A Balanced Menu For Life
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 ...
A Key To Scouting
(Hold up a car key)I have here in my hand a key - a small item as you can see. Yet it will open the door to my car, and when properly placed and turned it will start the engine. With this little key, I can visit faraway places, ...
A Lesson in Trust
This is a "true" story I related to our Scouts.It seems that before the first man walked on the moon, NASA found an area of New Mexico where the topography was similar to the surface of the moon. They decided that it would be a good idea to take the ...
A Little Extra Effort
(You will need two poles and rope to secure them with a square lashing. Tie a square lashing. )As you watch me tie these poles together, think about how this lashing might be compared to success in life. The wrapping turns hold the two poles close together. But notice ...
A Scout Is Brave
In the Scout Law, we say, "A Scout is brave. " What does that mean to you? (Get answers. )Usually, we think of bravery as overcoming fear to take some action that saves a life or helps someone in some way. Most of the time we're talking about overcoming ...
A Scout Is Brave But Not Foolhardy
"What's the 10th point of the Scout Law? That's right, a Scout is brave. It means that a Scout is courageous enough to do what needs to be done when someone is in danger or when other guys laugh at him because he won't do something he knows is ...
A Scout Is Cheerful
Two brothers once decided to leave their hometown and move to the city. Outside the city, the first brother met an old man. "How are the people here?" asked the first brother."Well, how were the people in your hometown?" asked the old man in return."Aw, they were always grumpy ...
A Scout Is Clean
(Hold up two cooking pots, one shiny bright on the inside but sooty outside, the other shiny outside and dirty inside. ) Scouts, which of these pots would you rather have your food cooked in? Did I hear someone say "Neither one? " That's not a bad answer. We ...
A Scout Is Friendly01
Tonight I'm going to tell you a little story that didn't really happen - at least, I don't think it did. It's about a boy named Brian who had just moved into town and hadn't any friends.One night Brian happened to come by our meeting place and heard us ...
A Scout Is Friendly02
What's the fourth point of the Scout Law? That's right - "A Scout is friendly. "Do you have as many friends as you'd like to have? Real friends, I mean? The kind of guys you're glad to see, and who are glad to see you?Well maybe not. Lots of ...
A Scout Is Friendly03
Probably all of you know some guy who is grouchy all the time. His neighbors try to be nice to him, but he just won't be friendly. Maybe he'll build a great wall around his house to keep people away.Let me tell you about another kind of neighbor I ...
A Scout Is Kind
Scouts, our Law says’s "A Scout is kind. A Scout understands 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 ...
A Scout Is Loyal
Scouts, what's the second point of the Scout Law? That's right, "A Scout is loyal. " Our Scout handbook explains that a Scout is loyal to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school, and nation.I'm going to add one more thing to that list - a Scout is loyal to ...
A Scout Is Obedient
What's the seventh point of the Scout Law? That's right, "A Scout is obedient. " Our handbook explains it this way: "A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are ...
A Scout Is Thrifty
Scouts, here I have a handful of sand, and in my other hand, I have a piece of topsoil, just sod. Do you see much difference in them?Yes, you're right. There's the difference between poverty and wealth here - the difference between starvation and prosperity for all people. This ...
A Scout Is Trustworthy
An architect who had just finished college was trying to get his business established and was having a hard time doing it. He still owed money for some of his college expenses and saw his debts piling up. Each day he became more and more worried until he was ...
A Warped Wheel
Scouts, if you loosen five or six adjoining spokes on a bicycle wheel, it will warp out of shape so that it no longer makes a true circle. Pretty soon you're going to have a bumpy ride.Your character is something like a bike wheel. The spokes are a series ...
A Winner
A Winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn something from them.A Loser resents those who are superior and rationalizes their achievements.A Winner explains.A Loser explains away.A Winner says, "Let's find a way".A Loser says, "There is no way".A Winner goes through a problem,A Loser ...
Aim So high Youll Never Be Bored
The greatest waste of our natural resources is the number of people who never achieve their potential. Get out of that slow lane. Shift into that fast lane. If you think you can't, you won't. If you think you can, there's a good chance you will. Even making the ...
BadenPowell On Honesty
You remember that in September I mentioned Robert Baden-Powell, the British general who started Scouting a long time ago. He had a lot of good advice for Scouts, and now I'd like to read what he had to say about honesty.He said, "Honesty is a form of honor. An ...
Badge Book And Candle
(Place a Scout badge, The official Scout Handbook, and a lighted candle on a table) Scouts, since 1910 these three things have been significant in the Boy Scouts of America.The badge is the symbol of Scouting throughout the United States. Similar badges are used by Scouts all over the ...
Be Prepared For Any Old Thing
What's the Scout motto? That's right, "Be Prepared. " Can anyone tell me where it came from? Well, it was started by a man who founded the Scouting movement almost 80 years ago. His name was Robert Baden-Powell. He was an English general who took the first Scouts camping ...
Be Prepared02
Next week we're going on our Winter Campout. For you new Scouts especially, it's going to be a test of what you've learned about camping and being comfortable outdoors.Camping is easy and fun in the spring, summer, and fall because while you may get wet occasionally, it's not much ...
Be Proud
You can't watch TV or read a newspaper today without hearing the word "community. " There's talk about the black community, the Hispanic community, the business community and the scientific community. Wherever there are people with the same interests, they're a community. You're part of a community, too. It's ...
Be In Uniform
Scouts, what would you think of a policeman in full uniform except for trousers which were of bright plaid material? How about a hospital intern wearing a sports coat over his white uniform while on duty? Or what would you think of a train conductor wearing a fireman's cap ...
Being A Brother
Did you know that you have millions of brothers? Who do you think they might be.That's right, Scouts all over the world. We often speak of the World Brotherhood of Scouting, and that's exactly what it is - millions of boys and men who are divided by nationality and ...
Being Honest by Peter Van Houten
I'd like to share an experience I witnessed last night that exemplifies the virtues of honesty and the principles of being a Boy Scout!Beyond my role of Scout leader, I am also a little league coach for the minor league. I was scouting (interesting choice of terms here) the team ...
Big Enough
Scouts, for hiking you have to use a map scale to measure the 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 ...
Boys Shave Heads in Show of Support
Radiation treatment may soon cost Mark Lowry his hair, but his bald head won't stand out in the classrooms at Cross Lutheran School.When his classmates learned that Mark, 13, would undergo chemotherapy, all 15 of them decided to have their heads shaved in a show of support. By yesterday only ...
Breaking Them In
(Show a pair of well-worn hiking boots. )These old boots have taken me over a lot of miles of trail. They're really comfortable. Whoever coined the expression, "as comfortable as an old shoe," must have been talking about these old boots.But once, a long time ago, they were brand ...
Camp In A City
As we look at local government, perhaps we can gain a better understanding of its duties and responsibilities, if we compare it with our own troop experience in camp.A camp is a city in many ways. First of all, the camp has certain rules and regulations (laws) developed for ...
Camping In The Twenties
Five months from now - in February - we'll be joining in celebrating the 75th birthday of Scouting in America. Actually, we're going to start celebrating this month.We'll start by playing some of the games and learning some skills used by Scouts 60 years ago - and even further ...
Can Eight Words Make A Difference
Doctrines, credos, manifestos, laws, declarations, codes of ethics. Ever since people have been able to communicate they have compiled words to live by. But the world is still troubled. Take these words: Honesty, Workmanship, Ambition, Faith, Education, Charity, Responsibility, Courage. Chances are that four and half billion people won't ...
Caring For Tools
(Show various hand tools)Tools like these are essential in making repairs around the house and in doing the kind of community Good Turn we're planning this month. You couldn't do the job without them. But they must be in good condition. If your hammer head is loose, the hammer ...
Carrying Scoutings Flame
At this moment, somewhere in our country, a Boy Scout is carrying a flame for Scouting. It's called the Heritage Flame, and it will be used to light the opening campfire at the national jamboree next month.The flame started in Hawaii several months ago, and ever since relays of ...
Coal And Diamonds
Scouts, I'm sure you've all seen a diamond. It's very hard, very bright and very beautiful. Most of you have probably seen coal, too. It's dull black and it crumbles easily.Now a little chemistry lesson. Who can tell me how coal and diamonds are alike? That's right - both ...
Communication
Scouts, have you ever considered how important it is to speak clearly and concisely about something so that the other person is in no doubt about what you mean. Sometimes we may have described something accurately but have said it in such a confusing manner that the meaning is ...
Computer World
This month we've had a chance to learn a little about computers. You've seen that they're good for a lot more than playing games, and maybe you've got a glimpse of what the future will be like in the Computer Age before you. By the time you are adults, ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE
He's Just A Boy Get to understand the lad-- He's not eager to be bad. If the right he always knew-- He would be as old as you. Were he now exceedingly wise-- He'd be just about your size. When he does things that annoy-- Don't forget he's just a ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0412
A Season of Lights This is the season of lights. It is a time when the days are shorter so the nights are longer, yet somehow things are brighter. Stores and homes are bright with holiday lights. Thousands of homes have a single light to show the way for the ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0502
Badge, Book And Candle Place a Cub Scout Wolf badge, a Wolf Cub Scout Book, and a lighted candle on a table. Cubmaster: There are all kinds of badges, such as a police officer's badge. Cub Scouts, these three things in front of me have been significant ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0503
Genius Night Everyone cannot be brilliant, everyone cannot be smart, I may not be a genius, but I can build a neat go-cart. I can dam a stream with boulders, I can climb trees to the top, I can run for blocks and blocks ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0504
 The Starfish A man was walking on a beach one day when he saw a native bend down and throw a starfish back into the ocean. He asked the native why he was doing it. “I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0505
Freedom Boys, I want to tell you a story that has a meaning. There was a boy that had three turtles. They had a beautiful terrarium with rather low sides. They had everything they needed except one thing . . . FREEDOM. Every chance they had, they would climb out. ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0506
Founding Fathers I would like you to think for a moment about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence over 200 years ago. These men were wealthy landowners, lawyers, doctors, judges, educators, merchants, and businessmen. In the war that followed, five were captured or imprisoned. Nine ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0507
Play Ball! When you play a game always try and wish to win; otherwise your opponent will have no fun - but never wish to win so much that you cannot be happy without it. Seek to win only by fair and lawful means according to the rules of the ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0508
Somebody, Everybody, Anybody, Nobody  Once there were four Scouters. Their names were: Tom Somebody, John Everybody, Mike Anybody, and Joe Nobody. They were very active and busy people, but what they accomplished was a shame and Everybody knew it. For example, Everybody had a ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0510
Be Prepared As Cub Scouts, you learn to "Do Your Best." The people who respond to a 911 emergency situation do their best because they have been prepared. They have been trained and have practiced what they need to know and do it in ...
CUBMASTER MINUTE0511
 All People Great And Small As we retire our flags this evening, let us remember all the people who have helped us shape this great land. The scientists and engineers, the farmers and factory workers, the writers and artists, the men and women ...
Cubmasters Closing Minute
"I will do my best!" Do these words sound like there is a job that has to be done? Yes, it does. What do they mean? These words explain what every Cub Scout, Webelos, and adult leader has promised to do. What do they mean for the young 7-year-old Cub ...
Dont Be A Litterbug
(Hold up a paper carton or other piece of litter)This month we've been talking a lot about the conservation of natural resources, and next week on our camp-out we're going to tackle some conservation work in the woods.But one thing we all do every day to help is to ...
Dont Get Hooked
(Stick a fishhook 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 ...
Emergency Preparedness
So far this month, we've spent most of our time learning first aid. We've been trying to prepare ourselves to help other people when they're sick or injured.But there's more to being prepared than knowing first aid. Real preparedness is many things - knowledge, confidence, and having the necessary ...
Even A Parrot
Once a Scoutmaster was visiting a new Scout's home. He was there to test the boy for his Scout badge. Now it happened that this Scout's family owned a parrot.Well, one of the requirements for the Scout badge is knowing the motto. The new Scout knew it, of course, ...
Everyone Can Win
In a competitive rally, we have winners and losers in the various events, yet it is possible for everyone to win something. A losing patrol can win in spirit and morale if the fellows work as a team and gain a better understanding of one another. It can win ...
Family Night
Next week we'll have our big family night and court of honor, and I'm hoping that all your families will be here 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, ...
Family Traditions
Each of us has some traditions that are only practiced by our own families. Let’s remember to enjoy those traditions and our families at this time of year. Remember it is better to give than to get. See if you can find the joy ...
Finding Your Way
(Show a Scout badge. )Scouts, where did the design for the Scout badge come from? Did you know that it's from the north point of the mariners' compass? Now, why did Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, select that symbol for the first Scout badge? In his book, Scouting ...
First Class
In our everyday speech, "first class" means the best. When we say that a man is traveling first class, or that's a first class restaurant, everyone understands what we mean. In Scouting, "First Class" has another meaning. As we all know, it's the fourth of our seven ranks. In ...
Fishing with your kids 101
There is an old adage about fishing and it is something to remember when going out with a kid; You are only as good as the size of your smile. It is of utmost importance that you supply a fun time that happens to ...
Fit For Life
One of the goals of Scouting is physical fitness, and we've been paying special attention to it this month. It's fun to test yourself against standards to see how fit you are and to compete against other Scouts in fitness games and contests.Bit there is a more important reason ...
Flag Day
Who can tell me what day falls on June 14th? That's right it's Flag Day. Another question, why do we celebrate Flag Day on June 14th.Because it was on that day in 1777 we got our first official US Flag. The Continental Congress which made the laws in those ...
Freedom For What
We've been talking about the Constitution and the freedom it gives us as citizens.But how free are we? What does freedom mean? Does it mean we can do anything that we want? I think we will agree that the answer is no. Freedom of speech, for example, does mean ...
Gigo
Like any other profession, the computer field has a lot of special words, like pixel, RAM, ROM, crash, bits, bytes, and nibbles. All these terms have precise meanings for computer specialists. My favorite is a made-up word. It's GIGO, spelt G-I-G-O. Does anyone know what it means? It stands ...
Good Turn Closing Thought
Most of us are happiest when we are doing something for others. Think, for a moment of a time when you were helpful to someone. Chances are it made you feel pretty good. Of course, we feel best when we do something for others without being found out. When we ...
Good Turn Hint
Our program theme this month is called "Good Turn Hunt. " Makes it sound like Good Turns are really hard to find, doesn't it?They're not really. If you always remember that a Scout is kind and a Scout is courteous, you'll find yourself doing Good Turns all the time ...
Good Turnabout
The name of our program this month is "Sharing the Good Life. " At times you may think your life isn't all that great, especially when you have a lot of homework or your parents are bearing down on you.But if you think about it for a moment, you'll ...
Handicapped Awareness
Most of you probably know somebody who has a physical or mental handicap. Chances are that he or she functions pretty well in spite of it. A little limp isn't going to keep anyone from living a full life, and a person who is a bit hard of hearing ...
Happy Birthday
We're calling our campout next week a Happy Birthday Campout because February is the anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. We're going to observe the birthday by showing the public in our community what good Scouting is all about.So in some ways, this is an extra special campout. ...
Heat Fuel And Oxygen
(Hold a lighted candle while talking. Room lights may be turned off if desired. ) Scouts, here you see a plain ordinary candle - a candle such as we use in our Court of Honor ceremonies.This candle needs three things to keep it burning. These three things are heat, ...
Hey Kids
Just before you go to sleep tonight, check this list:Did you get up on time? Did you make your bed?Did you eat a good breakfast? Did you read something interesting?Did you learn something? Were you polite,Did you help a friend? Did you do some work around the house?Did you ...
Hes No Ordinary Boy
When a Scout becomes an Eagle Scout he's still a boy. only a little more than a million Scouts have ever advanced to Scouting's highest rank. Some 1. 5% of the more than 40 million Scouts who have started out on the Eagle trail since the beginning of Scouting ...
Hibernation
Does everybody know what the word "hibernation" means? That's right, it means to sleep through the winter. Woodchucks do it. So do some chipmunks, ground squirrels, bats, and some mice. Bears do a lot of sleeping in the winter, too, but they're not true hibernators because they sometimes get ...
Holiday Spirit
Christmas and Hanukkah are, for the most people, the most joyful holidays of the year. The holiday parties, the exchange of gifts, and the brilliant lights of the Christmas trees make a guy glad to be alive at this season.Sometimes we forget that these holidays are really religious festivals. ...
I Used to Work in a Zoo
This is a Scoutmaster's minute that I used recently that still has the Scouts talking. It starts with the following story told in the first person. You have to keep a straight face. I have had several ask me if I really did work at the zoo :). Here it ...
I Wish I Was That Brother
Upon graduation from college, a few years back, a young man received a gift from his older brother. It was a shiny brand new Packard. The car of his dreams! One morning as he approached the car he saw a young lad of 12 peering through the windows into the ...
Independence Day
Everybody loves the Fourth of July. In many communities, it's a time for parades, fireworks, ball games, and picnics.Real fun! But we ought not to forget what the Fourth of July really is - the birthday of our country - because that's when the Declaration of Independence was adopted ...
It All Depends
A lot of you Scouts have been working on the Communications skill award and merit badge, and I hope you've learned the importance of communicating clearly.(Show walkie-talkie. ) With this little device, I can throw my voice a half-mile, maybe more. But what good is it if I don't ...
Its Only a Pin
Two fond parents watch their boy where he stands, Apart from his comrades tonight, And see placed on his camp-battered tunic, a badge... An Eagle... the emblem of right. It seems just a few short months have passed Since he joined with the youngsters next door... How proud they were ...
Jamboree Spirit
Thousands of lucky Scouts will be at Fort A. P. Hill in Virginia for the 1989 National Scout Jamboree. We'll have our own troop jamboree next week, but I'm not going to kid you that it will be as spectacular as the national jamboree.Still, we can have plenty of ...
Junk Food
You all know what junk food is - stuff like potato chips, soda pop, and candy. Probably you've heard people say it's not good for you.I don't think that's really true. Even junk food has some food value. But it is true that a steady diet of junk food ...
Keep Your Cool
Scouts, I have a sort of trick question for you. Think before you answer. What's the most important thing for a first aider to do?Call for help? No, that's often very important, but it's not the first. Check for breathing? No - again, that's obviously vital, but it's not ...
Laws And Men
Why do we have laws? What's the purpose of laws? That's right, we need laws to govern society. To protect life and property and to make rules for the way our society works. If we had no laws, there would be nothing to stop a man from injuring someone ...
Leisure
Scouts, I wonder how many of us are really mentally awake, keep our eyes open, and are really aware of what goes on around us. I mean in this fast-paced world in which we live, how many of us ever stop to think and take a look around us ...
Lessons From The Geese
by Robert McNeish, Associate Superintendent of Baltimore Public Schools We live in an area where geese are very common. We see them coming in the Fall and leaving early Spring. Their migration is an awesome sight. There is an interdependence in the way geese ...
Light Your Law
(Light an ordinary match, hold it up until it has burned for a few seconds, and then blow it out, break it and then throw it away) Scouts, you're all familiar with a common match, and know that with it you can start a fire - a fire that ...
Little Things
Most of us miss out on life's big prizes. The Pulitzer, The Nobel, Oscars, Tonys, Emmys. But we're all eligible for life's small pleasures. A pat on the back, a kiss behind the ear, a four-pound bass, a full moon, an empty parking space, a crackling fire, a great ...
Living Your Law
Nations, states communities, and even families have laws. These are simple rules by which people must live in order to have harmony. If we didn't have rules or laws to govern ourselves, society would be impossible.If a person breaks the law of the land, he is penalized in some ...
Looking Forward To Your Career
How many of you think you know what career you will choose when you become men? Most of you have plenty of time to make up your mind, and probably you'll change your ideas before you really get serious about a career. The reason I asked the question is ...
Lord BadenPowells Farewell Message
(This letter was found among Baden-Powell's papers after his death on January 8, 1941.)Dear Scouts,If you have ever seen the play, "Peter Pan", you will remember how the pirate chief was always making his dying speech, because he was afraid that possibly when the time came for him to die, ...
Magnetic Influence
(Demonstrate how a magnet destroys the validity of a compass by causing the needle to veer from North) Scouts, you have learned to rely on your compass. You know that the needle points North and will guide you in the wilderness, but you have also seen what happens when ...
Making A Fresh Start
Well, Scouts, the new year is here and it's time for New Year's resolutions. In other words, as our theme, this month says, it's time for a fresh start.I don't know whether you make New Year's resolutions, but if you do, I hope that one of them is to ...
Many Good Turns
Back when Scouting was young, one of our national leaders was Ernest Thompson Seton. He was called the Chief Scout and he often visited troops and asked Scouts about the Good Turns they had done.He wrote a story about one of his visits in Boys' Life in 1912. To ...
Measure Yourself By The Golden Rule
(Show an ordinary ruler)What do I have here? Right, it's a ruler. Some people call it a rule. This one isn't golden but it does remind me of the Golden Rule. Do you know what the Golden Rule is?"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. ...
Measuring Up
This month we're learning how to measure heights and distances by estimation. It's fun, and it can be a useful skill in the outdoors - in planning pioneering bridges, for example.We measure by estimation in lots of everyday things, too. in the morning you estimate how much orange juice ...
Minnows And Whoppers
Everybody here likes to hear fish stories, the wilder the better. I expect we'll have a lot of them after our Fishing Camp-Out this month. We enjoy them because they're funny, and nobody is fooled into thinking they really happened.But some people tell fish stories all the time. They're ...
Moving On The Scouting Trail
Scouts, our theme this month is called, "Moving on the Scouting Trail". What do we mean when we talk about the Scouting Trail. That's right, it's the path that leads from Scout rank through First Class up to the Eagle Scout badge. Very few guys make it all the ...
Myself
King Rex (Cubmaster): Cub Scouts, our Mardi Gras is over. We’ve had lots of fun tonight - and we’ll have lots more in the month’s ahead. We should not hide ourselves behind a mask or costume - we need to show our true self. And that true self is what ...
New Year for Leaders
Cub Master: What is leadership? It is a process by which a person influences others. In Cub Scouting, leadership is the ability to accomplish the Cub Scout program in an efficient, safe, and effective manner. Charter Organisation Representative or Unit Commissioner: As in most groups, our Pack is evidence of ...
New Years Resolution
Well, Scouts, did you make any New Year's resolutions? I hope some of you resolved to bring up your grades in school and be more helpful around the house. I'm sure your parents would be delighted with those resolutions.In Scouting, we make a resolution almost every time we meet. ...
Night Is For Sleeping
You can always spot the greenhorn - the first-year camper - as soon as "Taps" sounds on the first night in camp. He's the guy who just can't quiet down when the time comes for sleep.The experienced camper, comfortable and warm in his bed, knows that night is for ...
Olympic Oath
I imagine most of us have watched the Olympic Games on 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 ...
On Patriotism
True patriotism is more than getting a lump in your throat when the flag passes by. it involves determination on your part to see that America remains free. It involves your willingness to put the best interest of the nation ahead of your own self-interest. Single interests may be ...
On The Trail
Once a long time ago a hound was out with his master trailing a mountain lion. The hound came to a place where a fox had crossed the trail, and the hound decided to follow the fox instead of the lion.A short time later, a rabbit crossed that of ...
OPENING CLOSING AND FLAG CEREMONIES0204
"WHO PACKS YOUR PARACHUTE"-- CUBMASTER MINUTE Charles Plumb, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. ...
OPENING CLOSING AND FLAG CEREMONIES 0407
OPENING, CLOSING, AND FLAG CEREMONIES CUB MASTER MINUTE “DRUG TO CHURCH “FLAG CEREMONY “QUALITIES OF BEING A GOOD CITIZEN OF THE US” All: I am a citizen of the United States of America #1 I hereby pledge myself to live my life to the honor of my country #2 I ...
OPENING CLOSING AND FLAG CEREMONIES0501
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS OPENING GAME Look through the newspaper and cut out pictures of people that have been in the news lately. Glue onto colored paper, number, and tape to the wall. Have people write down as many as they know. You can play in groups or as individuals. ...
OPENING CLOSING AND FLAG CEREMONIES0510
CUBMASTER MINUTE DR. SUESS VERSION OF 9/11 ATTACK Every U down in Uville liked U.S. a lot, But the Binch, who lived Far East of Uville, did not. The Binch hated U.S.! The whole U.S. way! Now don't ask me why, for nobody can ...
Openings Closings Flag Ceremonies 0209c
 CUBMASTER MINUTE COWBOY BOOTS Have you ever wondered why cowboy boots have fancy stitching? Simply to make the boots last longer, and because people like pretty things. Long ago the towns didn’t have cement sidewalks. The streets ...
Our Flag And Our Oath
(Have 3 candles in a holder before you - one red, one white, and one blue) 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 ...
Our Home In Camp
Scouts, when we go to our camporee, and later when we are in summer camp, let's remember that our campsite is our home.The living room is the area in front of your patrol site. Your patrol's cooking area is the kitchen and the patrol dining table is your dining ...
Our Natural Resources
(Hold up two glasses, one filled with dirty water, one sparkling clean water. )Scouts, which would you prefer to drink? The answer is pretty obvious, isn't it?We can do our part to ensure that we always have plenty of good clean water. We can't do it all by ourselves ...
Our Oath And Law
Last week for the Scoutmasters Minute, I talked a little about what Scouting was like a half-century ago. You may remember that I said it wasn't very different, at least not in the basics. the Scouts of the Twenties came into Scouting for the same reason you did - ...
Outdoor Housekeeping
Some of you are working on the Environment skill award or Environmental Science merit badge. You're learning how everything in nature is connected in some way to everything else. some scientists call it the web of nature. Every strand has connections with other strands. Even rocks, for example, are ...
Parents
Scouts, if you're like most boys, you don't think of your parents very often. Oh, they're around all the time, of course, and sometimes they make you do things you don't want to do.but how often do you think of what your parents want from you? Probably not very ...
Pass It On01
What magic there is in togetherness alone. Unshared. Undivided. Far away in your soft green world of the solitude of things to fill the dreams of childhood. The music of the wind in the pines. Firelight. Night sounds. Only for a while will you stand the tallest tree in ...
Patrol Spirit
I'm sure all of you Scouts have played team sports, so you know what teamwork means. Most football fans see a touchdown run and say, "Wow! Isn't that guy a great runner?" Maybe he is, but if you have played football you that what really made the great run ...
Picking On Him
On a hike or in camp we reveal our true selves most. Did you ever know a Scout who thought people were always picking on him?I recall a boy who pitched his tent carelessly and it blew down on him in the middle of the night. He tried hard ...
Planting Seeds
(Have an apple and a plate with a few apple seeds)If I gave you a choice, which would you rather have, the apple or the seeds? I guess most of us would choose the apple.A long time ago there was a guy who would have taken the seeds. He ...
Reach For The Stars
There used to be a saying that if a man had great ambition, he was "reaching for the stars". The idea was that he was so eager to succeed he was willing to try the impossible, to reach for the stars.That doesn't seem so impossible anymore. Men have walked ...
Recipe For Life
This month you young Scouts are learning something about food and cooking and how to use recipes to whip up a tasty meal. I hope you're learning that following a recipe is vital to good cooking unless you're satisfied with hot dogs and hamburgers all the time in camp.You've ...
Respect For The Flag
Have one red, one white, and one blue piece of cloth and a US flag. What is our flag? You might say it's a piece of cloth. Would that be right? Well, it's true that these pieces of cloth could make a US flag, but then we would have ...
Road Test Yourself
Did you know that car manufacturers try out their 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 ...
Safety Afloat
Scouts, what do the following merit badges have in common: Canoeing, Motorboating, Rowing, Small-Boat Sailing, and Water Skiing? I'll give you a hint - they all have the same first requirement.You guessed it. All those badges require that a Scout be classed a "swimmer" before he even gets started ...
Safety Through Skill
We've been talking a lot about safety tonight, how to be safe ourselves and make our homes and community safe. I think the lesson is partly exercising our common sense and partly learning the skills of safety.What do we mean by the skills of safety? Well, for one thing, we're ...
Salt Of The Earth
Who can tell me what "salt of the earth" means? That's right, it means a person who has a fine character and is a nice guy to be around. The expression "salt of the earth" probably came from the fact that common salt improves the taste of a lot ...
Scouting Is Alive
Our theme this month is called "Scouting is Alive," but I think it ought to be "Scouting is alive and well and living in (your community). "I guess the theme is supposed to remind us that 78 years after the first troops were started in the United States, Scouting ...
Scouting Pathfinder BadenPowell
Three months from now, we're going to be celebrating the ___th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. But Scouting is even older than that. It really began ____ years ago on a little island in England. British general named Robert Baden-Powell took 21 boys camping on this island ...
Scouting Pathfinder Daniel Carter Beard
I told you last week about Ernest Thompson Seton, who was one of the earliest leaders of the Boy Scouts of America. Another important leader of the BSA in those days was Daniel Carter Beard. He was an illustrator and writer of boys' books. In 1902, ____ years ago ...
Scouting Pathfinder Ernest Thompson Seton
Last week I talked about Baden-Powell, the English general who founded Boy Scouting. While Baden-Powell was working out his ideas for Scouting, in this country a man named Ernest Thompson Seton was doing something quite similar. Seton was an author and an artist, and even before Baden-Powell organized the ...
Scouting Plumb Line
(Show a carpenter's plumb line)Does anybody know what this is? That's right it's a plumb line. Carpenters and masons use a plumb line to make sure their work is perfectly straight and vertical.Supposing you were building a brick wall and you built it just by guesswork. Then I came along ...
Scoutings Directions
Tonight we've been learning how to find directions on a map and use the compass to stay on course. By now I hope most of you can orient a map and use a map and compass to travel an unknown country.In Scouting, we have another kind of "map and ...
Scoutmaster Minute Building Bridges
Scouts, as we sit here around the campfire, I want to talk about something that’s as important as the fire we’re gathered around—building bridges. No, not the kind made of wood and nails, but the kind made of kindness, respect, and understanding. Just like a well-built bridge helps us cross ...
Scoutmaster Minute The Heart of Traditions
This week, as we focus on the rich traditions of scouting, let's take a moment to reflect on what these traditions mean to us. Traditions are the heartbeats of our scouting community, connecting us to our past and guiding us into the future. They provide a sense of continuity and ...
Scoutmaster Minute Dogged Determination
As we think about how dogs and scouts share so many traits, there’s one that stands out above all: determination. Just like a dog never gives up on fetching that stick or chasing that squirrel, scouts show determination in every challenge they face. Whether it’s mastering a new skill, hiking ...
Scouts In Action
(Show Boys' Life cartoon feature "A True Story of Scouts in Action") Did you see this cartoon in this month's Boys Life? it's a story of how a Scout saved a life. I read it every month and I hope you do, too.In just about every story, the Scout ...
Set Of The Sails
"If you have ever been sailing, or at least watched sailboats, you may have noticed that two sailboats can sail in different directions in the same breeze. The trick is in knowing how to set your sails. That's true of Scouts' progress, too. Let me read a very short ...
Setting Standards
As Scouts and as school pupils, you spend a lot of time meeting standards. In school, your work may be graded on a scale from A through F. In Scouting, you're asked to meet a set of standards before you can earn a skill award, merit badge, or new ...
Setting The Example
In the patrol leaders council, we often talk about the skills of leadership. Patrol leaders who have taken the junior leader training course know even more about them. Of the 11 skills of leadership, I believe the most important is setting the example. There's an old saying that sums ...
Smilin In The Rain
A long time ago, a joker said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. " That isn't really true anymore because scientists can seed clouds with chemicals to make rainfall - if there are clouds, that is.Next week we're going to be outdoors, possibly in ...
Solid To The Core
Every once in a while when you're working on a pioneering project, you'll find a spar that looks great but that turns out to be weak and unreliable.Maybe its' center has been eaten away by insects. Or maybe have natural splits inside that you can't see. You can test ...
Someone Else
With great regret, we announce the loss of one of the council's most valuable families - Mr. & Mrs. Someone Else has 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 ...
Spell It Honesty
Tonight we've spent a lot of time talking about ethics - about honesty and fairness and respect for others. Now I'll tell you a true story about a Scout who showed what those things mean.His name is Andrew J. Flosdorf, and in 1983 he was a 1st Class Scout ...
Sportsmanship
Probably some of you will earn the Sports merit badge this month. If so, the first thing you'll have to do is understand what sportsmanship is, because it's the first requirement. I'd like to read you a little story from the Sports merit badge pamphlet which sums up sportsmanship ...
Spring Phenoms
I know that some of you read the sports pages and follow the big league pennant races. So probably you have heard of spring phenoms. Who can tell me what a spring phenom is?He is a player who starts the season like a superstar. In April, May, and June ...
Stick To It
 (Hold up an envelope that has been delivered by mail)  Scouts, the postage stamp you see on this envelope was given the job of making sure that this important piece of mail was delivered to me. The stamp is pretty small but, ...
Street Sign Closing Thought
A narrator hides behind the stage to do all the speaking. One Cub Scout dials a play phone or a large cardboard cutout phone and holds the receiver up as if for the audience to hear. Seven other Cub Scouts hold up large traffic signs at appropriate times as the ...
Strengthening Our Troop
(Hold up two ropes of different sizes)Which one of these ropes do you think is stronger? You're right. Common sense tells us that the thicker rope must be stronger.But how much stronger? Is a half-inch rope twice as strong as a quarter-inch rope? Sound as if it should be, ...
Teamwork
(Show three or four short pieces of rope)These pieces of rope are a lot like individual Scouts. You can use these ropes for knot tying practice or for tying a small package, but they're not big enough for really big jobs. (Call up two or three Scouts and asked ...
Thank You Dad
Now, Scouts, don't answer this question out loud, but how long has it been since you said, "Thank you, Dad. " I'm afraid that too often we take our fathers for granted.I suppose it might be awkward to try to say - in words - "Thanks Dad, I appreciate ...
Thanks To BSA
Last week I told you a little story about a Good Turn and an early leader of the Boy Scouts of America named Ernest Thompson Seton.There was another well-known leader of Scouting in those days named Daniel Carter Beard. If your grandfather was a Scout, ask him about Dan ...
Thanksgiving01
Thanksgiving is almost here, and that means a school holiday, probably some football games to watch, and surely a big meal of turkey with all the trimmings.It's a great time for everybody. But before the holiday passes, take a few minutes to think about what it really means. Thanksgiving ...
Thanksgiving02
As Americans, we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. We live in freedom, most of us have an abundance of food and clothing, and we all have adequate shelter. We are as blessed as any people in the world, but sometimes we forget that and gripe ...
That First Step
The Chinese have a saying, "The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. " There's a lesson for us in that saying.I'm thinking of advancement. If you come to troop meetings without ever looking in your Official Boy Scout Handbook all week long and if you ...
The Boy Scout Neckerchief
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 ...
The Buddy Plan
(Hold up buddy tags)What do I have here, Scouts? That's right, they're buddy tags. We use them whenever we go in the water so that every Scout is responsible for the safety of another Scout and so the leader knows who is in the water. It's an important way ...
The Bullfrog
Once there was a very large green bullfrog who lived in a modest-sized pond. Even though many other animals and fish lived around this pond the bullfrog didn't have any friends. You see, the friends he once had were gone. They were tired of his boasting and tried to stay ...
The Eagle and the Wolf
There is a great battle that rages inside me. One side is a soaring Eagle. Everything the Eagle stands for is good and true and beautiful, And it soars above the clouds. Even though it dips down into the valleys, It lays its eggs on the mountains. The other side ...
The Empty Pot
The following is a paraphrase of "The Empty Pot" by Demi.A Chinese Emperor is dying and needs to pick his successor. Since he loved gardening (this is the outdoor angle), he decides to let the seeds choose. He calls all the children to the palace and gives them each a ...
The Good Samaritan01
This month we've been talking a lot about the Good Turn. The Good Turn idea has been a tradition of the Boy Scouts of America for almost 75 years now, but it's been around a lot longer than that.Let me tell you about a man who practiced the Good ...
The Good Turn
(Hold up an ordinary mechanical pencil with the lead turned in so that it will not write. Use this pencil as if writing on a sheet of paper and then hold up the paper to show that there is no writing on it. ) Scouts, this pencil won't write. ...
The Importance Of Knowledge
 (Have an assistant leader enter the room with a bloody wound on his head. Use catsup or food coloring mixed with cold cream to make blood)  Scouts, we have a bad bleeding case here. I'd better fix him up. (Use neckerchief to ...
The Knot That Tells A Story
Scouts, if your rank is between Second Class and Life, take a look at your badge of rank. What do all those badges have in common?That's right, they all have the "Be Prepared" scroll with a knot dangling from it. . Does anyone remember what the knot is supposed ...
The Man Without A Country
In the year 1805, some plotters tried to set up a new government in some of the southern states. When the plot was discovered, the traitors were tried for conspiracy against the United States government. One of them was Philip Nolan, an Army officer. During his trial, the president ...
The Monk and the Missionary
There is an old story of the missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh. He was traveling through the Himalayas with a Monk in the bitter cold. Night was coming and the Monk said, "If we don't reach the monastery by nightfall, we are in danger of freezing to death." Just as they ...
The Most Eleusive Gift Of All
If you asked most sane and temperate men and women throughout the world what they wanted most for the holidays, their first choice wouldn't come in a magnificent box with a fancy ribbon. They couldn't find it on a colorful page of a fat Christmas catalog. They wouldn't see ...
The North Star
Scouts, we've been learning how to find Polaris, the North Star, because we know it will help us find our way in the wilderness. For centuries man has known that the North Star is fixed in the heavens, and it has been used as a navigational aid by sailors ...
The Origin of the Left Hand Shake
The Left hand shake goes way back to the origins of Scouting, and was inspired like many original Scouting concepts by B.-P.'s Army career.When Captain Baden-Powell entered the capital city of the Ashanti people in 1896 he was met by one of the chiefs who came to him holding out ...
The Real Way To Happiness
Who can tell me what the Scout slogan is? That's right, “Do a Good Turn daily". The handbook tells us that a Good Turn is an extra act of kindness. It might be a big thing like saving somebody's life with courage and skill. Or could be some small ...
The Scout Handshake
Our Scout salute and handshake are ancient signs of bravery and respect. During the colonial period of our country, many men carried weapons for protection. Sometimes when they met one another, there was an uneasy moment as each man watched the other's right hand. If it went to his ...
The Scout Trail
When we go hiking we spend most of our time on trails. Sometimes the going is easy because the ground is flat and smooth. Other times it's all uphill - steep and rocky.The Scout advancement trail is like that, too. Some of the requirements for the skill awards and ...
The Smallest Factory
(Show a leaf of a tree or plant. )Tonight we've been discussing the oxygen and water cycles and how food chains support life on earth. We've learned that this little leaf can work a miracle.Who can tell me what the miracle is? This leaf is a food factory - ...
The Snake
A group of Arapaho Indian boys decided it was time to prove to the tribe elders that they were old enough to be considered men. By custom, the rite of manhood included living alone for one week in the wilderness. Each boy was instructed to only take a knife with ...
The Snake That Poisons Everybody
It topples governments, wrecks marriages, ruins careers, busts reputations, causes heartaches, nightmares, indigestion, spawns suspicion, generates grief, dispatches innocent people to cry in their pillows. Even its name hisses. it's called gossip. Office gossip, shop gossip, party gossip. It makes headlines and headaches. Before you repeat a story, ask ...
The Sunday Run
Last Sunday as I was finishing my run through Tree Tops Park with my running buddy, I saw a neighbor standing in her garage doorway about to get her newspaper. Unfortunately, the years had not been kind to her. She was walking with a walker and one eye was closed. ...
The Two Knapsacks
Perhaps you've heard some people say that life is a hike between the cradle and the grave. For some, it's a long trip of many moons. For others, it's a short trip that ends unexpectedly.But all of us are equipped for life's trip with two knapsacks - one to ...
The Wilderness Pledge
Next week we'll be outdoors again, and it's good to remind ourselves that Scouts obey the Wilderness Pledge whenever they are hiking, camping, or on other activities away from the meeting place. You should be familiar with the Wilderness Pledge. It says, "Through good camping and hiking practices, I ...
The Winning Spirit
Scouts, what is a winning spirit? In some sports, people say that a guy who has the winning spirit really comes to play. That kind of guy is sometimes called a "gamer".In Scouting, we have gamers, too. Know who they are? They're the guys who are active in their ...
THEME MIDWAY0508
...
They Saved Life
Every year about 200 Scouts earn medals for saving a 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, ...
Two Hundred Years Of Freedom
Can anybody tell me what holiday falls on September 17. It's Citizenship Day or Constitution Day. Probably you've been talking about the reason for that holiday in school. If you don't already know it, on September 17, 200 years ago, the founders of this country agreed upon the US ...
Two Little Words
Scouts, here's a little quiz for you: What's the most welcome two-word sentence in the English language? Some of you might say, it's "We won!" Others would vote for, "Here's money!" But I think the most welcome two-word sentence is "Thank you. "It isn't used as often as it ...
Value Your Conscience
It may seem funny to say so, but you're very lucky that it 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, ...
Welcoming The Webelos
It won't be long now before we'll be adding several new Scouts to this troop - the Webelos Scouts who will be graduating from Cub Scouting.It goes without saying that I expect you, Scouts, to give them a warm welcome. How you treat them during their first couple of ...
What Are We Doing To Ourselves
Many books offer answers on how to live our lives. But, there's one book that raises questions about what kind of lives we lead. It's the phone book. It has hotlines for Alcohol Problems, Battered Women, Child Abuse Drugs, Elderly Abuse, Gamblers Anonymous, Rape Crisis, Runaways, VD Information, and ...
What Money Cant Buy
(Hold up some money)All of you recognize this and know that it will buy certain things. It can purchase a candy bar, a stamp, or a little time on a parking meter. Add more money and you can do bigger things.However, there are many things that money, no matter ...
Whatever Happened To
It went the way of"Thank you,""Excuse me,""Yes, sir. "Do you know who just about killed all those phrases?All of us.We did not use them enough.We now get,"Huh?""What?""Gimme more. "Mannerly responses are learned at home.Rude, barbaric responses are also learned at home.William of Wykeham, who was born in 1324 said,"Manners ...
Who Are You
Your third-grade teacher said you had a problem with math. You gave up on math, and you eliminated two-thirds of the jobs available in the world. Somebody decided the Navy needed a cook. After your hitch, you opened a restaurant.Mother was a nurse. Now you are. Why are you ...
Wilderness Pledge
Scouts, next week we're going to practice some of the skills of what is called minimum impact camping when we're outdoors for our Park Service project. As you've learned this month, the idea of minimum impact camping is to leave no trace that we were ever there when we ...
Winning Isnt Everything
Some years ago a hard-nosed coach said, "Winning isn't everything, but it sure beats whatever's second. " There's some truth in that. Everyone likes to win. Very few people enjoy losing.The trouble is that in every type of competition, there must be losers as well as winners. That's true ...
Working Together
 (Equipment - 20 wooden matches held together with a rubber band. See that all the matches are even in the bundle so the package will stand on end. Stand the matches on the floor in front of the Scouts. )  Scouts, you'll ...
World Friendship01
(Read from page 34, The Official Boy Scout Handbook. Refer also to the World friendship Fund kit) "A Scout is friendly. A Scout is a friend to all. he is a brother to other Scouts. He seeks to understand others. He respects those with ideas and customs other than ...
World Friendship02
During the coming months, we'll be doing some things that remind us of Scouting's past. We'll also try to show you that Scouting is big - worldwide in fact.More than 100 other countries have Scouting for their boys, too. A lot of those countries in the Scouting brotherhood are ...
Your Basic Survival Tool
If someone told you that you would be dropped from a plane in the heart of the Canadian wilderness and could pick one tool, implement, or instrument to take with you, what would you choose? Would it be a rifle, pistol, or similar weapon? How about a tent or ...
Your Cook Kit
Scouts, have you ever heard of people who claim to be able to read your character by the lines in your hand, the shape of your head, or your handwriting. Well, I know a better way. (Hold up a cooking kit. ) All you have to do is look ...
Your Development
(Show a roll or package of camera film)If you looked at this roll of film before development, you cannot tell what kind of picture it will make. The film looks exactly the same after snapping the shutter as it did before.But after development, the image appears on the film ...
Your Direction
(Take a bearing with a compass)One day a Scout named Bill was sighting with his compass, as I'm doing now. "Top of that hill is 045 degrees," said Bill, "I'm going to follow that bearing and end up on top. "Bill started off checking his compass now and then ...
Your Fitness Quotient
I'm sure you've all heard of the IQ and know it stands for intelligence quotient. It's supposed to be a measure of intelligence. Probably you've taken IQ tests, although you may not have known it so that your school would have some idea of how bright you are.The experts ...
Your Label
Smart shoppers read the labels when they go to the supermarket. Product labels tell them a number of things:Whether the can or package contains beans, corn, flour, or pork chops; what ingredients it contains; what it costs; the weight of the product. The label also carries the trademark of ...
Your Mark Which Will It Be
(Hold up a plaster cast of a track. )Scouts, here you see permanent evidence that an animal (or bird) has passed along the way. Before we made the cast, the track was pretty temporary - a few hours of wind and rain and all signs of the animal's passing ...
Your Wild Animal
Scouts, did you know that everybody, including you, has a wild animal behind bars? The wild animal is your tongue, and the bars are your teeth.If your tongue is not trained it can cause a lot of trouble, not only for yourself but for those around you. Keep those ...
Youre The Finest
In just two hundred years, your country, through freedom and hard work, has changed the world. In agriculture, industry, education, medicine, law, transportation, and on and on. no country can match America's record in religious freedom, civil freedom, human rights, and the importance and dignity of the individual. We ...
Youve Got To Get It Over
You've probably seen a baseball pitcher who can throw a ball through a brick wall, but he can't throw strikes. In baseball, if you don't have control, you don't win.That's true for all of us, not just pitchers. Self-control and self-discipline are vital to any man. A man must ...