Happy Birthday BSA

[Texsox]

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is a United States Scouting organization, with some presence in other countries. The BSA is the largest youth organization in the United States; over one hundred million Americans have been members. Founded in 1910, the movement had a registered membership of 2,938,698 youth with 1,146,130 leaders in 122,582 units as of the end of 2005.[1] The BSA is administered mostly by committees of volunteers, but employs professionals at the higher levels of administration and for commercial activities.

 

The BSA sprang from the concerns of the progressive movement in the United States from people who sought to promote the social welfare of young men. The BSA adheres to the Scout method to teach values such as self-esteem, citizenship, and outdoorsmanship through a variety of outdoor activities such as camping, aquatics, and hiking.[2][3]

 

The BSA recognizes the achievements of Scouts through advancement in rank and various special awards. It includes several program divisions, targeted at boys ages seven through seventeen and young men and women ages fourteen through twenty-one. The BSA operates locally, through volunteer-led units such as troops, packs, and crews.

 

The progressive movement in the United States was at its height during the early twentieth century. With the migration of families from rural to urban centers, there were concerns that young men were no longer learning patriotism and individualism. The YMCA was an early promoter of social welfare and other reforms involving young men. Baden-Powell started Scouting in 1907 and the movement began to grow.

 

In 1909, Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce was visiting London, England where he learned of the Scouting movement. Upon his return to the US, Boyce incorporated the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910. The YMCA became interested in the nascent BSA program and provided support. The first managing secretary was John M. Alexander, succeeded by Edgar M. Robinson, both from the YMCA. James E. West took over as managing secretary and later as Chief Scout Executive, beginning a long relationship with the BSA.

 

 

 

edit] Ideals

BSA "Strategic Plan Identity" emblem The stated objectives of the BSA are referred to as "Aims of Scouting": character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Each of the programs of the BSA pursues these aims through methods that are designed to be appropriate for the age and maturity of the participants.[4] One of these methods is the establishment of ideals. These are statements of goals against which each boy can measure and improve himself. For Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts, these ideals are reflected in the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan. There are similar sets of ideals for Cub Scouts and Venturers.

 

The Scout MottoBe Prepared.The Scout SloganDo a Good Turn Daily.The Scout OathOn my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.The Scout LawA Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.The Outdoor CodeAs an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation-minded.The Scout SignThe upper arm is held horizontally out to the right side, and the forearm is held vertically. The palm of the hand faces forward, with the first three fingers extended and the tips of the little finger and thumb joined.The Scout SaluteThe hand is held in the same configuration as is used for the Scout Sign, with the tip of the index finger (pointer) touching the forehead or hat brim. This is a modification of the salute used by military organizations around the world.The Scout HandshakeThis is the traditional handshake done with the left hand instead of the right. Several conflicting reasons have been given for this modification:

• The left hand is closer to one's heart.
• A soldier must keep his right hand free to grab his weapon.
• In warfare using simple weapons (practiced in the medieval period, as well as by the Ashanti people that Baden-Powell met in West Africa), a warrior carries a shield in his left hand. To shake with the left hand, he must drop his shield, indicating good faith.[5] [6] [7]

The BSA Scout Oath and Law have remained unchanged since they were first developed in 1910.

[Soxy]

No, but I was in Alpha Phi Omega, so kinda maybe kinda a little tiny bit.

[southsider2k5]

I made it as far as Weablos (sp?) before I got bored with it.

[Texsox]

No, but I was in Alpha Phi Omega, so kinda maybe kinda a little tiny bit.

 

Even cooler, that was voluntary No parents forcing you.

 

 

I made it as far as Weablos (sp?) before I got bored with it.

 

And that is then point you are suppose to get bored with Cub Scouts and join Boy Scouts. Swap out those bb guns for .22 and 20 gauge, get out camping monthly, start hanging out with the big kids.

[Chisoxfn]

I did Tiger Scouts, Cub Scouts, & Boy Scouts.

[Texsox]

I just checked my email and received this from one of the dads in my Troop.

Jim,

You don't come across situations like this very often so you have to

smile inside and be proud when they do! Today Zack and a good friend

were playing basketball at school. Well, there has been some

construction going on at school and some debris was close to where they

were playing. I don't the details as to how this occurred but Zack's

buddy fell on some of the debris and gave himself a 5" gash on the soft

side of his forearm. I don't know if he cut any veins but witnesses

say Zack immediately put pressure on the wound and took him inside to a

paramedic that is on the school staff. While she was getting some

bandage he stayed with his friend and kept him calm. His buddy was

feeling faint and thirsty so he gave orders to the principal to get his

buddy something to drink and the principal did what he said

immediately! (that came from the principal himself!) Anyway, the

principal was impressed as to how calm and collected Zack was and how

he knew what to do as soon as it happened. And we wonder if they really

are listening when we teach them! Just thought I would share that with

you.

God bless the BSA and Troop 74!

A proud Dad,

Gerry

[redandwhite]

sdf

Edited February 9, 2007 by redandwhite

[WilliamTell]

Happy Birthday, I was a boy scout, not for long, but I was.

[southsider2k5]

Very cool story.

[Rex Kickass]

Eagle Scout, class of 1994.

[The Critic]

I put a year in as a Cub Scout.

That was enough for me. I got bored with it quickly, and it got in the way of baseball.

I liked the magazine, though - "Boys Life", wasn't it?

[DrunkBomber]

No, my brother who is 18 months older then me joined and quit after one day so i didint think Id like it either.

[GoodAsGould]

I was a boy scout for like 2 years, and during that time I never got passed tenderfoot but the camping was fun.

[Texsox]

Eagle Scout, class of 1994.

 

on many levels

[Flash Tizzle]

Eagle Scout, class of 2003.

 

/awaits recognition

[Texsox]

Eagle Scout, class of 2003.

 

/awaits recognition

 

What was your project?

[Rex Kickass]

on many levels

 

Maybe not so much, if I had it to do over again - would have focused less on my rank and more on having fun in camp. My best friend in scouts never got past Star but could teach every merit badge at camp. Because he learned the stuff, not went after getting the badge.

[Flash Tizzle]

What was your project?

Collected food items and clothing from people within Palos Heights and delivered it to a local homeless shelter in Robbins, Illinois.

[Flash Tizzle]

Maybe not so much, if I had it to do over again - would have focused less on my rank and more on having fun in camp. My best friend in scouts never got past Star but could teach every merit badge at camp. Because he learned the stuff, not went after getting the badge.

It would have been the other way around for me -- less time having fun, more focused on rank. I was sitting on 'Life' for nearly two years before completing Eagle several months shy of my 18th birthday.

 

I have to imagine you've traveled to Owasippe a few times, no?

[Texsox]

It would have been the other way around for me -- less time having fun, more focused on rank. I was sitting on 'Life' for nearly two years before completing Eagle several months shy of my 18th birthday.

 

I have to imagine you've traveled to Owasippe a few times, no?

 

My son made Life at 12 and Eagle at 16 almost 17. Lots of fun in-between. Philmont (returning this summer)

 

One of my Scouts made Life at 12 and is wondering which is happening first, his 18th birthday or his Eagle Board of Review.

 

BTW, I have a couple openings for camp staff here Aquatics Director and camp medic (First responder, EMT, nurse, etc.)

[Heartattack19]

I made eagle in 1998, did a business attire closthing drive and donated it to Catholic Charities. O wasippe was the best, i hiked all the trails one week. I tried again the next year with the younger guys, but they could not keep up and gave up, so i had a week to just chill in michigan and go fishing! Hopefully the sale of the land to developoers does not go through, the Chicago Area Council seems to be as corrupt as they get.....

[Rex Kickass]

It would have been the other way around for me -- less time having fun, more focused on rank. I was sitting on 'Life' for nearly two years before completing Eagle several months shy of my 18th birthday.

 

I have to imagine you've traveled to Owasippe a few times, no?

 

Wood Lake Scout Reservation for me. By the time I was 14, I stopped getting merit badges at camp and started teaching them when I came up - I was volunteer staff when I went up. I think, I went five or six weeks the last three years I went as a "scout" and earned one merit badge. I was all up in the ecology shelter.

[Flash Tizzle]

I made eagle in 1998, did a business attire closthing drive and donated it to Catholic Charities. O wasippe was the best, i hiked all the trails one week. I tried again the next year with the younger guys, but they could not keep up and gave up, so i had a week to just chill in michigan and go fishing! Hopefully the sale of the land to developoers does not go through, the Chicago Area Council seems to be as corrupt as they get.....

I loved walking their trails when I was younger. Not that I've ever completed the entire trail around Big Blue Lake, but just following paths from the main dining hall to activities on the outskirts of Blackhawk (the reservation our troop attended) was an interesting experience.

 

Actually, I was given the opportunity to walk around the lake one year; but this was recently removed from a troop hike around Lake Geneva -- a delicious 30 mile, 10 hour hike.

[Texsox]

Hopefully the sale of the land to developoers does not go through, the Chicago Area Council seems to be as corrupt as they get.....

 

Not so much corruption as too many egos thinking they know what is best for the Council.

[Heartattack19]

I even hiked from Blackhawk into town, just to get that 20 miler to get the hiking merit badge. It is a great place, i just hope it is around in some sort when i have kids so i can go up with them. It is a shame, most of the troops in my area folded, mine included. Me and a buddy made Eagle, and the court of honor was basically the last meeting we ever had! I ended up with the Pinewood derby track in my garage! Fishing in Big Blue was not so good, but if you went to Lake Wolverine, holy cow, the dam was the best spot, until the Rangers kicked you out!