Scoutmaster Podcast 203
Why merit badge classes shouldn't replace troop meetings, and how to handle a Senior Patrol Leader election with no candidates

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INTRO
Opening joke: it was so cold camping that words froze in mid-air and had to be thawed in a frying pan to hear them.
WELCOME
Clarke wishes listeners a Happy New Year; notes a quiet mailbag over the holidays but mentions Greg Sepley's New Year's wishes. Announces a Scout Circle live presentation on winter camping with Kevin Callan on January 12th, previews upcoming ScoutmasterCG.com updates, thanks five new backers (Richard Leigh, Christopher Cooper, Dwight Wiest, Arlen Ward, Pat Lays), and previews the episode: merit badges and troop meetings, followed by an email question.
SCOUTMASTERSHIP IN 7 MINUTES
Merit badges and troop meetings — why scout-initiated, hands-on, individual merit badge work should not be replaced by classroom-style group instruction during troop meetings, drawing on the Guide to Advancement 2013.
LISTENERS EMAIL
Bob, a new Scoutmaster in New Hampshire, asks what to do when no candidates come forward for a Senior Patrol Leader election — Clarke advises letting the Patrol Leaders Council solve the problem themselves.
OUTRO