Just curious about Eagles

slagmaker · November 19, 2009, 11:30:12 AM

I posted some stuff about Scouts in the news and it got me wondering.

How many Eagle scouts do we have here on this sight. Especially with the Hundreth aniversary of American Scouting at the BSA's door step.

bigben · November 19, 2009, 11:40:43 AM

I am and eagle scout and was a part of the order of the arrow. I was at philmont scout ranch back in 2000. man was that a trip of a lifetime. really the only place I have ever been that I have seen it rain snow sleet and the sun shine all at once. that was from the top of mt baldy. once I got my eagle I stuck around as a asst scoutmaster and then ultimately became the scoutmaster all at around 22 yrs of age. after that the kids lost interest. the troop got disbanded and that was that. we did survive for at least 5 years without a cub pack to supply us kids. now a days it really isn't the hip thing to do. even when I was going through my cousins used to say they were a waste of time. the one cousin that allays told me this admitted to me recently that he wished his father had taken him to scouts when he was younger because now he has hardly little knowledge of the outdoors and was envious of me for having a father that took me hunting and did outdoor activities with me.

bigben · November 19, 2009, 11:45:40 AM

a much younger me when I was in the order of the arrow dance team. no jokes please.

I was always interested in Indian history and while in the order of the arrow I learned a great deal about the local tribes and those of history. for those that have their sons enrolled in scouts try to get them interested in order of the arrow also. there are many great opportunities for young adults in this program. now you do need to be voted in by your peers to get into the order but it is worth it. I traveled to several area lodges and competed in dance competitions. I was a brotherhood member of Susquehannock lodge XI.

slagmaker · November 19, 2009, 12:26:36 PM

I was in Philmont in 86. I have stood at the top of Mt Baldy as well. Starts to get steeper once you break the tree line. I so want to go back. To hike those trails again would be so cool. And you are so right about the weather. It can change before it even happens.

I went to the National scout jamboree in 85, it was there Diamond Jubilee that year. Was also the year Huricane Bob made land fall right smack dab over the top of 36,000 Boy Scouts. Ever try to keep a tent in place during a Tropical storm. Best shower I had a camp tho.
I went to a NOAC in New Jersy in 83.

I was a Brotherhood member of the Kiondaga Lodge 422. Was Tap Out Ceramonies team member a while. The year we won an award for our Fall Tap Out cerimonies I went to prom. Should have went there instead.

I didnt get a chance to stay in scouts like I wanted to. Family moved to a new area when I turned 18 and I did not like the views of the troop council. "All boys advance at the same time or no one advances". Couldnt get them to change. Then worked the wrong shifts to go to meetings.

bigben · November 19, 2009, 12:32:42 PM

I was at noac also in 2000. I think it was held in Knoxville Tennessee. had a great time there also. a lot of memories from scouts. it was a big part of my life up until 2 years ago. I went from tigers all the way through the ranks. I still remember sitting in the auditorium at the elementary school I was going to asking dad if he wanted to be a leader.

slagmaker · November 20, 2009, 09:01:48 AM

I know in my imediate family there are 4 eagle Scouts. Me and 3 Cousins. My Father was a Scout master way back when and he was an assistant when I was a Scout. I got to lookign around and I am trying to find a troop that needs an extra body in my area. Being unemployed has given me some free time.

bigben · November 20, 2009, 10:25:16 AM

my brother is also a eagle scout. my father was either the pack leader or the scoutmaster all the way through my eagle. he then stepped down right before my brother got his. my father really wanted us to have the opportunity's that he did not have as a kid. he was normally spending his time tearing apart cars or hauling junk cars to recycle centers. I really attribute a lot of my success as a hunter woodsman and a outdoorsmen to my father. he never had anyone to show him how to hunt and learned it the hard knocks way. I was fortunate to have a father that taught me this. I have hardly came across another relative that has had the same opportunity. and for that I thank my father with every chance I can get. it makes me sad to see my father having some issues with walking now and to see a man that only a few short years ago could out hike me be held down.

slagmaker · November 20, 2009, 07:05:13 PM

I have watched the leaders from my youth slowly leave this world for the next. It is a great sadness in my heart whn I see all that knowledge go. I can only hope I have passed on half as much knowledge as I learned form those leaders.

I certenly hope were not the only Eagles on this site.

Silvertip · November 21, 2009, 08:52:38 PM

I'm, also, an Eagle Scout, 1964 and OA Member. I attended the World Jamboree at Valley Forge in 1964 or 1965, don't remember exactly. I've been an Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, and Unit Commissioner. 24 years worth until my last move for work and time wouldn't allow more. My greatest pride, we restarted a defunct troop in a small community in the mountains of SW PA. The boys also thought it was uncool to be a Scout, when we first started. With a great committee and interested parents we made a dent in that attitude, by providing fund raising that profited to troop and the boys, they earned their uniforms, summer camp, and other scouting equipment. We camped every month of the year, wet or dry, rain or snow, we went. The boys found out the the troop was Theirs and not Ours, we were there for guidance and assistance, and they ran the Troop. When enough of the boys reached 15, we went on 2 different canoe trips in Canada. (If your interested the Cleveland Council BSA has the Tinnerman Canoe Base on the Lower French River in Ontario) After I left, my Asst. Scoutmaster took over and the Troop produced 8 Eagles from the 24 Scouts in the Troop. I know our Scouts would laugh when they were called uncool and challenge the mockers to come and try it out, we gained a few Scouts that way.

slagmaker · November 21, 2009, 10:59:13 PM

I would so love to attend a world Jamboree. I had a chance to attend the world event in Australia but I just couldn't swing it. Had a friend that attended and the stories he had were amazing.

I know that when Oakland City troop 240 was in full swing I was on a camp at least every other weekend for 3 years straight. It may not have been with my home troop but in some way I was camping at a Scout activity every chance I got. One thing that taught me... If its warm where you are that doesn't mean it is gonna be warm where your gonna be. Left Princeton IN and it was 80+ when we arrived at our destination "Lake Superior" it was inn the low 50's at night it was even colder. I had forgotten to take into account that the farther north you go the colder it gets in late August. But I wasn't the only one in the contingent that forgot.....LOL

We made 5 eagles during the time I was a Scout and we had around 15-20 active members. Thats less than a eagle a year.

The Buffalo trace council in southern IL/IN has the Baden Powell "Train them, trust them, let them lead" camporee and I can tell you that once they learn that they are the ones that run the troop it brings about an new attitude towards Scouting.

Yeah I can agree with you silvertip, if you can bring a troop back from the dead, that is something to be proud of. Very proud.

msmith · November 22, 2009, 06:59:43 AM

You guys are fortunate. Around here we have Cub Scouts and that's about it. Once kids get to Junior high, they fizzle and den leaders give it up. The highest I ever seen anyone is Webelo. I made it to bear cub, the den leader got transfered (his employment) and no body else picked it up. That was that.

4H and FFA is pretty strong around here though.

Silvertip · November 22, 2009, 03:25:09 PM

A World Jamboree is an unforgettable event. By the time I found out about the one at Valley Forge, our council's troop had already been formed but the Region 4 Band was still looking for members. I tried out an got a seat in the band. The best part of being in the band was we arrived in Valley Forge 2 days before the Jamboree was to start. We saw Valley Forge empty except for main areas, latrines, and the medical areas which had been setup and manned by the US Army Engineers and Medical Corps, they had several Field Care units even including dentists. The day before the opening the Scouts started to arrive and at the open ceremony Valley Forge had an awe inspiring city of approximately 52,000 Scouts from all over the world!

A lot of the problems that Scouting has are just a reflection of the problems we have in the general society. Our society has lost a lot of our idealism and faith, which is what Scouting teaches but it cannot do it alone. Without the support of the parents and the community, Scouting will continue to decline. Many of todays parents are looking for a babysitter and don't really care about what their children learn and believe, go to a local school board meeting an see what percentage of the parents attend, and I've heard all of the excuses. But we cannot give up, we can make a little difference in a few boys lives. Even people with No Scouting experience can help. The BSA has excellent adult leader training. They might find a local troop and join the committee, or check with the local BSA Council to see how they can help. The Troop is just the tip of the arrow, it takes a lot of support behind it.

slagmaker · November 22, 2009, 08:37:54 PM

So true silvertip.

slagmaker · December 13, 2009, 09:32:43 AM

The poll is almost over.

It seems that with all the members here on the site we have only 3 eagle scouts. Well I guess thas not toooooooo bad

alscalls · December 13, 2009, 11:41:23 AM

Ya got to realize the different reasons for lack of eagle scouts...... I was a scout till the late 70's
Then we moved.....I really had no choice in leaving scouts when I did and was becoming a teen with many activities on my brain...

I got a work permit at age 11 and was living on my own at age 14 with a friend of mine.....working in two grocery stores and
Catching snakes and trapping to make enough money to live......as a part time job I started climbing trees and running a chain saw for a local fella that taught me how to top trees.....
If a 14 yr old were doing all of this today he/she would be arrested and put in a home....

I would have much rather had the home life where I could have had become an Eagle scout as I always enjoyed the scouts....
And I will forever support them......they were better to me than some of my own family.

I am sure others have many reasons......But if you were a scout? .....You will never forget it..... God bless them all.
I hope many more folks get involved with the scouts as I feel they saved my life in what I learned....

slagmaker · December 13, 2009, 01:28:46 PM

OH I am not saying anything. This just helps to drive home my point. Out of the 10 people that posted that were in scouts of some sort only 3 of those made it to eagle. Obtaining the rank of Eagle is not easy. Most dont make it for whatever reason. Be it they moved, lost intrest, didnt like it, any reason at all.

I applaude you for being a supporter of the Scouts.