1.         SAFETY THROUGH SKILL                          (Print Version)                                    Back to Top

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 mean by the skills of safety? Well for one thing, we're talking about learning to find the emergency escape doors and windows in a building like this one.  We tried to do that tonight.  From now on it will probably be in the back of your mind when you enter an unfamiliar building. 

In other words, training your mind to think safety is one lesson.  Another is carefulness and common sense.  By being careful and using your common sense, you're not likely to get hit by a car while crossing the street.  Still, a lot of kids are killed every year because they thought they could beat a car.  Others die in accidents around the home that could have been prevented with a little more forethought.  Still others get trapped in their burning homes, partly because they hadn't planned escape routes. 

Safety is not the most exciting topic in the world, but it's a vital one for all of us to learn and to pass on to our younger brothers and sisters.  Boring or not, the skills of safety are important.  They may save your life or that of someone you love.

2.         THE BOY SCOUT NECKERCHIEF                 (Print Version)                                     Back to Top

You new Scouts probably learned tonight that our troop neckerchief has other uses besides looking good 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 neckerchief has other uses, too.

There's one use, though, that you may not think of - and that's to remind you of the Scout Oath.  The neckerchief

is a triangle, and its' three corners should remind you of something you recently learned - our Scout Oath. 

The Oath, you remember, has three corners, too - duty to God and country, duty to others and duty to self. From now on, every time you put on your neckerchief, it should remind you of the things you pledge each time you repeat the Scout Oath. 

3.         A SCOUT IS LOYAL                                      (Print Version)                                      Back to Top

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. 

I'm going to add one more thing to that list - a Scout is loyal to his team.  The team might be his patrol or sports team. 

Your patrol or soccer team can't be as good as it should be if you goof off a lot or constantly complain about your teammates or your patrol leader or coach.  A winning patrol and a winning team, must have a winning attitude.  That means that every member must be willing to do his part and not spend time griping because the patrol's plans or the game are not going his way. 

That doesn't mean that you have to be close friends with everybody in your patrol or team or even like all of them.  But it means that when you join, you commit yourself to the success of the patrol or the team and pledge to give it your best effort. 

In Scouting and sports, it's teamwork that makes winners.  So whenever you're with your patrol or sports team, remember, "A Scout is loyal".

4.         SPORTSMANSHIP                                        (Print Version)                                   Back to Top

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 read you a little story from the Sports merit badge pamphlet which sums up sportsmanship very well.  Here's the story. 

"In 1940, an underdog Dartmouth football team played powerful Cornell, which needed only one more victory for a perfect season and a number-one ranking in the country.  Trailing 3-0 Cornell scored a controversial touchdown that the Dartmouth players insisted was made on an extra "fifth down".  However the referee counted the touchdown, and Cornell won 7-3. 

But after the game, Cornell officials watched the game on film and saw that, indeed their team had been allowed and extra play.  They immediately sent a telegram to Dartmouth stating that they could not accept the victory.  It went into the record book as a 3-0 victory for Dartmouth. "

That little story tells us what sportsmanship really is.  It is the desire to play hard and to win - but to win fairly - and if you lose, to accept defeat with good grace.  Let's remember that during our Sports Tourney and throughout our lives.  Also remember, that to be a good sport you have to lose to prove it. 

5.         TWO LITTLE WORDS                                       (Print Version)                             Back to Top

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 the most welcome two-word sentence is "Thank you. "

It isn't used as often as it should be.  How often do you use it? And how often do you say thank you to the persons who are closest to you, your mother and father? How often do you say it to your friends or even strangers when they do something for you?

It's so easy to forget, especially if the Good Turn is done by somebody in your family.  Too often we take for granted the many things our parents and other family members do for us.  Next week we're going to have a family night for members of our families.  Here's a challenge for you.  Between now and then, see if you can find some reason to say thank you every day to some member of your family.  You may be surprised how they will react. 

A simple thank you costs nothing, but it means so much to those who matter most to you.  And remember, manners maketh man and can be the difference between you being just another Scout and one who earns himself respect from those around him. 

6.         THANKSGIVING                                               (Print Version)                               Back to Top

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 as blessed as any people in the world, but sometimes we forget that and gripe that we don't have even more.  Let's remember that a lot of the worlds population goes to bed hungry in homes hat few Americans would want to live in. 

So it's good to remind ourselves occasionally that we are lucky and thank God for our blessings.  That's what Thanksgiving really is, a time to give thanks.  The Pilgrims started it more than 100 years ago when they gathered to thank God for a bountiful harvest. 

Today Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings around a groaning table followed by watching  football games.  There's nothing wrong with that.  But it's important that we don't forget the real meaning of Thanksgiving.  So when you sit down with your family for Thanksgiving dinner, take time to count your blessings and thank God for them.

7.         HANDICAPPED AWARENESS                          (Print Version)                                   Back to Top

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 from living a full life, and a person who is a bit hard of hearing probably will get along quite well with that handicap. 

But some people have severe handicaps.  They might be legally blind, or completely deaf, or have to use a wheelchair to get around.  But we should understand that they are people just like us, with the same needs, the same desires, and - except for the handicap - the same capabilities we have.  In other words, handicapped people are more like you than different. 

(If your troop will do a Good Turn for handicapped people:) Remember that when we do our Good Turn this month.  When you meet a handicapped person, treat him or her exactly as you would want to be treated.  The person might need a little help from you, but don't fuss over him.  Do the minimum that's necessary to help then back off and treat him as you would your other friends. 

Those of us who are able-bodied have a lot to be thankful for.  But that doesn't make us any better or worse than people with severe handicaps.  We are all children of God. 

8.         HOLIDAY SPIRIT                                               (Print Version)                                     Back to Top

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 to be alive at this season. 

Sometimes we forget that these holidays are really religious festivals.  It's well to remember that the real holiday spirit is cast by the Star of Bethlehem and the Hanukkah candles, reminding us of the miracles in times past. 

In the 12th point of the Scout Law we say that a Scout is reverent.  That doesn't mean that he has to go around all the time with a long face or with hands folded in prayer.  It means that he does his duty to God, which includes doing things for God's other creatures.  We'll be doing that later this month with our troop Good Turn. 

Now remembering that a Scout is reverent, let's close with the Scout benediction. 

9.         NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION                                (Print Version)                                  Back to Top

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 be delighted with those resolutions. 

In Scouting, we make a resolution almost every time we meet.  Each time we repeat the Scout Oath or Law, we're resolving to do our best to do our duty and to make ourselves the best citizens we can be.  I'm inclined to think that resolving to follow the Scout Oath and Law are the most important resolutions you can make - now and in the time to come.  The Oath and Law cover almost everything that makes a good man and a good citizen.  So, I think, as we start the New Year, we ought to repeat the Oath and Law and think about what we're saying.  (Lead Oath and Law)

10.       SPELL IT HONESTY                                                 (Print Version)                               Back to Top

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 mean. 

His name is Andrew J.  Flosdorf, and in 1983 he was a 1st Class Scout in Troop 42 of Fonda NY Andy was in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, competing for the championship and a chance for a scholarship. 

During a break in the competition, Andy went to the judges and told them that although they thought he had spelled "echolalia" correctly, he had mistakenly substituted an "e" for the first "a" in the word, which means a speech disorder.  He said he discovered his error when he looked it up afterwards. 

By admitting the mistake, that the judges hadn't caught, Andy eliminated himself from the competition.  The chief judge said, "We want to commend him for his utter honesty," and the crowd gave him an ovation. 

But Andy didn't tell them about his error to earn cheers.  He wanted to win as much as the other contestants, but he wanted to win fairly.  "The first rule of Scouting is honesty," Andy told the judges.  "I didn't want to feel like a slime. "

I don't know what has happened to Andy Flosdorf since then, but I'm sure of two things.  He learned one of Scouting's most important lessons, and gave us an example of honesty and fairness that all of us should shoot for. 

11.       SALT OF THE EARTH                                                   (Print Version)                           Back to Top

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 earth" probably came from the fact that common salt improves the taste of a lot of foods.  As you young Scouts will discover while you are working on your Cooking skill award, salt is used in many recipes - maybe most of them for breakfast and dinner dishes. 

Just as the salt improves the flavor of many foods, a person who is the salt of the earth improves the lives of those around him.  He lives every day by the Scout Oath and Law, even if he's not a Scout.  He does his daily Good Turn and he deals fairly with everyone he meets. 

You can be the salt of the earth, too, just by living the Oath and Law.  Let's remind ourselves of what it takes by repeating the Law now (Lead Law. )

12.       SMILIN' IN THE RAIN                                                       (Print Version)                         Back to Top

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 fall - if there are clouds , that is. 

Next week we're going to be outdoors, possibly in foul weather, for our Foul-Weather Cook-Out (or See'n'do).  It may be snowing or raining cats and dogs  while we're out there, but we'll be there just the same because this is not a fair weather troop. 

It may not be as much fun as being outdoors on a sunny summer day, but it's part of outdoor life, and as Scouts we belong outdoors.  As long as you have a poncho, warm clothes and a pair of dry socks and underwear in your pack, you can enjoy bad weather, too. 

At least I hope you can.  I like to see Scouts smiling in the rain because a real Scout is cheerful even when things aren't 100% perfect. 

The weather, and life, aren't always predictable.  One of the lessons you should be earning as Scouts is to be prepared for foul weather as well as fair. 

So the key words for next weeks outing are "Be Prepared" and "A Scout is cheerful. " If you follow that advice, you'll have a fine time, no matter what the weather is. 

13.       PLANTING SEEDS   (Have an apple and a plate with a few apple seeds)   (Print Version)      Back to Top

If I gave you a choice, which would you rather have, the apple or the seeds? I guess most of us would choose the apple. 

A long time ago there was a guy who would have taken the seeds.  He was a nut about apple seeds - so much so that people called him Johnny Appleseed.  For many years he walked across hundreds of miles of our country, back when most of it was frontier land, and everywhere he went he planted apple seeds.  The trees from those seeds fed many thousands of people in later generations.  That's real long range planning!

Many of us are interested mainly in the present.  We don't think ahead like Johnny Appleseed. 

Maybe you don't want to go around planting apple seeds like he did.  But there's another kind of seed you should be planting every day - the seed of good feelings between you and your fellow man. 

You can do it by living our slogan, "Do a Good Turn daily. " Every time you do a Good Turn , you are planting a seed of good feeling.  That seed may start the growth of a tree of Good Turns in each person you help.  So that one Good Turn may lead to many other Good Turns through the years, affecting the lives of hundreds of people. 

14.       COAL AND DIAMONDS                                                      (Print Version)                     Back to Top

Scouts, I'm sure you've all seen a diamond.   It's very hard, very bright and very b eautiful.    Most of you have probably seen coal, too. It's dull black and it crumbles easily.          

Now a little chemistry lesson.  Who can tell me how coal and diamonds are alike?  That's right - both are made from the element carbon.  But a diamond has great value because it is rare.   I compare the diamond to a man of sharp mind, hard body and shining bright spirit.  The coal might be compared to a man who is not mentally sharp, physically tough or spiritually bright. 

Someone once said that a diamond is just a piece of coal that stuck to it.   Over many millions of years, its brilliance was caused by the heat and pressure inside our earth. 

My hope is that like that diamond you will stick to it by following our Scouting ideals.  If you do, you will become an example of what a man should be.    

15.       ON THE TRAIL                                                                     (Print Version)                Back to Top

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 follow the fox instead of the lion. 

A short time later, a rabbit crossed that of the fox, and again the hound changed direction.  Why should he chase a fox when a rabbit might be easier to catch?

When the hunter finally caught up with his hound, the dog was barking at a small hole in the ground.  The hound had brought to bay a field mouse instead of a mountain lion. 

Well, how about you? Have yo            u set out on a trail to achieve your ambition? Are you able to follow it, or are you sidetracked by easier trails that cross it from time to time?

Don't be like that hound.  Find out what it takes to achieve your ambition, and then get started.  The best way to achieve anything in life is to set a true course for it and then stick to that trail. 

16.       FINDING YOUR WAY  (Show a Scout badge. )                       (Print Version)             Back to Top           

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, the founder of Scouting, select that symbol for the first Scout badge? In his book, Scouting for Boys, Baden- Powell told us. 

He said, "It is the badge of the Scout because it points in the right direction, and upwards.  It shows the way in doing your duty and helping others. "

In other words, just as the north point of the compass helps us find our way in the field, so the Scout badge helps us find our way through life. 

So the shape of our Scout badge should be a constant reminder to us of the things we pledge when we say the Scout Oath or Law.  Let's think about that badge and what it means the next time we're tempted to do something we know is wrong. 

17.       TEAMWORK (Show three or four short pieces of rope)           (Print Version)                    Back to Top

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 they're not big enough for really big jobs.  (Call up two or three Scouts and asked them to join the ropes together with square knots or sheet bends. ) Now we have a much more useful rope, one we could use for pioneering or other jobs where we need a good length of rope. 

Your patrol and the whole troop work the same way.  Scouts who work together like these ropes can achieve much bigger things.  But remember that this rope is only as strong as its' weakest link.  The same idea applies to our patrols and troop.  They can't be strong unless everyone pulls together.  Teamwork is just as important in Scouting as it is on a football team. 

Strive to a strong link in your patrol.  Do the best to live by the ideals we talk about in the Scout Oath and Law.  Learn your Scouting skills to the best of your ability, and take part in everything the troop and your patrol do.  Don't be a weak link. 

18.       WINNING ISN'T EVERYTHING                                        (Print Version)              Back to Top                

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 that in every type of competition, there must be losers as well as winners.  That's true in sports and it's also true in the competitions we will have next week at our camp-out (or camporee). 

It's also true in life.  You and every other human being find that sometimes you have to be a loser.  Perhaps your sports team loses a game on an unlucky break.  Or maybe you work hard in school but get low grades. Some people might say you're a loser. 

Maybe so.  But you don't have to stay a loser.  The real difference between winners and losers is that a loss makes some people more determined to do better next time.  In the long run they are the winners because they learn to profit by their defeats and mistakes. 

No, winning isn't everything.  We can learn from losses, too.  Let's remember that at the campout and in the years to come.

19.       A SCOUT IS FRIENDLY                                                         (Print Version)                 Back to Top

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 his house to keep people away. 

Let me tell you about another kind of neighbor I heard about.  There was no wall around his property, and somebody noticed that a strip of grass between his yard and his neighbor's yard was unusually green.  How come? He was asked. 

"Oh," he laughed, " my neighbor and I are so afraid we'll cheat each other that we always water and fertilize the grass across the line on the other fellows side.  That strip of grass down the property line gets twice as much water and fertilizer as the rest of our yards. " Instead of a fence to keep each other away, that man and his neighbor had a vivid green reminder that they were friends. 

The point of this story is that if you want to have friends, you can't build walls between yourselves and other people.  Instead, cultivate that space between you by being as fair to the other guy as you'd like him to be to you.  A Scout is friendly, and the way to have friends - and keep them - is to be friendly yourself. 

 20.      THE MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY                                         (Print Version)                Back to Top   

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 government.  One of them was Philip Nolan, an Army officer.  During his trial, the president of the court asked Nolan whether he wished to say anything to show that he had always been faithful to the United States.  Nolan replied, "Damn the United States!  I wish I may never hear of the United States again!"

He got his wish.  Nolan was put on a Navy ship with instructions that he should never hear the name of his country or get any information about it.  Years went by.  Nolan became a changed man.  In his heart, he had an intense love for the US. 

Philip Nolan finally died.  A note with his last request was found in his Bible.  The note said: "Bury me in the sea, it has been my home and I love it But will not someone set up a stone for my memory at Fort Adams or at Orleans, that my disgrace may not be more than I ought to bear? Say on it: 'In memory of Philip Nolan, lieutenant in the Army of the United States.  He loved his country as no other man has loved her; but no man deserves less at her hand. ' "

21.       YOUR FITNESS QUOTIENT                                                (Print Version)                   Back to Top

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 it, so that your school would have some idea of how bright you are. 

The experts aren't all in agreement that IQ tests are all that accurate, but they apparently do provide at least a rough measure of intelligence.  In theory, at least, your IQ score won't very much from childhood to adulthood.

Maybe you can't do much about your IQ, but there's another kind of test in which your own efforts will raise your score.  I'll call it your "FQ" - your Fitness Quotient.  By regular, vigorous exercise, and by having good health habits, you can lift your FQ score many points. 

In doing the fitness tests for the Physical Fitness skill award and the Personal Fitness merit badge, you establish your present FQ score.  If your scores on those tests are just about average or below, I suggest you make up your mind to raise them much higher.  All it takes is a decision to do it, and then - most important - following through on the exercises and health habits that will do the trick. 

If you do that, by the end of the summer your Fitness Quotient will be much higher than it is now. 

22.      SETTING THE EXAMPLE                                                       (Print Version)                Back to Top

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, I believe the most important is setting the example. 

There's an old saying that sums it up well.  It goes something like this: "What you do speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you say. " In other words, don't tell me what is right; show me by your example. 

It seems to me that when it comes to setting the example, we are all leaders.  Even if you're not a patrol leader, the way you conduct yourself will rub off on your patrolmates.  If one patrol member goofs off and is sloppy in his habits, there's a temptation to say, "Well, Brian gets away with it, why shouldn't I?"

That may be human nature, but it's not the nature of a good patrol or a good troop.  A good patrol and troop have to work like a team, with every member setting a good example of Scoutlike behavior.  Let's keep that in mind always, but especially when we're in summer camp (or on tour).  Let's show our pride in our troop and in ourselves as Scouts and young men.

23.       SAFETY AFLOAT                                                                (Print Version)                Back to Top

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.  All those badges require that a Scout be classed a "swimmer" before he even gets started on the badge.  It's pretty obvious why you must be a swimmer before you can go out into the deep water in a canoe or other craft. 

As I think you all know, to be classed as a swimmer you have to be able to swim 100 yards, do the elementary backstroke, and be able to rest in water by floating.  To those who swim well, that's a piece of cake.  To those who don't it could be a challenge. 

You're not going to able to go canoeing or rafting until you can meet the test.  We're going to spend time this month helping the non-swimmers and beginners so that by the time of our Water Rendezvous, most of you - maybe all - will be able to swim the hundred. 

Being able to swim well will unlock the door to those other badges.  It will also give you a life-long sport, one that you will be able to enjoy for many years after you no longer have the ability to play other sports.  That's one of the reasons we go swimming now.  The other of course is that it's fun. 

24.       THEY SAVED LIFE                                                             (Print Version)                   Back to Top

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". 

Do you suppose all those Scouts who saved people from drowning were great swimmers? No, not necessarily.  Some of them may not have even been very good swimmers because - remember - you try to reach, throw, or row to a drowning person before you jump in and swim.  Many medals have gone to guys who didn't swim at all, but who were able to act when everybody else was panicking, and tossed a rope or reached a pole to the person in trouble. 

We've been practicing the reach, throw and row water rescue methods.  Those of you who have the Lifesaving merit badge also know the Go method. 

So all of us should be prepared to help somebody who is in trouble in the water.  If you're not, practice some more.  Then you'll be ready when you're needed. 

25.       SOMEONE ELSE                                                          (Print Version)                         Back to Top

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 fill.  The Elses have been with us for many years; they have done far more than their share of the work about the council.  When there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, their name was on everybody's lips: "Let Someone Else do it" Whenever a committee was mentioned, this wonderful family was looked to for inspiration as well as results: "Someone Else will set up the event. " And when there was a trip to take Mr. & Mrs.

Someone Else were thought to be the best transportation: "Let Someone Else take them. "

The Someone Elses are wonderful people, but they are only human, they could spread themselves only so thin.  Many a night I have sat up and talked with someone and heard him wish aloud for more help in the council.  He and his wife did the best they could, but people expected too much from them.  We have to face the fact that there were just not enough Someone Elses to go around.  And now the Someone Elses are gone and we're wondering what we are going to do without them.  They have left us a great example to follow, but who will follow it?  Who is going to do the things that someone else did?

26.       SCOUTINGS DIRECTIONS                                             (Print Version)                        Back to Top

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 compass to travel in unknown country. 

In Scouting we have another kind of "map and compass. " They are the Scout Oath, Law, motto and slogan. They are excellent guides for traveling through life. 

Whenever you are wondering what's the right thing to do, consult those "maps and compasses. " They won't always provide and easy answer.  Sometimes you will have to think through your decision, but it will be easier if you ask yourself, "What if I act according to the Scout Oath and Law?" Chances are the Law will help to show you the right thing to do. 

27.       THE WILDERNESS PLEDGE                                        (Print Version)                         Back to Top

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 be familiar with the Wilderness Pledge.  It says, "Through good camping and hiking practices, I pledge myself to preserve the beauty  and splendor of Americas' wilderness, primitive and backcountry areas.  I commit myself to:

Set a personal example in following the Outdoor Code. 

Train those I lead in the skills and attitudes needed to protect and preserve wilderness for future generations. 

Assure that parties of which I am a part observe the camping and hiking standards that will leave no trace of our passing. "

It seems to me that what it boils down to is that in the Wilderness Pledge we commit ourselves as Scouts not only to preserve the environment but to make it better.  For example, not only don't we leave litter ourselves, we pick up other peoples litter.  And we not only build safe fires, we try to make sure that others do, too.  In other words we take responsibility as Scouts to do whatever we can to keep America beautiful. 

That may seem like a tall order.  Nobody enjoys picking up other peoples litter.  It's a lot easier to just say, "Boy, what a mess!" and pass it by.  But that's not the Scouting way. 

On all our hikes and campouts, let's leave the land better than we found it.  That's Scouting's way. 

28.       MOVING ON THE SCOUTING TRAIL                                     (Print Version)                Back to Top

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 First Class up to the Eagle Scout badge.  Very few guys make it all the way.  The only ones that do are guys who can set a goal and then work hard to achieve it. 

One way to get started toward the goal is to set yourself a more modest goal.  If you're a Tenderfoot now, make up your mind that you're going to earn Second Class in time for our Court of Honor at the end of the month - or at least by the Court of Honor in February.  The Chinese have a saying that is appropriate here. They say, "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. "

That's a good thing to remember, not only in Scouting but in life, too.  You can't progress if you never get started. 

You're going to have plenty of chances to pass advancement requirements in our troop meetings this month - and every month. 

Take advantage of those opportunities.  We're also going to concentrate on advancement during our camp-out late this month.  That's another chance to get moving on the Scouting trail.

            I

t's my hope that by time our February Court of Honor rolls around, every one of you will be a rank higher than you are today. 

29.       BADEN-POWELL ON HONESTY                                        (Print Version)             Back to Top  

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 what he had to say about honesty. 

He said, "Honesty is a form of honor.  An honorable man can be trusted with any amount of valuables with the certainty that he will not steal it.  Cheating at any time is a sneaking, underhanded thing to do. "

"When you feel inclined to cheat in order to win a game, or feel distressed when a game in which you are playing is going against you, just say to yourself, "After all, it is only a game.  It won't kill me if I do lose.  One can't always win though I will stick to it in case of a chance coming. "

"If you keep your head in this way, you will very often find that you win after all from not being over anxious or despairing.  And don't forget, whenever you do lose a game, if you are a true Scout, you will at once cheer the winning team or shake hands with and congratulate the fellow who has beaten you. "

30.       SCOUTING'S PLUMB LINE (Show a carpenter's plumb line)      (Print Version)                 Back to Top

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 wall and you built it just by guesswork.  Then I came along with this plumb line and laid it against your wall.  Both of us could see the wall was crooked if the plumb line told us so. 

You might get mad about it and throw my plumb line as far as you could.  But that wouldn't make the wall any straighter, would it?

In Scouting, we have another kind of plumb line, and in a way it shows us how straight we are.  Scouting's plumb line is the Scout Oath and Law.  They tell us how to build our lives straight and true.  When we don't follow the Oath and Law, we know it, don't we? If we've been untrustworthy, disloyal or unfriendly to someone, our plumb line - the Scout Law - is there in the back of our mind to remind us that we are not building our lives in a straight and true way. 

The Scout never lived who never once violated the Scout Oath and Law.  But those pledges, our plumb line, should always be our guide. 

31.       FREEDOM FOR WHAT?                                                 (Print Version)                       Back to Top

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 think we will agree that the answer is no.  Freedom of speech for example, does mean that we can go into a crowded theater and yell "Fire!" And freedom certainly doesn't mean that we can steal from  people or assault them without fear of being arrested, tried, and perhaps thrown into jail.  As somebody once said, "Your freedom to swing your fist ends just beyond the tip of my nose. "

So what does freedom mean in the sense of the Constitution? It means, I believe that we are free to live according to the laws of God, free to worship as we choose, to speak and write the truth as we see it, to choose our life's work, and to travel where we want to go - and to grant the same rights to others. 

The Constitution does not give us unlimited rights to act without regard to other people.  But it does guarantee us the right to live as free men in a society whose citizens are equal in the eyes of the law. 

32.       MAKING A FRESH START                                                     (Print Version)               Back to Top

            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 make New Year's resolutions, but if you do, I hope that one of them is to move up Scouting's advancement ladder.  Next month we'll be having a Court of Honor, and I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of you receiving awards then.  I'm especially hopeful  that those of you who haven't moved up a rank since last spring will get busy this month and do it in time for the Court of Honor. 

All it takes is determination and some work, I'm sure your patrolmates will help you, and of course our leaders will, too.  But you have to make the effort, no one can do that for you. 

So let's have a fresh start from everybody in the troop this month so that every Scout is called forward at our Court of Honor in February. 

33.       VALUE YOUR CONSCIENCE                                                 (Print Version)                 Back to Top

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 rarity when a person can't feel pain, but it does happen.  Some years ago, for example, there was an eight year old boy in England who couldn't feel pain.  For some reason, his nerves, did not signal pain to his brain. 

If you think he was lucky, think again.  The problem could cost him his life.  Once he was seriously burned by a red-hot oven door, but he didn't even know it until he was snatched away. 

So it is clear that physical pain can save us from mortal danger.  But there is another kind of pain, too, and all of us here can feel it.  It's a spiritual or moral pain, and it's called conscience.  The conscience is one of our greatest gifts.  Without our conscience, we would not know enough to keep from getting burned in even more serious ways than that English boy. 

So as the old saying goes, "Let your conscience be your guide. " It will help you to know whether you are following the Scout Oath and Law.  You have no better friend that your conscience. 

34.       SCOUTING IS ALIVE                                                             (Print Version)                    Back to Top

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 remind us that 78 years after the first troops were started in the United States, Scouting still offers fun and adventure to boys.  Certainly that's what we do in this troop. 

But maybe this is a good time, as we think about this theme, to ask ourselves, "Are we alive in Scouting?" Do we take part in all patrol and troop activities? Are we advancing on the Scouting trail? Are we trying to live by the Scout Oath and Law? In other words, are we "alive" Scouts? Or are we deadwood?

Late this month we're going to have a court of honor to recognize those Scouts who have earned advancement and shown the Scout Spirit that is required to make this troop alive and well.  I hope that each one of you will be on the list to receive a rank advancement, merit badge, or other award. 

Let's remind ourselves that every time that we repeat the Scout Oath, we pledge, "On my honor, I will do my best. . . " That's a good guide for living, not just in Scouting but in everything we do. 

35.       BEING A BROTHER                                                             (Print Version)              Back to Top

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 exactly what it is - millions of boys and men who are divided by nationality and religious belief, but united in the ideals of Scouting. 

Many millions of those brothers of yours in Scouting are very poor.  To help them enjoy Scouting, the Boy Scouts of America has a special treasury called the World Friendship Fund.  Through that fund, your brothers can get training materials, tents, even uniforms in some cases.  It's one way we can show our loyalty to Scouting and our brotherhood with other boys and men. 

At our Family Party, we are going to ask you to give a small amount to help our brothers.  If you can afford a dollar, give that.  If the best you can do is a quarter or a dime, fine.  But I hope everyone here will try to contribute something. 

We in the United States are amongst the luckiest people on earth.  Some of us may be poor, but nearly all of us would be considered wealthy by the standards of some other countries.  Show your appreciation for your good fortune, and your willingness to help other Scouts, by bringing something for the World Friendship Fund to the party. 

36.       ROAD TEST YOURSELF                                                        (Print Version)             Back to Top

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 they build special tracks with ruts, bumps, and potholes that are incredibly bad.   

Now why do they do that, do you suppose? That's right, they want to give their cars the toughest possible test so that they can learn about the weak spots.  The idea is that they will fix the weak spots before the cars go on sale. 

Are you like a new car model that never was tested? Are you cheerful when the going is easy but a grumbler and griper when  there is trouble? Are you like a shiny new car that falls to pieces when it gets a tough road test?

In a way, Scouting is like a road test.  We challenge ourselves with rugged backpacking trips and other adventures to see whether or not we can take it.  As Scouts we like to find out what our limits are, and if we find weak spots, we try to correct them. 

That way, we'll be ready for life's bumps and potholes.  Then people will say of us, "Those guys can take it". 

37.       FIT FOR LIFE                                                                         (Print Version)           Back to Top

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 compete against other Scouts in fitness games and contests. 

Bit there is a more important reason for all this physical activity.  It's to make you fit for life.  If you become physically fit now, the chances are you will be physically fit when you reach full manhood. 

You should remember though, that physical fitness is not just being strong and athletic.  It's also knowing how to take care of your body - what to fit it, how much rest it needs, and what not to put into it.  I'm thinking, of course, of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco smoke. 

Probably you'll face a lot of pressure in the next few years to try drugs, smoking, and alcohol.  No doubt some of you already have. 

Some guys you think of as friends will actually tell you that trying drugs is cool.  Actually, it's about as cool as sticking your hand in a campfire.  Don't learn that the hard way.  Stay away from drugs and drinking and stay fit for life. 

38.       THE KNOT THAT TELLS A STORY                                              (Print Version)        Back to Top

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" scroll with a knot dangling from it. .  Does anyone remember what the knot is supposed to remind us of?

Right again.  It's a reminder to do a Good Turn every day.  If the knot could talk, it would tell us of billions of Good Turns stretching back over 88 years.  Are you adding a chapter to that story each day?

Our troop often does big Good Turns for our chartered organization or the community.  But does that mean that you can forget about Good Turns the rest of the time? Of course not.  As Scouts you have pledged to do a Good Turn daily.  Obviously that doesn't mean you have to spend several hours on some major project. 

But it does mean that at home, in school, and when you're with friends you will go out of your way to do a simple kindness - take out the garbage without being asked, help a buddy with his homework, or run an errand for your mother without grumbling. 

Those little Good Turns make life more pleasant for other people.  They also add another link in that long string of Good Turns going back to Scoutings beginnings. 

39.       SOLID TO THE CORE                                                                 (Print Version)      Back to Top

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 by insects.  Or maybe have natural splits inside that you can't see.  You can test a spar for soundness by holding one end and rapping the other end sharply on a rock.  If it's sound you'll hear it ring. 

Some people are like defective spars.  They look great on the outside and they may have appealing personalities, the kind of guys and girls you think you would like to know.  But when you do get to know them better, you find that they're like a defective spar, weak inside.  They don't have the strength of character to resist things that you know is wrong, and chances are they will want you to do those things, too. 

When that happens, do the same thing you do when you have a defective spar - cast it aside and find a sounder one.  In other words, choose friends who are solid to the core. 

40.       THE SMALLEST FACTORY (Show a leaf of a tree or plant. )             (Print Version)        Back to Top

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 miracle. 

Who can tell me what the miracle is? This leaf is a food factory - it can make food by using the sunlight to turn nutrients from the soil and carbon dioxide into food.  And at the same time, it produces the oxygen that we and wildlife must have to live. 

Life could not exist without the miracle represented by this leaf and all the other plants that can perform the miracle. 

What's the point in this lesson in biology? The point is that because we can't survive without plants, it is in our own interest to make sure that this food factory survives.  And that's why we must fight pollution  and why we must practice conservation like planting trees and shrubs.  The whole idea is to encourage these little food factories to produce food and oxygen for wildlife and ourselves. 

41.       WELCOMING THE WEBELOS                                                       (Print Version)         Back to Top

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 Scouts to give them a warm welcome.  How you treat them during their first couple of meetings and outings with us will determine whether they stay in the troop.  If you ignore them, make fun of them, or haze them, some of them are going to drop out in a hurry. 

Remember that they are young kids.  Some of you will look like giants to them and if they are a little timid, they are going to be a bit afraid of you.  So I would like all of you - and especially you older Scouts - to go out of your way to help the new kids.  Perhaps each of you could be a buddy to one of the new Scouts to get them started right in Scouting. 

If you can remember your days as a Webelos, you'll remember that Webelos means "We'll be loyal Scouts".  I'm sure the graduating Webelos Scouts mean to be loyal to our troop.  But loyalty is a two-way street.  Our troop has to be loyal to them, too.  - to make the promises of Scouting fun and adventure come true for them as well as for older Scouts. 

Let's all remember that and give a warm welcome when our new Scouts join.

42.       FLAG DAY                                                                                     (Print Version)          Back to Top

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 we got our first official US Flag.  The Continental Congress which made the laws in those days, specified that the flag  would have 13 stripes, alternating red and white, and 13 white stars on a blue field. 

But that was all the description they gave.  If you remember your flag history, the result was that a lot of different flags appeared during the Revolutionary War.  You can see pictures of some of them in your handbook.  It wasn't until 1912, 135 years later, that the flag became standardized. 

It's not very important that you know a lot about our flags history.  What is important though, is that you are aware that our flag was born very soon after we became an independent nation, and that millions of men have fought for the flag as our symbol of freedom. 

That's why I hope that if your family owns a US Flag, you will fly it proudly on Flag Day this year.  In that way, we can show your pride as Americans and our determination to live as free men. 

43.      OUR HOME IN CAMP                                                                          (Print Version)     Back to Top

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 site.  Your patrol's cooking area is the kitchen  and the patrol dining table is your dining room.  The showers and latrine are your bathroom, and of course your tent is your bedroom. 

You wouldn't think of throwing candy wrappers onto your bedroom floor at home, or of leaving garbage in your dining room.  And even if you did, your parents would soon get on your case about it. 

So whenever we're in camp, let's treat the campsite the way you treat your own home.  Cleanliness and neatness are the marks of a good camper.  In this troop, they are a standard rule. 

As Scouts, we have pledged ourselves to obey the Outdoor Code and our Wilderness Pledge which call for us to "be clean in our outdoor manners".  That certainly applies to our life at home in camp, as well as when we're on the trail.  Let's make it a habit to keep a clean, neat home in camp. 

44.      THE NORTH STAR                                                                          (Print Version)        Back to Top

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 fixed in the heavens, and it has been used as a navigational aid by sailors ever since the first adventurers sailed away from the sight of land. 

The North Star is still used that way by mariners and space explorers.  So in learning how to find it, we are joining a very long line of adventurers. 

There are some "North Stars" in our everyday lives, too.  One of them is our conscience.  If we listen to our conscience, we can be sure to steer our lives in the right direction. 

And let's not forget our Scout Oath and Law, too.  They are North Stars because they give us excellent guidance in how to behave and what we owe to God, country, our fellow human beings, and ourselves. 

When you're lost at night, look for the North Star.  The rest of the time, steer your life with those other North Stars - your conscience and  the Scout Oath and Law. 

45.    REACH FOR THE STARS                                                                  (Print Version)       Back to Top

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 the impossible, to reach for the stars. 

That doesn't seem so impossible anymore.  Men have walked on the moon, a feat that was only dreamed of not so many years ago.  And by the way, did you know that the first astronauts who walked on the moon were Scouts? One of them, Neil Armstrong, the first man to set foot on the moon, is an Eagle Scout.  That tells you something about the kind of man he is. 

The scientists and astronauts in our space program brought the impossible dream of reaching for the stars much closer to reality.  Men will never really walk on the stars.  If they tried, they would get a terribly hot foot.  But the stars do not seem so far away as they used to be. 

Still the idea expressed in the phrase, "reaching for the stars," is still valid.  It tells us that to enjoy life to the fullest, we must stretch our abilities to the limit.  A Scout who does his best in everything he tries will become the kind of man who reaches for the stars. 

46.     SPRING PHENOMS                                                                        (Print Version)       Back to Top

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?

He is a player who stars the season like a superstar.  In April, May and June he's hitting about . 350, stealing a lot of bases, and never missing a ball in the field.  Comes July and August and he can't do anything right.  That's a spring phenom. 

Maybe you've seen some spring phenoms in Scouting, too.  They start up the advancement trail like a house afire, making Second Class and First Class as fast as the rules allow.  Then when the going gets tougher for Star, Life and Eagle, they sort of fade away like spring phenoms. 

Maybe it's the troop's fault.  Maybe we just don’t challenge them enough.  If so, let's change that.  I'm challenging all of you now to set your sights on the next rank and make up your mind you're going to make it by Christmas at the latest. 

47.   OLYMPIC OATH                                                                               (Print Version)          Back to Top

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 they begin competition? Let me read the oath:             "We swear that we will take part in the Olympic Games in loyal competition, respecting the regulations that govern them and desirous in participating in them in the true spirit of sportsmanship for the honor of our country and for the glory of sport. "

Did you notice that the oath says nothing about winning? Of course the athletes want to win.  After all, they have been training for four years or more to get ready for the games. 

But the Olympic ideal is fair competition, not winning at all costs.  Let's remember that ideal when we have our Aqua-Olympics and any other competitions. 

Play to win.  But remember that every athlete must learn to lose gracefully, without alibiing or complaining.  That's the Olympic ideal in a nutshell.  It's also the ideal in Scouting.

48.    DON'T GET HOOKED                                                                     (Print Version)            Back to Top   

(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 the cloth, but you can see how hard it is to back it out.  It's just like a bad habit - awfully easy to start, but awfully hard to stop.  Some guys your age have started to smoke.  It was easy to start - as easy as it was for me to put the fishhook into the cloth. 

Across our land millions and millions of smokers have tried to stop smoking and have failed.  They just couldn't get the hook out.  If it's so hard to stop and if so many smokers want to quit, then why start - why get the hook in - in the first place? Some people think it's manly to smoke.  Take a look around you.  Look at who is smoking. 

49.   A LITTLE EXTRA EFFORT                                                                (Print Version)           Back to Top

(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 compared to success in life.  The wrapping turns hold the two poles closely together.  But notice that they are not real tight, and with a little movement of the poles, the ropes loosen to allow slipping. 

Now I add the frapping turns.  I might have been satisfied without these turns, but notice what happens when I make the extra effort to add them.  The frapping turns took up all the slack in the first turns and tightened the entire lashing the poles are now securely bound together in place.  Repeated movement won't loosen the ties that bind them together. 

These frapping turns that finished the job took a little extra effort, but what a difference they made in the job! In life, you will constantly be given chances to put forth a little extra effort.  When you have the chance, don't let these opportunities pass.  Remember the frapping turns. 

If you put extra effort into things you undertake you will find success in life, real lasting friendships, and the inner knowledge that, come what may, you have done your best.

50.   MINNOWS AND WHOPPERS                                                              (Print Version)       Back to Top

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 fooled into thinking they really happened. 

But some people tell fish stories all the time.  They're not usually funny stories.  In fact, they're really lies.  I call them minnows and whoppers. 

Minnows are little lies that just shade the truth.  For instance, maybe a guy is playing Skish and says he hit a target 55 feet away when it was really only 40 feet.  No serious damage is done, except to the guy's own character, from a minnow like that. 

The trouble is, if you get used to telling minnows, it becomes easier to tell whoppers - the big lies that may hurt somebody. 

The best thing is to stick to the truth.  Minnows have a way of growing into whoppers. 

51.       OUR NATURAL RESOURCES (Hold up two glasses, one filled with dirty water, one sparkling clean water. )

                                                                                                     (Print Version)   Back to Top                      

Scouts, which would you prefer to drink? The answer is pretty obvious, isn't it?

We can do our part to ensure that we always have plenty of good clean water.  We can't do it all by ourselves because water may be polluted by erosion of the soil, sewage, industrial wastes, and other causes.  Those types of pollution can only be cleaned up by action of our state and federal governments.  I'm glad to say that our government conservation departments are working hard to conserve our water resources. 

But every Scout, and every other citizen, has a responsibility, too.  For one thing, we can make sure we don't pollute the water when we're out fishing, swimming, or camping along a water source.  We have to make sure that we never throw litter or garbage into a stream or lake.  We don't dig latrines near a stream or lake.  We use soap instead of a detergent for dishwashing in camp.  We do that, because nature can't break down a detergent as it does soap.  So if our old soapy dishwater filters into the stream, it won't be a pollutant for very long. 

Let's try to remember that on our Fishing Camp-Out.  We can all help to make a contribution to clean water for ourselves and for future Americans.

52.       GIGO                                                                                  (Print Version)                Back to Top 

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 made-up word.  It's GIGO, spelt G-I-G-O.  Does anyone know what it means? It stands for "Garbage In, Garbage

Out. "

That's the computer experts way of saying that if you put the wrong information into a computer you will get a false result.  The computer is a marvelous machine, but it can only work with the data you feed it.  If that data is wrong then the computer's answer will be wrong, too. 

"Garbage In, Garbage Out" is true of the human mind, too.  Your mind is the most powerful computer ever created, but like this home computer we have here, it depends on what you put into it.  For example, if you always hang around with guys that use terrible language, it will be imprinted in your brain's circuits, and it probably won't be long before garbage is coming out of your mouth, too.  Same thing with actions.  If your friends are always trying to rip things off or hurt other people in some way, you can almost be sure that you'll pick up their habits. 

So when you're choosing friends, remember GIGO - Garbage In, Garbage Out. 

53.       COMPUTER WORLD                                                           (Print Version)               Back to Top

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 will be like in the Computer Age before you.  By the time you are adults, your homes will probably be controlled by computers.  Computers will control the temperature by turning on the furnace or air conditioner, wake you in the morning with soothing music, turn on the lawn sprinkler when sensors say the ground is dry, and control a robot that does the house cleaning.  At work, no matter what your job is, there will be some kind of computer there to help you.  Thousands of uses for computers that we can't even imagine now will be everyday stuff by the time you are men. 

Sounds great, doesn't it? It will be.  Computers are surely going to change the way we live.  But they won't change what we are - human beings with a need to love and be loved, to be useful, and to get along with other human beings.  That's why I think the Scout Law will be just as important 50 years from now as it is today.  And that's why it's important now, while you are young, you begin to learn to live by the Scout Law.  Let's remind ourselves of what that means by thinking about each point of the Law as we repeat it.  (Lead Law)

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 parents are bearing down on you. 

But if you think about it for a moment, you'll realize that you do have a good life.  You have three good meals a day, a home to go to, a chance to go to school, plenty of friends, and maybe a little spending money.  You also have parents who love you, and that's a big blessing; I'm sure they do lots of Good Turns for you that you hardly ever think about. 

This month we're going to do a Good Turn for two reasons.  One is that our Scout Oath pledges us to help other people.  The other is that we owe something to those around us - our parents, our community, and our troops chartered organization.  You might call this Good Turn a Good Turnabout because in part it's a way to show our appreciation. 

(Mention your troops planned Good Turn. )

I expect to see all of you out on our Good Turn day, not because you have to be but because you want to.  As the old saying goes.  "Turnabout is fair play," and with this Good Turn we'll be saying thanks to those who have helped us.  (or our community or our nation, depending on who will benefit from the Good Turn)

55.       FAMILY NIGHT                                                                        (Print Version)             Back to Top

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 every three or four months, so it's a big deal for us when our parents, brothers and sisters join us at a court of honor or other event.  But you know, every night should be family night for you. 

Sound strange? Well I don't mean that the troop should meet every night and invite our families.  What I do mean is that you should share some part of everyday with your families.  Maybe just during the dinner hour or even 15 minutes over your homework.  The point is that your family is the center of your life and will remain so until you're grown up and are leaving home, perhaps to start a new family. 

If you have a chemistry set at home with a little vial of mercury in it, try this experiment.  Put a glob of mercury on a piece of paper.  Then take a knife and cut it up into three or four smaller globs.  When you tilt the paper towards the center, the little globs will run together into a big glob again.  A family is like that - two or three or four or more individuals who come together at times into one big whole.  Make it a point to share some time with your family every day. 

56.       LIVING YOUR LAW                                                                  (Print Version)             Back to Top

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 be impossible. 

If a person breaks the law of the land, he is penalized in some way.  He might be fined or sent to prison.  If you break one of your family's laws or rules, you get penalized, too.  Maybe your time to watch television is cut back, or maybe you get grounded. 

Each of us needs his own set of laws to govern himself, too.  These are your personal standards, the laws by which you live.  In Scouting, we call those standards the Scout Law. 

What's the penalty for breaking the Scout Law? Maybe you think the penalty would not be so bad, but let's consider it for a moment.  If you're not trustworthy, people will never depend on you.  If you're not friendly, you won't have many friends.  If you're not obedient to your teachers, parents and others in authority, you can't expect that other people will obey you when you're in authority. 

There's a good reason for every kind of law - our nation's, our town's, our family's and our own.  They show how we can live in harmony with others and with ourselves.  Let's think about that as we repeat the Scout Law.  (Lead Law). 

57.       BE PREPARED                                                                       (Print Version)              Back to Top

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 in the spring, summer and fall because while you may get wet occasionally, it's not much trouble to get dry and warm again.  Camping in winter is fun, too, but it's not so easy to stay comfortable when the temperature is around the freezing mark and cold rain or snow is falling. 

That's why it's so important that we're all prepared for winter camping.  Tonight we've checked our camping equipment and each patrol has planned some nutritious meals for camp.  We've also practiced some of the things we'll need to do to stay warm and dry and have fun in camp. 

I suggest that each patrol go over their preparations once more before camp.  Remember that Mother Nature is easy on us through most of the year, but in winter she can be unforgiving for Scouts who are not prepared. 

58.       MENTALLY AWAKE (Have a junior assistant Scoutmaster enter the room apparently in the throes of choking.  He's gasping for breath, grabbing his throat, turning red.  See what the response is. )        

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Well Scouts, that was scary, wasn't it? How many of knew what was apparently happening to him? How many of you knew the proper first aid?

Jim was just acting, of course, to make a point.  The point is you have to be mentally awake to be prepared to give first aid.  It's one thing to practice slapping backs and doing the manual thrusts.  It's another to recognize trouble when it comes and know what to do without panicking.  Sure you may be a little scared the first time you have to make real rescue or give first aid to someone who really needs it.  But that's the test of the first aider. 

Be alert to recognize trouble.  When it comes, stay cool.  Then act.  Your training in first aid in our troop probably will make you better prepared to help than anyone else on the scene.   

59.       EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS                                              (Print Version)          Back to Top

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 than knowing first aid.  Real preparedness is many things - knowledge, confidence, and having the necessary equipment on hand when it's needed.  We want to be ready for any emergency. 

Next week we'll be testing ourselves on our readiness for emergency action.  Our tests will not only require skill in first aid, but the ability to communicate well, to think through a problem, and to work together as a patrol. 

Those are the kinds of skills that are useful in a disaster.  If our town was hit by a tornado, we might be called out to help rescuers, but maybe we wouldn't be asked to do any first aid.  We could be asked to serve as messengers, direct traffic , or cook and serve food. 

That's why it's important that we prepare ourselves by learning more about our community and by practicing all sorts of Scout skills.  And that's why it's important that you take full advantage of what Scouting has to offer by taking part in all our activities and doing your best to move up in rank.  By the time you're a First Class scout, you'll be prepared for many kinds of service. 

60.       THAT FIRST STEP                                                                      (Print Version)          Back to Top

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 meetings without ever looking in your Official Boy Scout Handbook all week long and if you never ask how to pass a test or who to see about a merit badge, you'll never advance

very far in Scouting.  In Scouting, and in life, the rewards don't come to those who sit back and wait for something to be handed to them on a silver platter. 

I would like to see every one of you set the Eagle Scout badge as you goal in Scouting.  As a step toward that goal, I hope that most of you will receive some award at our court of honor at the end of this month. 

Whatever the goal you set for yourself, remember that only you can take that first step toward it.  No one can do it for you.  Once you've taken that first step the next step becomes easier.  And the ones after that will be easier still because you're on the way along the Scouting trail. 

61.       HAPPY BIRTHDAY                                                                  (Print Version)             Back to Top

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 what good Scouting is all about. 

So in some ways this is an extra special campout.  We want to look and act like Scouts, which means that we'll ask you to wear your uniforms and be on your best behavior. 

This doesn't mean you can't have fun.  In fact I think we'll have a lot of fun, but we'll do it in ways that will bring credit to our troop and to Scouting. 

We're also having a court of honor this month as part of our birthday celebration.  During the court program, we will ask you and your parents to contribute to Scouting's World Friendship Fund.  This is a special fund of the Boy Scouts of America to help Scouting associations in poor countries.  The fund provides money for equipment, uniforms, and training for leaders.  It's one of the ways that all of us can help promote the idea of Scouting as a world brotherhood. 

I suggest that each of you consider giving a quarter to the fund.  If that's too much, give what you can.  Whatever you give, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped a brother Scout in another country. 

62.       YOUR DIRECTION (Take a bearing with a compass)                   (Print Version)      Back to Top

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 bearing and end up on top. "

Bill started off checking his compass now and then to make sure he was heading right.  Finally he set foot on top of the hill. 

He had done three things - set his objective, figured out the direction he'd have to go to get there, and then moved full steam ahead. 

Like all of you, Bill set a lot of courses towards many goals in his lifetime.  Maybe he said to himself, "I'm going to be an engineer. " Then he would find out what it takes to become an engineer, and steer his course in that direction. 

By the end of this month, all of you should be able to set a compass course.  Probably all of you have set a course toward a career.  There's another kind of course that's more important than your career.  I'm talking about the character course. .  Your character is being formed right now by what you do and don't do. 

We have a "compass" for the character course, too.  It's the Scout Oath and Law.  Set your character course using the Oath and Law and you'll have the best kind of character. 

You'll be the kind of man that others can trust, rely upon and admire.  you'll go to the top of the character hill. 

63.       A SCOUT IS KIND                                                                   (Print Version)         Back to Top

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 things without reason. " Some of you may already be hunters.  No doubt others will hunt as you get older.  I have a question for you: Is a hunter following the Scout Law when he shoots wild creatures? (Get answers. )

It seems to me that the key words in this point of the Law are, "without reason," a Scout does not hurt or kill without reason.  If you're going hunting for food, or to kill pests that are destroying property, or are hunting animals that are dangerous to man, you're not hunting without reason.  So you are not violating the Scout Law. 

But never aim at a target you don't intend to hit.  And if your target is a living creature, be sure you're not killing it without reason.  A Scout is kind, and he does not blast away just for fun.  He shoots only for good reason.    

64.       A BALANCED MENU FOR LIFE                                                (Print Version)       Back to Top

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 go on our campout at the end of this month because I'm getting tired of hamburgers and hot-dogs. 

But just as a balanced diet of foods is vital for your physical health, so is a balanced diet of activities vital for your mental and spiritual health.  You all know by now, that if you ate nothing but potato chips, candy and soda, you wouldn't stay healthy very long.  The same idea applies to your activities. 

If you did nothing but play sports all the time, and neglected your schoolwork, your religious duties, your Scouting, and other activities with friends, you would be a pretty sad case before long.  Oh, you might be a good ball player, but that's all.  You would not make any progress mentally, spiritually or as a person who is a pleasure to be around. 

Well, you might say, I love sports.  Fine - play them - and play for all your worth.  But remember that life has many satisfactions besides sports.  Don't cut yourself from them by spending all your time in one activity. 

Join a school club.  Become active in your churches youth group.  Come to every troop meeting and activity.  Take full advantage of school; don't do just enough work to get by.  And play sports. 

You can do it all, and if you do I think you'll enjoy life even more than you do now.

65.       A SCOUT IS CLEAN                                                                 (Print Version)       Back to Top

(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 in? Did I hear someone say "Neither one. " That's not a bad answer.  We wouldn't have much confidence in a patrol cook who didn't have his pots shiny both inside and out.  But if we had to make a choice, we would tell the cook to use the pot that's clean on the inside.  The same applies to people. 

Most people keep themselves clean on the outside.  But how about the inside? Do we try to keep our minds and our language clean? I think that's more important than keeping the outside clean. 

A Scout of course, should be clean inside and out.  Water, soap, and a toothbrush takes care of the outside.

Only your determination will keep the inside clean.  You can do it by following the Scout Law and the example of the people you respect - your parents, your teacher, your clergyman, or a good buddy who is trying to do the same thing. 

66.       THE TWO KNAPSACKS                                                        (Print Version)             Back to Top

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 unexpectedly. 

But all of us are equipped for life's trip with two knapsacks - one to be carried on the back the other to be carried on the chest. 

The average hiker on the trail of life puts the faults of others into the knapsack on his chest so that he can always see them.  His own faults he puts in the sack on his back so that he can't see them without special effort.  He hikes through life constantly noticing the faults of other people but usually overlooking his own faults. 

Scouts, this pack arrangement is bad because no one can have a successful life just finding fault with other people. 

It's the man who can see his own faults and strives to correct them who enjoys the hike through life the most and finally enter the Happy Hunting Ground with thanksgiving. 

Let's place the knapsack with our own faults upon our chests and put the bag with others' mistakes behind us.  That way we'll have a happier hike through life.

67.       BREAKING THEM IN         (Show a pair of well worn hiking boots. )   (Print Version)   Back to Top

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," must have been talking about these old boots. 

But once, a long time ago, they were brand new and stiff as a board.  Oh, I softened them up with some polish and saddle soap, but mostly I broke them in by using them.  One step at a time - that's the way good boots become good friends. 

Good habits are like that, too.  The first time you something hard that you know is right, you may feel as uncomfortable as a new boot.  For instance, maybe a friend suggests that the two of you steal the answers to a quiz from the teacher's desk.  Maybe that doesn't seem too bad - bad you know it's wrong and perhaps you hesitate.  But you refuse to do it, even though your friend call you chicken. 

Nobody likes to be called chicken but you'll be secretly glad you refused.  And I'm sure you'll find it easier the next time, because, like these boots, good habits become more comfortable each time they're used. 

68.       A SCOUT IS FRIENDLY                                                          (Print Version)       Back to Top

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 guys you're glad to see, and who are glad to see you?

Well maybe not.  Lots of us would like to make more friends, but somehow it doesn't seem to happen.  Well the secret of making friends is simple - being friendly.  If you're a put down artist, or if you're always trying to rip off everybody or get the better of them in some way you're not going to have many friends.  Nobody like to be put down or ripped off. 

The Bible gives the key to making friends.  It's called the Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. " That's a great rule to remember in everything you do.  And it's a perfect prescription for making friends. 

69.       WILDERNESS PLEDGE  2                                               (Print Version)              Back to Top

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 minimum impact camping is to leave no trace that we were ever there when we leave a campsite or hike a trail. 

As part of our opening ceremony tonight we heard a reading of the Outdoor Code.  You should be familiar with that because we recite it every once in a while and it's in your Scout handbook.  Now we're going to read and think about a code that goes a step further.  It's called the Wilderness Pledge. 

The Wilderness Pledge says: "Through good camping and hiking practices, I pledge myself to preserve the beauty and splendor of America's wilderness, primitive, and backcountry areas.  I commit myself to: 'Set a personal example in following the Outdoor Code; train those I lead in the skills and attitudes needed to protect and preserve wilderness for future generations; and assure that parties of which I am a part observe the hiking and camping standards that will 'leave no trace'  of our passing. " That pledge is particularly important when you go into really wild areas of our beautiful country.  You are promising that you will everything in your power to preserve its beauty for all who follow you. 

Now I would like to join me as we borrow the first phrase of the Scout Oath to commit ourselves to the Wilderness Pledge, Please repeat after me: "On my honor I will do my best," (Scouts' repeat)

70.       INDEPENDENCE DAY                                                 (Print Version)                Back to Top

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 - the birthday of our country - because that's when the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776, over 200 years ago.  Here's a trick question for you.  How many stars were in the US flag on the first Fourth of July? You're probably going to say 13, because there were 13 colonies in America then, but that's wrong. 

In fact, there weren't any stars in the flag.  The colonists were using the Grand Union Flag, which used the British union symbol and 13 red and white stripes.  You can see a picture of it in your Official Boy Scout Handbook.  Stars representing the states first appeared in the US flag 11 years later.  Since then, starts have been added each time states have joined the union. 

Today we honor this emblem of our country with its 50 stars and 13 stripes because it is the symbol of the nation's unity.  We use flag ceremonies so often that it's easy to forget what the flag means and what the Fourth of July means in this country's history. 

Now I'm going to ask our honor patrol to retire the colors.  As they do it, let's think about the brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence and the love of country they passed on to us. 

71.       SETTING STANDARDS                                                 (Print Version)                     Back to Top

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 a set of standards before you can earn a skill award, merit badge or new rank. 

These are all pretty clear cut standards.  Either you can tie a bowline and perform rescue breathing, or you

can't.  There's nothing in between.  We have other standards in this troop that are harder to measure.  I'm talking about our standards of behavior, dress and grooming, and Scout-like conduct. 

Soon we're going to go to summer camp (or on tour), and these standards will be particularly important then.  I'm not saying that they are not important all the time.  But in summer camp (or on tour) you're not  just John Smith, you're representing this troop and the whole Boy Scouts of America. 

I hope you'll all remember that and do your best to be neat and clean, wear your uniform when it's appropriate, and, above all, to conduct yourselves as Scouts should. 

That doesn't mean that you have to be a goody two-shoes.  There's a time for horseplay, getting mussed up, and teasing.  But in this troop, the standard is that when the horseplay and games are over, we look like Scouts, sound like Scouts, and conduct ourselves like by the Scout Law. 

72.       A SCOUT IS BRAVE BUT NOT FOOLHARDY                   (Print Version)                    Back to Top

"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 or when other guys laugh at him because he won't do something he knows is wrong. 

"Everybody admires a brave person, even the guy who might laugh at him for not going along with a rip-off.  But you know, there's sometimes a fine line between being brave and being foolhardy or stupid by taking chances that aren't necessary. 

"Right now I'm thinking of the danger when we're in the water.  Danger you say, what danger? I'm a champion swimmer.  Maybe so, but the water is dangerous all the same.  All it would take is a bad cramp or a blow on the head when you're roughhousing in the water, and you could be an Olympic gold-winner for all the good it would do you. 

The cemeteries are full of strong swimmers who swam alone into deep water.  That's why we have the Safe Swim Defense plan and particularly the buddy system when we are in the water.  And we will insist on using the buddy system every time - no matter whether you can't swim a stroke or are the best swimmer in town.  "Yes, it's great to be brave - and I hope you all are - but around water, we'll be cautious, too. "

73.       A KEY TO SCOUTING       (Hold up a car key)                       (Print Version)              Back to Top

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 placed and turned it will start the engine.  With this little key I can visit faraway places, see wonderful sights, and do so many things that were impossible a generation ago.  Is it any wonder that I always carry this key with me?

(Hold up a copy of The Official Boy Scout Handbook)

Your Boy Scout Handbook is a lot like my car key.  It is a small item, yet it will open the door to Scouting and will speed you on your way to adventure.  Sure, you probably could get by without using your handbook.  I could get by without my car key, too, but I'd have to walk and it would be slow. 

I certainly wouldn't get to see all those places I can reach by car. 

Let's not leave our key behind as we enjoy Scouting.  Use your handbook regularly.  Take it with you to meetings and on hikes and camping trips.  Let your handbook open the door for you. 

74.       BIG ENOUGH                                                                         (Print Version)                  Back to Top

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 measure ourselves, day after day. 

When you look at a heavy package and say, “That’s too heavy for me to lift," what are you measuring? The size of the package - perhaps.  But even more you're measuring yourself.  You are not big enough to handle this package - or perhaps you just think you aren't. 

It may be your homework.  We say, "It's too much," when we really mean, "I'm not enthusiastic enough about that much work". 

You see, in cases like that we're talking  about ourselves, really, rather than the amount of our homework. 

Our big idea - all over America - is "Be of service. " Some may say, "Oh, it's too much bother," but others will prove that they are big enough to measure up to this idea. 

When we look at a job we take our own measure. 

75.       OUR FLAG AND OUR OATH       (Have 3 candle in a holder before you - one red, one white and one blue)

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Have you noticed the strong bond between our flag and our Scout Oath? Let me show you.  (Light the white center candle. ) One of the colors in our flag is white.  It is the symbol of purity, of perfection.  It is like the first point of our Scout Oath, our duty to God. 

(Light the red candle. ) The color red in our flag denotes sacrifice and courage, the qualities of the founders of our country. .  Red is the symbol of the second part of the Scout Oath, too.  Our duty to other people requires courage to help anyone in trouble and the self-sacrifice of putting others first. 

(Light the blue candle. ) Blue is the color of faith.  It represents the faith of our founding fathers and reminds us of the third part of the Scout Oath.  Our duty to ourselves requires us to be true blue, to be strong in character and principle, to live a life of faith in the importance of being good. 

Scouts, rise! Let's have lights out, please.  Now, Scout sign.  Let us dedicate ourselves with our Scout Oath.