Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell

Birth: Feb. 22, 1857
Death: Jan. 8, 1941
Burial: St. Peter's Churchyard
Nyeri, Kenya, Africa

British Army General, Boy Scouts Movement Founder. Born in England, he and his brothers would explore the English countryside, pretending to be sailors, explorers or soldiers. He attended the Charterhouse School, and joined the British Army in 1876, serving in India, Afghanistan,and South Africa (1899 to 1902), he was a Colonel and senior commander of the garrison at Mafeking, when it came under siege for seven months by the Boers. His spirited and successful defense of Mafeking, in spite of disease, famine, and enemy attacks, made him a hero in the eyes of the press and the British public. He was later promoted to Lieutenant General and made Inspector General of Cavalry, and was awarded the title of Lord of Gilwell.

His experiences at Mafeking, in which young teenage boys were made into a "cadet corps" to carry messages, often under fire, thus relieving soldiers to serve at the front lines, convinced him of the worth of young boys in their patriotism and valor. Upon returning to England, he saw that British boys needed more physical training and outdoor experience than they were receiving in the then-existing youth programs, and in 1907, he started the Boy Scout movement. With the help of his sister, Agnes Baden-Powell, he organized the Girl Guides (in many countries, the Girl Scouts) movement two years later. Scouting quickly spread to other nations, and Baden-Powell quickly became influential in setting up scouting movements across the globe, while organizing the International Scouting Council.

He would retire from the Army in 1910, to devote himself to being the "Chief Scout of the World." His original book, "Scouting for Boys," is a combination of his philosophy of life and of his experiences in the Army, and contains many tips about living outdoors that he learned from native tribesmen. Although his book is heavily tailored on his wartime African experiences, Baden-Powell organized the Scouts to be scouts in peacetime, to learn those life skills that would enable teenagers to grow into worthwhile men and women and a credit to their society, no matter what their occupation would become. A bachelor most of his adult life, on October 30, 1912 he married Olave Soames, who shared his work in the Scouting movement, and they were active in World War I; they would have three children. In 1938, he retired to Nyeri, Kenya, where he died in 1941.

His decorations include the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Michael and St.George, Knight Commander of the Victorian Order, Knight Commander of the Bath, the title Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell, and numerous honorary doctorate degrees and foreign awards.
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--from a biography by Kit and Morgan Benson at Find-A-Grave Memorial #1271, http://www.findagrave.com.
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The Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey offered a place for Baden-Powell, between the graves of the Unknown Warrior and David Livingstone. After careful consideration, the family declined this great honour as not conforming to B-P's expressed wishes. He was buried in the Africa he loved with full military honors accorded to his rank of Lieutenant-General and with a guard of Boy Scouts European, African and Asian. His grave in the tiny cemetery of Nyeri, Kenya, is marked by a simple stone that carries his name and the Boy Scout trail sign for the end of the trail "I have gone home."
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Your WB Scribbler had the privilege of visiting B-P's grave in Nyeri, Kenya in 2005 at the invitation of WOSA officials, after attending a Southern Zone Africa Conference in Masero, Lesotho. It is humbling to walk in the small churchyard there and know you are standing at the grave of the founder of the worldwide Scouting movement, an experience I will never forget. Below is a picture I took of B-P's grave. (Sorry, it's a little fuzzy because it's hard to focus when you are all chocked up...)


--WB Scribbler

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Blog Value Added Saturday, Nov 1, 2009: From Scouts-L member Lorie McGraw comes this graphic of B-P's "gone home" symbol. Click on the address below and download it to your hard drive.
http://www.troop91bsa.org/images/gonehome.gif

America's "other illustrator" brought style, drama, humor to life

Not exactly held in reverence like Scouting's Norman Rockwell, another artist also became famous for his use of Boy Scouts in his work. Before Norman Rockwell became famous, there was J. C. Leyendecker. Maybe you need to be of a certain age for that statement to ring any bells. But regardless of your personal time frame, you’re likely to be familiar with the warm, wonderful, dramatic or humorous images that graced the covers of the Saturday Evening Post in the first half of the 20^th century.

Many of those images were the work of beloved illustrator Norman Rockwell. However, Leyendecker was there first, and actually there more often. Between 1898 and 1918, he created 48 cover images for Collier’s magazine, and near the turn of the century he produced the first of 322 covers for the Saturday Evening Post, a number that tops Rockwell’s total.

Leyendecker also created elegant advertisements for men’s clothing at a time when dressing for dinner involved far more attention to fashion than today’s “no shirt, no shoes, no service” signs require. His images of cherubic children enjoying Kelloggs’ Corn Flakes were favorites in many American households as well. The popularity of Leyendecker’s illustrations has been attributed to his ability to convey the essence of everyday life through paintings that incorporated high drama, romance and humor.

--contributed by fellow blogger Keith Claussen, October 29, 2009

Impeesa--The Wolf That Never Sleeps

Baden-Powell was once called M'hlala panzi by the Zulus - he who lies down (to shoot). He earned this nickname by developing a peculiar way of firing a rifle from between his legs while lying on his back.

During the Ashanti expedition he was called Katankye - the man with the big hat.

But his most famous African nickname came from the Matabele: Impeesa - the wolf. It was also translated as `the beast that does not sleep, but walks about at night'. The nickname became famous at Mafeking, where it was translated into English as `The wolf that never sleeps' - a tribute to his reputation as a watchful military scout. At Mafeking, a cannon built during the siege was called `The Wolf' in his honor.

The origin of `Impeesa' is a strange story, however. There are no wolves in Africa, and `Impeesa' means a hyena. It is possible that Baden-Powell misunderstood the word, because to be called a hyena is not a compliment.

But whatever the origins, the nickname of Impeesa, the Wolf, became a great tradition in Scouting, and Baden-Powell used it with pride.

Today, BSA's NYLT youth leadership training is called "Impeesa," in honor of Baden-Powell.

--WB Scribbler

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More Impeesa: The Baden-Powell comic book

The Italian Scout Association CNGEI, in collaboration with the publishing house Lizard of Rome, published a comic book in 2007 based on the life of Robert Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting. The series, titled "Impeesa", has been realised by Ivo Milazzo, one of the greatest comic strip authors of the world. And the storyboard has been written by Paolo Fizzarotti, the editor of the CNGEI magazine "Adulti nello Scautismo" and "Scautismo".

"Impeesa" is not just a biography of Baden-Powell transferred into comics, but an adventures book in which some of the outstanding episodes of B-P's life, before he founded Scouting one hundred years ago, are narrated. CNGEI has intentionally released it in line with the celebration of the centenary of Scouting and the 150th anniversary of B-P's birth.

The international dimension of Scouting has enabled the book to be published already in four languages: Italian, English, French and Spanish and should there be enough requests, the publisher will also translate the book into other languages.

The series is sold all over the world through Scout stores, bookshops and on the Internet.

Order the book on ScoutStore.com

For more information, please contact the publisher on lizarded@tin.it or visit http://www.lizardedizioni.com/ (Italian only).

A Wood Badge Prayer

Great Spirit, thank you for guiding me to Gilwell.
Thank you for my Animal Spirit Guide [coach counselor]
and for those who share it with me.
Great Spirit, I am Afraid.
As I have climbed your mountain, I have learned Wisdom.
But as I look at my Guides, I ask myself:
Can I ever have the Sincerity of my Troop Guide?
Can I ever have the Ageless Wisdom of the Instructor?
Can I ever have the Fatherly Love of the Scoutmaster?
How can I ever mean as much to others as they mean to me.
As I look down the mountain at those who seek my guidance,
I feel unworthy.
When I look up to the clouds and see the Spirit in the Quartermaster,
I wonder if I can Care so much for so long.
Great Spirit, I will not let my fear cause me to fail.
But I know I will need help.
Grant my heart wings, that I may soar with the Songmaster.
Grant me Charity, that I may wear the caring smile
of the Assistant Scoutmaster.
Grant me Strength, that I may show the confident Leadership
of the Senior Patrol Leader.
Grant me these, Great Spirit, and I will carry this Learning to every
young man who looks up his mountain and to me his Guide.
I will share your Wisdom all of my days,
until I join my Wood Badge Guides again
and we walk with Impessa through the Lea of Gilwell.

--Daniel Flynn, Wood Badge Course C-35-98.
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The WB Scribbler sez: This prayer is a little too treaclely for the Scribbler's tastes, and he can't remember when he last considered the Fatherly Love of his boyhood Scoutmaster...still, Daniel Flynn's efforts are not unappreciated, if only he would share some of his vast Wisdom and explain the last line! I mean, what does "walk with Impessa through the Lea of Gilwell" mean anyway?

A little Googleing yesterday found this: "lea" is a tract of land, especially a grassland or meadow; "Impessa" (here misspelled, the correct spelling is "Impeesa") is Baden-Powell's African nickname for "wolf that never sleeps." So, "walk with Impessa through the Lea of Gilwell" means "walk with Baden-Powell through the meadow of Gilwell." Pretty clever, Daniel Flynn, also pretty obscure and treaclely...

--WB Scribbler

A Short Pome from the WB Scribbler:

Roses are red
Prunes are purple, kinda
Wood Badgers are as real as
Maple Syruple
Especially if they are not made in
Chin-da.

Discover Your Roots at Gilwell Park

The first Gilwell Park website is up and running now, so sign up and visit the home of Scouting. The site is for members of the first Gilwell Park Scout Group--the largest Scout group in the world. If you hold the Wood Badge, you are already a member and can sign up now at 1stgilwellpark.org. Register your details at http://1stgilwellpark.org/resources/registration.asp and find out about the history of Gilwell and what Gilwell can offer today. Once you have registered, click on the link to update your profile and share your name and Wood Badge details with others. You will be able to search for other members in the User Directory by name, country, Wood Badge course number, and the year you gained your Wood Badge. Organizers are also looking to add webcam views of Gilwell Park in the next few months, and they would like your opinion, too. Go to http://1stgilwellpark.org/media/GilwellAction.asp and let them know your three top choices. They will let you know when the webcams are in place. They are happy to receive feedback, so email them at 1stgilwellpark@scout.org.uk. If you ever find yourself visiting the UK, add Gilwell Park to your list of places to visit. There is a section dedicated to booking your tour of the site, plus directions and maps on how to get to Gilwell.

The WB Scribbler would like to remind anyone reading this blog that he is an experienced UK traveler, having once matriculated (1974) at the University of London, and later, served on the World Jamboree International Service Team (2007). He offers his services as a tour guide "back to Gilwell," postage-paid, of course! Oh, Happy Land!

--WB Scribbler

Bud's Favoite Rockwell: "The Scoutmaster"

Bud, this one's for you!

It is no secret that Wood Badge Backup Course Director Harry (Bud) Dorr's favorite Norman Rockwell painting is "The Scoutmaster," an iconic Scouting figure he sometimes equates to Michelangelo's statue of David. (Personally, the WB Scribbler can't see the comparison because he gets thrown off by the fact that David, posed in all his marble family-jeweled glory, is wearing no clothes. The Scribbler's tastes in Scoutmaster heros tend to run more toward the fully-accoutered Fred McMurry in the movie "Follow Me Boys.")

Looking for inspiration for a painting about the all important adult Scoutmaster, Rockwell attended the Third National Scout Jamboree in 1953. The result was this classic work, introduced as a Brown & Biglelow calendar selection in 1956, of a Scoutmaster tending the fire as his charges slept peacefully in their tents. The starry blue of the night sky and the dry rocky soil suggest a remote and secluded location but was more likely a sandy patch of landscape at the National Jamboree.

Here's how one of Rockwell's biographers describes the scene:

"The man, muscular and taunt, stands uniformed but he is not militaristic, a policeman of a hunter; he carries no weapon on his person or badge of office. No threats are presented, yet the man stands watch nonetheless, his modestly ringed hand resting on his hip, his stick raking the coals as a gentle wisp of smoke flutters in the nighttime air. The man's face is directed off-canvas, we know not at what, yet his expression reveals no tension; his gaze seems more inward than outward. By the different colored hair of the boys, we can see that they are not his, yet he watches over them as if they were his own.

The small tripod stands over the fire, lashed together with line whose unravelled ends hang out; these are the knots seemingly tied by the hands of a novice. An aluminum pot hangs off the tripod, a coffee pot rests nearby and rocks and small stumps ring the faint fire; hunger or want is of no concern in this scene. Instead, Rockwell presents an image of quiet calm; of a man standing silently as the entrusted leader of future men."

The Scribbler does admire Rockwell's painting for its technical mastery. The pose of the man looks contemplative, the drape of the uniform and gentle billowing of the neckerchief reveals an artist who fully understands how body, cloth, and atmosphere interact with one another. We also admire this painting for its thematic presentation; even if we knew nothing about the mission and history of the Boy Scouts, we can immediately see that Rockwell is depicting a man dedicated to the boys in his care and that this man is the product of specific values and achievements.

--WB Scribbler (Thanks again, Bud, for the moniker!)
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"The Scoutmaster" is Everywhere

Since 1956, Norman Rockwell's "The Scoutmaster" has appeared on the cover of the 5th Edition of the Scoutmaster's Handbook (1959-1972) (curiously minus the background stars), on Boys' Life covers, and the subject of numerous prints, posters and collectors' plates, ceramic figurines and porcelain statues, camporee patches, and even has appeared on a Liberian stamp. Scoutstuff.org sells a "The Scoutmaster"-themed woven tapestry afghan for $64.99 ; the Honor Bookstore sells a framed giclee print online for $99.95 but the original commemorative print from the Brown & Bigelow edition distributed by BSA in the 1960s and 1970s is still available for around $40.00. The original painting done for the 1956 Brown & Bigelow calendar and owned by the Boy Scouts of America hangs in the National Scout Museum in Irving, Texas.

--WB Scribbler
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Another "The Scoutmaster" Connection

In 2005, the Seattle Mariners' head honcho Howard Lincoln related a story connected to the famous Rockwell painting. Lincoln took time off during that season's spring training to catch up with BSA's National Endowment Art Tour at Chateau Ste. Michelle--where some Norman Rockwell paintings were on display. The most famous of the paintings was "The Scoutmaster," and Lincoln had a personal connection to it. Little Howard's 12-year-old face could be seen clearly in the painting, which has been viewed by millions of people over the years, mostly at the National Scout Museum when it is not on tour.

Rewind back to 1954 at a Boy Scout Jamboree in Irvine, California. Fifty-thousand Scouts were packed over every inch of land. "My scoutmaster Del Anderson told me I was going to be in a Boy Scout calendar along with five other Scouts. We went out and pitched a tent and built a fire in broad daylight. Norman Rockwell was there. He explained the scene was nighttime, a scoutmaster standing by the tent, and we would all be asleep. It was 90 degrees in the shade in the middle of the day." Rockwell took photographs that day, and painting from the pictures, turned day into night, complete with stars.

A year later Lincoln got a letter and $25 from the painter, asking him to sign a release. The calendar came out in 1956. Lincoln, who later became an Eagle Scout and more, is positioned to the immediate right of the campfire. He faced forward because he knew that his mother would not be happy unless his face could be seen.

--from a Puget Sound Business Journal article March 4, 2005.

--WB Scribbler again

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Boy Scouts and the Environment

In the early 1900s, as the conservation movement grew, two Americans started separate organizations for boys that focused on nature and the environment. Ernest Thompson Seton was the official naturalist for the Canadian province of Manitoba. By 1902, he had moved to Connecticut, and founded a boys' club called Woodcraft Indians to preserve the wilderness knowledge of Native Americans. As a foremost naturalist of his time, Seton spoke before the U.S. congress in 1904 in support of legislation to protect migratory birds.

Daniel Carter Beard was a surveyor and engineer in Cincinnati, Ohio. He moved to New York, where he became an author, commercial artist, and illustrator. Beard wrote a book titled The American Boy's Handy Book, which later became part of the first Boy Scout Handbook published in 1911. In 1905, he founded a boys' club called Sons of Daniel Boone to teach boys about nature, conservation, and outdoorsmanship.

On February 8, 1910 Seton and Beard merged their separate boys' clubs into the Boy Scouts of America. Chicago publisher William D. Boyce founded this new organization.

From its beginnings, the Boy Scouts of America had a strong foundation of woodcraft, nature study, and conservation. Many activities in Scouting come from activities of Native Americans. Many of the principles that Scouts uphold come from the conservation ethics of Seton and Beard. The BSA has taught more than 45 million young environmentalists throughout its history. Currently, with more than 1.5 million active members, the BSA continues to train the youth of America in principles of conservation and environmental science.

Source: Environmental Science Merit Badge pamphlet, #33363A, 1998 edition and the Environmental Science Camp Workbook, 2009 edition, by Donald Tuttle. Also: Wood Badge NE-3-188 Conservation Project Planning Handout #2.

--WB Scribbler

The Buckets:"We Got Cars in Cub Scouts Today!"

Greg Cravens, cartoonist, offers up a frenetically funny daily snapshot of modern family that often includes a tongue-in-cheek reference to BSA's Cub Scout program. Examining everyday chaos with a healthy sense of humor, Greg often strikes a chord with parents who juggle the many demands and the mild insanity of raising a family today. 'The Buckets' is one of the WB Scribbler's favorites!

Used by permission of the cartoonist and distributor UFS.

Scoutmaster's Minute: Flea Training

Flea trainers have observed a predicable and strange habit of fleas while training them. Fleas are trained by putting them in a cardboard box with a top on it. The fleas will jump up and hit the top of the box over and over and over again. As you watch them jump and hit the lid, something very interesting becomes obvious. The fleas continue to jump, but they are no longer jumping high enough to hit the top.

When you take off the lid, the fleas continue to jump, but they will not jump out of the box. They won't jump out because they can't jump out. Why? They have conditioned themselves to jump just so high.

Many times, people do the same thing. They restrict themselves and never reach their potential. Just like the fleas, they fail to jump higher, thinking they are doing all they can do.

Far too many people exist in a world of 'what is' rather than giving thought or applying their energies to 'what can be.'

Each week you stand at your meeting and promise to do your best. That means that you should not take someone else's limits as your own, but be ready to jump out of the box when the opportunity presents itself.

From: http://www.scoutscan.com/sm_minutes/flea.html
Adapted from a column by Harvey Mackay and posted by Alan R. Houser (troop24@emf.net) on SCOUTS-L - Dec.24/00

--WB Scribbler

Another Scoutmaster's Minute on Failure

"You’ve failed many times, although you might not remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn’t you? Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot. R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on. English novelist John Creasey received more than 700 rejection slips before he published over 600 books. Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs."

--WB Scribbler

Scoutmaster's Minute Defined

The Scoutmaster’s Minute is brief in duration but one of the most important parts of a troop meeting. Occurring at the closing of the meeting, it is the thought that will go home with the boys. It is the time to teach one of the ideals of Scouting. The Scoutmaster’s Minute is the special time when you have the attention of all the boys in the troop, and it is your opportunity to convey a special message of inspiration. Many Scoutmaster’s Minutes are parables, short stories about everyday people and occurrences that illustrate a moral attitude or religious principle. Boys are “visual” thinkers; they relate well to stories that are accompanied by props. Using a postage stamp as a prop, you can suggest that a stamp sticks to its job to get a letter to its destination. The moral is that Scouts should be as determined as a postage stamp to stick to a task until it is completed. The WB Scribbler will include several of his favorite Scoutmaster’s Minutes on this blog for you to use in inspiring Scouts entrusted in your care, but don’t hesitate begin a collection of your own inspirational messages, too.

--WB Scribbler (inspired, not expired, not yet!)

Scoutmaster's Minute: Failure Teaches Success

"Failure is not a comfortable feeling and more often than not we have it in our lives. But if we can use it to measure what it takes to be successful then failing becomes a tool we can learn from. If we take the time to look at our failures it will teach us what we have to do to be successful. It forces us to self analyze who am I and what I did. Winning is an easy pill to take. Often swallowed rapidly, cherished and we move on. We must use failure as a teaching tool. If we don't take the time to learn from our failures then we have really failed at becoming successful and have gained nothing by failing. So failing teaches us how to be successful."

--website of Troop 174, Elwood, NY (East Northport, NY), Suffolk Co. Council, Rick Martino, SM.

Public Service Announcement: 100 Years of Scouting!

100 Years of Scouting!
Category:	Boy Scouts of America
Description:	Celebrating 100 Years The Boy Scouts of America's 100th anniversary represents much more than a date on the calendar. It represents an important milestone around which to reintroduce Scouting to America – to celebrate our rich heritage and to reinforce the important role Scouting will play in shaping our country's future. Scouting is as vital and relevant today as it was when our journey began. Help us celebrate! If you are—or were—a Scout, family member of a Scout, BSA volunteer, or just someone who Scouting has positively impacted, you’re invited. There are a number of national opportunities for you to take part in our once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

Contact Info

Website:	http://www.scouting.org/100years/
Office:	BSA National Council
Location:	1325 W. Walnut Hill Lane Irving, TX

African Proverb for "Scouter's Own" Service

Lepotla-potla le ja poli; lesisitheho le ja khomo.
The “hurry-hurry” person eats goat; the one who takes his time (or hesitates) eats beef.
--Sesotho (Lesotho and South Africa) Proverb

Angora goats are raised throughout the mountains of Lesotho in Southern Africa. Their coats of mohair are a major source of the exquisite wool used in the weaving of Basotho blankets. Sometimes, as a sort of stand-in for cattle, the Basotho do eat the goats. The cow is the animal that the Basotho people prize, love and respect. Cattle are the animals slaughtered on special occasions, the focus of bridal negotiations between families and the chief measure of wealth. The Basotho even have a saying: “Khomo ke banka ea Mosotho” (“A cow is the bank of a Sotho person”).

Thus the goat symbolizes something that is merely economic and rather superficial from a Sotho perspective. The cow symbolizes all that is deeply meaningful about life and family. Goat meat may feed the body, but beef feeds the soul. This proverb (often only the first half is quoted and the rest is taken for granted) is an excellent warning for time-conscious Westerners in time-oblivious Africa. In Lesotho, rift with AIDS, subsistence poverty and early death, life is too short to spend hurrying. Only the person who takes his or her time in life will ever “get to eat the beef,” that is, be deeply satisfied by the truly meaningful things in life. Perhaps we in the West should learn this lesson.

--WB Scribbler

What is Wood Badge?

Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations around the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement. Courses generally have a combined classroom and practical outdoor-based phase followed by a Wood Badge ticket, also known as the project phase. By "working the ticket", participants put their newly gained experience into practice to attain ticket goals aiding the Scouting movement. The first Wood Badge training was organized by Francis "Skipper" Gidney and lectured at by Robert Baden-Powelll and others at Gilwell Park (United Kingdom) in September 1919. Wood Badge training has since spread across the world with international variations.

On completion of the course, participants are awarded the Wood Badge beads to recognize significant achievement in leadership and direct service to young people. The pair of small wooden beads, one on each end of a leather thong (string), is worn around the neck as part of the Scout uniform. The beads are presented together with a taupe neckerchief bearing a tartan patch of the Maclaren clan, honoring William De Bois Maclaren, who donated the funding to purchase Gilwell Park in 1919. The neckerchief with the braided leather woggle (neckerchief slide) denotes the membership of the 1st Gilwell Scout Group or Gilwell Troop 1. Recipients of the Wood Badge are known as Wood Badgers or Gilwellians.

--from Wikipedia, the Free Enclclopedia

Lord Baden-Powell--on duty to God

"The Scout, in his promise, undertakes to do his duty to his king and country only in the second place; his first duty is to God. It is with this idea before us and recognizing that God is the one Father of us all, that we Scouts count ourselves a brotherhood despite the difference among us of country, creed, or class. We realize that in addition to the interests of our particular country, there is a higher mission before us, namely the promotion of the Kingdom of God; That is, the rule of Peace and Goodwill on earth. In the Scouts each form of religious is respected and its active practice encouraged and through the spread of our brotherhood in all countries, we have the opportunity in developing the spirit of mutual good will and understanding.

"There is no religious "side" of the movement. The whole of it is based on religion, that is, on the realization and service of God.

"Let us, therefore, in training our Scouts, keep the higher aims in the forefront, not let ourselves get too absorbed in the steps. Don't let the technical outweigh the moral. Field efficiency, back woodsmanship, camping, hiking, Good Turns, jamboree comradeship are all means, not the end. The end is CHARACTER with a purpose.

"Our objective in the Scouting movement is to give such help as we can in bringing about God's Kingdom on earth by including among youth the spirit and the daily practice in their lives of unselfish goodwill and cooperation."

Beating A Dead Horse

Now here's a Wood Badge ticket item to ponder! I came across this piece about Beating A Dead Horse from ("I-used-to-be-a-lot-of-things, but-I'm-feeling-much-better-now, thank you") fellow blogger Lorie McGraw in my Scouts-L archives that is too good not to pass on. Wood Badgers should get a chuckle! Thanks, Lorie!

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Cherokee tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. Pretty simple, don't you think? This wisdom dates back at least several hundred years. Modern tribes, however, sometimes feel that ancient wisdom can be improved on or replaced. Listed below are some present-day attempts to deal with the dead horse problem.

1. Buy a stronger whip.
2. Change riders.
3. Say things like, "This is the way we have always ridden this horse."
4. Hire a consultant to provide an outside perspective to the dead horse situation.
5. Arrange to visit other sites to see how they deal with dead horses.
6. Decrease the standards to ride dead horses.
7. Appoint a triage team to revive the dead horse.
8. Create and implement a training plan to increase the riding ability of those tasked to ride dead horses.
9. Create a link between the state of a dead horse and the environment.
10. Pass a resolution declaring that "This horse is not dead."
11. Blame the horse's parents.
12. Harness several dead horses together for increased performance.
13. Provide additional funding to increase the horse's performance.
14. Undertake a long-term study to see if other contractors can ride it cheaper.
15. Simply declare that the horse is "better, faster, and cheaper" while being dead.
16. Declare that "No horse is too dead to beat."
17. Form a quality circle to find uses for dead horses.
18. Revisit the performance requirements for horses.
19. State emphatically that this horse was procured with cost as an independent variable.
20. Promote the dead horse to a supervisory position.
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--WB Scribbler

Scoutmaster's Minute: Conservation Is Important

Who can tell me what is the greatest food factory in the world?
(Pause for answers.)

The greatest food factory in the world is a leaf. The plant's branches are like an assembly line, bringing supplies to the leaves from the root of the plant. And then something like magic takes place. Do you know what it is? What is the magic ingredient that makes the factory work?

(Pause [again] for answers.)

It's sunlight! With the elements taken from the earth through the roots, the leaf makes food through the power of sunlight. This magical process is called photosynthesis!
(Pause here a long while for emphasis!)*

Did you ever consider that we cannot live without this food factory? That's right! All life, including us, is completely dependent on this factory for our food. Even animals which eat nothing but flesh must feed on others which eat plants for food. You see, the plants on this earth support all the life there is.
(Pause here while this bit of ecology sinks in.)

That's why the Scout's outdoor code tells us we must not hurt plant life. When we carelessly destroy a living plant, such as a tree, we actually kill part of the human and animal life of this world. A good Scout always minds his outdoor manners.

--Ideas and Stories for The Scoutmaster's Minute: Conservation is Important, Boy Scouts of America, pub. 1956.
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*Sorry, but the WB Scribbler feels compelled to add a long pause here not in the original SM Minute because he thinks watching a leaf on a sunny day "work its magic" has gotta be the slowest magic show in the forest. Good conservation practices as defined by the Outdoor Code then was considered simply the wisest use of our God-given natural resources. I think Scouts in the 1950s probably didn't worry too much about the moral consequences of trying out a new Hudson's Bay axe on the nearest pine tree or blazing a trail of botanical mayhem through the woods--at least, I know I didn't back then.

--WB Scribbler