Ballistic (with a Captial B).
(Had I been the ump I would have thrown the guy out of the game) Anyway, the ump turns to Saied
and says, "Did you have control of the ball before he touched the base." The pressure is on and you
can see it on his face. Saied replied, "I caught the ball, but it rolled out. No!" The ump reverses her
decision and calls the runner safe!
Reactions:
The opposing coach is relieved and makes a couple of choice comments about the ump's vision.
Saied is feeling he let his team down.
All the parents on Saied's team gives him a standing ovation for his honesty.
I approached Saied after the inning, shook his hand and complimented him on his honesty. I found
out later through his coach that he was indeed a Boy Scout (just joined).
Here's a boy faced with a challenging decision that could have made a difference whether his team
won or lost. He could have easily taken the easy way out and said Yes!, but regardless of the
outcome, chose that being honest was the right way! This young man exemplified the Boy Scout
principles. My hat goes off, and my hand extended in congratulating young men who when faced
with such decisions choose the right way!
--Thanks to Peter Van Houten
Lessons From The Geese
by Robert McNeish, Associate Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools
We live in an area where geese are very common. We see them coming in the Fall and leaving early
Spring. Their migration is an awesome sight.
There is an interdependence in the way geese function.
FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a "V"
formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are
going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to
fly alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the "lifting power" of the bird
immediately in front.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed
where we want to go.
FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at
the point position.
LESSON: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership -- people, as with geese,
are interdependent with each other.
FACT: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
LESSON: We need to make sure our "honking" from behind is encouraging, not something less
helpful.
FACT: When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation to follow
it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is either able to fly again or dies. Then they
launch out on their own with another formation or catch up with their flock.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other.
-- Submitted to the Scouts-L Youth Groups Discussion List by Alan Houser, Scoutmaster, Berkeley
Troop 24
The Origin of the Left Hand Shake
The Left hand shake goes way back to the origins of Scouting, and was inspired like many original
Scouting concepts by B.-P.'s Army career.
When Captain Baden-Powell entered the capital city of the Ashanti people in 1896 he was met by one
of the chiefs who came to him holding out his left hand. B.P. held out his right hand in return but the
Chief said "No, in my country the bravest of the brave shake with the left hand"
This was because African Warriors typically carried a spear in the right hand and a shield in the left.
To shake left handed meant you had to put down your shield and put your life in the hands of the
other person.
So began the Left hand shake of the World Wide Brotherhood of Scouting.
-- Thanks to Jim McGregor, 1st Camden South Scout Group, Camden NSW Australia
It's Only a Pin
Two fond parents watch their boy where he stands,
Apart from his comrades tonight,
And see placed on his camp-battered tunic, a badge...
An Eagle... the emblem of right.
It seems just a few short months have passed
Since he joined with the youngsters next door...
How proud they were then of their Tenderfoot pin
As they told of the message it bore.
But the years have gone as he struggled along
To learn what the Scout Law's about;
He practiced them daily, the Oath and the Law,
Until now he is an Eagle Scout.
You may smile in your worldly wisdom at this
And say, "Why it's only a pin."
But I'll tell you, no honors he'll gain as a man
Will mean quite as much to him.
The red, white and blue of the ribbon you see
Are the symbols of honor and truth.
He has learned how to value these fine attributes
In the glorious days of his youth.
And the out-flinging wings of the Eagle that rests
On the breast of this knight of today
Are the wings which will lift him above petty deeds,
And guide him along the right way.
Yes, it's only a pin, just an Eagle Scout badge,
But the heart beneath it beats true,
And will throb to the last for the things that are good;
A lesson for me... and for you.
The Sunday Run
Last Sunday as I was finishing my run through Tree Tops Park with my running buddy, I saw a
neighbor standing in her garage doorway about to get her newspaper. Unfortunately the years had
not been kind to her. She was walking with a walker and one eye was closed. Over the years I had
seen her taking care of her house and she had always appeared quite friendly, but in her present
condition she could no longer see me from where I ran along the road. Without thinking, I picked up
the Sunday paper and quickly brought it to her. God bless you, she said, as I handed her the paper. I
was>astonished by the sincerity of those words as I realized that it would have taken her quite some
time to walk to the paper and pick it up in her condition. As I caught up with Steve, my running
buddy, I commented that I had fulfilled my scouting good turn for the day and it wasn't even 8 a.m.
He jokingly replied, Now you can be a jerk the rest of the day.
At first I laughed but the more I thought about what had transpired, the more I thought about what the
meaning of what scout spirit really is. Scout spirit doesn't mean how many little old ladies you help
across the street or pick up the Sunday paper for. It does not mean how many meetings or campouts
you attend or how many merit badges you obtain. Scout spirit means that we live by the Scout Oath
and Law twenty-four hours a day and uphold the pledge we make as scouts to hold ourselves up to
a higher standard, or as the Hebrew National people say, We hold ourselves up to a higher authority.
So don t just wait for the obvious situation such as the little old lady and the newspaper to exercise
your scout spirit, but create your own situations to live the scouting life and practice scout spirit
twenty-four hours a day,seven days a>week. By doing so we all answer to a higher authority.
-- Thanks to Marc Grey, SM Troop 317, Davie, Florida
The Eagle and the Wolf
There is a great battle that rages inside me.
One side is a soaring Eagle.
Everything the Eagle stands for is good and true and beautiful,
And it soars above the clouds.
Even though it dips down into the valleys,
It lays its eggs on the mountains.
The other side of me is the howling Wolf,
And that raging, howling wolf represents the worst that is in me.
He eats upon my downfalls and justifies himself by his presence in the pack.
Who wins this great Battle?
The one I feed.
You Scouts must make a choice of whether or not you wish to be an HONORABLE MAN. Which are
you going to feed, the Eagle or the Wolf?
-- Thanks to General Krulak, Commandant of the US Marine Corps. Presented at the 1994 Naval
Academy Leadership Forum
AIM SO HIGH YOU'LL NEVER BE BORED
The greatest waste of our natural resources is the number of people who never achieve their
potential. Get out of that slow lane. Shift into that fast lane. If you think you can't, you won't. If you
think you can, there's a good chance you will. Even making the effort will make you feel like a new
person. Reputations are made by searching for the things that can't be done and doing them. Aim
low boring. Aim high soaring.
THE SNAKE THAT POISONS EVERYBODY
It topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, busts reputations, causes heartaches,
nightmares, indigestion, spawns suspicion, generates grief, dispatches innocent people to cry in
their pillows. Even its name hisses. It's called gossip. Office gossip, shop gossip, party gossip. It
makes headlines and headaches. Before you repeat a story, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it fair? is it
necessary? If not, shut up.
THE REAL WAY TO HAPPINESS
Who can tell me what the Scout slogan is? That's right, "Do a Good Turn daily". The handbook tells
us that a Good Turn is an extra act of kindness. It might be a big thing like saving somebody's life
with courage and skill. Or could be some small act like picking up trash on the street or helping a
child get his kite out of a tree.
There are two good reasons for doing Good Turns. One of them, obviously, is that it makes other
people happy. But you will find, if you do a Good Turn daily, that it makes you feel good, too. Baden
Powell, the man who started Scouting in England almost 80 years ago, said this about a Good Turn:
"The real way to get happiness is by giving it to other people. " Everyone of us should be doing our
Good Turn daily. Are you? If you don't think about it very often, it's a good idea to start now. We'' be
reminding ourselves later this month when we do a troop Good Turn for ___________. But if you
have the Scouting Spirit, you will do your best to follow the Scout slogan in your daily life with some
small service to your family, your teacher, your friends, or a perfect stranger.
THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means a school holiday, probably some football games to
watch, and surely a big meal of turkey with all the trimmings.
It's a great time for everybody. But before the holiday passes, take a few minutes to think about what
it really means. Thanksgiving started out to be a time for giving thanks to God for his blessings. We
should make sure to keep that thought in our celebration today.
That doesn't mean we have to spend the whole holiday time in prayer. By all means we should enjoy
the feast and the football. But we should also remember that a Scout is reverent, and part of that
point of the Scout Law is praying and giving thanks at appropriate times. So when you sit down to
your big Thanksgiving dinner, don't forget to offer your thanks to God, not only for the food but for
all your other blessings.
SCOUTING PATHFINDER - BADEN-POWELL
Three months from now, we're going to be celebrating the ___th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of
America. But Scouting is even older than that. It really began ____ years ago on a little island in
England. British general named Robert Baden-Powell took 21 boys camping on this island and
tested his ideas of Scouting for boys.
From that first camp, the idea grew into a worldwide movement. Baden-Powell was a remarkable
man. You can read a little about him on page 475 of your handbook. Baden-Powell wrote the first
Scout Oath and Law and motto, "Be Prepared. " He developed the idea for patrols within a troop, and
he taught many of the outdoor skills we learn today. Now let us honor Baden-Powell by repeating the
Scout Oath. (Lead Oath)
SCOUTING PATHFINDER - ERNEST THOMPSON SETON
Last week I talked about Baden-Powell, the English general who founded Boy Scouting. While
Baden-Powell was working out his ideas for Scouting, in this country a man named Ernest
Thompson Seton was doing something quite similar. Seton was an author and an artist, and even
before Baden-Powell organized the first Scouts, Seton had started a boy's organization called the
Woodcraft Indians.
His Woodcraft Indians hiked and camped and studied nature, just as Scouts do. When
Baden-Powell's Boy Scouting idea spread to America, Seton joined in . He became the first Chief
Scout of the Boy Scouts of America, and he did much to spread the idea of Scouting here.
Seton stressed Indian lore, and many of his ideas still live in the Order of the Arrow. In honor of
Ernest Thompson Seton let us repeat the Scout Law. (Lead Law)
SCOUTING PATHFINDER - DANIEL CARTER BEARD
I told you last week about Ernest Thompson Seton, who was one of the earliest leaders of the Boy
Scouts of America. Another important leader of the BSA in those days was Daniel Carter Beard. He
was an illustrator and writer of boys' book. In 1902, ____ years ago he started an organization for
boys called the Sons of Daniel Boone.
In was a pretty informal organization. Mostly he promoted it by writing magazine articles and letters
to boys. But the Sons of Daniel Boone were forerunners of Boy Scouts, and Beard became one of
the main leaders of Scouting Let's honor Dan Beard with our patrol calls. (Each patrol gives call)
MEASURE YOURSELF BY THE GOLDEN RULE
(Show an ordinary ruler)
What do I have here? Right, it's a ruler. Some people call it a rule. This one isn't golden but it does
remind me of the Golden Rule. Do you know what the Golden Rule is?
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. " That's a great guide for living, Scouts. If we
always followed that rule, we would always be kind to others because no-one wants unkindness
done to him.
The trouble is, we aren't saints. And so we don't always follow the Scout Law - A Scout is kind" - or
the Golden Rule. Some of us follow the Golden Rule for about three inches. Others makes it eight
inches. A few of us might make it all the way to eleven inches.
How far do you go on the Golden Rule? Probably not as far as you could. So the next time you're
tempted to do something unkind, or say something that will hurt someone, stop and think. What will
it do to your place on the Golden Rule?
DON'T BE A LITTERBUG
(Hold up a paper carton or other piece of litter)
This month we've been talking a lot about conservation of natural resources, and next week on our
campout we're going to tackle some conservation work in the woods.
But one thing we all do everyday to help is to avoid throwing litter around. (Toss litter in waste
basket. ) I'm not saying that if we avoid littering, a tree will grow better or a wild creature will benefit.
But we will, because a clean environment looks a lot better, and it will encourage us to do some real
conservation work.
An awful lot of people are litterbugs. They think nothing of tossing cans, bottles, cartons and other
junk on to the ground wherever they go. It's a disgusting habit, and one I hope none of you does or
will ever start.
As Scouts, we should live by the Outdoor Code and be clean in our outdoor manners. That means
we never throw litter on the trail and we always leave our campsites better than we found them. Let's
try to remember that all the time, not only when we're outdoors with the troop.
BE PREPARED FOR ANY OLD THING
What's the Scout motto? That's right, "Be Prepared. " Can anyone tell me where it came from? Well,
it was started by a man who founded the Scouting movement almost 80 years ago. His name was
Robert Baden-Powell. He was an English general who took the first Scouts camping back in 1907.
He was a most interesting man. If you're curious about him, you can learn a little by reading page 475
of your handbook.
Baden-Powell was once asked what the motto meant. What is a Scout supposed to be prepared for?
"Why any old thing," Baden-Powell replied.
That's a tall order. Life holds a lot of surprises and we can't be prepared for all of them. But in
Scouting you're learning how to handle many surprises and crises. You learn how to give first aid,
how to live comfortably outdoors, give service to your community and nation, clean up your
environment, do good Turns for people and a host of other things. Later this month we're going to
talk about being prepared to make choices between right and wrong, too.
Preparing you for life is what Scouting is all about. We're going to do our best to make you prepared
for any old thing.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF FREEDOM
Can anybody tell me what holiday falls on September 17. It's Citizenship Day or Constitution Day.
Probably you've been talking about the reason for that holiday in school. If you don't already know it,
on September 17, 200 years ago, the founders of this country agreed upon the US Constitution.
It is by far the oldest written constitution of any country in the world, and it is the main reason that we
enjoy freedom today. The Constitution established our form of government, and perhaps more
important, it guarantees the rights of citizenship that we all enjoy.
Most of us take those rights for granted. We can't imagine living in a country where people cannot
speak freely, worship God as they wish, or join associations that criticize the government and blast
the President. But there are billions of people in the world without any of those rights.
Remember that as you grow older and begin to vote, pay taxes, and perhaps become a leader in
government or civic affairs. The Constitution is the foundation stone of this country, which is why
the President and many other officials take an oath "to protect and defend the Constitution. " Each of
us should take the same oath because it is the basis of our liberty.
CAN EIGHT WORDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Doctrines, credos, manifestos, laws, declarations, codes of ethics. Ever since people have been able
to communicate they have compiled words to live by. But the world is still troubled. Take these
words: Honesty, Workmanship, Ambition, Faith, Education, Charity, Responsibility, Courage.
Chances are that four and half billion people won't agree to live their lives by them. But think how
much better your life would be if just one person does. You.
THE WINNING SPIRIT
Scouts, what is a winning spirit? In some sports, people say that a guy who has the winning spirit
really comes to play. That kind of guy is sometimes called a "gamer".
In Scouting we have gamers, too. Know who they are? They're the guys who are active in their
patrols and in our troop. They're always trying to learn something new and to advance from one rank
to another.
That kind of guy has his own motto. His motto is, "Be First Class". From the day he joins the troop
he's shooting for First Class - in rank and in everything he does. You new Scouts should remember
that. Be First Class!
PATROL SPIRIT
I'm sure all of you Scouts have played team sports, so you know what teamwork means. Most
football fans see a touchdown run and say, "Wow! Isn't that guy a great runner?" Maybe he is, but if
you have played football you that what really made the great run was the blockers on the line and in
the secondary. Teamwork made the touchdown. Not just one guy's talents.
Patrols are the same way. If you win one of our interpatrol contests, or if you have the best campsite
at a camporee, it's not just because one guy is such a great Scout. It's patrol teamwork.
The secret of patrol teamwork is have every member do his job, whatever it is. If one Scout goofs off,
the patrol suffers. If every Scout does his part, the patrol is bound to be a winner.
The winning attitude is what we call patrol spirit. Is your patrol a winner? I'm not asking whether you
win every contest. I'm asking: Is your patrol doing the very best that it can and is every member
contributing? If your answer is no, then ask yourself: "Am I doing my very best? Do I have real patrol
spirit?"
LAWS AND MEN
Why do we have laws? What's the purpose of laws? That's right, we need laws to govern society. To
protect life and property and to make rules for the way our society works. If we had no laws, there
would be nothing to stop a man from injuring someone weaker than himself or stealing from others.
Laws are essential for any civilized society.
But you know, there are laws and laws. For instance, we speak of the laws of nature. Is that some
kind of written rule that everything in nature must follow? Not really. It's more like a description of the
way the natural world works. The law of nature tells us that predator animals like lions will kill and eat
prey animals like wildebeests and antelopes - not because they are vicious but that is nature's way
of sustaining her creatures.
Then there's the Scout Law. Are the 12 points of the Scout Law something that must be obeyed or
you'll go to jail? Of course not. The Scout Law is a different kind of law. It's a prescription for a good
character. But in it's way, the Scout law is just as important as the laws Congress passes because
the man who follows the Scout Law will be the best kind of citizen. That kind of citizen tries his best
to obey not only the Scout Law but also the laws of his community, state, and nation. Let's now
stand and renew our pledge to the Scout Law.
MEASURING UP
This month we're learning how to measure heights and distances by estimation. It's fun, and it can
be a useful skill in the outdoors - in planning pioneering bridges, for example.
We measure by estimation in lots of everyday things, too. In the morning you estimate how much
orange juice you want for breakfast by pouring it into a glass. It's not a precise amount, just
approximate. And you measure by estimation when you cross a street well before a car comes or
when you pass a football to a running teammate.
One thing most of us don't measure often enough, though, is ourselves. How often do we stop and
say, "Am I doing the right thing? Is it what a Scout should do? How am I measuring up to the Scout
Oath and Law?" I suggest that you set aside five minutes a week to pause and ask yourself, "How
am I measuring up?"
HIBERNATION
Does everybody know what the word "hibernation" means? That's right, it means to sleep through
the winter. Woodchucks do it. So do some chipmunks, ground squirrels, bats, and some mice. Bears
do a lot of sleeping in the winter, too, but they're not true hibernators because they sometimes get up
and yawn and look around a little on a warmish winter day.
Did you know that some Scouts are hibernators, too? They're what we call warm-weather Scouts.
When the air gets cold and there is snow on the ground they'd rather stay at home than go outdoors
as Scouts do.
I hope we don't have any hibernators in this troop. Leave hibernation to the animals who really need
to do it because it's part of their life cycle. The most important part of the word "Scouting" is "outing"
and in this troop we like to get outdoors rather that try to find our adventures in front of a TV set. Part
of the fun of Scouting is learning to live comfortably outdoors all year round. You will find that there
is a lot of satisfaction in knowing that you can take care of yourself in any weather. That doesn't
mean that we're nuts, though; if we get caught in a blizzard with sub-zero temperatures, we'll come
home. But we know how to take care of ourselves in ordinary winter weather.
So you newer Scouts can tell your folks that you'll get along just fine with the troop when we go out
later this month. In this troop, Scouting really is outing.
YOUR WILD ANIMAL
Scouts, did you know that everybody, including you, has a wild animal behind bars? The wild animal
is your tongue, and the bars are your teeth.
If your tongue is not trained it can cause a lot of trouble, not only for yourself but for those around
you. Keep those bars of teeth closed until your tongue is so well trained that you know it won't harm
anybody.
Your wild animal can make trouble by bad-mouthing other people, by gossip and slander, and by
wisecracks at the wrong time. Train your tongue so that it knows the right time to speak and the time
to be quiet. Until you have it fully trained, keep that wild animal behind bars.
YOUR COOK KIT
Scouts, have you ever heard of people who claim to be able to read your character by the lines in
your hand, the shape of your head, or your handwriting. Well, I know a better way. (Hold up a
cooking kit. ) All you have to do is look at a Scout's cooking kit.
First you ask, "Is it clean?" Then you ask, "Who cleans it?" Every self-respecting Scout cleans his
own kit. He doesn't expect his mother to do it for him.
The next thing to ask is, "Has it been used a lot?" We all know that some mess kits don't get used
very often. They're owned by Scouts that some people call "sandwich -wrapped-in-a-pink-napkin"
outdoorsmen. I see some of you smiling. Of course, I'm not referring to anyone here.
Then there is the Scout who really uses his cook kit - keeps it clean, too. He can cook with a stick,
and he can cook with aluminum foil. In fact he can cook just about any way he wants to and have fun
doing it. He's our kind of Scout. You can tell by looking at his cook kit.
JUNK FOOD
You all know what junk food is - stuff like potato chips, soda pop and candy. Probably you've heard
people say it's not good for you.
I don't think that's really true. Even junk food has some food value. But it is true that a steady diet of
junk food is not good because you don't get a balanced diet of vitamins, minerals and protein that
you need to grow.
We have what you might call junk food in troop meetings. They're the games we play just for fun - not
learn any special skill but just because we enjoy them. There's not a thing wrong with "junk food"
games, and I hope you enjoy them as much as most of you do real junk food.
But they're not all of Scouting. In our troop activities we try to give you a balanced diet of Scouting,
with some instruction skills and plenty of chances to advance in rank and to learn useful things.
Take advantage of those chances. Don't just enjoy the junk food and leave the rest of the meal.
A SCOUT IS OBEDIENT
What's the seventh point of the Scout Law? That's right, "A Scout is obedient. " Our handbook
explains it this way: "A Scout follows the rules of his family, school and troop. He obeys the laws of
his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them
changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.
That tells us that some rules and laws may be unfair, doesn't it? perhaps some are, but there must be
some reason for them. Think about the reason before you try to change them or ignore them.
This month we're using some rules for water safety. The rules are called the Safe Swim Defense, and
there is a good reason for all of them. It's to protect your life.
You may think you should be in a different swimming ability group. Well, if you can prove it, you'll be
put in a higher group. But until then, stay with your buddy and your group. Obey our swimming
supervisors.
Our rules have only one purpose, to protect you. Remember that when you're in the water.
SCOUTS IN ACTION
(Show Boys' Life cartoon feature "A True Story of Scouts in Action")
Did you see this cartoon in this month's Boys Life? it's a story of how a Scout saved a life. I read it
every month and I hope you do, too.
In just about every story, the Scout hero showed a lot of guts in making the rescue. But have you
noticed that he usually demonstrated some skill, too?
More often than not, in water rescue cases, the Scout here used one of the methods we teach in this
troop. Same thing with rescue breathing cases.
The point is, it takes more than guts to save a life. It takes skill - the kind of skill that only comes from
practice, practice and more practice.
Maybe you get a little tired sometimes of practicing rescue breathing, or life saving carries, or some
other skill over and over again. But remember, each time you should be improving your technique a
little bit - and that little bit of extra skill could mean the difference between life and death if you are
called upon to use it some day.
A SCOUT IS FRIENDLY
Tonight I'm going to tell you a little story that didn't really happen - at least, I don't think it did. It's
about a boy named Brian who had just moved into town and hadn't any friends.
One night Brian happened to come by our meeting place and heard us playing. He hung around a
while, listening and looking, but he couldn't get up the nerve to come in. I guess he was a little bit
timid.
Anyway the next week he was back, hanging around the door. He still couldn't get up his courage to
come in and join us.
Brian was just waiting around the door when he saw a Scout coming down the street, heading for
our troop meeting. That Scout was you.
That's all the story I'm going to tell. You have to finish it. What happened? Did you brush by him or
did you invite him to come in?
WORLD FRIENDSHIP
(Read from page 34, The Official Boy Scout Handbook. Refer also to the World friendship Fund kit)
"A Scout is friendly. A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand
others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own. "
That's what the handbook tells us about the fourth point of the Scout Law. What does it mean? For
one thing it reminds us that we have a lot of brothers. Did you know that there are some 12 million
Scouts in some 115 countries around the world? Scouting is a lot bigger than our troop, our local
council, or even the Boy Scouts of America. It's a worldwide movement of brothers.
Some of those brothers are in poor countries. To help them the Boy Scouts of America has the World
friendship Fund, which collects money from American Scouts to buy uniform materials, supplies and
equipment, and to train their adult leaders.
Next week, our troop will be making a collection for the World Friendship Fund. You don't have to
give a lot. Just contribute one of the quarters you'd use for candy or a video game at the arcade. It
will help. Your contribution doesn't have to be a bug sacrifice for you to show your friendship for
Scouts around the world. Remember a Scout is friendly
EVEN A PARROT
Once a Scoutmaster was visiting in a new Scout's home. He was there to test the boy for his Scout
badge. Now it happened that this Scout's family owned a parrot.
Well, one of the requirements for the Scout badge is knowing the motto. The new Scout knew it, of
course, and shouted it out: "Be Prepared!"
The next morning the Scout's family was awakened by the parrot screeching, "Be Prepared! Be
Prepared!" And for the next few days, until the bird brain had forgotten it, that household resounded
with the Scout motto.
Sometimes, we may be like that parrot. If we're asked, "What's the Scout motto?" we're quick with
the correct answer. It's easy to remember and say.
But do we ever stop to think of what it means? Perhaps we would be better Scouts if we asked
ourselves every day, "Am I prepared?" "Am I growing in the knowledge and skills that will make me a
better Scout and a better man?"
Don't be a parrot. Whenever you say the Scout motto - or the Oath, Law, or slogan - think about what
they really mean. Then try to give them meaning in the way you live your life.
OUR OATH AND LAW
Last week for the Scoutmasters Minute, I talked a little about what Scouting was like a half century
ago. You may remember that I said it wasn't very different, at least not in the basics. The Scouts of
the Twenties came into Scouting for the same reason you did - to enjoy the outdoors, learn some
new skills and to have some fun.
There's something else that is not different: Our Scout Oath and Scout Law. Ever since 1910, more
than 75 years ago, boy Scouts have been gathering at troop meetings and repeating the exact same
Scout Oath and Law.
I think that's amazing. The world has changed in many ways over 75 years. When Scouting was new,
a boy's life was very different. There was no television, no radio, movies were brand new, most
people traveled by horse and carriage or train, adults worked long hours six days a week - and so
did some kids. It was just a different world.
But the first Boy Scouts in 1910 pledged themselves to the same Scout Oath and Law. And they tried
to live by it, just as I hope you do today. Let's think about that as we repeat the Scout Oath and Law.
(Lead Oath and Law. )
STRENGTHENING OUR TROOP
(Hold up two ropes of different sizes)
Which one of these ropes do you think is stronger? You're right. Common sense tells us that the
thicker rope must be stronger.
But how much stronger? Is a half inch rope twice as strong as a quarter inch rope? Sound as if it
should be, doesn't it? It's not though. In fact, a half inch rope is four times stronger than a quarter
inch rope of the same material.
Why is that? It's because there are more strands in the bigger rope, and each strand helps to make
the others stronger. When the strand are laid together in a rope there strength is much, much greater
that when they are separate.
Our troop works the same way. If the members of your patrol help each other, then your patrol will be
much stronger than if each patrol member does his own thing. And if all the patrols work together
when they're doing things as a troop, the whole troop becomes much stronger than if each patrol
goes its own way.
So let's share our skills and knowledge as we share the fun of Scouting. Everybody - you, your
patrol, and our whole troop - will benefit if we pull together.
WORLD FRIENDSHIP
During the coming months we'll be doing some things that remind us of Scouting's past. We'll also
try to show you that Scouting is big - worldwide in fact.
More than 100 other countries have Scouting for their boys, too. A lot of those countries in the
Scouting brotherhood are very poor.
To help the Scouts of other countries, the Boy Scouts of America has the World Friendship Fund. It
supplies them with uniforms and equipment and helps their leaders get training.
Next week at our open house for parents, we will take up a collection for the World Friendship Fund.
Of course you don't have to contribute if you don't want to, but if you can spare a quarter it will help a
brother Scout in another country.
Remember, that in the Scout Law we say "A Scout is friendly. . . He is a brother to other Scouts. "
THE SCOUT TRAIL
When we go hiking we spend most of our time on trails. Sometimes the going is easy because the
ground is flat and smooth. Other times it's all uphill - steep and rocky.
The Scout advancement trail is like that, too. Some of the requirements for the skill awards and merit
badges are easy for you. Some are tough like an uphill climb with a 40 pound pack.
This month we're going to concentrate on helping each other up those steep , rocky hills to earn skill
awards and badges. Why bother? Because by mastering more skills we grow to be a better person,
more independent, better able to take our place as a responsible citizen.
Some of us may be slower to advance than others. That's OK. The important thing is that we're all
doing our best to make progress. Because if you're not progressing, you're really moving
backwards - you're getting behind the rest.
Let's all make up our minds to take a step forward on the advancement trail this month by earning at
least one skill award or merit badge. If you're near First Class now, make a special effort to reach it in
time for the court of honor.
And let's help at least one other guy over the tough spots on the Scout trail.
IT ALL DEPENDS
A lot of you Scouts have been working on the Communications skill award and merit badge, and I
hope you've learned the importance of communicating clearly.
(Show walkie talkie. ) With this little device I can throw my voice a half-mile, maybe more. But what
good is it if I don't communicate clearly?
Suppose I radioed you on this walkie-talkie and said "Go, man! Trapped in cave. In trouble at
Spencer's Mountain. "
Sounds like I'm trapped in a cave at Spencer's Mountain, right? But what if I used exactly the same
words but said them like this: "Go! Man trapped in cave-in. Trouble at Spencer's Mountain. "
Quite a different story, isn't it? No doubt you'd rush to Spencer's Mountain if you heard it either way.
But would you bring a flashlight and rope to fish me out of the cave? Or would you bring a shovel to
dig the other guy out of the cave-in.
As you can see, sometimes a breakdown in communication can be a matter of life and death.
MANY GOOD TURNS
Back when Scouting was young, one of our national leaders was Ernest Thompson Seton. He was
called the Chief Scout and he often visited troops and asked Scouts about the Good Turns they had
done.
He wrote a story about one of his visits in Boys' Life in 1912. To understand the story you have to
know that in those days there were no automatic washing machines. Clothes were scrubbed in
washtubs and wrung out by a machine called a mangle which you operated by turning a crank.
Seton asked a Scout about any Good Turns he had done, and the Scout said, "I guess I did a good
many Good Turns. " He explained, "My mother, she takes in washing, and I turned the mangle, and I
guess I gave it a good many good turns. "
The other Scouts laughed, of course, but Seton asked him, "Was it your regular job to turn the
mangle, and did you get paid for it?" "No," the Scout said.
Seton replied, "Well, then, you did your good turn all right enough, and one of the very best kind. "
As you can see from this story, the Good Turn has been around for a long time. And it's the same
thing it was then - an act of kindness for which you don't get paid.
THANKS TO BSA
Last week I told you a little story about a Good Turn and an early leader of the Boy Scouts of America
named Ernest Thompson Seton.
There was another well-known leader of Scouting in those days named Daniel Carter Beard. If your
grandfather was a Scout, ask him about Dan Beard because he'll remember him. Dan Beard was a
legend in Scouting until his death in 1941.
Anyway he often wrote for Boys' Life in those days. I want to read you just a part of his Thanksgiving
message to Boy Scouts in 1913.
Dan Beard wrote: "Fellow Scouts: You have more opportunities today, you have more people
devoted to your cause, a better chance to become noble, distinguished , brave citizens than ever
before in the world's history. A great ancestry, a great history, a great country and the finest boys'
organization ever invented. So give three cheers for the Boy Scouts of America, for the Scout Law,
and for Old Glory, our flag!"
That was true then and it's true now. Let's give three "Hows and an Ugh!" for the Boy Scouts of
America. (Lead cheer)
THE SCOUT HANDSHAKE
Our Scout salute and handshake are ancient signs of bravery and respect. During the colonial period
of our country, many men carried weapons for protection. Sometimes when they met one another,
there was an uneasy moment as each man watched the others right hand. If it went to his sword or
his gun, there might be a fight. But if it went to his hat, it was a salute of friendship and respect.
The left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warriors whom Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of
Scouting, knew almost 100 years ago in West Africa. He saluted them with his right hand, but the
Ashanti chiefs offered their left hands and said, "In our land only the bravest of the brave shake
hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection. "
The Ashantis knew of Baden-Powell's bravery because they had fought against him and with him,
and they were proud to offer the left hand of bravery.
When you use the Scout salute and handshake, remember that they are signs of respect and
courage.
RECIPE FOR LIFE
This month you young Scouts are learning something about food and cooking and how to use
recipes to whip up a tasty meal. I hope you're learning that following a recipe is vital to good cooking,
unless you're satisfied with hot-dogs and hamburgers all the time in camp.
You've probably found out that a pinch of salt, a dash of cinnamon, or a teaspoon of sugar makes all
the difference. In fact, everything in the recipe has a reason for being there.
Scouting is like a recipe for living. We call the ingredients our ideals - our Oath and Law, our motto,
our slogan. You might say that Scouting's recipe for living calls for a cup of each of the 12 points of
the Scout Law, a tablespoon of Good Turns, a heaping cup of duty to God and country, and a couple
of dashes of duty to self - that is, physical, mental and moral fitness. Add a quart or two of fun. Mix
well and you have good Scouting.
But if we ignore one of the ingredients, the Scouting dish doesn't taste as good as it should. Let's
remember that for good Scouting, and a full satisfying life, each of Scouting's ingredients are
important.
PARENTS
Scouts, if you're like most boys, you don't think of your parents very often. Oh, they're around all the
time, of course, and sometimes they make you do things you don't want to do.
But how often do you think of what your parents want from you? Probably not very often. Maybe you
give them gifts at Christmas and their birthdays. But most of us don't go out of our way to help our
parents as much as we might.
I have a suggestion. Do you know what is the best gift you can give them? I'll tell you.
Parents want most of all, and have a right to expect, that you will do your best to make them proud of
you. I don't mean by becoming rich or famous, or even by getting all A's in school - although I hope
you do your best at your studies.
The best gift you can give them is to become the best man you can be. There is no better way to do
that than by living up to the Scout Oath and Law. That is a gift you can give them right now and all
the time, and it is a gift they will cherish above all others.
OUTDOOR HOUSEKEEPING
Some of you are working on the Environment skill award or Environmental Science merit badge.
You're learning how everything in nature is connected in some way to everything else. Some
scientists call it the web of nature. Every strand has connections with other strands. Even rocks, for
example, are part of that web because as they slowly disintegrate over hundreds of years they help
to form the soil we depend on for food.
You're also finding out that if we pollute or destroy some strand in the web of life, it has effects on
other strands. That's why it's so important that we understand what we are doing to nature and why
as Scouts we sometimes do conservation projects to help our environment.
What I'm leading up to is a reminder that, especially when we are camping or hiking, we follow
Scouting's Outdoor Code in all we do. If we obey that Code, we are not going to damage any strands
in the web of life.
Please join me in the Outdoor Code. (Lead Outdoor Code, page 54, Official Boy Scout Handbook, by
repeat after me method)
JAMBOREE SPIRIT
Thousands of lucky Scouts will be at Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia for the 1989 National Scout Jamboree.
We'll have our own troop jamboree next week, but I'm not going to kid you that it will be as
spectacular as the national jamboree.
Still we can have plenty of fun ourselves, And we can certainly share in the jamboree spirit.
What's that? Well, the jamboree spirit is the spirit of Scouting and the idea that Scouts everywhere
are brothers. . To me at least it's a marvelous feeling to know that all over the country - and in 115
other countries around the world - Scouts like us pledge themselves to the same ideals and
purposes that we do. It's a mighty brotherhood and one I'm proud to belong to.
Next week, as we gather for our own jamboree, let's take a moment to think about jamboree spirit
and the brotherhood of Scouting. And let's give thanks for our opportunity to be members of that
brotherhood and share in the fun, adventure, and service that Scouting offers us.
THE BUDDY PLAN
(Hold up buddy tags)
What do I have here, Scouts? That's right, they're buddy tags. We use them whenever we go in the
water, so that every Scout is responsible for the safety of another Scout and so the leader knows
who is in the water. It's an important way to make sure that no swimmer gets into trouble because
no-one is paying attention to him.
The buddy plan is really part of everything we do in Scouting. Remember that in the Scout Oath we
say that we will help other people at all times. In other words, we are our brother's keeper, and we
pledge to act as a buddy would even to a total stranger.
Maybe I'm stretching the point a little bit, because you're never going to be a real buddy to some lady
you might give directions to on the street or to some little kid whose ball you find for him.
Still, the idea of the Good Turn and the buddy plan are the same in a way. Both call for you to help
another person - to become your brother's keeper. The buddy plan is absolutely essential when
we're in the water and the idea behind it is important in everything we do.
CAMPING IN THE TWENTIES
Five months from now - in February - we'll be joining in celebrating the 75th birthday of Scouting in
America. Actually, we're going to start celebrating this month.
We'll start by playing some of the games and learning some skills used by Scouts 60 years ago - and
even further back. On our campout we'll hike into camp the way they did, and maybe we'll use some
of the homemade equipment they did - pots, pans, and dishes from home, for example. Some of you
may want to leave your sleeping bags at home, because Scouts didn't have them in those days.
But you know, Scouting's historians tell us that Scouting wasn't all that different from what it is
today. The big attractions were in the outdoors, hiking and camping, just as they are today.
So your grandfathers enjoyed the same kind of Scouting that you do. Oh, there are changes, of
course. The early Boy Scouts hiked a lot more than we do, but that was mainly because they didn't
have access to cars. There were cars on the roads, but not very many.
At home, they didn't find television or video games, and radio was brand new then. In many respects,
it was a different world. But Scouting wasn't so different. We are following in their footsteps. Let's
see what it was like to be a Scout 60 -odd years ago. It must have been fun, just as it is today.
A SCOUT IS BRAVE
In the Scout Law we say, "A Scout is brave. " What does that mean to you? (Get answers. )
Usually we think of bravery as overcoming fear to take some action that saves a life of helps
someone in some way. Most of the time we're talking about overcoming fear of physical harm to
ourselves.
But there's another kind of bravery. It's bravery to overcome the fear of ridicule from our friends. It's
the courage that's required to do what you know is right, even if your friends make fun of you. It may
even be tougher than being brave in a crisis because you usually have more time to think about it.
I know it's sometimes hard to act right when everybody is urging you to do something you know is
wrong. It takes a courageous Scout - or man - to withstand the pressure from friends.
It's not easy - but it's the mark of a good Scout. Let's try to do our best to be brave in every situation -
the emergency and the pressure from friends.
COMMUNICATION
Scouts, have you ever considered how important it is to speak clearly and concisely about
something so that the other person is in no doubt about what you mean. Sometimes we may have
described something accurately but have said it in such a confusing manner that the meaning is
totally unclear. Let me explain what I mean with this little and very accurate definition of the game
Cricket.
CRICKET - As explained to a foreign visitor.
You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.
Each man that's in the side that's in, goes out and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes
in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes
out and tries to get those coming in, out.
Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When both sides have been in and out including the not outs.
THAT'S THE END OF THE GAME.
For any of you that know how to play cricket will know that this is a very accurate description. But it
gives the other person no idea at all of what the game is about and how to play it. Think before you
explain something to be sure you convey your thoughts clearly before you make a fool of yourself
and get stumped!
A WINNER
A Winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn something from them.
A Loser resents those who are superior and rationalizes their achievements.
A Winner explains.
A Loser explains away.
A Winner says, "Let's find a way".
A Loser says, "There is no way".
A Winner goes through a problem,
A Loser tries to go around it.
A Winner says, "There should be a better way to do it".
A Loser says, "That's the way it's always been done here".
A Winner shows he's sorry by making up for it.
A Loser says, "I'm sorry," but does the same thing next time.
A Winner knows what to fight for and what to compromise on.
A Loser compromises on what he shouldn't, and fights for what isn't worth fighting about.
A Winner works harder than a loser and has more time
A Loser is always too busy to do what is necessary.
A Winner is not afraid of losing,
A Loser is secretly afraid of winning.
A Winner makes commitments,
A Loser makes promises.
CARRYING SCOUTINGS FLAME
At this moment, somewhere in our country, a Boy Scout is carrying a flame for Scouting. It's called
the Heritage Flame, and it will be used to light the opening campfire at the national jamboree next
month.
The flame started in Hawaii several months ago, and ever since relays of Scouts have been carrying
it eastward toward Washington and Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia where the jamboree will be held. The
idea is to draw attention to Scouting on the 75th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and to
show that Scouting's spirit still burns brightly in this country.
This month we'll have our own Flame Relay, only we call it a Run for Scouting. But you know that
each of us carries the flame for Scouting in everything we do. As Scouts we represent the Scouting
movement all the time. If we live by the Scout Oath and Law and Scoutings other ideals our flame
burns brightly and reflects credit on Scouting, our families and ourselves. When we fail to follow
Scoutings ideals - and all of us fail sometimes - our flame flickers low and may die out. It's all up to
each of us to carry the flame for Scouting proudly by living up to the principles for which Scouting
stands.
Lessons From The Geese
by Robert McNeish, Associate Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools
We live in an area where geese are very common. We see them coming in the Fall and leaving early
Spring. Their migration is an awesome sight. There is an interdependence in the way geese function.
FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a "V"
formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are
going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to
fly alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the "lifting power" of the bird
immediately in front.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed
where we want to go.
FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at
the point position.
LESSON: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership--people, as with geese,
are interdependent with each other.
FACT: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
LESSON: We need to make sure our "honking" from behind is encouraging, not something less
helpful.
FACT: When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation to follow
him [her] down to help and protect him [her]. They stay with him [her] until [s]he is either able to fly
again or dies. Then they launch out on their own with another formation or catch up with their flock.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other.
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I Wish I Was That Brother
Upon graduation from college, a few years back, a young man received a gift from his older brother.
It was a shiny brand new Packard. The car of his dreams! One morning as he approached the car he
saw a young lad of 12 peering through the windows into the car! Obviously enthralled with the car,
the lad didn't hear the young man approach. "Is this your car?" the lad asked when he noticed the
man. "Yes it is!" the man responded! "Wow! This is a nice car!" remarked the lad, "How much did it
cost?" "I don't know!" answered the man. "It's your car, but you don't know how much it cost?"
exclaimed the young lad. "No," stated the man, "you see, my brother bought it for me!" "I wish...I
wish...I wish" stuttered the lad. The man thinking he's going to say, I wish I had a car like this. "I wish
I was like that brother!" finished the boy!
Amazed at the lads response he offered to drive him around the block! As they were driving, the lad
requested if he would drive him home. Thinking he wanted to show off that he was riding in a new
car to his friends, the man agreed! They drove more than a few blocks to where the boy lived and as
he turned onto the street the man noticed that it wasn't the best kept neighborhood! The houses
were dirty and broken. He pulled up in front of the boys house. "Please wait," the boy yelled as he
ran into the house! "Oh, he's probably going to get his family to show off the new car", the man
thought to himself.
The door to the front door opened and out came the young lad. In his arms he carried a small boy,
crippled from birth! The lad brought him out to the car, and stated as he hugged his younger brother,
"See, just like I told you! It's a brand new car! And someday, I'm going to buy you one just like it!"
How unselfish this boy was....to be the kind of brother that looked after other first!
What kind of Scout are you...Are you like the older brother!
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One Day At A Time
A friend of ours was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As he walked along, he
began to see another man in the distance. As he grew nearer, he noticed that the local native kept
leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. Time and again he kept
hurling things out into the ocean.
As our friend approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been
washed up on the beach and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water.
Our friend was puzzled. He approached the man and said, "Good evening, friend. I was wondering
what you are doing."
"I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it's low tide right now and all of these
starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don't throw them back into the sea, they'll die up
here from lack of oxygen."
"I understand," my friend replied, "but there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't
possibly get to all of them. There are simply too many. And don't you realize this is probably
happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Can't you see that you can't possibly
make a difference?"
The local native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and as he threw it back into
the sea, he replied, "Made a difference to that one!"
Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen taken from "Chicken Soup for the Soul"
There are hundreds of thousand (millions) of boys around the world who can benefit from the
Scouting experience. We can't reach them all, but even within our own groups we see our task
overwhelming, not making any difference. However, to that one boy in your den, pack, troop or post
who looked to you as a role model, a friend, an inspiration (even if he never told you) you've made a
difference!
You Do Make A Difference -- in making our world a better place to be....One Boy At A Time!
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" The Left Handshake - The Boy Scout Movement During the War 1939 -45 "
by H St. George Saunders, [ Collins, London 1949] pp139 - 140
No better example of how French Scouts helped their country during the occupation can be found
than in the story of Jean Pierre Comboudon, a 16 year-old Rover Scout from Issy les Moulineaux, a
suburb of Paris. After the invasion the township was cut off by fighting between allied and
occupying troops. Food was not getting through, and there was general disorganisation of services
everywhere.
Jean Pierre persuaded the Mayor to give him a free hand. Equipped with two lorries, a small sum in
cash and a motorcycle he went around local fields and farms and collected some ten tons of
vegetables. Next he ventured further afield into Oise, which was still the scene of actions between
the retreating Germans and Canadian forces. He and his companion collected some thirty tons of
foodstuffs. On the way back to town he not only had to deal with a flat tyre, but also one of his lorries
was hit during an air raid, and he had to put out the resulting fire. On the way he encountered two
wounded passers-by, and drove them to the hospital. But the hospital was deserted, empty of staff
and supplies. He went around the town collecting medical supplies and bedding and established the
wounded in the hospital before continuing his journey back to Issy. Rations for 25,000 people were
issued, which fed the inhabitants until the town was liberated by American forces on 26 June after a
battle lasting three days. During this time Jean Pierre rescued wounded .
As if this was not enough, he penetrated a position held by 400 desperate SS troops, who were
convinced that they would be slaughtered and determined to fight to the last. Jean Pierre managed
to persuade them to surrender to the allies, and by so doing saved many lives on both sides.
The above is a paraphrase of the original. I occasionally persuade our Scoutmaster to lend me his
Scoutmaster's Minute to try to introduce little bits of Scouting history to the troop, and I used this
story last week at our meeting which fell between Memorial Day and the D-Day anniversary. Scouts
from Transatlantic Council had recently returned from Normandy where we visited the Pointe de Hoc
and the American Cemetery. One Scout in T401 is dual French / American and his grandmother
visited us in camp and told the boys how she had been a little girl during the D-Day Landings and
had watched the American forces come ashore. Her family had been involved with the Resistance,
and she herself had previously been interned in a concentration camp. Clearly this story had
particular significance for the Scouts who had actually visited Omaha Beach a few weeks previously,
but I hope that it might be usefull to <all> you Scouters and your troops.
Ian Ford
Troop 401 BSA
(American School in London)
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Scoutmaster's minute for Eagle Court
One of my ASMs had a good one last night which may not be profound enough for an Eagle court
but great for a SM minute.
Have everyone stand in the audience.
Have everyone cross their arms.
Have them look which arm is on top.
Ask them to re-cross their arms so that the "other" arm is on top.
Ask them what they feel...
The response is typically "different, weird"
Ask "which way is CORRECT?, right on top or left on top?"
They may balk at the word CORRECT (which is good).
Ask "which way is WRONG" The answer typically is neither way is right nor wrong.. just different.
You now can tell them that each one of us is different.
If you can work with each other's difference, then you will make a difference in the world.
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from THE BEST OF THE LEADER and others...
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When night ends...
"How can we determine the hour of dawn - when the night ends and the day begins?" the rabbi
asked of his students.
"When, from a distance, you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?" one of his students
suggested.
"No" the rabbi answered.
"Is it when you can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?" another student asked.
"No" he replied.
"Please tell us the answer, then" said the students.
"It is when you can look into the face of a human being and have enough light to recognize in him
your brother," the wise teacher replied.
"Until then, it is night, and the darkness is still with us."
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Everybody's Canoe...
A young Indian brave was busy at work carving a canoe out of a log.
As he worked, members of the tribe passed by. Everybody had a piece of advice to offer the young
man.
"I think you are making your canoe too wide," one of them said. The young brave, wishing to show
respect for the advice of an elder, narrowed down the canoe.
A little later, another warrior stopped by. "I'm afraid you are cutting the stern too full," he said. Again,
the young brave listened to his elder and cut down the stern.
Very soon, yet another member of the tribe stopped, watched awhile, then said, "The bow is too
sheer." The young brave accepted this advice as well and changed the line of the bow.
Finally the canoe was complete and the young brave launched it. As soon as it hit the water, it
capsized. Laboriously he hauled it back onto the beach. Then he found another log and began to
work anew.
Very soon, a member of his tribe stopped by to offer some advice, but this time the young brave was
ready.
"See that canoe over there?" he asked, pointing to the useless craft on the beach. "That is
everybody's canoe." Then he nodded at the work in progress. "This one," he said, "is my canoe"
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The Traveller and the Tracker...
Once a Traveller and a Tracker set out to explore the world together. As they wound their way
through the wilderness, the Traveller was amazed at the Tracker's habit of pausing several times a
day to pray.
"Why do you pray to something intangible?" the Traveller asked. "How do you know there is a God?"
Now the Tracker was very skilled in noticing things and, through the years, had gained much insight
reading the smallest signs. And he answered the Traveller this way:
"I know there is a God when I see the leaves turning yellow. I know there is a God when a trout jumps
at a fly, and when grass waves in the dry wind. I know there is a God when clouds shade my head
and the stars wink at night."
"So you see," said the Tracker, "I know there is a God, for I can see his footprints throughout the
Universe."
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An Ancient Prayer
[found on the wall of an old Inn in Lancashire, England]
Give us, Lord, a bit o' sun
a bit o' work and a bit o' fun;
give us all in th' struggle and splutter
our daily bread and a bit o' butter.
Give us health, our keep to make
an' a bit to spare for poor folks sake;
give us sense, for we're some of us duffers,
an' a heart to feel for all that suffers.
Give us, too, a bit of a song,
an' a tale, and a book to help us along,
an' give us our share o' sorrow's lesson
that we may prove how grief's a blessing.
Give us, Lord, a chance to be
our goodly best, brave, wise and free,
our goodly best for ourselves and others
till all men learn to live as brothers.
Amen.
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A Closing...
Wood and water ... wind and tree
Wisdom ... Strength ... and courtesy
Scouting's spirit go with thee.
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We look about us ...
Useful in an open setting Scouts Own, use surroundings to fill out the lines, take your time and
encourage the Scouts to look about themselves.
We look about us ... and see the grass and trees ...
We look about us ... and see the blue sky and crystal waters ...
We look about us ... and see the birds and animals that live in this world with us ...
We look about us ... and see the camp where we have had so much fun....
We look about us ... and see our brothers (and sisters) in Scouting ...
We look about us ... and see God's Hand everywhere ...
We look about us ...
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Chief Dan George's Prayer
O Great Spirit!
Whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to the world ... hear me.
I come to you as one of your many children ... I am small and weak, I need your strength and your
wisdom.
May I walk in beauty.
Make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset, make my hands respect the things that you
have made, and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may know the things You have taught your children, in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong, not to be suspect to my brothers but to be able to fight my greatest enemy ... myself.
Make me ever ready to come to You with straight eyes, so, that when life fades, as the faded sunset,
my spirit will come to You without shame.
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Ten Commandments of Human Relations.
Speak to people - there is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.
Smile at people - it takes sixty-five muscles to frown, only fifteen to smile.
Call people by name - the sweetest music to anyone's ear is the sound of their own name.
Be friendly and helpful - if you would have friends, be friendly.
Be cordial - speak and act as if everything that you do is a real pleasure.
Be genuinely interested in people - you can like everybody if you try.
Be generous with praise - cautious with criticism.
Be considerate of the feelings of others - it will be appreciated.
Be thoughtful of the opinions of others - there are three sides to a controversy; yours, the other
person's, and the right one.
Be alert to give service - what counts most in life is what we do for others.
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When You Walk Through The Woods.
When you walk through the woods,
I want you to see ...
The floating gold of a bumble bee,
Rivers of sunlight, pools of shade
Toadstools sleeping in mossy jade
A cobweb net with a catch of dew
Treetop cones against the blue
Dancing flowers, bright green flies
And birds that put rainbows in your eyes.
When you walk through the woods,
I want you to hear ...
A million sounds in your eager ear
The scratch and rattle of wind-tossed trees
The rush as a timid chipmunk flees
The cry of a hawk from the distant sky
The purr of leaves when a breeze rolls by
Brooks that mumble, stones that ring
And birds that teach your heart to sing.
When you walk through the woods,
I want you to feel ...
That no mere human could make this real
Could paint the throb of a bullerfly's wing
Could teach a wood thrush how to sing
Could create these wonders of earth and sky
There's something greater than you or I.
When you walk through the woods
and the birches nod
Please, meet a friend of mine named God.
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A few weeks ago the grandfather of one of the Scouts visited the Troop. He was a Scout himself
during the Depression in the 1930s, about 60 years ago. It was a hard time for him and many others
but he had good memories of Scouting. He watched the meeting and visited with the Scouts and
joined in in our closing circle for the Scoutmaster's Minute. We then sang Scout Vespers as we
always do.
His wife of 30 some odd years was with him and she noticed that the grandfather, who had not been
involved in Scouting in years, still remembered the words and tune to the Scout Vespers and was
able to sing with the Troop with no hesitation. He remarked to his wife afterwards that that simple
song brought back all the memories. Memories of all the things he had done in Scouts, all the the fun
he had had, all the valuable lessons he had learned in Scouts that later helped him. It also showed
him that the traditions of Scouting were still steadfast after so many years.
Memories and traditions powerful things. Memories and tradition are an important part to Scouting. It
is important to recall for both Scouts and Scouters that what we build here in the Troop are
memories - traditions. We build them between ourselves while following the Scout Oath and Law.
They are the start of memories that will last us a lifetime.
So as you walk the Scouting trail remember the memories are what you build. Pledge yourself to
build good memories, good memories of the fun you have had, good memories of the lessons you
have learned.
As you leave tonight reflect on the memories and traditions of Scouting that you yourself can carry
forward to the betterment of all.
Good Night
Scott Drown
SM Troop 39, Maltby
Mt. Baker Council, Everett Wa.\
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Consider the flashlight
Equipment needed: Flashlight, a paper grocery bag and darkness.
Consider the flashlight. Think how useful it is as we find our way along the trail at night or prepare to
bed down in our tents.
Consider the batteries in our flashlight. If we keep them too long or use them too much eventually
they loose their power and our light dims beyond usefulness.
Consider that if we have only one flashlight for a group of people, only the one person holding the
light determines what we will see or what directon we will proceed. If we have many lights, we have
many possibilities and choices to make. Also notice that if everyone holds his light high at the same
time, the light fills an area larger than if everyone holds their light low. Notice how the group benefits
from the light held high.
Consider what happens if we put our light inside a paper bag and turn it on. We can see what is
inside the bag very well but can not see things outside the bag well at all bacause the bag cuts the
light. Sometimes it is important to see inside the bag. sometimes it is important to see outside the
bag.
The flashlight is like us, like people. We are most useful and helpful to others when we are outside
the bag and in groups.
The batteries are like our beliefs and our ideas. Sometimes they need recharging or replacing inorder
for the light to remain useful.
The bag represents some of the choices we make about sharing our selves with others.
How will you hold your light? How Long will your batteries last? How many bags do you bring along
and is there anything worth finding inside?
Consider the flashlight.
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Sleeping Well
In Israel, there are two major bodies of water. Both of these bodies of water are fed by the waters of
the River Jordan.
One is the Sea of Galilee, which is full of fish, and is surrounded by lush vegetation and trees. It is a
living body in every sense.
The other is the Dead Sea. There is nothing green there, there are no fish, and the sea is stagnant
and dead.
The difference is that the Sea of Galilee overflows, for every gallon of water that flows into the sea, a
gallon given up and is passed on downstream. It is constantly renewing itself, it gives as much as it
takes.
The Dead Sea, on the other hand, because of its geography, only takes. It gives up nothing. The
water there is never cleansed, it stagnates and dies. And everything depending on it dies also.
Some people say that there are two kinds of people in the world -- those that constantly give of
themselves (who help other people at all times), and those that only take.
Those that only take Eat Well.
But those who give Sleep Well.
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The Devil's Sale
There is a story that the devil once announced he was going out of business and offered to sell his
tools to anyone who would pay the price. On the night of the sale, the tools were all attractively
displayed. They were a nasty looking lot-- malice, hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit--each marked with a
price tag. A little off from the rest lay a harmless looking wedge-shaped tool, much worn, and priced
higher than any of the others.
"What is it?" someone asked the devil.
"That's discouragement," he replied.
"Why is it priced so high?" the prospective customer asked.
"Because," said the devil, "it is more useful to me than any of the others. I can pry open and get
inside a person with it when I could never get near him with any of the others. Once inside, I can use
the person in whatever way it suits me best. That's why it is so worn, you see. I use it with nearly
everybody, because few people yet know that it belongs to me."
It is probably not necessary to add that the devil's price for this tool was so high that there were no
bidders. And he is still using it.
-told by Colin McKay in Scouting (U.K.) magazine
Once there was a very large green bullfrog who lived in a modest sized pond. Even though many
other animals and fish lived around this pond the bullfrog didn't have any friends. You see, the
friends he once had were gone. They were tired of his boasting and tried to stay out of his way. This
situation changed when the geese began to migrate through the area. Two geese actually became
his friends. They spent many a long day visiting, swimming and doing the things friends do. Then
one day the two geese told the frog it was time for them to continue their migration. The frog was sad
and asked if they could take him with them. He suggested that they let him climb on one of their
backs and hang onto their neck. Both geese agreed that he was entirely too fat for one goose to
carry. Further saddened, the frog began to think and finally came up with an idea. Listen, he said,
How about we take a string and each of you take hold of a end with your mouth and bite down hard,
then I will bite in the middle of the string and you can fly me between you. The geese pondered the
idea and decided to give it a try. All were ready and the geese began to flap and run. The frog hopped
along with the string in his mouth until he was lifted from the ground and was airborne. Oh what a
feeling thought the frog. Onward they flew for days on end until they flew over a farmer out in his
field.
The farmer looked up and upon seeing the geese and frog remarked, "My, my, a flying frog I wonder
who taught those geese to fly such a big frog?"
Hearing this the frog said, "I DID!!!." That night the farmer feasted on very large succulent frog legs.
Check your ego, don't let it get so far out of control that you lose your friends or worse yet, end up
on someones plate.
-- Thanks to Greg Gough, SM Troop 201, Ozark, MO. I used to be an Owl but I will always be an Eagle!
The Snake
A group of Arapaho Indian boys decided it was time to prove to the tribe elders that they were old
enough to be considered men. By custom, the rite of manhood included living alone for one week in
the wilderness. Each boy was instructed to only take a knife with him and come back seven days
later and tell of his adventures. One boy, wanting to prove that he was more of a man than the others,
decided that he would climb the snow-capped mountains for his week of adventure. Surely, living in
the snow and cold is a hardship that the elders must agree that only a man could endure. So, he
walked an entire day across the plains to the foot of the mountains. He climbed halfway up the
mountains to the snowline when a snake spoke to him.
"Help me," the snake cried.
"Why should I help you, a rattlesnake? You are known to bite and kill people," replied the Arapaho
brave.
"I am cold and almost frozen. Please put me in your warm shirt and take me down the mountain to
where it is warm where I can survive," said the rattlesnake.
"How do I know that you are not going to bite and kill me?" asked the brave.
"Why should I bite the person who saves my life?" replies the snake.
"Ok. I do not like to see anyone die. Promise you won't bite me?" asked the brave.
"I Promise," replied the snake.
So the Indian boy placed the snake in his shirt and walked down the mountain. As he opened his
shirt to let the snake out, the rattlesnake bit him.
"WHY DID YOU BITE ME? You promised you wouldn't bite and kill me!" yelled the young brave.
The snake replied, "You knew who I was when you picked me up. You have nobody to blame for
your death but yourself."
Today Scouts, one doesn't prove his maturity by living alone in the wilderness anymore, but instead
shows that he is a man by living wisely in the streets and making good decisions by himself. There
are rattlesnakes hiding in the streets today that go by the names of marijuana, cocaine, crack, speed,
acid, ...drugs. Drugs will falsely promise a lot of good times and laughs, but will instead lie to you, get
you to steal and break the law in other ways, and if not kill you, rob you of your health and brains.
The few hours of chemical-induced pleasure may cost you the rest of your life in permanent brain
damage and physical disability.
When you decide to prove to others that you are mature enough to be a man, prove it by making the
right choice not to do any drugs and stick to that decision. Ok?
-- Thanks to H. Alan Schup
The Empty Pot
The following is a paraphrase of "The Empty Pot" by Demi.
A Chinese Emperor is dying and needs to pick his successor. Since he loved gardening (this is the
outdoor angle), he decides to let the seeds choose. He calls all the children to the palace and gives
them each a seed to grow. They are to return in the Spring with their plant; whoever has tended their
plant the best will be named Emperor.
One little boy, known among the children as an excellent gardener, cannot get his seed to grow. He
tries repotting several times, no luck. At the end of the year, he has nothing but an empty pot to
present to the Emperor, while all of the other children bring huge, beautiful plants of varying kind.
However, the Emperor had baked all of the seeds so that they wouldn't grow. Only one child was
honest and brought forth the empty pot. He was rewarded with being named Emperor. --Thanks to a
contribution to the GirlScout-List
A Lesson in Trust
This is a "true" story I related to our Scouts.
It seems that before the first man walked on the moon, NASA found an area of New Mexico where the
topography was similar to the surface of the moon. They decided that it would be a good idea to take
the astronauts and the lunar lander there to check out the equipment. They arrived at the area and
unloaded all their gear. During the second day while working with the equipment they noticed a flock
of sheep on the horizon. As it drew closer they could see several dogs herding the flock and two
Navaho Indians walking behind. The Scientists knew that they were Navaho because the reservation
was near by. The Two Navaho Indians set down on the ridge and watched them work for several
hours.
Seeing the Navahos watching them, two of the scientist decided to go talk to them. After walking up
the ridge they soon discovered that the old Navaho could only speak in his native tongue but his
son could speak English. The old man said several things and his son translated, "he says, what are
those things down there?" The scientist explained that they were men in space suits and that they
would be traveling to the moon by rocket and once there they would get out and be the first men to
walk upon the moon. The old man nodded and said a few more words that the son translated "so,
they will walk upon the moon?" And the scientist confirmed. The old man nodded and said a few
more words. The son said, "he wants to know if he can send a message to the moon with these
astronauts." At this the scientist became very excited and searched their gear until they found a tape
recorder. The old Navaho recorded his message. The scientist asked the boy to translate but he
wouldn't.
They worked about a month next to the reservation but every time they asked someone to translate
the message they would listen to it, smile and shake their head no. Finally they found a Professor of
Native American studies that agreed to translate the message in exchange for some funding on a
research project. He listened to the tape and smiled. He said, "this message is a warning, it says,
Look out for these guys, they are coming to steal your land."
You may wonder why I told this story as my Scoutmasters Minute. Our program element this month
is Leadership and the reason the old Navaho sent this message was because he did not trust the
white man. Trust is a very important part of Leadership. If you cannot trust your leader or he cannot
trust you, your patrol will not be very effective. Trust is also very fragile, it takes only one action on
your part to destroy the trust others have in you. Often times when trust is breached it can never be
rebuilt. A Scout is Trustworthy. And now may the Master of all Scouts be with us till we meet again.
Goodnight Scouts!
--Thanks to Greg Gough, SM Troop 201, Ozark, MO.
I Used to Work in a Zoo
This is a Scoutmaster's minute that I used recently that still has the Scouts talking. It starts with the
following story told in the first person. You have to keep a straight face. I have had several ask me if I
really did work at the zoo :). Here it is -
When I was 16 I discovered that having a job would be of great value to me. It would be of value
because I could buy gas for my car, pay for my clothes, etc. The problem with being 16 and wanting
a job is finding one. Luckily my dad knew the caretaker at the zoo and he asked him if they needed
any help. He said to send me down for an interview. The very next day I went to the zoo and met him
in his office. There we talked for a while and finally he told me he had a job that he thought I could do.
He told me to follow him and we went through a series of tunnels and alleys (employee entrance)
until we emerged by the gorilla cage. I noticed that the cage was empty. He pointed to the cage and
begin to explain that the gorilla Mabel was getting very old and had just yesterday gotten sick and
had to be taken to the vet. Mabel was one of>the feature attractions at the zoo and the kids just loved
to see her. Mabel never did much but sit on the branch of that big tree and held onto the rope that
was hanging down. He went on to say that he had a gorilla suit I could wear if I would be interested in
sitting on the branch for 4 hours at a time. It sounded good to me so I told him I would.
The next day I went to the zoo, put on the gorilla suit and climbed into the cage. I sat on the branch
holding the rope and soon there was a crowd of children pressing their faces to the bars. About an
hour passed and I began to get into this gorilla stuff. I would grab the rope and swing across the
cage. The kids thought it was great so I started swinging higher and higher. In the next cage there
was a lion and he was becoming irritated by my antics and began to pace his cage and roar. I kept
swinging and started to swing to the lion's side of the cage and would use my feet to push off of his
bars. I could really swing out far and he roared even louder. All of a sudden I missed the bars and
flew through and dropped into the lion's cage. I landed on my back and was stunned but
immediately got up and ran to the front of the cage screaming "help me, help me, I am not who you
think I am". Just as I got that out the lion jumped on my back and knocked me to the ground. His
head was at my neck and he said, "shut up stupid or you will get us both fired".
The point to the story is that I took the job because it had a value to me. You will hear on TV news
reporters say that we have a valueless society. This is incorrect. Even gang members have values,
they value things like money & drugs. Everyone has values, it is the principles that determine what
your values will be. The Scout Law sets a foundation of solid moral principles, from these come
good values. Goodnight Scouts!
-- Thanks to Greg Gough, SM Troop 201, Ozark, MO.
The Monk and the Missionary
There is an old story of the missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh. He was traveling through the Himalayas
with a Monk in the bitter cold. Night was coming and the Monk said, "If we don't reach the monastery
by nightfall, we are in danger of freezing to death." Just as they reached a narrow path, they heard
the cries of a man who had fallen over the edge. The Monk said, "Do not stop. God has brought him
to his fate. He must work it out himself."
Sadhu replied, "God sent me here to help my brother. I cannot abandon him." The Monk went on and
Sadhu climbed down a steep path. When he found the man, he saw that his leg was broken and he
could not walk. Sadhu made a sling from his blanket and tied the man to his back. He then began a
body torturing climb. He made his way through the deepening snow. It was dark>and it was all he
could do to follow the path. He perserved, and faint with exhaustion, he finally saw the lights of the
Monastery. As he moved toward the light, he stumbled for the first time and nearly fell. He did not
stumble from exhaustion, but over an object. As he brushed the snow off the object, he looked down
and saw that it was the body of the Monk.
Years later when a student asked him, "What is life's most difficult task?" he replied, "To have no
burden to carry."
-- Thanks to Alan R. Houser, Scoutmaster, Berkeley Troop 24
I Wish I Was That Brother
Upon graduation from college, a few years back, a young man received a gift from his older brother.
It was a shiny brand new Packard. The car of his dreams! One morning as he approached the car he
saw a young lad of 12 peering through the windows into the car! Obviously enthrawled with the car,
the lad didn't hear the young man approach. "Is this your car?" the lad asked when he noticed the
man. "Yes it is!" the man responded! "Wow! This is a nice car!" remarked the lad, "How much did it
cost?" "I don't know!" answered the man. "It's your car, but you don't know how much it cost?"
exclaimed the young lad. "No," stated the man, "you see, my brother bought it for me!"
"I wish...I wish...I wish" stuttered the lad. The man thinking he's going to say, I wish I had a car like
this. "I wish I was like that brother!" finished the boy! Amazed at the lads response he offerred to
drive him around the block! As they were driving, the lad requested if he would drive him home.
Thinking he wanted to show off that he was riding in a new car to his friends, the man agreed! They
drove more than a few blocks to where the boy lived and as he turned onto the street the man
noticed that it wasn't the best kept neighborhood! The houses were dirty and broken. He pulled up in
front of the boys house. "Please wait," the boy yelled as he ran into the house! "Oh, he's probably
going to get his family to show off the new car", the man thought to himself. The door to the front
door opened and out came the young lad. In his arms he carried a small boy, crippled from birth! The
lad brought him out to the car and stated as he hugged his younger brother, "See just like I told you!
It's a brand new car! And someday, I'm going to buy you one just like it!"
How unselfish this boy was....to be the kind of brother that looked after the other first! What kind of
Scout are you...Are you like the older brother!
--Thanks to Peter Van Houten
Boys Shave Heads in Show of Support
Yorkville, Illinois; Dec 4 1992
Radiation treatment may soon cost Mark Lowry his hair, but his bald head won't stand out in the
classrooms at Cross Lutheran School.
When his classmates learned that Mark, 13, would undergo chemotherapy, all 15 of them decided to
have their heads shaved in a show of support. By yesterday only two boys in the seventh and eighth
grades weren't bald - one was due for a haircut this weekend; the other was Mark who came home
from the hospital this week with a full head of hair.
"It probably won't be for long, though," Mark said.
Mark learned only recently he had leukemia and started chemotherapy treatment last week.
Classmate Travis Busch then came up with the headshaving idea, but cleared it with Mark first. "We
didn't want him to feel we were making fun of him," said Travis.
How long do the boys plan to go hairless? "Until Mark grows his hair back," they said. --AP
--Thanks to Anne Riddick
Being Honest by Peter Van Houten
I'd like to share an experience I witnessed last night that exemplifies the virtues of honesty and the
principles of being a Boy Scout!
Beyond my role of Scout leader I am also a little league coach for the minor league. I was scouting
(interesting choice of terms here) the team we'll be playing tomorrow and noticed they had a very
talented first baseman. He was older than the rest and already a good 5'5" tall. Unfortunately, he'd
had the misfortune of a couple of bad plays which resulted in the runners advancing to 2nd base.
He's also been getting some abuse from the other team for his size and race, being Indian (as from
India).
Let me add that the other teams coach doesn't exactly have the personality that generates good
sportsmanship, and I witnessed him chewing out a couple of his players for not running fast
enough, or doing EXACTLY what he told them to do.
Now that I've set the scene we'll bring you into the 4th inning. Score is tied! Two outs! Saied (sp???)
is playing 1st, runner currently on 2nd. The ball is pitched and hit to 2nd baseman who throws to 1st
base. Saied catches ball as runner touches base, but ball rolls out of glove! Umpire calls runner OUT!
The opposing coach and most of his parents went ballistic, and I mean Ballistic (with a Captial B).
(Had I been the ump I would have thrown the guy out of the game) Anyway, the ump turns to Saied
and says, "Did you have control of the ball before he touched the base." The pressure is on and you
can see it on his face. Saied replied, "I caught the ball, but it rolled out. No!" The ump reverses her
decision and calls the runner safe!
Reactions:
The opposing coach is relieved and makes a couple of choice comments about the ump's vision.
Saied is feeling he let his team down.
All the parents on Saied's team gives him a standing ovation for his honesty.
I approached Saied after the inning, shook his hand and complimented him on his honesty. I found
out later through his coach that he was indeed a Boy Scout (just joined).
Here's a boy faced with a challenging decision that could have made a difference whether his team
won or lost. He could have easily taken the easy way out and said Yes!, but regardless of the
outcome, chose that being honest was the right way! This young man exemplified the Boy Scout
principles. My hat goes off, and my hand extended in congratulating young men who when faced
with such decisions choose the right way!
--Thanks to Peter Van Houten
Lessons From The Geese
by Robert McNeish, Associate Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools
We live in an area where geese are very common. We see them coming in the Fall and leaving early
Spring. Their migration is an awesome sight.
There is an interdependence in the way geese function.
FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a "V"
formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are
going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to
fly alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the "lifting power" of the bird
immediately in front.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed
where we want to go.
FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at
the point position.
LESSON: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership -- people, as with geese,
are interdependent with each other.
FACT: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
LESSON: We need to make sure our "honking" from behind is encouraging, not something less
helpful.
FACT: When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation to follow
it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it is either able to fly again or dies. Then they
launch out on their own with another formation or catch up with their flock.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other.
-- Submitted to the Scouts-L Youth Groups Discussion List by Alan Houser, Scoutmaster, Berkeley
Troop 24
The Origin of the Left Hand Shake
The Left hand shake goes way back to the origins of Scouting, and was inspired like many original
Scouting concepts by B.-P.'s Army career.
When Captain Baden-Powell entered the capital city of the Ashanti people in 1896 he was met by one
of the chiefs who came to him holding out his left hand. B.P. held out his right hand in return but the
Chief said "No, in my country the bravest of the brave shake with the left hand"
This was because African Warriors typically carried a spear in the right hand and a shield in the left.
To shake left handed meant you had to put down your shield and put your life in the hands of the
other person.
So began the Left hand shake of the World Wide Brotherhood of Scouting.
-- Thanks to Jim McGregor, 1st Camden South Scout Group, Camden NSW Australia
It's Only a Pin
Two fond parents watch their boy where he stands,
Apart from his comrades tonight,
And see placed on his camp-battered tunic, a badge...
An Eagle... the emblem of right.
It seems just a few short months have passed
Since he joined with the youngsters next door...
How proud they were then of their Tenderfoot pin
As they told of the message it bore.
But the years have gone as he struggled along
To learn what the Scout Law's about;
He practiced them daily, the Oath and the Law,
Until now he is an Eagle Scout.
You may smile in your worldly wisdom at this
And say, "Why it's only a pin."
But I'll tell you, no honors he'll gain as a man
Will mean quite as much to him.
The red, white and blue of the ribbon you see
Are the symbols of honor and truth.
He has learned how to value these fine attributes
In the glorious days of his youth.
And the out-flinging wings of the Eagle that rests
On the breast of this knight of today
Are the wings which will lift him above petty deeds,
And guide him along the right way.
Yes, it's only a pin, just an Eagle Scout badge,
But the heart beneath it beats true,
And will throb to the last for the things that are good;
A lesson for me... and for you.
The Sunday Run
Last Sunday as I was finishing my run through Tree Tops Park with my running buddy, I saw a
neighbor standing in her garage doorway about to get her newspaper. Unfortunately the years had
not been kind to her. She was walking with a walker and one eye was closed. Over the years I had
seen her taking care of her house and she had always appeared quite friendly, but in her present
condition she could no longer see me from where I ran along the road. Without thinking, I picked up
the Sunday paper and quickly brought it to her. God bless you, she said, as I handed her the paper. I
was>astonished by the sincerity of those words as I realized that it would have taken her quite some
time to walk to the paper and pick it up in her condition. As I caught up with Steve, my running
buddy, I commented that I had fulfilled my scouting good turn for the day and it wasn't even 8 a.m.
He jokingly replied, Now you can be a jerk the rest of the day.
At first I laughed but the more I thought about what had transpired, the more I thought about what the
meaning of what scout spirit really is. Scout spirit doesn't mean how many little old ladies you help
across the street or pick up the Sunday paper for. It does not mean how many meetings or campouts
you attend or how many merit badges you obtain. Scout spirit means that we live by the Scout Oath
and Law twenty-four hours a day and uphold the pledge we make as scouts to hold ourselves up to
a higher standard, or as the Hebrew National people say, We hold ourselves up to a higher authority.
So don t just wait for the obvious situation such as the little old lady and the newspaper to exercise
your scout spirit, but create your own situations to live the scouting life and practice scout spirit
twenty-four hours a day,seven days a>week. By doing so we all answer to a higher authority.
-- Thanks to Marc Grey, SM Troop 317, Davie, Florida
The Eagle and the Wolf
There is a great battle that rages inside me.
One side is a soaring Eagle.
Everything the Eagle stands for is good and true and beautiful,
And it soars above the clouds.
Even though it dips down into the valleys,
It lays its eggs on the mountains.
The other side of me is the howling Wolf,
And that raging, howling wolf represents the worst that is in me.
He eats upon my downfalls and justifies himself by his presence in the pack.
Who wins this great Battle?
The one I feed.
You Scouts must make a choice of whether or not you wish to be an HONORABLE MAN. Which are
you going to feed, the Eagle or the Wolf?
-- Thanks to General Krulak, Commandant of the US Marine Corps. Presented at the 1994 Naval
Academy Leadership Forum
AIM SO HIGH YOU'LL NEVER BE BORED
The greatest waste of our natural resources is the number of people who never achieve their
potential. Get out of that slow lane. Shift into that fast lane. If you think you can't, you won't. If you
think you can, there's a good chance you will. Even making the effort will make you feel like a new
person. Reputations are made by searching for the things that can't be done and doing them. Aim
low boring. Aim high soaring.
THE SNAKE THAT POISONS EVERYBODY
It topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, busts reputations, causes heartaches,
nightmares, indigestion, spawns suspicion, generates grief, dispatches innocent people to cry in
their pillows. Even its name hisses. It's called gossip. Office gossip, shop gossip, party gossip. It
makes headlines and headaches. Before you repeat a story, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it fair? is it
necessary? If not, shut up.
THE REAL WAY TO HAPPINESS
Who can tell me what the Scout slogan is? That's right, "Do a Good Turn daily". The handbook tells
us that a Good Turn is an extra act of kindness. It might be a big thing like saving somebody's life
with courage and skill. Or could be some small act like picking up trash on the street or helping a
child get his kite out of a tree.
There are two good reasons for doing Good Turns. One of them, obviously, is that it makes other
people happy. But you will find, if you do a Good Turn daily, that it makes you feel good, too. Baden
Powell, the man who started Scouting in England almost 80 years ago, said this about a Good Turn:
"The real way to get happiness is by giving it to other people. " Everyone of us should be doing our
Good Turn daily. Are you? If you don't think about it very often, it's a good idea to start now. We'' be
reminding ourselves later this month when we do a troop Good Turn for ___________. But if you
have the Scouting Spirit, you will do your best to follow the Scout slogan in your daily life with some
small service to your family, your teacher, your friends, or a perfect stranger.
THANKSGIVING
Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means a school holiday, probably some football games to
watch, and surely a big meal of turkey with all the trimmings.
It's a great time for everybody. But before the holiday passes, take a few minutes to think about what
it really means. Thanksgiving started out to be a time for giving thanks to God for his blessings. We
should make sure to keep that thought in our celebration today.
That doesn't mean we have to spend the whole holiday time in prayer. By all means we should enjoy
the feast and the football. But we should also remember that a Scout is reverent, and part of that
point of the Scout Law is praying and giving thanks at appropriate times. So when you sit down to
your big Thanksgiving dinner, don't forget to offer your thanks to God, not only for the food but for
all your other blessings.
SCOUTING PATHFINDER - BADEN-POWELL
Three months from now, we're going to be celebrating the ___th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of
America. But Scouting is even older than that. It really began ____ years ago on a little island in
England. British general named Robert Baden-Powell took 21 boys camping on this island and
tested his ideas of Scouting for boys.
From that first camp, the idea grew into a worldwide movement. Baden-Powell was a remarkable
man. You can read a little about him on page 475 of your handbook. Baden-Powell wrote the first
Scout Oath and Law and motto, "Be Prepared. " He developed the idea for patrols within a troop, and
he taught many of the outdoor skills we learn today. Now let us honor Baden-Powell by repeating the
Scout Oath. (Lead Oath)
SCOUTING PATHFINDER - ERNEST THOMPSON SETON
Last week I talked about Baden-Powell, the English general who founded Boy Scouting. While
Baden-Powell was working out his ideas for Scouting, in this country a man named Ernest
Thompson Seton was doing something quite similar. Seton was an author and an artist, and even
before Baden-Powell organized the first Scouts, Seton had started a boy's organization called the
Woodcraft Indians.
His Woodcraft Indians hiked and camped and studied nature, just as Scouts do. When
Baden-Powell's Boy Scouting idea spread to America, Seton joined in . He became the first Chief
Scout of the Boy Scouts of America, and he did much to spread the idea of Scouting here.
Seton stressed Indian lore, and many of his ideas still live in the Order of the Arrow. In honor of
Ernest Thompson Seton let us repeat the Scout Law. (Lead Law)
SCOUTING PATHFINDER - DANIEL CARTER BEARD
I told you last week about Ernest Thompson Seton, who was one of the earliest leaders of the Boy
Scouts of America. Another important leader of the BSA in those days was Daniel Carter Beard. He
was an illustrator and writer of boys' book. In 1902, ____ years ago he started an organization for
boys called the Sons of Daniel Boone.
In was a pretty informal organization. Mostly he promoted it by writing magazine articles and letters
to boys. But the Sons of Daniel Boone were forerunners of Boy Scouts, and Beard became one of
the main leaders of Scouting Let's honor Dan Beard with our patrol calls. (Each patrol gives call)
MEASURE YOURSELF BY THE GOLDEN RULE
(Show an ordinary ruler)
What do I have here? Right, it's a ruler. Some people call it a rule. This one isn't golden but it does
remind me of the Golden Rule. Do you know what the Golden Rule is?
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. " That's a great guide for living, Scouts. If we
always followed that rule, we would always be kind to others because no-one wants unkindness
done to him.
The trouble is, we aren't saints. And so we don't always follow the Scout Law - A Scout is kind" - or
the Golden Rule. Some of us follow the Golden Rule for about three inches. Others makes it eight
inches. A few of us might make it all the way to eleven inches.
How far do you go on the Golden Rule? Probably not as far as you could. So the next time you're
tempted to do something unkind, or say something that will hurt someone, stop and think. What will
it do to your place on the Golden Rule?
DON'T BE A LITTERBUG
(Hold up a paper carton or other piece of litter)
This month we've been talking a lot about conservation of natural resources, and next week on our
campout we're going to tackle some conservation work in the woods.
But one thing we all do everyday to help is to avoid throwing litter around. (Toss litter in waste
basket. ) I'm not saying that if we avoid littering, a tree will grow better or a wild creature will benefit.
But we will, because a clean environment looks a lot better, and it will encourage us to do some real
conservation work.
An awful lot of people are litterbugs. They think nothing of tossing cans, bottles, cartons and other
junk on to the ground wherever they go. It's a disgusting habit, and one I hope none of you does or
will ever start.
As Scouts, we should live by the Outdoor Code and be clean in our outdoor manners. That means
we never throw litter on the trail and we always leave our campsites better than we found them. Let's
try to remember that all the time, not only when we're outdoors with the troop.
BE PREPARED FOR ANY OLD THING
What's the Scout motto? That's right, "Be Prepared. " Can anyone tell me where it came from? Well,
it was started by a man who founded the Scouting movement almost 80 years ago. His name was
Robert Baden-Powell. He was an English general who took the first Scouts camping back in 1907.
He was a most interesting man. If you're curious about him, you can learn a little by reading page 475
of your handbook.
Baden-Powell was once asked what the motto meant. What is a Scout supposed to be prepared for?
"Why any old thing," Baden-Powell replied.
That's a tall order. Life holds a lot of surprises and we can't be prepared for all of them. But in
Scouting you're learning how to handle many surprises and crises. You learn how to give first aid,
how to live comfortably outdoors, give service to your community and nation, clean up your
environment, do good Turns for people and a host of other things. Later this month we're going to
talk about being prepared to make choices between right and wrong, too.
Preparing you for life is what Scouting is all about. We're going to do our best to make you prepared
for any old thing.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF FREEDOM
Can anybody tell me what holiday falls on September 17. It's Citizenship Day or Constitution Day.
Probably you've been talking about the reason for that holiday in school. If you don't already know it,
on September 17, 200 years ago, the founders of this country agreed upon the US Constitution.
It is by far the oldest written constitution of any country in the world, and it is the main reason that we
enjoy freedom today. The Constitution established our form of government, and perhaps more
important, it guarantees the rights of citizenship that we all enjoy.
Most of us take those rights for granted. We can't imagine living in a country where people cannot
speak freely, worship God as they wish, or join associations that criticize the government and blast
the President. But there are billions of people in the world without any of those rights.
Remember that as you grow older and begin to vote, pay taxes, and perhaps become a leader in
government or civic affairs. The Constitution is the foundation stone of this country, which is why
the President and many other officials take an oath "to protect and defend the Constitution. " Each of
us should take the same oath because it is the basis of our liberty.
CAN EIGHT WORDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Doctrines, credos, manifestos, laws, declarations, codes of ethics. Ever since people have been able
to communicate they have compiled words to live by. But the world is still troubled. Take these
words: Honesty, Workmanship, Ambition, Faith, Education, Charity, Responsibility, Courage.
Chances are that four and half billion people won't agree to live their lives by them. But think how
much better your life would be if just one person does. You.
THE WINNING SPIRIT
Scouts, what is a winning spirit? In some sports, people say that a guy who has the winning spirit
really comes to play. That kind of guy is sometimes called a "gamer".
In Scouting we have gamers, too. Know who they are? They're the guys who are active in their
patrols and in our troop. They're always trying to learn something new and to advance from one rank
to another.
That kind of guy has his own motto. His motto is, "Be First Class". From the day he joins the troop
he's shooting for First Class - in rank and in everything he does. You new Scouts should remember
that. Be First Class!
PATROL SPIRIT
I'm sure all of you Scouts have played team sports, so you know what teamwork means. Most
football fans see a touchdown run and say, "Wow! Isn't that guy a great runner?" Maybe he is, but if
you have played football you that what really made the great run was the blockers on the line and in
the secondary. Teamwork made the touchdown. Not just one guy's talents.
Patrols are the same way. If you win one of our interpatrol contests, or if you have the best campsite
at a camporee, it's not just because one guy is such a great Scout. It's patrol teamwork.
The secret of patrol teamwork is have every member do his job, whatever it is. If one Scout goofs off,
the patrol suffers. If every Scout does his part, the patrol is bound to be a winner.
The winning attitude is what we call patrol spirit. Is your patrol a winner? I'm not asking whether you
win every contest. I'm asking: Is your patrol doing the very best that it can and is every member
contributing? If your answer is no, then ask yourself: "Am I doing my very best? Do I have real patrol
spirit?"
LAWS AND MEN
Why do we have laws? What's the purpose of laws? That's right, we need laws to govern society. To
protect life and property and to make rules for the way our society works. If we had no laws, there
would be nothing to stop a man from injuring someone weaker than himself or stealing from others.
Laws are essential for any civilized society.
But you know, there are laws and laws. For instance, we speak of the laws of nature. Is that some
kind of written rule that everything in nature must follow? Not really. It's more like a description of the
way the natural world works. The law of nature tells us that predator animals like lions will kill and eat
prey animals like wildebeests and antelopes - not because they are vicious but that is nature's way
of sustaining her creatures.
Then there's the Scout Law. Are the 12 points of the Scout Law something that must be obeyed or
you'll go to jail? Of course not. The Scout Law is a different kind of law. It's a prescription for a good
character. But in it's way, the Scout law is just as important as the laws Congress passes because
the man who follows the Scout Law will be the best kind of citizen. That kind of citizen tries his best
to obey not only the Scout Law but also the laws of his community, state, and nation. Let's now
stand and renew our pledge to the Scout Law.
MEASURING UP
This month we're learning how to measure heights and distances by estimation. It's fun, and it can
be a useful skill in the outdoors - in planning pioneering bridges, for example.
We measure by estimation in lots of everyday things, too. In the morning you estimate how much
orange juice you want for breakfast by pouring it into a glass. It's not a precise amount, just
approximate. And you measure by estimation when you cross a street well before a car comes or
when you pass a football to a running teammate.
One thing most of us don't measure often enough, though, is ourselves. How often do we stop and
say, "Am I doing the right thing? Is it what a Scout should do? How am I measuring up to the Scout
Oath and Law?" I suggest that you set aside five minutes a week to pause and ask yourself, "How
am I measuring up?"
HIBERNATION
Does everybody know what the word "hibernation" means? That's right, it means to sleep through
the winter. Woodchucks do it. So do some chipmunks, ground squirrels, bats, and some mice. Bears
do a lot of sleeping in the winter, too, but they're not true hibernators because they sometimes get up
and yawn and look around a little on a warmish winter day.
Did you know that some Scouts are hibernators, too? They're what we call warm-weather Scouts.
When the air gets cold and there is snow on the ground they'd rather stay at home than go outdoors
as Scouts do.
I hope we don't have any hibernators in this troop. Leave hibernation to the animals who really need
to do it because it's part of their life cycle. The most important part of the word "Scouting" is "outing"
and in this troop we like to get outdoors rather that try to find our adventures in front of a TV set. Part
of the fun of Scouting is learning to live comfortably outdoors all year round. You will find that there
is a lot of satisfaction in knowing that you can take care of yourself in any weather. That doesn't
mean that we're nuts, though; if we get caught in a blizzard with sub-zero temperatures, we'll come
home. But we know how to take care of ourselves in ordinary winter weather.
So you newer Scouts can tell your folks that you'll get along just fine with the troop when we go out
later this month. In this troop, Scouting really is outing.
YOUR WILD ANIMAL
Scouts, did you know that everybody, including you, has a wild animal behind bars? The wild animal
is your tongue, and the bars are your teeth.
If your tongue is not trained it can cause a lot of trouble, not only for yourself but for those around
you. Keep those bars of teeth closed until your tongue is so well trained that you know it won't harm
anybody.
Your wild animal can make trouble by bad-mouthing other people, by gossip and slander, and by
wisecracks at the wrong time. Train your tongue so that it knows the right time to speak and the time
to be quiet. Until you have it fully trained, keep that wild animal behind bars.
YOUR COOK KIT
Scouts, have you ever heard of people who claim to be able to read your character by the lines in
your hand, the shape of your head, or your handwriting. Well, I know a better way. (Hold up a
cooking kit. ) All you have to do is look at a Scout's cooking kit.
First you ask, "Is it clean?" Then you ask, "Who cleans it?" Every self-respecting Scout cleans his
own kit. He doesn't expect his mother to do it for him.
The next thing to ask is, "Has it been used a lot?" We all know that some mess kits don't get used
very often. They're owned by Scouts that some people call "sandwich -wrapped-in-a-pink-napkin"
outdoorsmen. I see some of you smiling. Of course, I'm not referring to anyone here.
Then there is the Scout who really uses his cook kit - keeps it clean, too. He can cook with a stick,
and he can cook with aluminum foil. In fact he can cook just about any way he wants to and have fun
doing it. He's our kind of Scout. You can tell by looking at his cook kit.
JUNK FOOD
You all know what junk food is - stuff like potato chips, soda pop and candy. Probably you've heard
people say it's not good for you.
I don't think that's really true. Even junk food has some food value. But it is true that a steady diet of
junk food is not good because you don't get a balanced diet of vitamins, minerals and protein that
you need to grow.
We have what you might call junk food in troop meetings. They're the games we play just for fun - not
learn any special skill but just because we enjoy them. There's not a thing wrong with "junk food"
games, and I hope you enjoy them as much as most of you do real junk food.
But they're not all of Scouting. In our troop activities we try to give you a balanced diet of Scouting,
with some instruction skills and plenty of chances to advance in rank and to learn useful things.
Take advantage of those chances. Don't just enjoy the junk food and leave the rest of the meal.
A SCOUT IS OBEDIENT
What's the seventh point of the Scout Law? That's right, "A Scout is obedient. " Our handbook
explains it this way: "A Scout follows the rules of his family, school and troop. He obeys the laws of
his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them
changed in an orderly manner rather than disobey them.
That tells us that some rules and laws may be unfair, doesn't it? perhaps some are, but there must be
some reason for them. Think about the reason before you try to change them or ignore them.
This month we're using some rules for water safety. The rules are called the Safe Swim Defense, and
there is a good reason for all of them. It's to protect your life.
You may think you should be in a different swimming ability group. Well, if you can prove it, you'll be
put in a higher group. But until then, stay with your buddy and your group. Obey our swimming
supervisors.
Our rules have only one purpose, to protect you. Remember that when you're in the water.
SCOUTS IN ACTION
(Show Boys' Life cartoon feature "A True Story of Scouts in Action")
Did you see this cartoon in this month's Boys Life? it's a story of how a Scout saved a life. I read it
every month and I hope you do, too.
In just about every story, the Scout hero showed a lot of guts in making the rescue. But have you
noticed that he usually demonstrated some skill, too?
More often than not, in water rescue cases, the Scout here used one of the methods we teach in this
troop. Same thing with rescue breathing cases.
The point is, it takes more than guts to save a life. It takes skill - the kind of skill that only comes from
practice, practice and more practice.
Maybe you get a little tired sometimes of practicing rescue breathing, or life saving carries, or some
other skill over and over again. But remember, each time you should be improving your technique a
little bit - and that little bit of extra skill could mean the difference between life and death if you are
called upon to use it some day.
A SCOUT IS FRIENDLY
Tonight I'm going to tell you a little story that didn't really happen - at least, I don't think it did. It's
about a boy named Brian who had just moved into town and hadn't any friends.
One night Brian happened to come by our meeting place and heard us playing. He hung around a
while, listening and looking, but he couldn't get up the nerve to come in. I guess he was a little bit
timid.
Anyway the next week he was back, hanging around the door. He still couldn't get up his courage to
come in and join us.
Brian was just waiting around the door when he saw a Scout coming down the street, heading for
our troop meeting. That Scout was you.
That's all the story I'm going to tell. You have to finish it. What happened? Did you brush by him or
did you invite him to come in?
WORLD FRIENDSHIP
(Read from page 34, The Official Boy Scout Handbook. Refer also to the World friendship Fund kit)
"A Scout is friendly. A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand
others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than his own. "
That's what the handbook tells us about the fourth point of the Scout Law. What does it mean? For
one thing it reminds us that we have a lot of brothers. Did you know that there are some 12 million
Scouts in some 115 countries around the world? Scouting is a lot bigger than our troop, our local
council, or even the Boy Scouts of America. It's a worldwide movement of brothers.
Some of those brothers are in poor countries. To help them the Boy Scouts of America has the World
friendship Fund, which collects money from American Scouts to buy uniform materials, supplies and
equipment, and to train their adult leaders.
Next week, our troop will be making a collection for the World Friendship Fund. You don't have to
give a lot. Just contribute one of the quarters you'd use for candy or a video game at the arcade. It
will help. Your contribution doesn't have to be a bug sacrifice for you to show your friendship for
Scouts around the world. Remember a Scout is friendly
EVEN A PARROT
Once a Scoutmaster was visiting in a new Scout's home. He was there to test the boy for his Scout
badge. Now it happened that this Scout's family owned a parrot.
Well, one of the requirements for the Scout badge is knowing the motto. The new Scout knew it, of
course, and shouted it out: "Be Prepared!"
The next morning the Scout's family was awakened by the parrot screeching, "Be Prepared! Be
Prepared!" And for the next few days, until the bird brain had forgotten it, that household resounded
with the Scout motto.
Sometimes, we may be like that parrot. If we're asked, "What's the Scout motto?" we're quick with
the correct answer. It's easy to remember and say.
But do we ever stop to think of what it means? Perhaps we would be better Scouts if we asked
ourselves every day, "Am I prepared?" "Am I growing in the knowledge and skills that will make me a
better Scout and a better man?"
Don't be a parrot. Whenever you say the Scout motto - or the Oath, Law, or slogan - think about what
they really mean. Then try to give them meaning in the way you live your life.
OUR OATH AND LAW
Last week for the Scoutmasters Minute, I talked a little about what Scouting was like a half century
ago. You may remember that I said it wasn't very different, at least not in the basics. The Scouts of
the Twenties came into Scouting for the same reason you did - to enjoy the outdoors, learn some
new skills and to have some fun.
There's something else that is not different: Our Scout Oath and Scout Law. Ever since 1910, more
than 75 years ago, boy Scouts have been gathering at troop meetings and repeating the exact same
Scout Oath and Law.
I think that's amazing. The world has changed in many ways over 75 years. When Scouting was new,
a boy's life was very different. There was no television, no radio, movies were brand new, most
people traveled by horse and carriage or train, adults worked long hours six days a week - and so
did some kids. It was just a different world.
But the first Boy Scouts in 1910 pledged themselves to the same Scout Oath and Law. And they tried
to live by it, just as I hope you do today. Let's think about that as we repeat the Scout Oath and Law.
(Lead Oath and Law. )
STRENGTHENING OUR TROOP
(Hold up two ropes of different sizes)
Which one of these ropes do you think is stronger? You're right. Common sense tells us that the
thicker rope must be stronger.
But how much stronger? Is a half inch rope twice as strong as a quarter inch rope? Sound as if it
should be, doesn't it? It's not though. In fact, a half inch rope is four times stronger than a quarter
inch rope of the same material.
Why is that? It's because there are more strands in the bigger rope, and each strand helps to make
the others stronger. When the strand are laid together in a rope there strength is much, much greater
that when they are separate.
Our troop works the same way. If the members of your patrol help each other, then your patrol will be
much stronger than if each patrol member does his own thing. And if all the patrols work together
when they're doing things as a troop, the whole troop becomes much stronger than if each patrol
goes its own way.
So let's share our skills and knowledge as we share the fun of Scouting. Everybody - you, your
patrol, and our whole troop - will benefit if we pull together.
WORLD FRIENDSHIP
During the coming months we'll be doing some things that remind us of Scouting's past. We'll also
try to show you that Scouting is big - worldwide in fact.
More than 100 other countries have Scouting for their boys, too. A lot of those countries in the
Scouting brotherhood are very poor.
To help the Scouts of other countries, the Boy Scouts of America has the World Friendship Fund. It
supplies them with uniforms and equipment and helps their leaders get training.
Next week at our open house for parents, we will take up a collection for the World Friendship Fund.
Of course you don't have to contribute if you don't want to, but if you can spare a quarter it will help a
brother Scout in another country.
Remember, that in the Scout Law we say "A Scout is friendly. . . He is a brother to other Scouts. "
THE SCOUT TRAIL
When we go hiking we spend most of our time on trails. Sometimes the going is easy because the
ground is flat and smooth. Other times it's all uphill - steep and rocky.
The Scout advancement trail is like that, too. Some of the requirements for the skill awards and merit
badges are easy for you. Some are tough like an uphill climb with a 40 pound pack.
This month we're going to concentrate on helping each other up those steep , rocky hills to earn skill
awards and badges. Why bother? Because by mastering more skills we grow to be a better person,
more independent, better able to take our place as a responsible citizen.
Some of us may be slower to advance than others. That's OK. The important thing is that we're all
doing our best to make progress. Because if you're not progressing, you're really moving
backwards - you're getting behind the rest.
Let's all make up our minds to take a step forward on the advancement trail this month by earning at
least one skill award or merit badge. If you're near First Class now, make a special effort to reach it in
time for the court of honor.
And let's help at least one other guy over the tough spots on the Scout trail.
IT ALL DEPENDS
A lot of you Scouts have been working on the Communications skill award and merit badge, and I
hope you've learned the importance of communicating clearly.
(Show walkie talkie. ) With this little device I can throw my voice a half-mile, maybe more. But what
good is it if I don't communicate clearly?
Suppose I radioed you on this walkie-talkie and said "Go, man! Trapped in cave. In trouble at
Spencer's Mountain. "
Sounds like I'm trapped in a cave at Spencer's Mountain, right? But what if I used exactly the same
words but said them like this: "Go! Man trapped in cave-in. Trouble at Spencer's Mountain. "
Quite a different story, isn't it? No doubt you'd rush to Spencer's Mountain if you heard it either way.
But would you bring a flashlight and rope to fish me out of the cave? Or would you bring a shovel to
dig the other guy out of the cave-in.
As you can see, sometimes a breakdown in communication can be a matter of life and death.
MANY GOOD TURNS
Back when Scouting was young, one of our national leaders was Ernest Thompson Seton. He was
called the Chief Scout and he often visited troops and asked Scouts about the Good Turns they had
done.
He wrote a story about one of his visits in Boys' Life in 1912. To understand the story you have to
know that in those days there were no automatic washing machines. Clothes were scrubbed in
washtubs and wrung out by a machine called a mangle which you operated by turning a crank.
Seton asked a Scout about any Good Turns he had done, and the Scout said, "I guess I did a good
many Good Turns. " He explained, "My mother, she takes in washing, and I turned the mangle, and I
guess I gave it a good many good turns. "
The other Scouts laughed, of course, but Seton asked him, "Was it your regular job to turn the
mangle, and did you get paid for it?" "No," the Scout said.
Seton replied, "Well, then, you did your good turn all right enough, and one of the very best kind. "
As you can see from this story, the Good Turn has been around for a long time. And it's the same
thing it was then - an act of kindness for which you don't get paid.
THANKS TO BSA
Last week I told you a little story about a Good Turn and an early leader of the Boy Scouts of America
named Ernest Thompson Seton.
There was another well-known leader of Scouting in those days named Daniel Carter Beard. If your
grandfather was a Scout, ask him about Dan Beard because he'll remember him. Dan Beard was a
legend in Scouting until his death in 1941.
Anyway he often wrote for Boys' Life in those days. I want to read you just a part of his Thanksgiving
message to Boy Scouts in 1913.
Dan Beard wrote: "Fellow Scouts: You have more opportunities today, you have more people
devoted to your cause, a better chance to become noble, distinguished , brave citizens than ever
before in the world's history. A great ancestry, a great history, a great country and the finest boys'
organization ever invented. So give three cheers for the Boy Scouts of America, for the Scout Law,
and for Old Glory, our flag!"
That was true then and it's true now. Let's give three "Hows and an Ugh!" for the Boy Scouts of
America. (Lead cheer)
THE SCOUT HANDSHAKE
Our Scout salute and handshake are ancient signs of bravery and respect. During the colonial period
of our country, many men carried weapons for protection. Sometimes when they met one another,
there was an uneasy moment as each man watched the others right hand. If it went to his sword or
his gun, there might be a fight. But if it went to his hat, it was a salute of friendship and respect.
The left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warriors whom Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of
Scouting, knew almost 100 years ago in West Africa. He saluted them with his right hand, but the
Ashanti chiefs offered their left hands and said, "In our land only the bravest of the brave shake
hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection. "
The Ashantis knew of Baden-Powell's bravery because they had fought against him and with him,
and they were proud to offer the left hand of bravery.
When you use the Scout salute and handshake, remember that they are signs of respect and
courage.
RECIPE FOR LIFE
This month you young Scouts are learning something about food and cooking and how to use
recipes to whip up a tasty meal. I hope you're learning that following a recipe is vital to good cooking,
unless you're satisfied with hot-dogs and hamburgers all the time in camp.
You've probably found out that a pinch of salt, a dash of cinnamon, or a teaspoon of sugar makes all
the difference. In fact, everything in the recipe has a reason for being there.
Scouting is like a recipe for living. We call the ingredients our ideals - our Oath and Law, our motto,
our slogan. You might say that Scouting's recipe for living calls for a cup of each of the 12 points of
the Scout Law, a tablespoon of Good Turns, a heaping cup of duty to God and country, and a couple
of dashes of duty to self - that is, physical, mental and moral fitness. Add a quart or two of fun. Mix
well and you have good Scouting.
But if we ignore one of the ingredients, the Scouting dish doesn't taste as good as it should. Let's
remember that for good Scouting, and a full satisfying life, each of Scouting's ingredients are
important.
PARENTS
Scouts, if you're like most boys, you don't think of your parents very often. Oh, they're around all the
time, of course, and sometimes they make you do things you don't want to do.
But how often do you think of what your parents want from you? Probably not very often. Maybe you
give them gifts at Christmas and their birthdays. But most of us don't go out of our way to help our
parents as much as we might.
I have a suggestion. Do you know what is the best gift you can give them? I'll tell you.
Parents want most of all, and have a right to expect, that you will do your best to make them proud of
you. I don't mean by becoming rich or famous, or even by getting all A's in school - although I hope
you do your best at your studies.
The best gift you can give them is to become the best man you can be. There is no better way to do
that than by living up to the Scout Oath and Law. That is a gift you can give them right now and all
the time, and it is a gift they will cherish above all others.
OUTDOOR HOUSEKEEPING
Some of you are working on the Environment skill award or Environmental Science merit badge.
You're learning how everything in nature is connected in some way to everything else. Some
scientists call it the web of nature. Every strand has connections with other strands. Even rocks, for
example, are part of that web because as they slowly disintegrate over hundreds of years they help
to form the soil we depend on for food.
You're also finding out that if we pollute or destroy some strand in the web of life, it has effects on
other strands. That's why it's so important that we understand what we are doing to nature and why
as Scouts we sometimes do conservation projects to help our environment.
What I'm leading up to is a reminder that, especially when we are camping or hiking, we follow
Scouting's Outdoor Code in all we do. If we obey that Code, we are not going to damage any strands
in the web of life.
Please join me in the Outdoor Code. (Lead Outdoor Code, page 54, Official Boy Scout Handbook, by
repeat after me method)
JAMBOREE SPIRIT
Thousands of lucky Scouts will be at Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia for the 1989 National Scout Jamboree.
We'll have our own troop jamboree next week, but I'm not going to kid you that it will be as
spectacular as the national jamboree.
Still we can have plenty of fun ourselves, And we can certainly share in the jamboree spirit.
What's that? Well, the jamboree spirit is the spirit of Scouting and the idea that Scouts everywhere
are brothers. . To me at least it's a marvelous feeling to know that all over the country - and in 115
other countries around the world - Scouts like us pledge themselves to the same ideals and
purposes that we do. It's a mighty brotherhood and one I'm proud to belong to.
Next week, as we gather for our own jamboree, let's take a moment to think about jamboree spirit
and the brotherhood of Scouting. And let's give thanks for our opportunity to be members of that
brotherhood and share in the fun, adventure, and service that Scouting offers us.
THE BUDDY PLAN
(Hold up buddy tags)
What do I have here, Scouts? That's right, they're buddy tags. We use them whenever we go in the
water, so that every Scout is responsible for the safety of another Scout and so the leader knows
who is in the water. It's an important way to make sure that no swimmer gets into trouble because
no-one is paying attention to him.
The buddy plan is really part of everything we do in Scouting. Remember that in the Scout Oath we
say that we will help other people at all times. In other words, we are our brother's keeper, and we
pledge to act as a buddy would even to a total stranger.
Maybe I'm stretching the point a little bit, because you're never going to be a real buddy to some lady
you might give directions to on the street or to some little kid whose ball you find for him.
Still, the idea of the Good Turn and the buddy plan are the same in a way. Both call for you to help
another person - to become your brother's keeper. The buddy plan is absolutely essential when
we're in the water and the idea behind it is important in everything we do.
CAMPING IN THE TWENTIES
Five months from now - in February - we'll be joining in celebrating the 75th birthday of Scouting in
America. Actually, we're going to start celebrating this month.
We'll start by playing some of the games and learning some skills used by Scouts 60 years ago - and
even further back. On our campout we'll hike into camp the way they did, and maybe we'll use some
of the homemade equipment they did - pots, pans, and dishes from home, for example. Some of you
may want to leave your sleeping bags at home, because Scouts didn't have them in those days.
But you know, Scouting's historians tell us that Scouting wasn't all that different from what it is
today. The big attractions were in the outdoors, hiking and camping, just as they are today.
So your grandfathers enjoyed the same kind of Scouting that you do. Oh, there are changes, of
course. The early Boy Scouts hiked a lot more than we do, but that was mainly because they didn't
have access to cars. There were cars on the roads, but not very many.
At home, they didn't find television or video games, and radio was brand new then. In many respects,
it was a different world. But Scouting wasn't so different. We are following in their footsteps. Let's
see what it was like to be a Scout 60 -odd years ago. It must have been fun, just as it is today.
A SCOUT IS BRAVE
In the Scout Law we say, "A Scout is brave. " What does that mean to you? (Get answers. )
Usually we think of bravery as overcoming fear to take some action that saves a life of helps
someone in some way. Most of the time we're talking about overcoming fear of physical harm to
ourselves.
But there's another kind of bravery. It's bravery to overcome the fear of ridicule from our friends. It's
the courage that's required to do what you know is right, even if your friends make fun of you. It may
even be tougher than being brave in a crisis because you usually have more time to think about it.
I know it's sometimes hard to act right when everybody is urging you to do something you know is
wrong. It takes a courageous Scout - or man - to withstand the pressure from friends.
It's not easy - but it's the mark of a good Scout. Let's try to do our best to be brave in every situation -
the emergency and the pressure from friends.
COMMUNICATION
Scouts, have you ever considered how important it is to speak clearly and concisely about
something so that the other person is in no doubt about what you mean. Sometimes we may have
described something accurately but have said it in such a confusing manner that the meaning is
totally unclear. Let me explain what I mean with this little and very accurate definition of the game
Cricket.
CRICKET - As explained to a foreign visitor.
You have two sides, one out in the field and one in.
Each man that's in the side that's in, goes out and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes
in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes
out and tries to get those coming in, out.
Sometimes you get men still in and not out.
When both sides have been in and out including the not outs.
THAT'S THE END OF THE GAME.
For any of you that know how to play cricket will know that this is a very accurate description. But it
gives the other person no idea at all of what the game is about and how to play it. Think before you
explain something to be sure you convey your thoughts clearly before you make a fool of yourself
and get stumped!
A WINNER
A Winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn something from them.
A Loser resents those who are superior and rationalizes their achievements.
A Winner explains.
A Loser explains away.
A Winner says, "Let's find a way".
A Loser says, "There is no way".
A Winner goes through a problem,
A Loser tries to go around it.
A Winner says, "There should be a better way to do it".
A Loser says, "That's the way it's always been done here".
A Winner shows he's sorry by making up for it.
A Loser says, "I'm sorry," but does the same thing next time.
A Winner knows what to fight for and what to compromise on.
A Loser compromises on what he shouldn't, and fights for what isn't worth fighting about.
A Winner works harder than a loser and has more time
A Loser is always too busy to do what is necessary.
A Winner is not afraid of losing,
A Loser is secretly afraid of winning.
A Winner makes commitments,
A Loser makes promises.
CARRYING SCOUTINGS FLAME
At this moment, somewhere in our country, a Boy Scout is carrying a flame for Scouting. It's called
the Heritage Flame, and it will be used to light the opening campfire at the national jamboree next
month.
The flame started in Hawaii several months ago, and ever since relays of Scouts have been carrying
it eastward toward Washington and Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia where the jamboree will be held. The
idea is to draw attention to Scouting on the 75th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America and to
show that Scouting's spirit still burns brightly in this country.
This month we'll have our own Flame Relay, only we call it a Run for Scouting. But you know that
each of us carries the flame for Scouting in everything we do. As Scouts we represent the Scouting
movement all the time. If we live by the Scout Oath and Law and Scoutings other ideals our flame
burns brightly and reflects credit on Scouting, our families and ourselves. When we fail to follow
Scoutings ideals - and all of us fail sometimes - our flame flickers low and may die out. It's all up to
each of us to carry the flame for Scouting proudly by living up to the principles for which Scouting
stands.
Lessons From The Geese
by Robert McNeish, Associate Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools
We live in an area where geese are very common. We see them coming in the Fall and leaving early
Spring. Their migration is an awesome sight. There is an interdependence in the way geese function.
FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the bird following. By flying in a "V"
formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
LESSON: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are
going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to
fly alone. It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the "lifting power" of the bird
immediately in front.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed
where we want to go.
FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies at
the point position.
LESSON: It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership--people, as with geese,
are interdependent with each other.
FACT: The geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
LESSON: We need to make sure our "honking" from behind is encouraging, not something less
helpful.
FACT: When a goose gets sick or wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation to follow
him [her] down to help and protect him [her]. They stay with him [her] until [s]he is either able to fly
again or dies. Then they launch out on their own with another formation or catch up with their flock.
LESSON: If we have as much sense as the geese, we will stand by each other.
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I Wish I Was That Brother
Upon graduation from college, a few years back, a young man received a gift from his older brother.
It was a shiny brand new Packard. The car of his dreams! One morning as he approached the car he
saw a young lad of 12 peering through the windows into the car! Obviously enthralled with the car,
the lad didn't hear the young man approach. "Is this your car?" the lad asked when he noticed the
man. "Yes it is!" the man responded! "Wow! This is a nice car!" remarked the lad, "How much did it
cost?" "I don't know!" answered the man. "It's your car, but you don't know how much it cost?"
exclaimed the young lad. "No," stated the man, "you see, my brother bought it for me!" "I wish...I
wish...I wish" stuttered the lad. The man thinking he's going to say, I wish I had a car like this. "I wish
I was like that brother!" finished the boy!
Amazed at the lads response he offered to drive him around the block! As they were driving, the lad
requested if he would drive him home. Thinking he wanted to show off that he was riding in a new
car to his friends, the man agreed! They drove more than a few blocks to where the boy lived and as
he turned onto the street the man noticed that it wasn't the best kept neighborhood! The houses
were dirty and broken. He pulled up in front of the boys house. "Please wait," the boy yelled as he
ran into the house! "Oh, he's probably going to get his family to show off the new car", the man
thought to himself.
The door to the front door opened and out came the young lad. In his arms he carried a small boy,
crippled from birth! The lad brought him out to the car, and stated as he hugged his younger brother,
"See, just like I told you! It's a brand new car! And someday, I'm going to buy you one just like it!"
How unselfish this boy was....to be the kind of brother that looked after other first!
What kind of Scout are you...Are you like the older brother!
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One Day At A Time
A friend of ours was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As he walked along, he
began to see another man in the distance. As he grew nearer, he noticed that the local native kept
leaning down, picking something up and throwing it out into the water. Time and again he kept
hurling things out into the ocean.
As our friend approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been
washed up on the beach and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water.
Our friend was puzzled. He approached the man and said, "Good evening, friend. I was wondering
what you are doing."
"I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it's low tide right now and all of these
starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If I don't throw them back into the sea, they'll die up
here from lack of oxygen."
"I understand," my friend replied, "but there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't
possibly get to all of them. There are simply too many. And don't you realize this is probably
happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Can't you see that you can't possibly
make a difference?"
The local native smiled, bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and as he threw it back into
the sea, he replied, "Made a difference to that one!"
Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen taken from "Chicken Soup for the Soul"
There are hundreds of thousand (millions) of boys around the world who can benefit from the
Scouting experience. We can't reach them all, but even within our own groups we see our task
overwhelming, not making any difference. However, to that one boy in your den, pack, troop or post
who looked to you as a role model, a friend, an inspiration (even if he never told you) you've made a
difference!
You Do Make A Difference -- in making our world a better place to be....One Boy At A Time!
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" The Left Handshake - The Boy Scout Movement During the War 1939 -45 "
by H St. George Saunders, [ Collins, London 1949] pp139 - 140
No better example of how French Scouts helped their country during the occupation can be found
than in the story of Jean Pierre Comboudon, a 16 year-old Rover Scout from Issy les Moulineaux, a
suburb of Paris. After the invasion the township was cut off by fighting between allied and
occupying troops. Food was not getting through, and there was general disorganisation of services
everywhere.
Jean Pierre persuaded the Mayor to give him a free hand. Equipped with two lorries, a small sum in
cash and a motorcycle he went around local fields and farms and collected some ten tons of
vegetables. Next he ventured further afield into Oise, which was still the scene of actions between
the retreating Germans and Canadian forces. He and his companion collected some thirty tons of
foodstuffs. On the way back to town he not only had to deal with a flat tyre, but also one of his lorries
was hit during an air raid, and he had to put out the resulting fire. On the way he encountered two
wounded passers-by, and drove them to the hospital. But the hospital was deserted, empty of staff
and supplies. He went around the town collecting medical supplies and bedding and established the
wounded in the hospital before continuing his journey back to Issy. Rations for 25,000 people were
issued, which fed the inhabitants until the town was liberated by American forces on 26 June after a
battle lasting three days. During this time Jean Pierre rescued wounded .
As if this was not enough, he penetrated a position held by 400 desperate SS troops, who were
convinced that they would be slaughtered and determined to fight to the last. Jean Pierre managed
to persuade them to surrender to the allies, and by so doing saved many lives on both sides.
The above is a paraphrase of the original. I occasionally persuade our Scoutmaster to lend me his
Scoutmaster's Minute to try to introduce little bits of Scouting history to the troop, and I used this
story last week at our meeting which fell between Memorial Day and the D-Day anniversary. Scouts
from Transatlantic Council had recently returned from Normandy where we visited the Pointe de Hoc
and the American Cemetery. One Scout in T401 is dual French / American and his grandmother
visited us in camp and told the boys how she had been a little girl during the D-Day Landings and
had watched the American forces come ashore. Her family had been involved with the Resistance,
and she herself had previously been interned in a concentration camp. Clearly this story had
particular significance for the Scouts who had actually visited Omaha Beach a few weeks previously,
but I hope that it might be usefull to <all> you Scouters and your troops.
Ian Ford
Troop 401 BSA
(American School in London)
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Scoutmaster's minute for Eagle Court
One of my ASMs had a good one last night which may not be profound enough for an Eagle court
but great for a SM minute.
Have everyone stand in the audience.
Have everyone cross their arms.
Have them look which arm is on top.
Ask them to re-cross their arms so that the "other" arm is on top.
Ask them what they feel...
The response is typically "different, weird"
Ask "which way is CORRECT?, right on top or left on top?"
They may balk at the word CORRECT (which is good).
Ask "which way is WRONG" The answer typically is neither way is right nor wrong.. just different.
You now can tell them that each one of us is different.
If you can work with each other's difference, then you will make a difference in the world.
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from THE BEST OF THE LEADER and others...
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When night ends...
"How can we determine the hour of dawn - when the night ends and the day begins?" the rabbi
asked of his students.
"When, from a distance, you can distinguish between a dog and a sheep?" one of his students
suggested.
"No" the rabbi answered.
"Is it when you can distinguish between a fig tree and a grapevine?" another student asked.
"No" he replied.
"Please tell us the answer, then" said the students.
"It is when you can look into the face of a human being and have enough light to recognize in him
your brother," the wise teacher replied.
"Until then, it is night, and the darkness is still with us."
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Everybody's Canoe...
A young Indian brave was busy at work carving a canoe out of a log.
As he worked, members of the tribe passed by. Everybody had a piece of advice to offer the young
man.
"I think you are making your canoe too wide," one of them said. The young brave, wishing to show
respect for the advice of an elder, narrowed down the canoe.
A little later, another warrior stopped by. "I'm afraid you are cutting the stern too full," he said. Again,
the young brave listened to his elder and cut down the stern.
Very soon, yet another member of the tribe stopped, watched awhile, then said, "The bow is too
sheer." The young brave accepted this advice as well and changed the line of the bow.
Finally the canoe was complete and the young brave launched it. As soon as it hit the water, it
capsized. Laboriously he hauled it back onto the beach. Then he found another log and began to
work anew.
Very soon, a member of his tribe stopped by to offer some advice, but this time the young brave was
ready.
"See that canoe over there?" he asked, pointing to the useless craft on the beach. "That is
everybody's canoe." Then he nodded at the work in progress. "This one," he said, "is my canoe"
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The Traveller and the Tracker...
Once a Traveller and a Tracker set out to explore the world together. As they wound their way
through the wilderness, the Traveller was amazed at the Tracker's habit of pausing several times a
day to pray.
"Why do you pray to something intangible?" the Traveller asked. "How do you know there is a God?"
Now the Tracker was very skilled in noticing things and, through the years, had gained much insight
reading the smallest signs. And he answered the Traveller this way:
"I know there is a God when I see the leaves turning yellow. I know there is a God when a trout jumps
at a fly, and when grass waves in the dry wind. I know there is a God when clouds shade my head
and the stars wink at night."
"So you see," said the Tracker, "I know there is a God, for I can see his footprints throughout the
Universe."
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An Ancient Prayer
[found on the wall of an old Inn in Lancashire, England]
Give us, Lord, a bit o' sun
a bit o' work and a bit o' fun;
give us all in th' struggle and splutter
our daily bread and a bit o' butter.
Give us health, our keep to make
an' a bit to spare for poor folks sake;
give us sense, for we're some of us duffers,
an' a heart to feel for all that suffers.
Give us, too, a bit of a song,
an' a tale, and a book to help us along,
an' give us our share o' sorrow's lesson
that we may prove how grief's a blessing.
Give us, Lord, a chance to be
our goodly best, brave, wise and free,
our goodly best for ourselves and others
till all men learn to live as brothers.
Amen.
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A Closing...
Wood and water ... wind and tree
Wisdom ... Strength ... and courtesy
Scouting's spirit go with thee.
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We look about us ...
Useful in an open setting Scouts Own, use surroundings to fill out the lines, take your time and
encourage the Scouts to look about themselves.
We look about us ... and see the grass and trees ...
We look about us ... and see the blue sky and crystal waters ...
We look about us ... and see the birds and animals that live in this world with us ...
We look about us ... and see the camp where we have had so much fun....
We look about us ... and see our brothers (and sisters) in Scouting ...
We look about us ... and see God's Hand everywhere ...
We look about us ...
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Chief Dan George's Prayer
O Great Spirit!
Whose voice I hear in the wind, whose breath gives life to the world ... hear me.
I come to you as one of your many children ... I am small and weak, I need your strength and your
wisdom.
May I walk in beauty.
Make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset, make my hands respect the things that you
have made, and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise, so that I may know the things You have taught your children, in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong, not to be suspect to my brothers but to be able to fight my greatest enemy ... myself.
Make me ever ready to come to You with straight eyes, so, that when life fades, as the faded sunset,
my spirit will come to You without shame.
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Ten Commandments of Human Relations.
Speak to people - there is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.
Smile at people - it takes sixty-five muscles to frown, only fifteen to smile.
Call people by name - the sweetest music to anyone's ear is the sound of their own name.
Be friendly and helpful - if you would have friends, be friendly.
Be cordial - speak and act as if everything that you do is a real pleasure.
Be genuinely interested in people - you can like everybody if you try.
Be generous with praise - cautious with criticism.
Be considerate of the feelings of others - it will be appreciated.
Be thoughtful of the opinions of others - there are three sides to a controversy; yours, the other
person's, and the right one.
Be alert to give service - what counts most in life is what we do for others.
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When You Walk Through The Woods.
When you walk through the woods,
I want you to see ...
The floating gold of a bumble bee,
Rivers of sunlight, pools of shade
Toadstools sleeping in mossy jade
A cobweb net with a catch of dew
Treetop cones against the blue
Dancing flowers, bright green flies
And birds that put rainbows in your eyes.
When you walk through the woods,
I want you to hear ...
A million sounds in your eager ear
The scratch and rattle of wind-tossed trees
The rush as a timid chipmunk flees
The cry of a hawk from the distant sky
The purr of leaves when a breeze rolls by
Brooks that mumble, stones that ring
And birds that teach your heart to sing.
When you walk through the woods,
I want you to feel ...
That no mere human could make this real
Could paint the throb of a bullerfly's wing
Could teach a wood thrush how to sing
Could create these wonders of earth and sky
There's something greater than you or I.
When you walk through the woods
and the birches nod
Please, meet a friend of mine named God.
-----------------------------
A few weeks ago the grandfather of one of the Scouts visited the Troop. He was a Scout himself
during the Depression in the 1930s, about 60 years ago. It was a hard time for him and many others
but he had good memories of Scouting. He watched the meeting and visited with the Scouts and
joined in in our closing circle for the Scoutmaster's Minute. We then sang Scout Vespers as we
always do.
His wife of 30 some odd years was with him and she noticed that the grandfather, who had not been
involved in Scouting in years, still remembered the words and tune to the Scout Vespers and was
able to sing with the Troop with no hesitation. He remarked to his wife afterwards that that simple
song brought back all the memories. Memories of all the things he had done in Scouts, all the the fun
he had had, all the valuable lessons he had learned in Scouts that later helped him. It also showed
him that the traditions of Scouting were still steadfast after so many years.
Memories and traditions powerful things. Memories and tradition are an important part to Scouting. It
is important to recall for both Scouts and Scouters that what we build here in the Troop are
memories - traditions. We build them between ourselves while following the Scout Oath and Law.
They are the start of memories that will last us a lifetime.
So as you walk the Scouting trail remember the memories are what you build. Pledge yourself to
build good memories, good memories of the fun you have had, good memories of the lessons you
have learned.
As you leave tonight reflect on the memories and traditions of Scouting that you yourself can carry
forward to the betterment of all.
Good Night
Scott Drown
SM Troop 39, Maltby
Mt. Baker Council, Everett Wa.\
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Consider the flashlight
Equipment needed: Flashlight, a paper grocery bag and darkness.
Consider the flashlight. Think how useful it is as we find our way along the trail at night or prepare to
bed down in our tents.
Consider the batteries in our flashlight. If we keep them too long or use them too much eventually
they loose their power and our light dims beyond usefulness.
Consider that if we have only one flashlight for a group of people, only the one person holding the
light determines what we will see or what directon we will proceed. If we have many lights, we have
many possibilities and choices to make. Also notice that if everyone holds his light high at the same
time, the light fills an area larger than if everyone holds their light low. Notice how the group benefits
from the light held high.
Consider what happens if we put our light inside a paper bag and turn it on. We can see what is
inside the bag very well but can not see things outside the bag well at all bacause the bag cuts the
light. Sometimes it is important to see inside the bag. sometimes it is important to see outside the
bag.
The flashlight is like us, like people. We are most useful and helpful to others when we are outside
the bag and in groups.
The batteries are like our beliefs and our ideas. Sometimes they need recharging or replacing inorder
for the light to remain useful.
The bag represents some of the choices we make about sharing our selves with others.
How will you hold your light? How Long will your batteries last? How many bags do you bring along
and is there anything worth finding inside?
Consider the flashlight.
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Sleeping Well
In Israel, there are two major bodies of water. Both of these bodies of water are fed by the waters of
the River Jordan.
One is the Sea of Galilee, which is full of fish, and is surrounded by lush vegetation and trees. It is a
living body in every sense.
The other is the Dead Sea. There is nothing green there, there are no fish, and the sea is stagnant
and dead.
The difference is that the Sea of Galilee overflows, for every gallon of water that flows into the sea, a
gallon given up and is passed on downstream. It is constantly renewing itself, it gives as much as it
takes.
The Dead Sea, on the other hand, because of its geography, only takes. It gives up nothing. The
water there is never cleansed, it stagnates and dies. And everything depending on it dies also.
Some people say that there are two kinds of people in the world -- those that constantly give of
themselves (who help other people at all times), and those that only take.
Those that only take Eat Well.
But those who give Sleep Well.
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The Devil's Sale
There is a story that the devil once announced he was going out of business and offered to sell his
tools to anyone who would pay the price. On the night of the sale, the tools were all attractively
displayed. They were a nasty looking lot-- malice, hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit--each marked with a
price tag. A little off from the rest lay a harmless looking wedge-shaped tool, much worn, and priced
higher than any of the others.
"What is it?" someone asked the devil.
"That's discouragement," he replied.
"Why is it priced so high?" the prospective customer asked.
"Because," said the devil, "it is more useful to me than any of the others. I can pry open and get
inside a person with it when I could never get near him with any of the others. Once inside, I can use
the person in whatever way it suits me best. That's why it is so worn, you see. I use it with nearly
everybody, because few people yet know that it belongs to me."
It is probably not necessary to add that the devil's price for this tool was so high that there were no
bidders. And he is still using it.
-told by Colin McKay in Scouting (U.K.) magazine
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