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Check out these other popular books for
youth by Shane Barker!
Youth Leading Youth
Magnifying Your Aaronic Priesthood Calling
Even the Prophet Started out as a Deacon
Stepping Up, Taking Charge, and Leading the Way

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© 2011 Shane Barker
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever,
whether by graphic, visual, electronic, film, microfilm, tape recording,
or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher,
except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and
articles.
ISBN 13: 978-1-59955-524-9
Published by Bonneville Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc., 2373
W. 700 S.,
Springville, UT 84663
Distributed by Cedar Fort, Inc., www.cedarfort.com
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Barker, Shane R. author.
I thought Scout uniforms were fireproof! : putting the fun in
scouting Shane Barker.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-59955-524-9
1. Boy Scouts--Recreation. 2. Youth--Recreation. I. Title.
HS3312.B348 2011
369.430973--dc22
2010050864
Cover design by Danie Romrell
Illustrated by Dave Bowman

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Cover design © 2011 by Lyle Mortimer
Edited and typeset by Megan E. Welton
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed on acid-free paper

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To Weston

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: I THOUGHT SCOUT UNIFORMS WERE FIREPROOF!
Putting the Fun in SCOUTING
1. PANCAKES, GUMBO, AND DUTCH-OVEN PIZZA Putting the Fun in
COOKING
2. WHO FORGOT THEIR NECKERCHIEF? Putting the Fun in UNIFORMS
3. THE PILOT LIGHT'S OUT ON THE NUCLEAR REACTOR! Putting the Fun in
MEETINGS
4. HOW TO PACK A BACKPACK: Putting the Fun into MERIT BADGES
5. CAN ANYONE TIE A TIMBER HITCH? Putting the Fun in SCOUTCRAFT
6. MOOSECAPADES AND PESKY MOSQUITOES: Putting the Fun in
PATROLS
7. CHASING THE ELUSIVE SASQUATCH: Putting the Fun in NOT
ACTIVITIES
8. EAGLE FEATHERS AND THE MACARONI MONSTER: Putting the Fun in
SERVICE
9. SNOWSHOES, SNOW CAVES, AND CARDBOARD CAMPOUTS: Putting the Fun
in WINTER
CONCLUSION: BOY SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE! Coming in from the Fog
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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K
yle Rogers was puffing for breath as he charged through the
brush toward a knotted Ponderosa Pine. He looked back over his
shoulder as Michael Swenson and Jeff Anderson raced through the
forest behind him.
“Hurry!” he shouted. “We've almost got it!”
Flicking on his flashlight, he began flashing the beam around in all
directions.
As soon as they arrived, Michael and Jeff did the same.
“See ’em?”
Kyle shook his head. “Not yet. There's too many trees … no, wait!
Over there!”
Off in the trees, about forty yards away, a pair of eyes reflected
eerily in the beams of their flashlights. With whoops of excitement,
the boys dashed toward them.
A little out of breath myself (keeping up with twelve-and thirteen-
year-old boys on a mission isn't a leisurely endeavor!) I followed
them through the trees. This was our third night at Thunder Ridge
Scout Camp, and the boys were racing through a course called the
Wolf-eye Trail. Strips of reflective tape cut into the shapes of eyes
had been placed throughout the forest, and the boys were being
timed on how fast they could find them all. Spotting a pair of “eyes,”
the boys would race toward them, flash their lights around until they
spotted the next pair, then dash off again. Some of the eyes had
been placed high in the trees, some low to the ground, and one pair
had even been placed inside a hole in a rotting log.

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It was an exciting, challenging event, and the only problem was
that there was also an eerie quality in the air that night. The
sensation of being watched—or followed—persisted as we raced
along. It made the hair prickle on the back of my neck, and I had the
disturbing sensation that something was stalking us. It didn't help
that Kyle—the troop storyteller—had regaled us the night before with
harrowing stories of Bigfoot, the legendary creature with whom he
seemed to have a personal acquaintance.
Kyle, Michael, and Jeff were each aware of the eerie atmosphere
too, and despite their excitement, I occasionally caught them casting
nervous glances over their shoulders as they raced through the
forest.
As we approached the halfway point, Michael spotted a pair of
especially creepy-looking eyes. The boys were charging toward
them when the eyes abruptly blinked … and then blinked again …
and then disappeared as whatever they were attached to skulked
away through the trees.
The next instant, the three Scouts raced down the mountain like
Olympic sprinters going for the gold—arms and legs spinning like
windmills gone mad—leaving me completely alone in the forest and
without a flashlight. Kyle later told everyone that he was going ninety
miles an hour as he blazed down the mountain, but he was
exaggerating. I know because I passed him, and I was only going
eighty-five.
I remember another time when our troop was camping along the
shore of a small mountain lake. We had an adrenaline-charged boy
in the troop named Coleman, who was a nonstop flurry of moving
arms and legs. He had more energy than any boy I've ever known,
as well as a warm, happy smile that never seemed to leave his face.
Coleman was a human firecracker, and his zany, happy-go-lucky
personality made every meeting, hike, and campout more exciting
just because he was along. He had the ability to make people feel
good just by being in the same room with them.

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Coleman was also the troop's best fire builder. Even on wet, rainy
days—even when the firewood was soaked to the core—he could
coax a crackling, snapping fire into life faster than a gifted arsonist
with a blowtorch. And he was never without a pocketful of wooden,
strike-anywhere matches.
At any rate, the boys were on their way to fish one afternoon, and
Coleman was momentarily left behind. Gear flew through the air as
he searched his tent for a pair of sunglasses, then he tore off after
his friends.
“Hey!” he called. “Wait for me!”
With the frantic desperation of a boy fleeing Bigfoot, Coleman
raced down the hill, abruptly tripping over the root of a tree. As he
tumbled head-over-heels, a match head apparently ground against
the lining of his pocket and flared to life. The burning match ignited
another, and then the whole pocketful went up in a small fireball.
Coleman leaped to his feet and began howling like a wildman,
jumping and dancing and flapping his arms like a baby bird that's
taken a premature step from the nest.
It took several seconds for Coleman to get the fire out, and then
he stopped and gaped at the scorched hole in his Scout shorts. He
gawked incredulously for a moment, then looked up with an
expression of disbelief.
“Hey!” he said. “I thought Scout uniforms were supposed to be
fireproof!”
I've always loved those stories. Kyle, Michael, Jeff, and Coleman
are four of the finest young men I've ever known, and remembering
their adventures reminds me why I enjoy Scouting so much.
More than that, it reminds me that Scouting is fun! It's exciting!
And any leader called to serve as a Scoutmaster, den mother, or
team committee chairman truly has one of the best jobs in the world.
Now you're probably reading this book because you're a
Scoutmaster. Or perhaps you're a Varsity team coach, an Explorer
post advisor, or a den mother. If that's the case, then you have one
of the most exciting leadership positions in the Church. You have the
chance to work and spend time with some of the Lord's finest young
people. You have the opportunity to work with young men at the age

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when they're most impressionable … and you can have a great time
while you're doing it.
And make no mistake—you are in a position to make a
tremendous difference in their lives.
One of my favorite Old Testament stories is the tale of David and
Goliath. As I'm sure you remember, Goliath was a giant who stood
more than eight feet tall. Carrying enormous weapons and girded
about with armor, he must have looked terrifying to young David—
absolutely terrifying!
Nevertheless, David went out to fight the giant alone and without
armor or protection, taking nothing with him but a simple slingshot
and a few small stones.
You already know what happened: David faced the giant—and
slew him.
The scriptures don't tell us where David learned to use his
slingshot. But today that's exactly the sort of thing a boy might learn
in Scouting. As a Scout leader, you're teaching boys to use tools
they need to face the Goliaths in their lives. And I just can't think of a
more important job anywhere.
The only problem is that your program has to compete with sports,
school, and—if you are an Explorer advisor— jobs and girls. It isn't
always easy. But if you can create a program full of fun and
adventure, if you can give the boys thrills and excitement to
complement the time they spend in school, the battle's over.
And that's what this book is about. It's about taking the meetings,
merit badges, and skills that make up the Scouting program and
pumping them full of fun. It's about making them exciting and
compelling, giving you the chance to teach your boys to use their
slingshots.
Are you ready?
Great! Then I have a few ideas to help you out. The list is by no
means comprehensive, but it should give you enough ideas and
insight to put you on a collision course with exciting Scouting
adventures.
So let's get going!
I know you're going to have as much fun as I've had!

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T
hirteen-year-old David Hardman placed his hand over the grill to
check the heat, then checked his stopwatch.
“Are you ready?”
Tyler Jellen took a moment to make certain he had everything
positioned just where he wanted it, then nodded. “Ready.”
“Okay, then. On your mark … get set … go! ”
Tyler quickly poured circles of batter onto the grill as the troop
cheered him on. He poured until the entire grill was covered, waited
a brief moment, then grabbed a spatula and began flipping the
golden pancakes.
David looked up from his stopwatch.
“A minute thirty, Tyler! Keep going! You're doing great!”
Tyler tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for the pancakes to
brown—he knew he'd lose points if they were too doughy—then he
scooped the fluffy cakes off the grill and onto a waiting platter. The
next instant, he was pouring more batter onto the grill.
“All right, Tyler!” someone shouted. “You're doing great! Keep
going!”
With the intensity of a surgeon, Tyler again began flipping
pancakes, letting them fry just long enough to turn a golden brown
before scooping them from the grill. He was going so fast that once

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—in his excitement—he missed the platter and sent a pancake flying
into the dirt. He shook his head in frustration, prompting a chorus of
support from his audience.
“Don't worry about it, Tyler!”
“You're doing great, Ty! Keep going!”
“Come on, Tyler, you've almost got it!”
Tyler flipped the last of the pancakes onto the platter and was
working on his third batch when David looked up from his watch.
“Ten more seconds, Tyler!” he shouted. “Five … four … three …
two … one … STOP!”
Tyler wiped his hands on his apron—which was patterned in
camouflage with the words “Grill Sergeant” printed across the front—
and looked around.
“Who counted?” he asked. “How many did I get?”
“Twenty-six,” someone answered. “You missed the record by four.”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “That's all? Twenty-six? Man, I was sure I
had it this time!”
I grinned as I watched. And so did everyone else. On the troop's
last campout, a Scout named Kevin set the troop record by cooking
up thirty pancakes in ten minutes, and Tyler had vowed to beat him.
He didn't quite make it, but his energetic attempt made almost
enough pancakes to feed the entire troop, and he'd turned a
normally dull chore into an adventure for the whole troop.
Most Scouts don't list cooking among the activities they most look
forward to when they go camping. After all, most boys go into the
mountains to hike and swim and fish. And the more time they spend
in their backcountry kitchens— building fires, preparing meals, or
washing pots and pans— the less time they have for more
adventurous activities.
But cooking is a skill that Scouts can use every day of their lives.
It's a skill that will serve them throughout their teenage years, on
their missions, away at college, and all of their adult lives too. So a
Scoutmaster who can bring out the adventure of cooking while
developing the boys' skills will truly be doing his troop a service.
Besides, cooking can be fun! And when spiced with a little
mountain air and a touch of wood smoke flavoring, even the most

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ordinary meals can turn a backcountry outing into a rousing
adventure.
When I was in college, I served as an assistant to a Scoutmaster
named Roy Harris, who truly knew how to make Boy Scout cooking
fun. On one campout he asked each Scout to bring one can of food
—any kind of food at all—to contribute to the troop dinner. Upon
arrival at the campsite, Roy collected these cans and divided them
into two categories: fruit … and everything else. He assigned me to
take the fruit and make two peach-pear-pineapple cobblers.
Harris then asked his senior patrol leader to divide the remaining
cans—chilies, stews, refried beans, corns, string beans, and other
various items—equally between the troop's two patrols. He then took
a large pot and announced, “You have been stranded in the
mountains without knives, can openers, or tools of any kind. But you
need to eat, so you need to get these cans opened. The first patrol
to open its cans and get the contents into this pot will not have to
wash any of the dinner dishes tonight. Everyone understand? Okay,
then … ready … go! ”
The Scouts stood uncertainly for a moment, then jumped as a boy
named Jeff took a rock and smashed his can with enough force that
green beans exploded through the air like shrapnel from a hand
grenade.
Scoutmaster Harris calmly pulled a bean from his hair and shook
his head. “It goes without saying,” he said, “that the cans will be
disqualified unless their contents are still edible.”
With that, the rival patrols separated and began work on their
cans. One boy opened his by hammering his belt buckle through the
top. Another gave his can a hard wallop along the edge with a hard
rock, splitting it neatly open.
I never did see how the boys in the other patrol opened their cans
—and they refused to tell, saying their secret would come in handy
the next time we tried the activity— but they managed to win the
contest by several minutes.

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When the competition was over, the cans were all dumped into a
single pot and stirred together over a snapping fire. The resulting
conglomeration was ghastly to look at (I won't even attempt to
describe it!), but it tasted great! More than that, the activity took the
work out of making dinner and turned it into a game.
Harris had other ideas for making cooking adventurous. He usually
had each patrol plan and cook its own meals on campouts, but
before anyone sat down to eat, he and his senior patrol leader
judged each patrol's meal. They awarded points for originality,
quality, and tastiness, and they ate with the patrol who prepared the
best food.
Harris explained that the Scouts considered it an honor to have
the Scoutmaster to dinner, but that wasn't the only reason the
competition was successful.
“My senior patrol leader and I always made dessert for the winning
patrol,” he said. “And the losing patrol was expected to clean up after
the entire troop.”
Harris said that the anticipation of cobbler alone was incentive
enough to spur the most unmotivated Scouts into action. Campout
meals immediately improved from hot dogs and tinfoil dinners to
stroganoff and chicken gumbo. After a little experience, most of the
Scouts learned that extravagant, almost exotic meals often required
no more work than tinfoil dinners.
On one campout, a Scout named Darren spent only a few minutes
with his father in a local supermarket, then surprised the whole troop
by transforming a few packages of dry ingredients into beef teriyaki
with noodles.
“No need to tell you which patrol I ate with that night,” Harris said.
Contests have improved the cooking in other troops too. After
several nights of Dutch-oven training, one Scoutmaster planned a
cooking demonstration in the church parking lot. The Scouts divided
themselves into pairs and drew slips of paper for their cooking
assignments. Some drew main courses. Others drew vegetables.
And some drew desserts.
To make things even more interesting, the troop not only invited
the Scouts' parents and bishopric to sample the results but invited

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the ward Beehive class too.
On the night of the exhibition, guests wandered around and
watched the various groups in action. Then, when everything had
been cooked, the meal was placed on picnic tables, and everyone
was invited to dig in. The bishopric was given the chore of naming
the best dish.
Another Scoutmaster encouraged culinary creativity with themed
meals. On one campout, he asked his Scouts to cook something
western. The next time it was Italian. Then Mexican. On Hawaiian
night, his chief chef—a Life Scout named Travis—organized a fun
but simple Hawaiian dinner by wrapping chicken breasts in foil with
pre-cooked rice and pineapple. He placed these in the glowing coals
of the troop campfire for forty-five minutes, and while the chicken
cooked, Travis had the Scouts wrap ears of corn in foil with dabs of
butter. They cooked these for fifteen minutes. The meal was topped
off by instant Hawaiian punch and pineapple pudding.
The meal was no harder to make than tinfoil dinners, but it tasted
much better. It was more creative. And it was a lot more fun.
Now, it would be silly to believe that you could implement any of
these ideas into your own troop program without a little instruction to
the boys. After all, it's a good bet that many of your Scouts have
trouble making peanut-butter sandwiches without a little help.
But if you need to teach basic cooking skills, don't lecture! Instead,
take the Scouts into the parking lot—or into the foothills—and let
them cook! Let them learn firsthand how it's done! Let them
experience the fun! Let them discover for themselves the thrill that
backcountry cooking can be.
One Scoutmaster took his troop to a local park to demonstrate the
differences between freeze-dried and dehydrated foods. Using
borrowed propane stoves to cook over, the boys heated up one
freeze-dried and one dehydrated meal. The freeze-dried meal was
ready to eat five minutes after the water boiled, while the dehydrated
dinner required nearly twenty-five minutes of simmering.
After both meals were ready, the Scoutmaster had a few
questions.
“Which meal cooked fastest?”
Everyone answered together. “Freeze-dried!”

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“Right. So, on a backpacking trip where you're cooking over
stoves and you have to carry all of your fuel, which meal would be
better? “
“Freeze-dried!”
“Right again. But freeze-dried food is a lot more expensive than
dehydrated food. So if you're cooking over a wood fire and don't
need to buy or carry your fuel, which meal do you suppose would be
better? “
“Dehydrated!”
The boys not only learned firsthand how to cook the stuff, but they
learned valuable information too.
Matt Dixon, a Scoutmaster I met at summer camp, sparked his
troop's imagination when he showed them all the things they could
do with a Boy Scout mess kit.
“Almost everyone has an official Boy Scout mess kit,” he told me.
“The boys get them on their birthdays, and they get them for
Christmas. But I've only known a handful of Scouts who really knew
how to use them.”
So, taking his troop to a nearby park, Dixon opened up a mess kit
and laid out all the parts. He had a quart-sized pot with a lid, a
combination measuring drinking cup, and two frying pans that
doubled as plates. The boys then spent the next hour or so
experimenting with all the different things they could do with them.
Cooking over a couple of backpacking stoves, they fried, baked,
boiled, simmered, mixed, and finally washed their dishes … all with
nothing more than the equipment contained in their mess kits.
“Now,” he said after he'd finished. “We're going to meet here again
next week. And I'll give prizes to the Scouts who cook the tastiest,
most creative dishes with nothing but their mess kits.”
The next week, most of the boys cooked up desserts of one kind
or another. But the winning chef was a Scout who used his cook pot
as a Dutch oven—placing charcoal briquettes above and below—
and cooked a pizza in it.
No chapter on Boy Scout cooking would ever be complete without
a few words about primitive or utensil-less cooking—especially if
you're like the hundreds of Scouters who hate a lot of messy
preparation and cleanup!

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Primitive cooking is a fantastic way to interject adventure into a
backcountry dinner. It's different enough that most Scouts enjoy it.
And the nice thing is that entire meals—including soups, drinks, main
courses, and desserts—can be made without using a single utensil.
During a Boy Leader Training Course (called “Tim-berline” in my
council), an assistant Scoutmaster named Jameson conducted one
of the most fascinating primitive cooking demonstrations I have ever
witnessed. He took the Scouts deep into the woods to a primitive
campsite he had constructed to resemble something out of The
Swiss Family Robinson. Near the trees, he had a chair made out of
rope. In the clearing, he had a sundial made out of short sticks. And
near his fireplace, he had a table and benches made out of logs.
After taking the Scouts on a quick tour of his campsite, Jameson
began cooking his primitive dinner. He slapped hamburger patties
onto flat rocks near the fire, tossed pork chops directly onto the bed
of glowing coals, boiled soup in a paper cup, cooked bacon in a
paper bag, fried an egg on a stick, and baked a cake in an orange
peel.
Later on, back in camp, the Scouts were given the same foods
Jameson had used in his demonstration but no utensils. But that
didn't matter. Jameson had taught his lesson well enough that the
hungry Scouts were all anxious to give it a try.
On a campout in the red rock country of Southern Utah, a
Scoutmaster named Nick Anderson made primitive cooking
adventurous by organizing a “caveman” dinner.
His Scouts all wrinkled their noses when they heard about it.
“What's a 'caveman' dinner?” someone asked.
“Just an ordinary meal,” Anderson said. “Except that you have to
make all of your own utensils.”
The Scouts were instantly enthusiastic. They quickly set about
carving their own forks, spoons, plates, and bowls. One Scout
whittled a fork large enough to pitch hay, and another carved an

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elegant piece that had a fork on one end and a spoon on the other.
The troop's favorite, though, was a bowl that looked wonderful but
leaked all over its owner's lap, delighting everyone.
During another Timberline course, Scoutmaster Rick Harward put
fun into breakfast one morning with a treasure hunt. He gave each
patrol a card with directions to “check beneath the camp flagpole,” or
“look behind your patrol leader's tent,” and so on. In each spot, he
had placed an ingredient or utensil necessary for cooking French
toast.
Within minutes, Scouts were dashing around the camp, collecting
materials. And the first patrol to actually finish their breakfast was
given bowls of strawberries for dessert.
I've always liked pancakes on campouts because there are so
many fun things you can do with them. One Scoutmaster—giving his
Scouts a couple of days' notice before the campout and assigning
them to cook in pairs—gave awards to the boys who cooked their
pancakes with the most original filling. One pair used fresh
strawberries. Another used bananas and a third pair used peaches.
One team even used peanut butter and ice cream.
The Scoutmaster ensured good cooking by awarding extra points
for taste, appearance, and quality.
The nice thing about activities like these is that they make cooking
fun and adventurous. Instead of being a chore that no one wants to
volunteer for, cooking suddenly becomes a game that everyone
wants to join in.
Moreover, games help to stir the boys' imaginations. They improve
the Scouts' skill and confidence around the kitchen.
Cooking is one of the most practical skills many boys ever learn in
Scouting. It's one of the few skills they can put into use every day.
And if you can teach your Scouts the simple skills they need to
prepare a good meal, you will have truly done them a valuable
service.
So make cooking a vital part of your troop program. Encourage
creativity and originality, and give the boys the opportunity to
experiment. Get ready to have fun … and probably gain a few
pounds along the way!

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N
athan Brooks, the thirteen-year-old senior patrol leader, grinned
mischievously. Standing in front of the troop, he held a clipboard,
preparing to conduct uniform inspection. His grin widened a fraction.
The interesting thing was that everyone else was grinning too. The
Scouts all knew that Nathan was about to inspect their uniforms, but
in this troop, uniform inspection was something everyone looked
forward to.
Nathan, meanwhile, was drawing out the suspense, hoping to
make things as dramatic as possible. He hummed and hawed over
trivial business until he knew the troop couldn't stand it anymore,
then finally cleared his throat.
“All right, you all look sharp tonight,” he said, looking everyone up
and down. “So let's get down to business.”
He reached into an envelope, drew out a slip of paper, and grinned
again.
“Tonight we're going to award patrol points”—he paused to
heighten the effect—”to everyone … wearing … Scout socks!”
The Scouts immediately began checking one another's legs.
Almost everyone was wearing Scout shorts that night, and most of
the boys were wearing official Scout socks. Two boys, though, were

--- PAGE 24 ---
wearing white athletic socks, and one Scout wasn't wearing any
socks at all.
“I knew it was going to be socks!” the last Scout wailed. “I couldn't
find mine tonight!”
Nathan took a few minutes to count and record the results of his
inspection on his clipboard.
“Okay,” he said finally. “The Frogs have four guys with official
socks, and the Seals have three. The Frogs win the spirit stick for
the week.”
The Frogs cheered and took possession of an old broomstick
decorated to look like an Indian spear. They looked as excited as
boys who had just won the Little League World Series.
“Winning that old stick is a mark of honor in my troop,” said Roy
Harris, the troop Scoutmaster. “And it all revolves around Nathan's
inspections.”
Harris said that uniform inspection was one of the most popular
elements of his weekly troop meetings, and he explained how it
worked.
“Every night, Nathan selects one part of the Scout uniform and
gives points for every Scout who is wearing it correctly. The winning
patrol wins the spirit stick for the week, and as soon as a patrol wins
it a total of six times, they earn a movie night.”
Harris explained that what made Nathan's inspections so
successful was that no one ever knew exactly what part of the
uniform he was going to choose. One night it was neckerchiefs.
Another time it was patrol patches. Other times it's been belts,
epaulets, troop numerals, or hats. And—because this was a by-the-
book troop—he once even gave points to every Scout who had a
quarter for emergency phone calls in his pocket.
“One night he even checked for official buttons on everyone's
shirts,” Harris said.
Wearing a uniform was such fun in Harris's troop that Scouts not
only wore them to troop meetings but on hikes and campouts too.
More than that, neither Harris nor his assistants ever had to remind
anyone. They had developed such a keen, productive rivalry

--- PAGE 25 ---
between the troop's patrols that the Scouts wouldn't have dreamed
of attending a troop activity without their uniforms.
Many boys don't like wearing Scout uniforms. They often feel self-
conscious about wearing them in public, and it's often difficult to get
them to wear uniforms to meetings, let alone on hikes and campouts.
And many boys lack the money or motivation to buy uniforms.
But uniforming is one of the eight methods used by the Boy
Scouts of America to promote character, citizenship, and personal
fitness. That's because uniforms not only instill a sense of pride and
belonging within the boys who wear them, but they help to build
troop spirit too. They help you to achieve your goals as Scoutmaster.
Uniforms can also do wonderful things for the pride of the troop
and the self-esteem of the boys. That's because when they are all
clad in identical uniforms, they look sharp. And that sets them apart
from other units. It makes them feel good.
At summer camp one year, I worked with a troop that showed up
to flag ceremony each morning in flawless uniforms. Not only that,
but the boys stood in sharp, straight lines, complete with troop and
patrol flags. And even those boys who had to be goaded into
wearing their uniforms loved the attention they received. The camp
staff oohed and aahed over them. And other troops watched them
enviously through the corners of their eyes.
“We looked so good!” one of the boys told me. “I felt sorry for
those troops that didn't have uniforms.”
There's no question that uniforms can spark magic and excitement
in your troop program. They can be the catalyst that transforms an
ordinary, run-of-the-mill troop into a compelling, spirited unit.
The biggest problem is just getting started.
One troop solved the problem with a bead program. Each Scout
was given a leather cord that he wore looped around his collar.
Then, he was given beads as recognition for participating in hikes,

--- PAGE 26 ---
campouts, and other activities. Different colors of beads represented
different activities.
“The Scouts were constantly trying to earn more beads,”
Scoutmaster Robert Walker explained. “Especially the younger ones.
They saw the older boys with twenty or thirty beads and were
anxious to catch up. So when we had trouble getting the boys out in
uniform, we added that to our program.”
Walker explained that after wearing a complete uniform to four
consecutive meetings, the boys were given a red bead. In addition, a
bronze bead was awarded for wearing the uniform on a hike or
campout.
Scoutmaster Alex Marshall put excitement into uniforming with the
help of Marty, his senior patrol leader, who came to each troop
meeting with one part of his uniform on incorrectly. He sometimes
wore an ordinary belt, for instance, or white socks. Some nights he
placed patches on the wrong pockets or wore his neckerchief inside
out. He gave a candy bar to the first Scout to identify what was
wrong.
Another Scoutmaster had a similar idea. To help his Scouts better
understand proper uniforming, he occasionally dressed up one of the
Scouts as improperly as possible. He sewed patches on the wrong
sleeves, tucked pant legs inside socks, unbuttoned buttons, and so
on. And he often included many subtle mistakes such as skipping
loops with the belt.
Then, during troop meeting, he had “Tommy Tenderfoot” give a
short speech in front of the troop and then leave the room. Each
patrol then tried to identify from memory as many uniform mistakes
as possible. This not only created a fun competition, but it also
generated several interesting discussions.
“Sometimes the boys disagreed over some point, such as whether
a certain patch or badge was being worn correctly,” the leader told
me. “So we'd talk about it for a few minutes and then look it up in the
Scout Handbook.”
Many troops put fun into their uniforms by personalizing them.
Some, for instance, make their own neckerchiefs. This gives the
boys a sense of ownership, makes the neckerchiefs more fun to

--- PAGE 27 ---
wear, and sets the troop apart at camporees and other events where
other troops are present.
Having custom-made patrol patches is a similar idea. When I was
an assistant Scoutmaster, we had a group of Scouts who called
themselves the Frog Patrol. The only problem was that they didn't
like the frog patrol patch offered by the BSA. So with the help of their
mothers, they bought blank patches and sewed their own frogs on.
The patches were so striking that people noticed them everywhere
they went. And the boys loved it. People were constantly asking
where they'd gotten their patches. That attention alone was enough
motivation that the boys were certain to wear their uniforms
everywhere they went.
Many troops identify themselves with distinctive “Class B”
uniforms, which generally consist of custom-made T-shirts worn over
official Scout shorts or pants. Modern silk-screening techniques
allow troops to inexpensively design and create their own T-shirts,
which the boys are likely to wear even when they're not involved in
Scout activities.
(While you're being creative, remember to stay within official
guidelines. One time a group of volunteers inappropriately voted to
make Scout shirts and blue jeans the official uniform of their entire
district.)
One troop managed to get all the boys in uniform but then had
trouble getting them excited about wearing neckerchiefs. So once a
month, as part of their opening ceremony, they began giving awards
for the most original neckerchief slides. (It's funny, but many Scouts
who don't like neckerchiefs do like the slides!)
At any rate, neckerchiefs ceased being a problem. Scouts soon
wore them every week. Not only that, but they also wore them with
the most outlandish slides ever created. Some boys wore slides they
made with plaster or carved out of wood. (One Scout carved an
intricate pair of hiking boots, then cut a notch into them every time he
went on a hike.) It made the whole experience more fun.
Once uniforms become a tradition in your troop, the hard part is
over. New Scouts coming into the troop will want to look like their

--- PAGE 28 ---
older friends. But establishing that tradition continues to be one of
the toughest things in any troop.
One Scoutmaster, on his first night with a new troop, showed up to
Scout meeting dressed in full uniform. He had enough patches,
beads, and badges that he looked like an admiral with seventy years'
experience.
His Scouts—most of them dressed in T-shirts and blue jeans—
looked at him in awe. He noticed their wonder and said, “I will never
tell you that you have to wear your uniforms. But if you really want to
look sharp, if you really want to have fun in Scouting, you'll start
wearing them.”
And it worked. Little by little—and one by one—the boys began
showing up in uniform.
If you want the magic of uniforms sparking life into your troop, be
sure that you set the proper example. Make certain that you have a
full uniform with all of the correct insignia. Moreover, make sure that
your assistants are similarly prepared.
Next, work on your senior patrol leader. After all, he's the one the
boys should be following. Get him on board, and half the battle will
be over. Then go to work on your patrol leaders. With this core of
adult and boy leaders coming to meetings in uniform, it will be
difficult for the rest of the troop not to follow suit.
It also helps to start a “storehouse” of used uniform parts. When a
Scout grows out of a shirt or pair of pants— or when he leaves the
troop—ask him to donate his used uniform to the troop. These
“experienced” uniforms can then be given to Scouts who may not be
able to afford one. (Some troops even buy uniforms from graduating
Scouts, selling them to younger boys at reduced prices.)
By wearing their uniforms, your Scouts will feel a healthy sense of
belonging. And that's good for them. They'll feel pride that many of
them can't get anywhere else. They'll develop a better self-image. In
addition, they'll be constantly reminded of the principles they stand
for as Boy Scouts.
Uniforms themselves will not automatically turn your boys into
fantastic Scouts. But once you establish a tradition of uniforming in
your troop, you'll find the Scouts more eager to attend meetings.

--- PAGE 29 ---
They'll feel more purpose and spirit as a team. They'll feel better
about themselves.
And all those things together add up to one thing: fun!

--- PAGE 30 ---
C
ade Wilson speared a hotdog with a green willow branch. “So let
me get this straight,” he said, furrowing his brow like a
mathematician fretting over a knotty equation. “You get your
paycheck, but you don't get all of the money?”
“Not all of it, no,” Scoutmaster Will Wright said. “Your employer will
automatically deduct state and federal taxes—”
“No way! ”
“—not to mention Social Security, retirement, union dues, possibly
—”
“You're kidding!” a boy named Ben said, talking through a mouthful
of roasted hotdog. “How much does that all come to?”
“Well, it differs from person to person,” Wright said casually. “But in
my case, it usually comes to about thirty percent.”
“Thirty percent?! I don't believe it!”
“Believe it. For every hundred dollars I earn, I only get about—”
“Seventy?”
Wright nodded again. “About that.”
Cade shook his head. “But that's not fair! It's your money!”
“Well, yes … but without taxes, how do you think the government
could pay for highways? Or policemen? Or firemen?”

--- PAGE 31 ---
The Scouts were all quiet as they pondered Wright's question.
They'd all heard about taxes in general terms before, but until now—
as they roasted hotdogs in the glow of a bright, snapping campfire—
taxes had never been anything more than a remote, obscure
concept that might or might not someday actually affect them.
The troop was working on the Citizenship in the World Merit
Badge. Scoutmaster Wright had wanted to lead a discussion on the
rights and duties of citizens and had begun a discussion on taxes,
knowing that it would generate a lively debate.
But wanting to avoid a classroom-like atmosphere, he also
decided to conduct the meeting in the local foothills, around a
campfire, as the boys roasted hotdogs.
And it worked. The wilderness setting diminished the school-like
atmosphere the meeting normally would have had. And by the time
they returned home, the boys felt that they'd had an adventure rather
than a lesson on citizenship.
The problem with Scout meetings is that they have to compete
with so many other activities. Little League, for instance, as well as
soccer, football, and lacrosse. And that's on top of all the school
plays, band concerts, parties, movies, family outings, and other
activities that young men are expected to take part in. So unless you
have an exciting, compelling program working for you, attending a
troop meeting is likely to be low on your Scouts' priority list.
Moreover, when troop meetings become mundane, routine, and
(shudder) predictable, many boys don't think twice about missing
them since they can tell you minute-by-minute what's likely to be
happening anyway.
The good news is that it's not hard to run an exciting troop
meeting. As a matter of fact, you can develop a program that's
consistently fun and exciting just by implementing three ingredients:
action, variety, and purpose.
How do you do that?
Let's take a look.
ACTION
If you want your Scouts coming out week after week, don't plan on
having them sit and listen to talks and lectures. They get enough of

--- PAGE 32 ---
that at school. And the only reason many boys are in Scouts anyway
is that it's supposed to be fun.
This doesn't mean that you can't ever have a sit-in-a-circle, take-
notes-while-I-write-on-the-blackboard-kind-of lesson. After all, you've
got to plan the next campout sometime. But if that's all the boys
come to expect—if that's all they have to look forward to week after
week—they'll go back to playing baseball.
So sandwich your sit-down, please-be-quiet-and-pay-attention-
while-I-talk lessons between get-up-and-go-andmake-all-the-noise-
you-want activities.
One of the best, most versatile ideas I ever saw for putting action
into a troop meeting was a game called Get Out of That. I've seen a
couple of troops use it, and it's never failed to inject action and
excitement into a meeting while giving the boys the chance to learn
or practice good, old-fashioned Scouting skills at the same time.
The game is simple. Divide the troop into patrols, which rotate
through the parking lot (or through the Scout room, depending upon
the nature of your challenges) to different stations.
Each station then presents some challenge that the patrol has
fifteen minutes to solve.
One time, for example, a patrol leader named Scott placed a rope
in a corner of the church parking lot so that it made an eight-foot
circle. In the center he placed a candle. And to the side he had
several poles, various lengths of rope, and a handful of matches.
“This is a nuclear reactor, and the pilot light's gone out,” he said,
pointing to the candle when the first patrol approached. “You need to
light it as fast as you can without stepping inside the circle. And”—he
pointed to the ropes and poles—”this is all you have to do it with.
Now get out of that!”
After a quick discussion, the Scouts lashed sticks together until
they had a single pole long enough to extend a burning match to the
candle.
Scott jotted their time on a scorecard as the boys dashed off to the
next station.

--- PAGE 33 ---
The nice thing about Get Out of That is that it's so versatile. You
can dream up challenges to cover first aid, knots, cooking, or any
skill you might want to review. It allows boys opportunities to think, to
be creative, and to come up with innovative solutions to problems.
And it helps the boys learn to work together, which develops
teamwork.
More to the point, the game is fun because it involves action. And
the more lively your troop meetings are, the more fun they'll be, and
the more success you'll have with them.
I once watched a troop practicing first aid. Small groups of Scouts
sat in different corners of the room, the boys taking turns playing the
part of the patient.
The Scoutmaster, meanwhile, stood in the center of the room,
reading the signs and symptoms of different medical emergencies
and watching as each group treated its “patient.”
The Scoutmaster and his assistants supervised the action, giving
each patrol points according to the quality of their work, then offering
feedback and suggestions before going on to the next situation.
What made the activity so compelling was that the boys were all
involved—either as patients or rescuers. And rather than lecture the
boys on first aid, the Scoutmaster found ways to make his lesson
come to life.
You can do the same thing.
VARIETY
If every football game ended the same way, you'd soon grow tired of
watching. You wouldn't need to watch because you'd already know
what was going to happen.
But athletic events are exciting because you never know what's
going to happen next. Everyone knows the team will try to move the
ball, but no one knows exactly how it's going to happen.
And that's the way your troop meetings should be. It's okay if the
Scouts know they're going to be working on the Nature Merit Badge
Wednesday night, but you should be unpredictable enough that they
don't know exactly how they're going to go about it.
A couple of years ago, I was invited to watch a troop that was
working on first aid and emergency preparedness. A couple of days

--- PAGE 34 ---
before the meeting, each Scout received a note in the mail that
simply read, “Bloody Wednesday's coming … be sure you come to
Scout meeting!”
A day or two later, bits of cardboard cut into the shape of sabers
were delivered to each Scout. On these was an invitation: “Want to
see a real cut up? Come to Scout meeting Wednesday night!”
By the night of the meeting, everyone's anticipation level was so
high that Scouts wouldn't have dreamed of skipping out. And they
weren't disappointed. The Scoutmaster had planned exciting
activities that involved both first aid and preparedness skills. And to
cap things off—and to meet a merit badge requirement—the boys
finished the meeting by taking turns lowering one another off the roof
of the church.
But that's not all. Inside the Scout room were signs and posters
designed to spark interest in the next week's meeting. One said, “If
you think things were hot tonight, you won't believe what's going to
happen next week!” Another read: “What do broken bones and Jell-
O have in common? Be here next week to find out!”
The posters not only generated interest, but they raised the boys'
anticipation level. They aroused everyone's curiosity, and that alone
was enough to have the boys counting the minutes to the next
meeting.
While we're talking about variety, remember that you don't have to
meet the same night and in the same place week after week. Sure,
it's easier to remember if you do, but if you have a good phone-
calling system, you can get the word out if you ever need to make a
change.
So meet outside once in a while! Even if you're simply planning a
campout or learning about citizenship, try holding your meeting in a
park, up the canyon, or in someone's backyard. (One troop I used to
work with met outside all summer long, so when we needed a
change of pace we went inside!)
Another troop I was part of only met as a troop on the first and
third Wednesdays of the month. On the second and fourth
Wednesdays, the Scouts met as patrols under the supervision of

--- PAGE 35 ---
assistant Scoutmasters. And whenever the month had a fifth
Wednesday, the troop met for games or movie parties.
This simple formula was successful for a couple of reasons. First,
alternating troop and patrol nights created a healthy diversity. The
troop was able to accomplish its objectives while the boys—who
organized and conducted their individual patrol meetings—were able
to keep their own projects and programs rolling along as well.
And the movie parties, which occurred two or three times a year,
provided a healthy change of pace, as well as something more to
look forward to.
There are other things you should consider too. The
Scoutmaster's Handbook, for instance, suggests that you have an
activity—as opposed to a meeting—once a week. This means that if
you have a campout or hike one weekend, you shouldn't feel
obligated to have a regular troop meeting too. (Giving the Scouts a
night off once in a while creates variety too!)
Finally, if you find a good, fun activity that the boys enjoy, be
careful not to wear it out. Even the most exciting games can become
old after awhile, so don't overuse your best ones. Find new and
different ways to keep things lively.
PURPOSE
Unless your meetings have specific goals and objectives, your
Scouts really have no reason to attend. And even twelve- and
thirteen-year-olds are perceptive enough to know when their time is
being wasted. So by the time they leave troop meeting, every Scout
should believe that he's become more skilled, more knowledgeable,
or more prepared in some aspect of his life.
When you begin planning any meeting, the first thing you should
do is decide exactly what you want to accomplish. This objective
should be real and concrete. You might decide, for instance, that
every Scout will pass off requirements five and six of a particular
merit badge, or that they will tie the bowline and the timber hitch.
Then, once you know exactly what you need to accomplish, you can
begin designing activities to get you there.
If your Scouts truly believe that your meetings are helpful, they'll
not only be more willing to come, they'll actually be eager for more.

--- PAGE 36 ---
They'll realize that Scout meetings are not just another draw on their
time. So let them see and chart their own progress.
When my troop signed up for rifle shooting at Thunder Ridge
Scout Camp, the instructor put the boys on the rifle range the first
day of class and had them shoot a couple of targets. He kept these,
and then on the last day of class, he had everyone shoot again.
Then he took both targets, stapled them together, and handed them
back to the Scouts.
The results were amazing. Targets from the first day displayed
random groups and scattered shots. Targets from the last day had
tight, accurate groups and good scores. Whether they actually
earned that difficult merit badge or not, every boy had concrete
evidence that he had improved his marksmanship.
Another Scoutmaster—before his troop began working on
personal fitness—had each Scout record his best number of push-
ups, sit-ups, and so on. Then, after each Scout had completed the
training and conditioning required by the merit badge, they checked
again. Without exception, every Scout had increased his strength,
speed, and agility. Each boy had tangible proof that he had improved
himself. And even boys who were already accomplished athletes
were convinced that troop meetings had helped them to become
even stronger and faster.
Don't ever waste your boys' time. Make sure that every time they
meet with you they go home better and richer for the experience.
And give them chances to measure their progress. If they believe
that they're succeeding, they'll not only develop a better self image,
but they'll also be coming back for more.
Troop meetings are where you'll spend most of your time with your
Scouts. So make them fun and interesting. Find ways to fill your
meetings with action and excitement. Fill them with enough variety to
keep them fresh and lively. And make certain that every meeting
fulfills some purpose and sends the boys away better for having
been there.
Your Scouts will not only have more fun, but you'll be surprised at
how much fun you'll be having too.

--- PAGE 38 ---
T
odd Rainer pulled a face as he read the card.
“Go directly to jail,” he read. “Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.”
The thirteen-year-old Scout mumbled something regrettable
beneath his breath, then took the small racecar that marked his spot
on the game board and placed it in jail.
“This is my second time!” he complained. “I'm like a jail magnet …
I never get a break!”
Marty Gates laughed as he rolled the dice. “Five,” he said,
counting out spaces on the game board with his thimble. “Reading
Railroad… . Yes! I'll buy it!”
He quickly shelled out the money to the Scout who was acting as
game banker.
In other corners of the Scout room, other boys were also playing
the popular board game. Cheers and jeers alternated with moans
and groans as the games progressed.
After about twenty minutes of play, Scoutmaster Steve Marshall
walked to the middle of the room and cleared his throat.
“I need everyone to listen for a minute,” he said. “We're going to
change a few rules before we continue. First of all, how many of you
own railroads or utilities?”
He looked around as four or five Scouts raised their hands. He
nodded.

--- PAGE 39 ---
“Okay,” he said. “You boys need to sell those properties back to
the bank. The bankers will give you $200 apiece for them. And from
now on, the bank owns all railroads and utilities … no one can buy
them, and rent to the bank is whatever you're normally required to
pay.”
He held up a restraining hand as shouts of protest filled the room.
“I'm sorry,” he said, though he really didn't sound sorry at all. “But
those are the rules. And”—he looked directly at a Scout who was
particularly vocal—”I don't want to hear any more whining about it.”
He waited until the moaning had died to a few murmurs before
continuing.
“And here's another rule,” he said. “No matter what it says on the
card, rent on all personal properties is $200. And whenever you
collect rent from another player, you must give half of it to the bank.”
He paused as another chorus of protests filled the room. One
Scout had even leaped to his feet.
“Does that include Boardwalk and Park Place?” he asked. “I've got
hotels on them!”
Marshall nodded. “It includes everything. Now, I'll give you another
fifteen or twenty minutes to play.”
The boys returned to their games, but with considerably less
enthusiasm than before. They played mechanically until Marshall
finally directed them to stop. Then, after the games had been put
away, the Scoutmaster began a discussion.
“How many of you enjoyed my new rules tonight?” he asked.
No one responded.
Marshall smiled. “I didn't think you would. But in a very basic way,
that's the way life would be if you lived in some other countries. The
state often owns all of the utilities and takes a good share of
whatever profits you earn in business. It controls prices. It reduces
your control over your own property.”
Though the boys weren't initially excited by the prospect of a
lecture, they were all listening. Marshall had captured their attention
and piqued their interest. More important, he had discovered a way
to help them understand the points he was making.
Marshall wasn't trying to impugn foreign governments that night.
He wasn't promoting democracy. Instead, he was helping his troop to

--- PAGE 40 ---
understand some of the differences between constitutional and non-
constitutional forms of government so they could pass off
Requirement Number Five of the Citizenship in the World Merit
Badge.
The Boy Scout merit badge program was designed to lead boys
through a series of learning experiences that promote citizenship,
character, and personal fitness. It encourages them to sharpen their
skills in things they like to do, and it challenges them to expand their
horizons by exploring new activities. It gives Scouts opportunities to
measure their accomplishments and to be rewarded for their efforts.
And because they are required for advancement, merit badges are
an essential part of every boy's progress in Scouting.
Unfortunately, merit badge work can often become dull and
tedious. Worse than that, because some badges require reports,
research, and other sorts of paper work, working on them often isn't
much different from being in school. So when you can find ways to
inject a little life into merit badge work, you'll not only be making
Scouting more fun, but you'll be making your own troop meetings
more exciting too. And you'll be doing a great service to your boys.
Let's look at a few ways to do that.
ELIMINATE THE CLASSROOM ATMOSPHERE
During the fall and winter months, teenage boys spend about six
hours a day—five days a week—in school. And after they get home,
they might have another hour or two of homework. So by the time
they get to a troop meeting, sitting quietly in a chair and listening to a
lecture will seem about as appealing as a trip to a drill-happy dentist.
The boys want action. They want fun! They want excitement.
So if you want to enhance your merit badge program, your first
challenge is to put away the chairs and the chalkboard and put as
much life and energy into your lessons as possible. You need to
convince the boys that they're not in school.
When Scoutmaster Allen Hillman's troop was earning the
Backpacking Merit Badge, he wanted to emphasize the importance
of loading backpacks in a neat and orderly manner. And he wanted
his Scouts to understand the importance of packing certain items

--- PAGE 41 ---
such as first-aid kits, ponchos, matches, and water bottles where
they could be retrieved in a hurry.
He knew that he could have explained all of this in troop meeting.
But he wanted a more effective way to drive the point home.
So Hillman had the boys load their packs—tents, sleeping bags,
and all—and took them on a hike through the neighborhood. After
ten or fifteen minutes, he called for a short break.
“I think I'm getting a blister,” he said. “I'll give a bag of raisins to the
first Scout to give me a bandage.”
Gear flew as Scouts dug into their packs. Then, a minute or so
later—after he'd received a bandage and given away a bag of raisins
—he said: “You never know when you're going to get a blister or
some other injury while you're out hiking. So it's a good idea to keep
your first-aid supplies where you can get them without a lot of fuss.”
Another block or two down the road, he stopped again, saying,
“I've got a bag of raisins for the first Scout to hand me his poncho.”
The next instant everyone was again digging frantically through
their packs. After Hillman had rewarded the winning Scout, he said,
“You know, if it suddenly started raining in the middle of hike, you
wouldn't want to waste a lot of time looking for your rain gear. So it's
a good idea to keep it close, too. Now, what other items do you think
you ought to keep handy?”
“Matches!” someone said.
Hillman nodded. “Matches, good,” he said. “I've got a bag of
raisins for the first Scout to hand me his matches.”
Hillman didn't teach the boys anything that he couldn't have taught
them back in the Scout room. But because he conducted his lesson
out on the road, he made it more compelling and meaningful. He
brought the concept to life.
But Hillman wasn't finished. When the boys reached the halfway
point, he told everyone to stop and remove their packs.
“Who's tired?” he asked.
Several hands went up.
“Did you know that the way you pack your gear can actually make
it easier to carry? Did you know there are tricks for making your pack
feel lighter? ” He looked at each of the boys. “Would you like me to
show you? ”

--- PAGE 42 ---
Did they ever!
Hillman then demonstrated how to raise a backpack's center of
gravity by packing tents and other heavy gear on top. He showed the
boys how to place hard items toward the outside of the bag where
they wouldn't dig into the hiker's back, as well as other important
tips. The boys spent several minutes repacking their gear before
hiking back to the church, many of them exclaiming that their packs
did feel better! And that they were easier to carry!
Again, Hillman didn't do anything that he couldn't have done back
in the Scout room. But by waiting until the boys saw a need for his
lesson, he made his instructions more effective.
There are many lessons that you can teach effectively on the
chalkboard back in the Scout room. And there are probably some
that you wouldn't want to teach any other way. But any time you can
eliminate a school-like atmosphere, you'll not only be adding variety
to your Scouts' experience, but you'll be making your lessons more
interesting too.
GO BEYOND THE REQUIREMENTS
When a Scout is being tested by a qualified merit badge counselor,
he must be tested exactly as the requirements specify. He cannot be
asked to do any more or any less than required by the official merit
badge pamphlet.
But while you're teaching a particular skill or concept— while
you're preparing your Scouts to pass off the require-ments—you are
free to embellish all you want.
When my troop went to Thunder Ridge Boy Scout Camp, most of
the boys signed up for rifle shooting, which turned out to be one of
the most interesting classes of the week. The reason was that the
instructor knew his subject so well that he went far beyond the nuts
and bolts of the merit badge, keeping the boys spellbound with facts
and anecdotes that kept the boys glued to their seats. At the end of

--- PAGE 43 ---
each session, he practically had to shoo all the boys away to their
next classes.
Richard Marks, a Scoutmaster I met at summer camp, once
helped his troop earn the Swimming Merit Badge at a neighborhood
pool. One requirement called for each Scout to swim fifty yards using
inflated clothing for support. But Marks went a step further and
organized a game of water polo with each boy inflating his pants and
using them to float on as they played.
The activity not only built the boys' confidence in this life-saving
technique, but it gave them considerable practice at it. Besides that,
the boys had a lot of fun.
And when his troop was earning Lifesaving, Marks noticed that
Scouts were required to demonstrate their ability to tow a tired
swimmer.
“I saw that and knew we had to make a game of it,” he said. “So
we put together an obstacle course in the swimming pool and ran
relays.”
Besides turning lifesaving into an exciting adventure, Marks taught
his boys skills in a way they weren't likely to forget.
Merit badge requirements are designed so that Scouts can
demonstrate the proficiency of their skills. But they are not
comprehensive. By teaching beyond the requirements, you can get
beyond the nitty-gritty nuts and bolts of the coursework and explore
the excitement. You can help your Scouts to become even more
proficient than the badge requires.
And you can make it a lot of fun in the process.
TEACH YOUR SCOUTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
SKILLS THEY'RE LEARNING
Most Scouts have little interest in skills that they see no reason for.
But if they truly believe that a certain skill might one day come in
handy, they'll be more eager to become even better at it.
To earn the Lifesaving Merit Badge, Scouts are required to show
that they can remove their street clothes on shore in less than twenty
seconds. And though most Scouts wear their swimming suits

--- PAGE 44 ---
beneath their clothes as they do this, many of them nevertheless feel
silly doing it.
“The boys think it's a silly requirement,” said Ryan Dixon, a long-
time aquatics director. “And a lot of kids don't think it's important. The
problem is that when someone's really in trouble, many people jump
into the water fully clothed when they go to help. They don't
understand how dangerous that can be.”
So to drive the point home, Dixon has his lifesaving classes swim
relays fully clothed. “We swim laps, retrieve objects from underwater,
and have races wearing normal street clothes,” he said. “Then we
put on our swimming suits and do it all again. The boys learn
firsthand how difficult— and dangerous—it is to attempt a rescue
fully clothed.”
When I was the program director at Camp Maple Dell, we were
required to conduct an emergency fire drill every week. That always
annoyed me because the drills cut into our time and interrupted the
flow of our camp program.
But one week, just before dinner, we spotted black smoke
billowing above the trees up the canyon. There was a fire, and it was
headed our way.
It turned out the fire wasn't serious, and it wasn't long before the
Forest Service had it under control. But in those first, anxious
moments, I was overwhelmed with gratitude that we had an
evacuation plan and that we had practiced it. And I never again
complained or hesitated when it came time to schedule a drill.
Your boys will be the same way. When they know why certain
things have to be done, when they know why certain skills and tasks
are required, they'll be more patient about doing them.
A Scoutmaster named Derek Wiscombe told me how an unusually
strong windstorm once wreaked havoc in his neighborhood. It
knocked down trees and power lines and caused thousands of
dollars of damage to people's homes. Power was expected to be off
for at least one day, and possibly two or three more.
“People were panicking,” Wiscombe told me, “because many of
them simply weren't prepared. So we began working on Emergency
Preparedness that very week, beginning with the requirement to

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create personal emergency packs. Many of the boys had been
without power that week— some of them for a whole day or two—
and they understood. They knew why it was important and they were
even more anxious than usual to participate.”
PROVIDE INSTANT RECOGNITION
When a boy has successfully completed all of the requirements for a
merit badge, he should receive it at the very next meeting. You can
present it in a small ceremony at the beginning or close of the
meeting, but be sure to do it. This is the method described in the
Scoutmaster's Handbook, and it is more effective than making a boy
wait several weeks until the next court of honor.
Besides that—since he may be the only Scout receiving a badge
that particular night—it may give him the chance to stand in the
spotlight all by himself for a few moments. That alone is often
motivation enough to have him out working hard on the next one.
Then, at the next court of honor, you can recognize him again by
mentioning all of the badges he has earned since the last ceremony.
Advancement is one of the key methods of achieving citizenship,
character, and personal fitness in the Boy Scout program. And
because merit badges are such a crucial part of that, they are vital to
your boys' progress within the Boy Scout program.
So make merit badges exciting to work on. Make them fun to earn.
And your boys will not only be having fun in Scouting, but you'll be
having the time of your life too.

--- PAGE 47 ---
F
ourteen-year-old Javin Carter burst into the Scout room with a
look of horror on his face.
“Quick!” he shouted. “Sam's burned himself in the kitchen! You've
got to come quick!”
In an instant, the entire troop was thundering toward the kitchen.
Sam, one of the troop's patrol leaders, was lying on the floor writhing
in pain.
“Help me!” he screamed. “Please help me! It hurts!”
The Scouts gasped as Sam squirmed on the floor. The boy's shirt
had been badly scorched and the flesh was peeling away from third-
degree burns on his arm.
A Scout named Aaron was the first to respond.
“Jordan!” he yelled to a nearby Scout as he knelt beside his
injured friend. “We need bandages! Lots of them!”
“And a sheet,” a boy named Steve yelled, kneeling opposite
Aaron. “Hurry! ”
Robert Janke, the troop Scoutmaster, stood out of the way as the
boys treated the injured Scout. After all, as terrible as Sam looked,
he wasn't really hurt. Before the meeting, Janke had covered the
boy's arm with a mixture of petroleum jelly and red food dye, dabbing
in a few strips of toilet paper to simulate peeling flesh and sprinkling
on ground-up charcoal to create the appearance of charred skin.

--- PAGE 48 ---
The resulting “burn” looked horrifyingly real.
More than that, it brought life to the troop's first-aid practice.
By the time most boys have been Scouts for a couple of years,
they've tied hundreds of knots, treated dozens of imaginary wounds,
and built countless fires. And while these are important skills that
need to be reviewed and practiced often, they sometimes become so
repetitious and ordinary that many boys begin losing interest in them.
Worse than that, many boys are never actually taught the
importance of Scoutcraft. They never learn the practical value of the
skills they spend so much time learning and passing off. They learn
how to tie the timber hitch, for instance, but they never learn why
they'd ever need to. (Think quick … when do you need a timber
hitch? When do you use a sheet bend? Don't know? If your Scouts
don't know, there's no way they can ever possibly put their skills to
use.)
The challenge, then, is to teach Scoutcraft in a way that makes it
fun and exciting, making certain the boys know how to apply the
skills once they've mastered them.
I used to work at Boy Scout Camp Maple Dell with an eighteen-
year-old boy named Tucker. He was the camp nature director and
one of the most creative Scouters I've ever known. He could take the
most ordinary lesson and turn it into a remarkable adventure. Scouts
who had already earned Nature and Environmental Science often
signed up for those classes anyway because Tucker made them so
much fun.
Each Friday afternoon, for instance, Maple Dell conducted camp-
wide Scoutcraft competitions, and one week Tucker was assigned
the knot-tying relays.
He was aghast.
“Knot tying?” he protested. “Why do we have to have knot tying?”
Jack Brown, the camp program director, spread his hands. “We
always have knot tying.”
“That's my point,” Tucker said. “Scouts tie knots everywhere they
go. They tie them in troop meetings, they tie them for merit badges,

--- PAGE 49 ---
and they tie them on campouts. By the time they come to Scout
camp they're sick of them!”
Jack just shrugged. “Well, then this ought to be a good chance to
find a way to make them fun.”
Tucker opened his mouth to protest further, then stopped. And I
knew him well enough to know what he was thinking—he could find
a way to make them fun.
To make the effect as dramatic as possible, Tucker refused to tell
anyone what he had in mind, but he made certain everyone knew it
was going to be spectacular … and that this week, knot tying would
be conducted at the swimming pool!
I was so curious that wild horses couldn't have kept me away from
the swimming pool that Friday afternoon. And Tucker didn't
disappoint me.
Tucker had the boys tying knots, all right. But he had the Scouts
tying them around poles, tubes, and buoys floating in the middle of
the pool. He had taken a zany idea, thrown in a dash of crazy, stirred
in a little goofiness, and then cranked up the ridiculous. The result
was a relay that had boys clamoring for more, and when the Scouts
listed their favorite activities of the week, most of them ranked knot
tying— knot tying! —right up there with canoe swamping.
If you're going to spend much time as a Scoutmaster, then
Scoutcraft is certain to be an important part of your program. And if
you really want the boys to listen—if you really want them to learn
important Scout skills—you'll need to capture their interest and hold
their attention.
Here are a couple of ideas:
TEACH SKILLS IN WAYS THE BOYS HAVE NEVER SEEN
BEFORE
Every boy has tied knots, for instance, so find ways for them to have
fun while they're doing it. Every boy has built fires, so create new
pyrotechnic challenges for them to conquer.
Ben Jackson, a Scoutmaster I met at Maple Dell, shared with me a
method for combining Scoutcraft skills with bad-weather training.
“We take the troop down to the park and have the boys pitch tents

--- PAGE 50 ---
and build fires,” he told me. “But we spray them with garden hoses
while they do it.”
Jackson said that any Scout who can start a fire in those
conditions certainly has the skill to build one during a mountain
rainstorm. “And how else are they going to learn to pitch a tent in the
rain and keep all of their gear dry while they do it?” he asked.
“Besides, you've never seen boys have more fun… . We invite their
parents come out to watch, and before it's all over we generally end
up having a spectacular water fight.”
Another Scoutmaster, looking for ways to liven up ordinary
compass work, took his troop out at night. A few nights earlier, his
patrol leaders hiked into the local foothills and secured bits of
reflective tape to branches, rocks, and brush, creating a fun,
challenging course. Then the Scouts, using compasses and
flashlights, raced to find their way from one marker to the next,
knowing when they spotted the bits of reflecting tape that they'd
identified the correct course.
Tucker, the boy I introduced earlier in this chapter, used to take
Scouts on a unique nature hike. Most boys, he knew, had been on
ordinary, run-of-the-mill nature hikes before, so he began by
promising that this one would be different. “We're not going to
identify plants and animals like you usually do on nature hikes,” he
said. “Instead, we're going to use our senses. We're going to go out
and taste things… . We're going to go out and smell things, hear
things, see things, and touch things.”
Just that fast, Tucker had the undivided attention of every Scout in
the class. And he lived up to his promise. As the boys followed him
through the forest, they tasted wild strawberries, smelled the
cinnamon-scented bark of Pon-derosa Pines, listened to the wind in
the canyon, examined and discussed the red rocks of the cliffs, and
felt the sharp cutting edges of flint and obsidian pieces.
It was unlike any nature hike the boys had ever experienced.
If you want to bring out the true fun of Scoutcraft, get away from
traditional activities. Find ways to make them different.
FIND WAYS TO MAKE SCOUTCRAFT SKILLS COME TO
LIFE
