Scoutmaster Podcast 7

From Rice Cochran's 1952 book: 'I rapidly acquired a reputation for supernatural wisdom by saying nothing… he's not saying nothing, but he's thinking plenty, I heard one boy mutter to another.'

Scoutmaster vs legislator — writing a troop manual and making scouts sign contracts produces nothing; discipline and attendance problems are not problems to solve, they are the price of working with adolescents; the answer is coaching and mentoring

A West Point-style retreat ceremony at camp — going 90 years, full band, bugler, colours, marching; Clarke and George stood in for the absent camp director and program director, messed up the turns, then the flag got folded inside out; on tape you couldn't tell, but they were not happy with themselves

Practical steps for the transition: adults clam up, scouts have to lead; scouts run every part of the meeting; coaching happens away from the playing field — the Pinewood Derby analogy; prepare for a blow to the ego

Giving — thinking of the people of Haiti and Chile; if you live in the US, you have it pretty good, and that's a reason to help