Scoutmaster Minutes

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Tonight we've spent a lot of time talking about the four food groups we need to be healthy. And we've looked up some of those recipes, using those four food groups. I hope you'll remember what you've learned when we ...

A Key To Scouting

(Hold up a car key) I have here in my hand a key - a small item as you can see. Yet it will open the door to my car, and when properly ...

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 ...

A Little Extra Effort

(You will need two poles and rope to secure them with a square lashing. Tie a square lashing. ) As you watch me tie these poles together, think about how this lashing might be ...

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 ...

A Scout Is Brave But Not Foolhardy

"What's the 10th point of the Scout Law? That's right, a Scout is brave. It means that a Scout is courageous enough to do what needs to be done when someone is in danger ...

A Scout Is Cheerful

Two brothers once decided to leave their hometown and move to the city. Outside the city the first brother met an old man. "How are the people here?" asked the first brother. "Well, how ...

A Scout Is Clean

(Hold up two cooking pots, one shiny bright on the inside but sooty outside, the other shiny outside and dirty inside. ) Scouts, which of these pots would you rather have your food cooked ...

A Scout Is Friendly01

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 ...

A Scout Is Friendly02

What's the fourth point of the Scout Law? That's right - "A Scout is friendly. " Do you have as many friends as you'd like to have? Real friends, I mean? The kind of ...

A Scout Is Friendly03

Probably all of you know some guy who is grouchy all the time. His neighbors try to be nice to him, but he just won't be friendly. Maybe he'll build a great wall around ...

A Scout Is Kind

Scouts, our Law say’s "A Scout is kind. A Scout understand that there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless ...

A Scout Is Loyal

Scouts, what's the second point of the Scout Law? That's right, "A Scout is loyal. " Our Scout handbook explains that a Scout is loyal to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school and nation. ...

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 ...

A Scout Is Thrifty

Scouts, here I have a handful of sand, and in my other hand I have a piece of topsoil, just sod. Do you see much difference in them? Yes you're right. There's the difference ...

A Scout Is Trustworthy

An architect who had just finished college was trying to get his business established and was having a hard time doing it. He still owed money for some of his college expenses and saw ...

A Warped Wheel

Scouts, if you loosen five or six adjoining spokes on a bicycle wheel, it will warp out of shape so that it no longer makes a true circle. Pretty soon you're going to have ...

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. ...

Aim So high Youll 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 ...

BadenPowell On Honesty

You remember that in September I mentioned Robert Baden-Powell, the British general who started Scouting a long time ago. He had a lot of good advice for Scouts, and now I'd like to read ...

Be In Uniform

Scouts, what would you think of a policeman in full uniform except for trousers which were of bright plaid material? How about a hospital intern wearing a sport ...

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 ...

Be Prepared02

Next week we're going on our Winter Campout. For you new Scouts especially, it's going to be a test of what you've learned about camping and being comfortable outdoors. Camping is easy and fun ...

Be Proud

You can't watch TV or read a newspaper today without hearing the word "community. " There's talk about the black community, the Hispanic community, the business community and the scientific community. Wherever ...

Being A Brother

Did you know that you have millions of brothers? Who do you think they might be. That's right, Scouts all over the world. We often speak of the World Brotherhood of Scouting, and that's ...

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. ...

Big Enough

Scouts, for hiking you have to use a map scale to measure distance between points. Tonight I'm thinking of another kind of measuring. I get the feeling that we don't realize how often we ...

Boys Shave Heads in Show of Support

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 ...

Breaking Them In

(Show a pair of well worn hiking boots. ) These old boots have taken me over a lot of miles of trail. They're really comfortable. Whoever coined the expression, "as comfortable as and old shoe," ...

Camp In A City

As we look at local government, perhaps we can gain a better understanding of its duties and responsibilities, if we compare it with our own troop experience in camp. A camp is a city ...

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 ...

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, ...

Caring For Tools

(Show various hand tools)Tools like these are essential in making repairs around the house and in doing the kind of community Good Turn we're planning this month. You couldn't do the job without them. But they must ...

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 ...

Coal And Diamonds

Scouts, I'm sure you've all seen a diamond. It's very hard, very bright and very beautiful. Most of you have probably seen coal, too. It's dull black and it crumbles easily. Now a little chemistry lesson. Who can tell ...

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 ...

Computer World

This month we've had a chance to learn a little about computers. You've seen that they're good for a lot more than playing games, and maybe you've gotten a glimpse of what the future ...

Cubmasters Closing Minute

"I will do my best!" Do these words sound like there is a job that has to be done? Yes, it does. What do they mean? These words explain what every Cub Scout, Webelos, and adult leader has promised to ...

Dont 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 camp-out we're going to tackle some conservation work ...

Dont Get Hooked

(Stick a fish hook in a piece of cloth and show how difficult it is to back out the way it when in. ) Scouts, it sure was a cinch to put this fishhook into ...

Emergency Preparedness

So far this month, we've spent most of our time learning first aid. We've been trying to prepare ourselves to help other people when they're sick or injured. But there's more to being prepared ...

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 ...

Everyone Can Win

In a competitive rally we have winners and losers in the various events, yet it is possible for everyone to win something. A losing patrol can win in spirit and morale, if the fellows ...

Family Night

Next week we'll have our big family night and court of honor, and I'm hoping that all your families will be her and have a great time. We only have a family activity once ...

Finding Your Way

(Show a Scout badge. ) Scouts, where did the design for the Scout badge come from? Did you know that it's from the north point of the mariners' compass? Now why did Lord Baden-Powell, ...

First Class

In our everyday speech, "first class" means the best. When we say that a man is traveling first class, or that's a first class restaurant, everyone understands what we mean. In Scouting, "First Class" ...

Fit For Life

One of the goals of Scouting is physical fitness, and we've been paying special attention to it this month. It's fun to test yourself against standards to see how fit you are and to ...

Flag Day

Who can tell me what day falls on June 14th? That's right it's Flag Day. Another question, why do we celebrate Flag Day on June 14th. Because it was on that day in 1777 ...

Freedom For What

We've been talking about the Constitution and the freedom it gives us as citizens. But how free are we? What does freedom mean? Does it mean we can do anything that we want? I ...

Gigo

Like any other profession, the computer field has a lot of special words, like pixel, RAM, ROM, crash, bits, bytes and nibbles. All these terms have precise meanings for computer specialists. My favorite is a ...

Good Turn Closing Thought

Most of us are happiest when we are doing something for others. Think, for a moment of a time when you were helpful to someone. Chances are it made you feel pretty good. Of course, we feel best when we ...

Good Turn Hint

Our program theme this month is called "Good Turn Hunt. " Makes it sound like Good Turns are really hard to find, doesn't it? They're not really. If you always remember that a Scout ...

Good Turnabout

The name of our program this month is "Sharing the Good Life. " At times you may think your life isn't all that great, especially when you have a lot of homework or your ...

Handicapped Awareness

Most of you probably know somebody who has a physical or mental handicap. Chances are that he or she functions pretty well in spite of it. A little limp isn't going to keep anyone ...

Happy Birthday

We're calling our campout next week a Happy Birthday Campout because February is the anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. We're going to observe the birthday by showing the public in our community ...

Hes No Ordinary Boy

When a Scout becomes an Eagle Scout he's still a boy. only a little more than a million Scouts have ever advanced to Scouting's highest rank. Some 1. 5% of the more than 40 ...

Hey Kids

Just before you go to sleep tonight, check this list: Did you get up on time? Did you make your bed? Did you eat a good breakfast? Did you read something interesting? Did you ...

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 ...

Holiday Spirit

Christmas and Hanukkah are, for the most people, the most joyful holidays of the year. The holiday parties, the exchange of gifts, and the brilliant lights of the Christmas trees make a guy glad ...

How To Catch A Monkey

Anybody here want to know how to catch a monkey? Well, I can tell you how they do it in India. They take a gourd, cut a small hole in it, and then put ...

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 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 ...

Independence Day

Everybody loves the Fourth of July. In many communities it's a time for parades, fireworks, ball games and picnics. Real fun! But we ought not to forget what the Fourth of July really is ...

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 ...

Its 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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Keep Your Cool

Scouts, I have a sort of trick question for you. Think before you answer. What's the most important thing for a first aider to do? Call for help? No, that's often very important, but ...

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 ...

Leisure

Scouts, I wonder how many of us are really mentally awake, keep our eyes open and are really aware of what goes on around us. I mean in this fast paced world in which ...

Little Things

Most of us miss out on life's big prizes. The Pulitzer, The Nobel, Oscars, Tonys, Emmys. But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures. A pat on the back, a kiss behind the ear, ...

Living Your Law

Nations, states communities and even families have laws. These are simple rules by which people must live in order to have harmony. If we didn't have rules or laws to govern ourselves, society would ...

Looking Forward To Your Career

How many of you think you know what career you will choose when you become men? Most of you have plenty of time to make up your mind, and probably you'll change your ideas ...

Making A Fresh Start

Well, Scouts, the new year is here and it's time for New Year's resolutions. In other words, as our theme this month says, it's time for a fresh start. I don't know whether you ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Minnows And Whoppers

Everybody here likes to hear fish stories, the wilder the better. I expect we'll have a lot of them after our Fishing Camp-Out this month. We enjoy them because they're funny, and nobody is ...

Moving On The Scouting Trail

Scouts, our theme this month is called, "Moving on the Scouting Trail". What do we mean when we talk about the Scouting Trail. That's right, it's the path that leads from Scout rank through ...

New Years Resolution

Well, Scouts, did you make any New Year's resolutions? I hope some of you resolved to bring up your grades in school and be more helpful around the house. I'm sure your parents would ...

Night Is For Sleeping

You can always spot the greenhorn - the first year camper - as soon as "Taps" sounds on the first night in camp. He's the guy who just can't quiet down when the time ...

Olympic Oath

I imagine most of us have watched the Olympic Games on the television. It's really great watching the world's greatest athletes competing, isn't it? Did you know that these athletes take an oath before ...

On Patriotism

True patriotism is more than getting a lump in your throat when the flag passes by. it involves determination on your part to se that America remains free. It involves your willingness ...

On The Trail

Once a long time ago a hound was out with his master trailing a mountain lion. The hound came to a place where a fox had crossed the trail, and the hound decided to ...

Our Home In Camp

Scouts, when we go to our camporee, and later when we are in summer camp, let's remember that our campsite is our home. The living room is the area in front of your patrol ...

Our Natural Resources

(Hold up two glasses, one filled with dirty water, one sparkling clean water. ) Scouts, which would you prefer to drink? The answer is pretty obvious, isn't it? We can do our part to ...

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 ...

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 ...

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. ...

Pass It On01

What magic there is in togetherness alone. Unshared. Undivided. Far away in your soft green world of solitude of things to fill the dreams of childhood. The music of wind in the pines. Firelight. Night ...

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 ...

Picking On Him

On a hike or in camp we reveal our true selves most. Did you ever know a Scout who thought people were always picking on him? I recall a boy who pitched his tent ...

Pink Champagne Punch

1 12-ounce bottle white grape juice 1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 16-ounce pkg. frozen whole strawberries, thawed 1 12-ounce can lemon-lime soda, chilled 8 cherries (optional)Combine 1/2 of the grape juice, lemonade, and ...

Planting Seeds

(Have an apple and a plate with a few apple seeds) If I gave you a choice, which would you rather have, the apple or the seeds? I guess most of us would choose the ...

Reach For The Stars

There used to be a saying that if a man had great ambition, he was "reaching for the stars". The idea was that he was so eager to succeed he was willing to try ...

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 ...

Road Test Yourself

Did you know that car manufacturers try out there new models on some of the worst roads in the world? They can't find any ordinary roads that are bad enough for the purpose, so ...

Safety Afloat

Scouts, what do the following merit badges have in common: Canoeing, Motorboating, Rowing, Small-Boat Sailing, and Water Skiing? I'll give you a hint - they all have the same first requirement. You guessed it. ...

Safety Through Skill

We've been talking a lot about safety tonight, how to be safe ourselves and make our homes and community safe. I think the lesson is partly exercising our common sense and partly learning the skills of safety. What do we ...

Salt Of The Earth

Who can tell me what "salt of the earth" means? That's right, it means a person who has a fine character and is a nice guy to be around. The expression "salt of the ...

Scouting Is Alive

Our theme this month is called "Scouting is Alive," but I think it ought to be "Scouting is alive and well and living in (your community). " I guess the theme is supposed to ...

Scouting Pathfinder BadenPowell

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Scouting Plumb Line

(Show a carpenter's plumb line) Does anybody know what this is? That's right it's a plumb line. Carpenters and masons use a plumb line to make sure their work is perfectly straight and vertical. Supposing you were building a brick ...

Scoutings Directions

Tonight we've been learning how to find directions on a map and use the compass to stay on course. By now I hope most of you can orient a map and use map and ...

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 ...

Set Of The Sails

"If you have ever been sailing, or at least watched sailboats, you may have noticed that two sailboats can sail in different directions in the same breeze. The trick is in knowing how to ...

Setting Standards

As Scouts and as school pupils, you spend a lot of time meeting standards. In school your work may be graded on a scale from A through F. In Scouting, you're asked to meet ...

Setting The Example

In the patrol leaders council, we often talk about the skills of leadership. Patrol leaders who have taken the junior leader training course know even more about them. Of the 11 skills of leadership, ...

Smilin In The Rain

A long time ago, a joker said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. " That isn't really true anymore because scientists can seed clouds with chemicals to make rain ...

Solid To The Core

Every once in a while when you're working on a pioneering project, you'll find a spar that looks great but that turns out to be weak and unreliable. Maybe its' center has been eaten away ...

Someone Else

With great regret we announce the loss of one of the councils most valuable families - Mr. & Mrs. Someone Else have moved away, and the vacancy they have left will be hard to ...

Spell It Honesty

Tonight we've spent a lot of time talking about ethics - about honesty and fairness and respect for others. Now I'll tell you a true story about a Scout who showed what those things ...

Sportsmanship

Probably some of you will earn the Sports merit badge this month. If so, the first thing you'll have to do, is understand what sportsmanship is, because it's the first requirement. I'd like to ...

Spring Phenoms

I know that some of you read the sports pages and follow the big league pennant races. So probably you have heard of spring phenoms. Who can tell me what a spring phenom is? ...

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 ...

Teamwork

(Show three or four short pieces of rope) These pieces of rope are a lot like individual Scouts. You can use these ropes for knot tying practice or for tying a small package, but ...

Thank You Dad

Now, Scouts, don't answer this question out loud, but how long has it been since you said, "Thank you, Dad. " I'm afraid that too often we take our fathers for granted. I suppose ...

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 ...

Thanksgiving01

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 ...

Thanksgiving02

As Americans, we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. We live in freedom, most of us have an abundance of food and clothing, and we all have adequate shelter. We are ...

That First Step

The Chinese have a saying, "The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. " There's a lesson for us in that saying. I'm thinking of advancement. If you come to troop ...

The Boy Scout Neckerchief

You new Scouts probably learned tonight that our troop neckerchief has other uses besides looking good and showing our troop's colors. You found that it can be used in first aid, too. Over the next few months, you'll find that the ...

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 ...

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 didnt have any friends. You see, the friends he once had were ...

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, ...

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 ...

The Good Samaritan01

This month we've been talking a lot about the Good Turn. The Good Turn idea has been a tradition of the Boy Scouts of America for almost 75 years now, but it's been around ...

The Knot That Tells A Story

Scouts, if your rank is between Second Class and Life, take a look at your badge of rank. What do all those badges have in common? That's right, they all have the "Be Prepared" ...

The Man Without A Country

In the year 1805, some plotters tried to set up a new government in some of the southern states. When the plot was discovered, the traitors were tried for conspiracy against the United States ...

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 ...

The Most Eleusive Gift Of All

If you asked most sane and temperate men and women throughout the world what they wanted most for the holidays, their first choice wouldn't come in a magnificent box with a fancy ribbon. They ...

The North Star

Scouts, we've been learning how to find Polaris, the North Star, because we know it will help us find our way in the wilderness. For centuries man has known that the North Star is ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

The Smallest Factory

(Show a leaf of a tree or plant. ) Tonight we've been discussing the oxygen and water cycles and how food chains support life on earth. We've learned that this little leaf can work a ...

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. ...

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, ...

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 ...

The Two Knapsacks

Perhaps you've heard some people say that life is a hike between the cradle and the grave. For some, it's a long trip of many moons. For others it's a short trip that ends ...

The Wilderness Pledge

Next week we'll be outdoors again, and it's good to remind ourselves that Scouts obey the Wilderness Pledge whenever they are hiking, camping, or on other activities away from the meeting place. You should ...

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 ...

They Saved Life

Every year about 200 Scouts earn medals for saving life. A lot of them performed water rescues. Probably you've read about some of those rescues in the Boys Life feature called "Scouts in Action". ...

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, ...

Two Little Words

Scouts, here's a little quiz for you: What's the most welcome two-word sentence in the English language? Some of you might say, it's "We won!" Others would vote for, "Here's money!" But I think ...

Value Your Conscience

It may seem funny to say so, but you're very lucky that is hurts when you hit your finger with a hammer. If it didn't hurt you could be in big trouble. It's a ...

Welcoming The Webelos

It won't be long now before we'll be adding several new Scouts to this troop - the Webelos Scouts who will be graduating from Cub Scouting. It goes without saying that I expect you ...

What Are We Doing To Ourselves

Many books offer answers on how to live our lives. But, there's one book that raises questions about what kind of lives we lead. It's the phone book. It has hotlines for Alcohol Problems, ...

What Money Cant Buy

(Hold up some money)All of you recognize this and know that it will buy certain things. It can purchase a candy bar, a stamp, or a little time on a parking meter. Add more money and you ...

Whatever Happened To

It went the way of "Thank you," "Excuse me," "Yes, sir. " Do you know who just about killed all those phrases? All of us. We did not use them enough. We now get, ...

Who Are You

Your third grade teacher said you had a problem with math. You gave up on math, and you eliminated two-thirds of the jobs available in the world. Somebody decided the Navy needed a cook. ...

Wilderness Pledge

Scouts, next week we're going to practice some of the skills of what is called minimum impact camping, when we're outdoors for our Park Service project. As you've ;earned this month, the idea of ...

Winning Isnt Everything

Some years ago a hard-nosed coach said, "Winning isn't everything, but it sure beats whatever's second. " There's some truth in that. Everyone likes to win. Very few people enjoy losing. The trouble is ...

World Friendship02

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 ...

Youre The Finest

In just two hundred years, your country, through freedom and hard work, has changed the world. In agriculture, industry, education, medicine, law, transportation, and on and on. no country can match America's record in ...

Youve Got To Get It Over

You've probably seen a baseball pitcher who can throw a ball through a brick wall, but he can't throw strikes. In baseball, if you don't have control, you don't win. That's true for all ...

Your Basic Survival Tool

If someone told you that you would be dropped from a plane in the heart of the Canadian wilderness and could pick one tool, implement or instrument to take with you, what would you ...

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 ...

Your Development

(Show a roll or package of camera film) If you looked at this roll of film before development, you cannot tell what kind of picture it will make. Film looks exactly the same after ...

Your Direction

(Take a bearing with a compass) One day a Scout named Bill was sighting with his compass, as I'm doing now. "Top of that hill is 045 degrees," said Bill, "I'm going to follow that ...

Your Fitness Quotient

I'm sure you've all heard of the IQ and know it stands for intelligence quotient. It's supposed to be a measure of intelligence. Probably you've taken IQ tests, although you may not have known ...

Your Label

Smart shoppers read the labels when they go to the supermarket. Product labels tell them a number of things: Whether the can or package contains beans, corn, flour, or pork chops; what ingredients it ...

Your Mark Which Will It Be

(Hold up a plaster cast of a track. ) Scouts, here you see permanent evidence that an animal (or bird) has passed along the way. Before we made the cast, the track was pretty temporary ...

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 ...

Multiple Resource

Scoutmaster Minutes

Helping Scout leaders one resource at a time...