Camporee Cancelled

[jamessummerlin]

I guess the lesson of pulling a tick out of you is going to be lost

Honestly, this thread (and others I have read) are bit disturbing to me. Are we losing the scout camping tradition? I know advancement is part of scouting, but only one part. Camping, backpacking is the core of the program. I have never learned more than my during my Philmont trek.

Camporees were always fun for me as a boy. Competition between troops and patrols. Fastest fire from flint/steel, orienteering courses, knots. The last camporee my son went on simply had a civil war reenactment group. Not that I have anything against that, but they boys basically sat and watched stuff.

[wagionvigil]

I think you are on to something. There is no doubt in my mind that there are many parents out there that want the traditional scouting skills removed from the program,Camping,Cooking,Survival SKills,fire building,knots etc. Many know that I over see the climbing program at Laurel Caverns. We have a couple requirements that must be met before a scout arrives there. Age we require a scout be over age 12 as COS regulates belaying, the Knots we have it right on our web site that the scout will be asked to tie the knots, and First AId we ask that the scouts have at least passed 1st Class first aid. Leaders and parents agrue with my staff constantly about this. Our policy is we do not give partials and if the scout cannot tie the knots or we find they lied about their age(yep they sure do encouraged by troop leadership) these youth will not get anything. Parents want something for nothing and this is not just in scouts.I have been at camporees where the boys never touch the food to prepare it. Boys that are doing the Bike Trailm are met along the trail at astop over and all their tents are up and dinner prepared for them. ALways remember there was a short period that camping was not required in scouting. ARe we going back to that time?

[jr56]

I sure hope not. Sure is a lame excuse to cancel a camporee.

[Billiken]

Always remember there was a short period that camping was not required in scouting. Are we going back to theat time?

I sure hope not.

BTW, the Camping MB on my sash has a green perimeter.....
(Was not required for Eagle when I earned it in 1977.)

[WVBeaver05]

I'm with most everyone who has already posted.

That was an excuse, not a reason.

YiS

[scubascout]

you guys are right i bet ya

[jamessummerlin]

An interesting followup. I was talking with my father last night (he is an eagle scout as well, long family history in scouting!). He told me a story, back in his day, of a troop that would arrive in an old bus. Get this, in the bus were fold down bunks on the walls, sort of like the bunks you see on a ship. The scout would fold these down and sleep there! They also had cook gear that folded out of the outside of the bus!

My dad was floored, but even way back then there seemed to be stuff like that going on. My father said everyone realized that form of "camping" was bogus, but you just go on with what you are doing.

So my take away is stuff like this is happening, has happened before, and will happen again. I, along with this forum, will try to keep the traditional scouting ideals alive. Its great to talk with scouters like yourselves about this. I even got a new story out of my dad!