Please feel free to copy and use at your discretion.  On the last page of the booklet you will find references to subjects with minutes cross referenced. Most minutes can be adapted to fit just about any subject.

Index

1 ...................................................................... The Boy Scout Neckerchief
2 ...................................................................... A Scout is Loyal
3 ...................................................................... Thanksgiving
4 ...................................................................... New Years Resolution
5 ...................................................................... Planting Seeds
6 ...................................................................... On The Trail
7 ...................................................................... Finding Your Way
8 ...................................................................... Teamwork
9 ...................................................................... Setting the Example
10 ...................................................................... Scouting's Directions
11 ...................................................................... The Knot That Tells a Story
12 ...................................................................... Our Home in Camp
13 ...................................................................... The North Star
14 ...................................................................... Don’t Get Hooked
15 ...................................................................... A Little Extra Effort
16 ...................................................................... That First Step
17 ...................................................................... A Scout is Kind
18 ...................................................................... A Scout is Clean
19 ...................................................................... The Two Knapsacks
20 ...................................................................... A Scout is Friendly
21 ...................................................................... A Key to Scouting
22 ...................................................................... Our Flag and Our Oath
23 ...................................................................... Night is for Sleeping
24 ...................................................................... How to Catch a Monkey
25 ...................................................................... A Scout is Cheerful
26 ...................................................................... Stick to It
27 ...................................................................... Light Your Way
28 ...................................................................... Be “In Uniform”
29 ...................................................................... Working Together
30 ...................................................................... What Money Can’t Buy
31 ...................................................................... The Good Turn
32 ...................................................................... Picking on Him
33 ...................................................................... Your Development
34 ...................................................................... Your Label
35 ...................................................................... First Class
36 ...................................................................... Caring for Tools
37 ...................................................................... Baden Powell
38 ...................................................................... Seton
39 ...................................................................... Daniel Carter Beard
40 ...................................................................... Patrol Spirit
41 ...................................................................... Your Wild Animal
42 ...................................................................... The Scout Handshake
43 ...................................................................... Parents
44 ...................................................................... The Buddy Plan
45 ...................................................................... A Scout is Brave
46 ...................................................................... Holiday Spirit
47 ...................................................................... Spell it Honesty
48 ...................................................................... Coal and Diamonds
49 ...................................................................... A Scout is Friendly
50 ...................................................................... Someone Else
51 ...................................................................... Scoutings Plumb Line
52 ...................................................................... Being a Brother

1 THE BOY SCOUT NECKERCHIEF

You new Scouts probably learned tonight that our troop neckerchief has other uses besides looking good and showing our troop's colors. You found that it can be used in first aid, too. Over the next few months, you'll find that the neckerchief has other uses, too.

There's one use, though, that you may not think of - and that's to remind you of the Scout Oath. The neckerchief is a triangle, and its' three corners should remind you of something you recently learned - our Scout Oath.

The Oath, you remember, has three corners, too - duty to God and country, duty to others and duty to self. From now on, every time you put on your neckerchief, it should remind you of the things you pledge each time you repeat the Scout Oath.

2 A SCOUT IS LOYAL

Scouts, what's the second point of the Scout Law? That's right, "A Scout is loyal. " Our Scout handbook explains that a Scout is loyal to his family, Scout leaders, friends, school and nation.

I'm going to add one more thing to that list - a Scout is loyal to his team. The team might be his patrol or sports team.

Your patrol or soccer team can't be as good as it should be if you goof off a lot or constantly complain about your teammates or your patrol leader or coach. A winning patrol and a winning team, must have a winning attitude. That means that every member must be willing to do his part and not spend time griping because the patrol's plans or the game are not going his way.

That doesn't mean that you have to be close friends with everybody in your patrol or team or even like all of them. But it means that when you join, you commit yourself to the success of the patrol or the team and pledge to give it your best effort.

In Scouting and sports, it's teamwork that makes winners. So whenever you're with your patrol or sports team, remember, "A Scout is loyal".

3 THANKSGIVING

As Americans, we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. We live in freedom, most of us have an abundance of food and clothing, and we all have adequate shelter. We are as blessed as any people in the world, but sometimes we forget that and gripe that we don't have even more. Let's remember that a lot of the worlds population goes to bed hungry in homes hat few Americans would want to live in.

So it's good to remind ourselves occasionally that we are lucky and thank God for our blessings. That's what Thanksgiving really is, a time to give thanks. The Pilgrims started it more than 100 years ago when they gathered to thank God for a bountiful harvest.
Today Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings around a groaning table followed by watching football games. There's nothing wrong with that. But it's important that we don't forget the real meaning of Thanksgiving. So when you sit down with your family for Thanksgiving dinner, take time to count your blessings and thank God for them

4 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

Well, Scouts, did you make any New Year's resolutions? I hope some of you resolved to bring up your grades in school and be more helpful around the house. I'm sure your parents would be delighted with those resolutions.

In Scouting, we make a resolution almost every time we meet. Each time we repeat the Scout Oath or Law, we're resolving to do our best to do our duty and to make ourselves the best citizens we can be. I'm inclined to think that resolving to follow the Scout Oath and Law are the most important resolutions you can make - now and in the time to come. The Oath and Law cover almost everything that makes a good man and a good citizen. So, I think, as we start the New Year, we ought to repeat the Oath and Law and think about what we're saying. (Lead Oath and Law)

5 PLANTING SEEDS

 (Have an apple and a plate with a few apple seeds)

If I gave you a choice, which would you rather have, the apple or the seeds? I guess most of us would choose the apple.

A long time ago there was a guy who would have taken the seeds. He was a nut about apple seeds - so much so that people called him Johnny Apple Seed. For many years he walked across hundreds of miles of our country, back when most of it was frontier land, and everywhere he went he planted apple seeds. The trees from those seeds fed many thousands of people in later generations. That's real long range planning!

Many of us are interested mainly in the present. We don't think ahead like Johnny Apple Seed.

Maybe you don't want to go around planting apple seeds like he did. But there's another kind of seed you should be planting every day - the seed of good feelings between you and your fellow man.

You can do it by living our slogan, "Do a Good Turn daily. " Every time you do a Good Turn , you are planting a seed of good feeling. That seed may start the growth of a tree of Good Turns in each person you help. So that one Good Turn may lead to many other Good Turns through the years, affecting the lives of hundreds of people.

6 ON THE TRAIL

Once a long time ago a hound was out with his master trailing a mountain lion. The hound came to a place where a fox had crossed the trail, and the hound decided to follow the fox instead of the lion.

A short time later, a rabbit crossed that of the fox, and again the hound changed direction. Why should he chase a fox when a rabbit might be easier to catch?

When the hunter finally caught up with his hound, the dog was barking at a small hole in the ground. The hound had brought to bay a field mouse instead of a mountain lion.

Well, how about you? Have you set out on a trail to achieve your ambition? Are you able to follow it, or are you sidetracked by easier trails that cross it from time to time?

Don't be like that hound. Find out what it takes to achieve your ambition, and then get started. The best way to achieve anything in life is to set a true course for it and then stick to that trail.

7 FINDING YOUR WAY

 (Show a Scout badge. )

Scouts, where did the design for the Scout badge come from? Did you know that it's from the north point of the mariners' compass? Now why did Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, select that symbol for the first Scout badge? In his book, Scouting for Boys, Baden- Powell told us.

He said, "It is the badge of the Scout because it points in the right direction, and upwards. It shows the way in doing your duty and helping others. "

In other words, just as the north point of the compass helps us find our way in the field, so the Scout badge helps us find our way through life.

So the shape of our Scout badge should be a constant reminder to us of the things we pledge when we say the Scout Oath or Law. Let's think about that badge and what it means the next time we're tempted to do something we know is wrong.

8 TEAMWORK

 (Show three or four short pieces of rope)

These pieces of rope are a lot like individual Scouts. You can use these ropes for knot tying practice or for tying a small package, but they're not big enough for really big jobs. (Call up two or three Scouts and asked them to join the ropes together with square knots or sheet bends. ) Now we have a much more useful rope, one we could use for pioneering or other jobs where we need a good length of rope.

Your patrol and the whole troop work the same way. Scouts who work together like these ropes can achieve much bigger things. But remember that this rope is only as strong as its' weakest link. The same idea applies to our patrols and troop. They can't be strong unless everyone pulls together. Teamwork is just as important in Scouting as it is on a football team.

Strive to a strong link in your patrol. Do the best to live by the ideals we talk about in the Scout Oath and Law. Learn your Scouting skills to the best of your ability, and take part in everything the troop and your patrol do. Don't be a weak link.

9 SETTING THE EXAMPLE

In the patrol leaders council, we often talk about the skills of leadership. Patrol leaders who have taken the junior leader training course know even more about them. Of the 11 skills of leadership, I believe the most important is setting the example. There's an old saying that sums it up well. It goes something like this: "What you do speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you say. " In other words, don't tell me what is right; show me by your example.

It seems to me that when it comes to setting the example, we are all leaders. Even if you're not a patrol leader, the way you conduct yourself will rub off on your patrol mates. If one patrol member goofs off and is sloppy in his habits, there's a temptation to say, "Well, Brian gets away with it, why shouldn't I?"

That may be human nature, but it's not the nature of a good patrol or a good troop. A good patrol and troop have to work like a team, with every member setting a good example of Scout like behavior. Let's keep that in mind always, but especially when we're in summer camp (or on tour). Let's show our pride in our troop and in ourselves as Scouts and young men.

10 SCOUTING'S DIRECTIONS

Tonight we've been learning how to find directions on a map and use the compass to stay on course. By now I hope most of you can orient a map and use map and compass to travel in unknown country.

In Scouting we have another kind of "map and compass. " They are the Scout Oath, Law, motto and slogan. They are excellent guides for traveling through life.

Whenever you are wondering what's the right thing to do, consult those "maps and compasses. " They won't always provide and easy answer. Sometimes you will have to think through your decision, but it will be easier if you ask yourself, "What if I act according to the Scout Oath and Law?" Chances are the Law will help to show you the right thing to do.

11 THE KNOT THAT TELLS A STORY

Scouts, if your rank is between Second Class and Life, take a look at your badge of rank. What do all those badges have in common?

That's right, they all have the "Be Prepared" scroll with a knot dangling from it. . Does anyone remember what the knot is supposed to remind us of?

Right again. It's a reminder to do a Good Turn every day. If the knot could talk, it would tell us of billions of Good Turns stretching back over 88 years. Are you adding a chapter to that story each day?

Our troop often does big Good Turns for our chartered organization or the community. But does that mean that you can forget about Good Turns the rest of the time? Of course not. As Scouts you have pledged to do a Good Turn daily. Obviously that doesn't mean you have to spend several hours on some major project.

But it does mean that at home, in school, and when you're with friends you will go out of your way to do a simple kindness - take out the garbage without being asked, help a buddy with his homework, or run an errand for your mother without grumbling.

Those little Good Turns make life more pleasant for other people. They also add another link in that long string of Good Turns going back to Scouting's beginnings.

12 OUR HOME IN CAMP

Scouts, when we go to our camporee, and later when we are in summer camp, let's remember that our campsite is our home.

The living room is the area in front of your patrol site. Your patrol's cooking area is the kitchen and the patrol dining table is your dining room. The showers and latrine are your bathroom, and of course your tent is your bedroom.

You wouldn't think of throwing candy wrappers onto your bedroom floor at home, or of leaving garbage in your dining room. And even if you did, your parents would soon get on your case about it.

So whenever we're in camp, let's treat the campsite the way you treat your own home. Cleanliness and neatness are the marks of a good camper. In this troop, they are a standard rule.

As Scouts, we have pledged ourselves to obey the Outdoor Code and our Wilderness Pledge which call for us to "be clean in our outdoor manners". That certainly applies to our life at home in camp, as well as when we're on the trail. Let's make it a habit to keep a clean, neat home in camp.

13 THE NORTH STAR

Scouts, we've been learning how to find Polaris, the North Star, because we know it will help us find our way in the wilderness. For centuries man has known that the North Star is fixed in the heavens, and it has been used as a navigational aid by sailors ever since the first adventurers sailed away from the sight of land.

The North Star is still used that way by mariners and space explorers. So in learning how to find it, we are joining a very long line of adventurers.

There are some "North Stars" in our everyday lives, too. One of them is our conscience. If we listen to our conscience, we can be sure to steer our lives in the right direction.

And let's not forget our Scout Oath and Law, too. They are North Stars because they give us excellent guidance in how to behave and what we owe to God, country, our fellow human beings, and ourselves.

When you're lost at night, look for the North Star. The rest of the time, steer your life with those other North Stars - your conscience and the Scout Oath and Law.

14 DON'T GET HOOKED

 (Stick a fish hook in a piece of cloth and show how difficult it is to back out the way it when in. )

Scouts, it sure was a cinch to put this fishhook into the cloth, but you can see how hard it is to back it out. It's just like a bad habit - awfully easy to start, but awfully hard to stop. Some guys your age have started to smoke. It was easy to start - as easy as it was for me to put the fishhook into the cloth.

Across our land millions and millions of smokers have tried to stop smoking and have failed. They just couldn't get the hook out. If it's so hard to stop and if so many smokers want to quit, then why start - why get the hook in - in the first place? Some people think it's manly to smoke. Take a look around you. Look at who is smoking.

15 A LITTLE EXTRA EFFORT

 (You will need two poles and rope to secure them with a square lashing. Tie a square lashing. )
 

As you watch me tie these poles together, think about how this lashing might be compared to success in life. The wrapping turns hold the two poles closely together. But notice that they are not real tight, and with a little movement of the poles, the ropes loosen to allow slipping.

Now I add the frapping turns. I might have been satisfied without these turns, but notice what happens when I make the extra effort to add them. The frapping turns took up all the slack in the first turns and tightened the entire lashing the poles are now securely bound together in place. Repeated movement won't loosen the ties that bind them together.
These frapping turns that finished the job took a little extra effort, but what a difference they made in the job! In life, you will constantly be given chances to put forth a little extra effort. When you have the chance, don't let these opportunities pass. Remember the frapping turns.

If you put extra effort into things you undertake you will find success in life, real lasting friendships, and the inner knowledge that, come what may, you have done your best.

16 THAT FIRST STEP

The Chinese have a saying, "The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. " There's a lesson for us in that saying.

I'm thinking of advancement. If you come to troop meetings without ever looking in your Official Boy Scout Handbook all week long and if you never ask how to pass a test or who to see about a merit badge, you'll never advance very far in Scouting. In Scouting, and in life, the rewards don't come to those who sit back and wait for something to be handed to them on a silver platter.

I would like to see every one of you set the Eagle Scout badge as you goal in Scouting. As a step toward that goal, I hope that most of you will receive some award at our court of honor at the end of this month.

Whatever the goal you set for yourself, remember that only you can take that first step toward it. No one can do it for you. Once you've taken that first step the next step becomes easier. And the ones after that will be easier still because you're on the way along the Scouting trail.

17 A SCOUT IS KIND

Scouts, our Law say’s "A Scout is kind. A Scout understand that there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. He does not hurt or kill harmless things without reason. " Some of you may already be hunters. No doubt others will hunt as you get older. I have a question for you: Is a hunter following the Scout Law when he shoots wild creatures? (Get answers. )

It seems to me that the key words in this point of the Law are, "without reason," a Scout does not hurt or kill without reason. If you're going hunting for food, or to kill pests that are destroying property, or are hunting animals that are dangerous to man, you're not hunting without reason. So you are not violating the Scout Law.

But never aim at a target you don't intend to hit. And if your target is a living creature, be sure you're not killing it without reason. A Scout is kind, and he does not blast away just for fun. He shoots only for good reason.

18 A SCOUT IS CLEAN

 (Hold up two cooking pots, one shiny bright on the inside but sooty outside, the other shiny outside and dirty inside. )
 

Scouts, which of these pots would you rather have your food cooked in? Did I hear someone say "Neither one. " That's not a bad answer. We wouldn't have much confidence in a patrol cook who didn't have his pots shiny both inside and out. But if we had to make a choice, we would tell the cook to use the pot that's clean on the inside. The same applies to people.

Most people keep themselves clean on the outside. But how about the inside? Do we try to keep our minds and our language clean? I think that's more important than keeping the outside clean.

A Scout of course, should be clean inside and out. Water, soap, and a toothbrush takes care of the outside.

Only your determination will keep the inside clean. You can do it by following the Scout Law and the example of the people you respect - your parents, your teacher, your clergyman, or a good buddy who is trying to do the same thing.

19 THE TWO KNAPSACKS

Perhaps you've heard some people say that life is a hike between the cradle and the grave. For some, it's a long trip of many moons. For others it's a short trip that ends unexpectedly.

But all of us are equipped for life's trip with two knapsacks - one to be carried on the back the other to be carried on the chest.

The average hiker on the trail of life puts the faults of others into the knapsack on his chest so that he can always see them. His own faults he puts in the sack on his back so that he can't see them without special effort. He hikes through life constantly noticing the faults of other people but usually overlooking his own faults.

Scouts, this pack arrangement is bad because no one can have a successful life just finding fault with other people.

It's the man who can see his own faults and strives to correct them who enjoys the hike through life the most and finally enter the Happy Hunting Ground with thanksgiving.

Let's place the knapsack with our own faults upon our chests and put the bag with others' mistakes behind us. That way we'll have a happier hike through life.

20 A SCOUT IS FRIENDLY

What's the fourth point of the Scout Law? That's right - "A Scout is friendly. "
Do you have as many friends as you'd like to have? Real friends, I mean? The kind of guys you're glad to see, and who are glad to see you?

Well maybe not. Lots of us would like to make more friends, but somehow it doesn't seem to happen. Well the secret of making friends is simple - being friendly. If you're a put down artist, or if you're always trying to rip off everybody or get the better of them in some way you're not going to have many friends. Nobody like to be put down or ripped off.

The Bible gives the key to making friends. It's called the Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. " That's a great rule to remember in everything you do. And it's a perfect prescription for making friends.

21 A KEY TO SCOUTING

 (Hold up a car key)

I have here in my hand a key - a small item as you can see. Yet it will open the door to my car, and when properly placed and turned it will start the engine. With this little key I can visit faraway places, see wonderful sights, and do so many things that were impossible a generation ago. Is it any wonder that I always carry this key with me?
 

(Hold up a copy of The Official Boy Scout Handbook)
 

Your Boy Scout Handbook is a lot like my car key. It is a small item, yet it will open the door to Scouting and will speed you on your way to adventure. Sure, you probably could get by without using your handbook. I could get by without my car key, too, but I'd have to walk and it would be slow.

I certainly wouldn't get to see all those places I can reach by car.
Let's not leave our key behind as we enjoy Scouting.

Use your handbook regularly. Take it with you to meetings and on hikes and camping trips. Let your handbook open the door for you.

22 OUR FLAG AND OUR OATH

 (Have 3 candle in a holder before you - one red, one white and one blue)
 

Have you noticed the strong bond between our flag and our Scout Oath? Let me show you. (Light the white center candle. ) One of the colors in our flag is white. It is the symbol of purity, of perfection. It is like the first point of our Scout Oath, our duty to God.
 

(Light the red candle. ) The color red in our flag denotes sacrifice and courage, the qualities of the founders of our country. . Red is the symbol of the second part of the Scout Oath, too. Our duty to other people requires courage to help anyone in trouble and the self-sacrifice of putting others first.
 

(Light the blue candle. ) Blue is the color of faith. It represents the faith of our founding fathers and reminds us of the third part of the Scout Oath. Our duty to ourselves requires us to be true blue, to be strong in character and principle, to live a life of faith in the importance of being good.
 

Scouts, rise! Let's have lights out, please. Now, Scout sign. Let us dedicate ourselves with our Scout Oath.

23 NIGHT IS FOR SLEEPING

You can always spot the greenhorn - the first year camper - as soon as "Taps" sounds on the first night in camp. He's the guy who just can't quiet down when the time comes for sleeping.

The experienced camper, comfortable and warm in his bed, knows that night is for sleeping - knows that he'll have more fun and be in better shape for all activities next day, if he gets a good night's sleep.

The greenhorn is the fellow who makes an uncomfortable bed with either poor insulation or inadequate covers and wakes up in the wee small hours, cold and uncomfortable and unable to get back to sleep. The greenhorn can't stand to be cold and uncomfortable alone, so he wakes up a few other soundly sleeping fellow Scouts to share his discomfort.

This, naturally, makes him an unpopular guy, not only with the fellows that he intentionally woke up, but with all the other campers who are roused by the noise created by the greenhorn out chopping wood to keep warm.

Don't be a camp greenhorn. Night is for sleeping. Be quiet after "Taps" until you get to sleep, and if you wake up early in the morning, don't give away your inexperience by getting up. Stay in bed until "Reveille. "

24 HOW TO CATCH A MONKEY

Anybody here want to know how to catch a monkey? Well, I can tell you how they do it in India. They take a gourd, cut a small hole in it, and then put some rice inside. Then they tie the gourds down securely and wait for the monkey.

Monkeys are greedy and selfish. I guess you could say anybody who is greedy and selfish is a monkey. Anyway, monkeys are so greedy and selfish that they fall for the gourd trick every time.

The monkey sticks his paw into the gourd to get the rice. He grabs a handful - but then he can't get his hand out of the gourd. His fist won’t go through the small hole.

And he's so greedy and selfish that he won't let go of the handful of rice. He just waits there with his greedy fist wrapped around the rice until the men come and take him.

Well, you've got the moral to this story: Don't be greedy and selfish or you may make a "monkey" of yourself.

25 A SCOUT IS CHEERFUL

Two brothers once decided to leave their hometown and move to the city. Outside the city the first brother met an old man. "How are the people here?" asked the first brother.

"Well, how were the people in your hometown?" asked the old man in return.

"Aw, they were always grumpy and dissatisfied," answered the first brother. "There wasn't a single one among them worth bothering about. "

"And," the old man said, "you'll find that the people here are exactly the same!"

Later the other brother came along. "How are the people in this city?" he asked. "How were the people in your hometown?" the old man asked as before.

"Fine!" said the other brother. “Always cheerful, always kind and understanding!"

"You will find that the people her are exactly the same!" said the old man again, for he was a wise old man who knew that the attitude of the people you meet depends upon your own state of mind. If you are cheerful and frank and good-humored, you'll find others the same.

26 STICK TO IT

 (Hold up an envelope that has been delivered by mail)
 

Scouts, the postage stamp you see on this envelope was given the job of making sure that this important piece of mail was delivered to me. The stamp is pretty small but, in spite of its size, it did the job.

In your patrols, each of you has the responsibility of "delivering the mail" in order that your patrol becomes a success. Like the postage stamp, it isn't your size that determined how well you do the job, rather, how well you stick to it.

We can't all be good at all things. Some are better at physical skill, some at mental tasks.

Remember the stamp. It did the job in spite of its size by sticking to the job. Make up your mind that you can do the same thing. Just determine to do your best - and stick to it until the job is done.

27 LIGHT YOUR LAW

 (Light an ordinary match, hold it up until it has burned for a few seconds, and then blow it out, break it and then throw it away)

Scouts, you're all familiar with a common match, and know that with it you can start a fire - a fire that will keep you warm, cook your food, and add cheer after dark. After using a match to light your fire, you break it to be sure it is out, and discard it.

The Scout Law is somewhat like this match. We use it to light the good things inside us, but unlike the match we threw away, we should keep the Scout Law to use over and over - in our Scout activities, in our daily living at home,

in school, in our work and play, and in the future as we grow into manhood. We don't discard the Scout Law after the troop meeting or even in later years when we are no longer Boy Scouts. The things it represents are as true and meaningful to adults as they are to Scouts.

If you follow the Scout Law everyday, the points of the Law will become so much a part of your life that when you grow up and enter the world of adults, you will be able to stand erect and look everyone squarely in the face and say, "I am a man. "

Let's all stand, give the Scout sign, and repeat the Scout Law.

28 BE "IN UNIFORM"

Scouts, what would you think of a policeman in full uniform except for trousers which were of bright plaid material? How about a hospital intern wearing a sport coat over is white uniform while on duty? Or what would you think of a train conductor wearing a fireman's cap or, even more absurd, an airline pilot wearing the silks of a jockey as he boarded the plane?

They'd all be "out of uniform," wouldn't they? With some of the outfits mentioned, you would be sure what they really were.

Scouts, we have a uniform, too. We have a full uniform - not just a neckerchief or just a shirt, but like the people I just mentioned, we have a full uniform. When we don't wear the full uniform, we are just as "out of uniform" as the policeman with the plaid pants.
The Flag Code says that when we are "in uniform" we salute the flag with the Scout salute, but when "out of uniform" we salute by holding our right hand over our heart.

How do you think a Scout should salute the flag if he's wearing blue jeans or chinos or some other non-official dress along with part of the uniform? He's not "in uniform," is he?

29 WORKING TOGETHER

 (Equipment - 20 wooden matches held together with a rubber band. See that all the matches are even in the bundle so the package will stand on end. Stand the matches on the floor in front of the Scouts. )
 

Scouts, you'll notice the matches in front of you stand easily when they're all bound together with the rubber band.

But, look at what happens when I try to stand them after removing the band.

 (Take the rubber band off and attempt to stand them up. Of course they fall in all directions.)
 

Our troop is like a bunch of matches. As long as we work together as a team, bound together by the ties of Scouting, we will stand together as a strong troop. But if we remove those ideas of Scouting, and each man thinks only of himself, we'll be like that bunch of matches when the rubber band was taken off.

As we all live up to the ideals of the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan, we will be wrapping ourselves with the band that will strengthen our troop and make sure that it stands for the things that make Scouting great.

30 WHAT MONEY CAN'T BUY

 (Hold up some money)

All of you recognize this and know that it will buy certain things. It can purchase a candy bar, a stamp, or a little time on a parking meter. Add more money and you can do bigger things.

However, there are many things that money, no matter how much you have, cannot buy. Some of these include the love of your family, freedom friendships, and the great out-of-doors.

You can't place a value on Scouting, either. We couldn't pay salaries high enough to get all the help we

have. Nor could we place a value on the memorable experiences, the camping trips, the hikes and the fun of campfires.

People can't pay us for the Good Turns we do, and isn't that a good thing? Such payment would take away the good feeling that we have when we do things for others.
Remember, this money can buy many things, but not the things that really count in human happiness and dignity.

31 THE GOOD TURN

 (Hold up an ordinary mechanical pencil with the lead turned in so that it will not write. Use this pencil as if writing on a sheet of paper and then hold up the paper to show that there is no writing on it. )
 

Scouts, this pencil won't write. It doesn't leave a mark on this piece of paper. But if we give it a Good Turn (at this point turn the pencil so the lead comes out), it now becomes useful and will leave a mark on a sheet of paper.

The Good Turn we gave the pencil made it useful. The Good Turns we do in our daily lives are the things that make us useful. The Good Turn enables us to be useful in our home, school, community and nation. The Good Turn raises us above the ordinary. It makes our lives worthwhile.

33 PICKING ON HIM

On a hike or in camp we reveal our true selves most. Did you ever know a Scout who thought people were always picking on him?

I recall a boy who pitched his tent carelessly and it blew down on him in the middle of the night. He tried hard to blame it on someone else, but finally had to admit to himself, "Well, I guess it was my own fault. "

Another time he burned a steak. "It was the fire's fault," he insisted, until the other fellows laughed at him and showed him how the same bed of coals could help turn out a well-cooked steak.

Things usually happen to us because we set the stage for them. Actually, people are too busy to spend their time picking on us.

When something goes wrong, the first place to look for the cause is within ourselves.

33 YOUR DEVELOPMENT

 (Show a roll or package of camera film)

If you looked at this roll of film before development, you cannot tell what kind of picture it will make. Film looks exactly the same after snapping the shutter as it did before.
But after development, the image appears on the film and you can see what the picture will be when it is printed.

As I look at you Scouts, I wonder how your exposure has been. You all look the same on the surface, yet I know there are differences within each of you. Like the film, you have been exposed to good and bad things that will make an impression when you develop.
Unlike the film, you have brains. You know what is inside yourself and can do something to make certain your development is good.

Follow the ideals of Scouting - the Slogan, Motto, Scout Oath and Law. If you live according to those high standards, you can be sure your development will be good as you grow older, and you will be able to enter manhood fully prepared to be a good citizen of our great nation.

34 YOUR LABEL

Smart shoppers read the labels when they go to the supermarket. Product labels tell them a number of things:

Whether the can or package contains beans, corn, flour, or pork chops; what ingredients it contains; what it costs; the weight of the product. The label also carries the trademark of the packer or manufacturer. You may learn a lot by reading labels.

In Scouting, we carry around our own labels. The uniform itself is a kind of label. It tells people that we are Scouts and that we are trying to live by the Scout Oath and Law.
If they know anything about Scouting, the badges we wear are labels, too. The badges describe some of the ingredients that make up your package - how far you have progressed and whether you're now a leader in the troop.

How well does your label describe the contents of your package? Can it be said of you: "The enclosed package lives up to the Oath and Law? He is prepared to help in emergencies and does a good turn daily?"

And is it true that the badge of rank you wear honestly reflects your Scouting skills? I'm quite sure it does because we don't give badges in this troop to Scouts who haven't earned them.

Wear your label, your uniform and its badges, proudly. And remember that it tells a lot about you and about your pledge to the Scout Oath and Law.

35 FIRST CLASS

In our everyday speech, "first class" means the best. When we say that a man is traveling first class, or that's a first class restaurant, everyone understands what we mean.

In Scouting, "First Class" has another meaning. As we all know, it's the fourth of our seven ranks. In some ways it's the most important because it's the hump you have to climb over to reach Star, Life and Eagle. A First Class Scout has mastered the basics of Scouting and is ready for the advanced course.

You fellows who joined the troop last fall ought to be setting your sights on First Class badge by now. Most of you have made Second Class by this time and you'll soon have been in Scouting long enough to be eligible to earn First Class rank. Why not make it a goal to make Fist Class by the time we go on our "Great Outdoor Quest" this summer?

In this troop, we try to be first class in everything we do - camping, hiking, camporees, Scout shows, trips. To achieve that, we need lots of First Class Scouts - those who have earned the First Class badge.

36 CARING FOR TOOLS

 (Show various hand tools)

Tools like these are essential in making repairs around the house and in doing the kind of community Good Turn we're planning this month. You couldn't do the job without them.
But they must be in good condition. If your hammer head is loose, the hammer becomes a dangerous weapon. If your saw blade is dull, it makes the work harder and you also run the risk of cutting yourself if the blade jumps out of the groove. And if your screwdriver's blade is all beat up, you're going to ruin a lot of screws.

Your character is like a set of tools. Think of your character as a set of attributes we talk about in the Scout Law - trustworthy, loyal, helpful and so on. if you're not trustworthy, that part of your character is like a hammer with a loose head. you could be dangerous to others because no-one could depend on you to do what had to be done in an emergency. If you're not loyal, you're like a dull saw blade - not reliable when the chips are down.

A good craftsman keeps his tools in excellent shape because they are his livelihood. A good Scout keeps his character in excellent shape because he knows that the attributes that make up his character are his most precious possession. Let's remind ourselves of that by joining in the Scout Law.

37 SCOUTING PATHFINDER - BADEN-POWELL

Three months from now, we're going to be celebrating the the anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. But Scouting is even older than that. It really began ____ years ago on a little island in England. British general named Robert Baden-Powell took 21 boys camping on this island and tested his ideas of Scouting for boys.

From that first camp, the idea grew into a worldwide movement. Baden-Powell was a remarkable man. You can read a little about him on page 475 of your handbook. Baden-Powell wrote the first Scout Oath and Law and motto, "Be Prepared. " He developed the idea for patrols within a troop, and he taught many of the outdoor skills we learn today. Now let us honor Baden-Powell by repeating the Scout Oath. (Lead Oath)

38 SCOUTING PATHFINDER - ERNEST THOMPSON SETON

Last week I talked about Baden-Powell, the English general who founded Boy Scouting. While Baden-Powell was working out his ideas for Scouting, in this country a man named Ernest Thompson Seton was doing something quite similar. Seton was an author and an artist, and even before Baden-Powell organized the first Scouts, Seton had started a boy's organization called the Woodcraft Indians.

His Woodcraft Indians hiked and camped and studied nature, just as Scouts do. When Baden-Powell's Boy Scouting idea spread to America, Seton joined in . He became the first Chief Scout of the Boy Scouts of America, and he did much to spread the idea of Scouting here.

Seton stressed Indian lore, and many of his ideas still live in the Order of the Arrow. In honor of Ernest Thompson Seton let us repeat the Scout Law. (Lead Law)

39 SCOUTING PATHFINDER - DANIEL CARTER BEARD

I told you last week about Ernest Thompson Seton, who was one of the earliest leaders of the Boy Scouts of America. Another important leader of the BSA in those days was Daniel Carter Beard. He was an illustrator and writer of boys' book. In 1902, ____ years ago he started an organization for boys called the Sons of Daniel Boone.

In was a pretty informal organization. Mostly he promoted it by writing magazine articles and letters to boys. But the Sons of Daniel Boone were forerunners of Boy Scouts, and Beard became one of the main leaders of Scouting Let's honor Dan Beard with our patrol calls. (Each patrol gives call)

40 PATROL SPIRIT

I'm sure all of you Scouts have played team sports, so you know what teamwork means. Most football fans see a touchdown run and say, "Wow! Isn't that guy a great runner?" Maybe he is, but if you have played football you that what really made the great run was the blockers on the line and in the secondary. teamwork made the touchdown. not just one guy's talents.

Patrols are the same way. If you win one of our inter-patrol contests, or if you have the best campsite at a camporee, it's not just because one guy is such a great Scout. It's patrol teamwork.

The secret of patrol teamwork is have every member do his job, whatever it is. If one Scout goofs off, the patrol suffers. If every Scout does his part, the patrol is bound to be a winner.

The winning attitude is what we call patrol spirit. Is your patrol a winner? I'm not asking whether you win every contest. I'm asking: Is your patrol doing the very best that it can and is every member contributing? If your answer is no, then ask yourself: "Am I doing my very best? Do I have real patrol spirit?"

41 YOUR WILD ANIMAL

Scouts, did you know that everybody, including you, has a wild animal behind bars? The wild animal is your tongue, and the bars are your teeth.

If your tongue is not trained it can cause a lot of trouble, not only for yourself but for those around you. Keep those bars of teeth closed until your tongue is so well trained that you know it won't harm anybody.

Your wild animal can make trouble by bad-mouthing other people, by gossip and slander, and by wisecracks at the wrong time. Train your tongue so that it knows the right time to speak and the time to be quiet. Until you have it fully trained, keep that wild animal behind bars.

42 THE SCOUT HANDSHAKE

Our Scout salute and handshake are ancient signs of bravery and respect. During the colonial period of our country, many men carried weapons for protection. Sometimes when they met one another, there was an uneasy moment as each man watched the others right hand. If it

went to his sword or his gun, there might be a fight. but if it went to his hat, it was a salute of friendship and respect.

The left handshake comes to us from the Ashanti warriors whom Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, knew almost 100 years ago in West Africa. He saluted them with his right hand, but the Ashanti chiefs offered their left hands and said, "In our land only the bravest of the brave shake hands with the left hand, because to do so we must drop our shields and our protection. "

The Ashantis knew of Baden-Powell's bravery because they had fought against him and with him, and they were proud to offer the left hand of bravery.

When you use the Scout salute and handshake, remember that they are signs of respect and courage.

43 PARENTS

Scouts, if you're like most boys, you don't think of your parents very often. Oh, they're around all the time, of course, and sometimes they make you do things you don't want to do.

but how often do you think of what your parents want from you? Probably not very often. Maybe you give them gifts at Christmas and their birthdays. but most of us don't go out of our way to help our parents as much as we might.

I have a suggestion. Do you know what is the best gift you can give them? I'll tell you.
Parents want most of all, and have a right to expect, that you will do your best to make them proud of you. I don't mean by becoming rich or famous, or even by getting all A's in school - although I hope you do your best at your studies.

The best gift you can give them is to become the best man you can be. there is no better way to do that than by living up to the Scout Oath and Law. That is a gift you can give them right now and all the time, and it is a gift they will cherish above all others.

44 THE BUDDY PLAN

 (Hold up buddy tags)

What do I have here, Scouts? That's right, they're buddy tags. We use them whenever we go in the water, so that every Scout is responsible for the safety of another Scout and so the leader knows who is in the water. It's an important way to make sure that no swimmer gets into trouble because no-one is paying attention to him.

The buddy plan is really part of everything we do in Scouting. Remember that in the Scout Oath we say that we will help other people at all times. In other words, we are our brother's keeper, and we pledge to act as a buddy would even to a total stranger.
Maybe I'm stretching the point a little bit, because you're never going to be a real buddy to some lady you might give directions to on the street or to some little kid whose ball you find for him.

Still, the idea of the Good Turn and the buddy plan are the same in a way. Both call for you to help another person - to become your brother's keeper. the buddy plan is absolutely essential when we're in the water and the idea behind it is important in everything we do.

45 A SCOUT IS BRAVE

In the Scout Law we say, "A Scout is brave. " What does that mean to you? (Get answers. )

Usually we think of bravery as overcoming fear to take some action that saves a life of helps someone in some way. Most of the time we're talking about overcoming fear of physical harm to ourselves.

But there's another kind of bravery. It's bravery to overcome the fear of ridicule from our friends. It's the courage that's required to do what you know is right, even if your friends make fun of you. It may even be tougher than being brave in a crisis because you usually have more time to think about it.

I know it's sometimes hard to act right when everybody is urging you to do something you know is wrong. It takes a courageous Scout - or man - to withstand the pressure from friends.

It's not easy - but it's the mark of a good Scout. Let's try to do our best to be brave in every situation - the emergency and the pressure from friends.

46 HOLIDAY SPIRIT

Christmas and Hanukkah are, for the most people, the most joyful holidays of the year. The holiday parties, the exchange of gifts, and the brilliant lights of the Christmas trees make a guy glad to be alive at this season.

Sometimes we forget that these holidays are really religious festivals. It's well to remember that the real holiday spirit is cast by the Star of Bethlehem and the Hanukkah candles, reminding us of the miracles in times past.

In the 12th point of the Scout Law we say that a Scout is reverent. That doesn't mean that he has to go around all the time with a long face or with hands folded in prayer. It means that he does his duty to God, which includes doing things for God's other creatures. We'll be doing that later this month with our troop Good Turn.

Now remembering that a Scout is reverent, let's close with the Scout benediction.

47 SPELL IT HONESTY

Tonight we've spent a lot of time talking about ethics - about honesty and fairness and respect for others. Now I'll tell you a true story about a Scout who showed what those things mean.

His name is Andrew J. Flosdorf, and in 1983 he was a 1st Class Scout in Troop 42 of Fonda NY Andy was in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, competing for the championship and a chance for a scholarship.

During a break in the competition, Andy went to the judges and told them that although they thought he had spelled "echolalia" correctly, he had mistakenly substituted an "e" for the first "a" in the word, which means a speech disorder. He said he discovered his error when he looked it up afterwards.

By admitting the mistake, that the judges hadn't caught, Andy eliminated himself from the competition. The chief judge said, "We want to commend him for his utter honesty," and the crowd gave him an ovation.

But Andy didn't tell them about his error to earn cheers. He wanted to win as much as the other contestants, but he wanted to win fairly. "The first rule of Scouting is honesty," Andy told the judges.

"I didn't want to feel like a slime. "

I don't know what has happened to Andy Flosdorf since then, but I'm sure of two things. He learned one of Scouting's most important lessons, and gave us an example of honesty and fairness that all of us should shoot for.

48 COAL AND DIAMONDS

Scouts, I'm sure you've all seen a diamond. It's very hard, very bright and very beautiful. Most of you have probably seen coal, too. It's dull black and it crumbles easily.
Now a little chemistry lesson. Who can tell me how coal and diamonds are alike? That's right - both are made from the element carbon. But a diamond has great value because it is rare. I compare the diamond to a man of sharp mind, hard body and shining bright spirit. The coal might be compared to a man who is not mentally sharp, physically tough or spiritually bright.

Someone once said that a diamond is just a piece of coal that stuck to it. Over many millions of years, its brilliance was caused by the heat and pressure inside our earth.
My hope is that like that diamond you will stick to it by following our Scouting ideals. If you do, you will become an example of what a man should be.

49 A SCOUT IS FRIENDLY

Probably all of you know some guy who is grouchy all the time. His neighbors try to be nice to him, but he just won't be friendly. Maybe he'll build a great wall around his house to keep people away.

Let me tell you about another kind of neighbor I heard about. There was no wall around his property, and somebody noticed that a strip of grass between his yard and his neighbor's yard was unusually green. How come? He was asked.

"Oh," he laughed, " my neighbor and I are so afraid we'll cheat each other that we always water and fertilize the grass across the line on the other fellows side. That strip of grass down the property line gets twice as much water and fertilizer as the rest of our yards. " Instead of a fence to keep each other away, that man and his neighbor had a vivid green reminder that they were friends.

The point of this story is that if you want to have friends, you can't build walls between yourselves and other people. Instead, cultivate that space between you by being as fair to the other guy as you'd like him to be to you. A Scout is friendly, and the way to have friends - and keep them - is to be friendly yourself.

50 SOMEONE ELSE

With great regret we announce the loss of one of the councils most valuable families - Mr. & Mrs. Someone Else have moved away, and the vacancy they have left will be hard to fill. The Else's have been with us for many years; they have done far more than their share of the work about the council. When there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, their name was on everybody's lips: "Let Someone Else do it" Whenever a committee was mentioned, this wonderful family was looked to for inspiration as well as results: "Someone Else will set up the event. " And when there was a trip to take Mr. & Mrs. Someone Else were thought to be the best transportation: "Let Someone Else take them. "

The Someone Else's are wonderful people, but they are only human, they could spread themselves only so thin. Many a night I have sat up and talked with someone and heard him wish aloud for more help in the council. He and his wife did the best they could, but people expected too much from them. We have to face the fact that there were just not enough Someone Else's to go around. And now the Someone Else's are gone and we're wondering what we are going to do without them. They have left us a great example to follow, but who will follow it? Who is going to do the things that someone else did?

51 SCOUTING'S PLUMB LINE

 (Show a carpenter's plumb line)

Does anybody know what this is? That's right it's a plumb line. Carpenters and masons use a plumb line to make sure their work is perfectly straight and vertical.

Supposing you were building a brick wall and you built it just by guesswork. Then I came along with this plumb line and laid it against your wall. Both of us could see the wall was crooked if the plumb line told us so.

You might get mad about it and throw my plumb line as far as you could. But that wouldn't make the wall any straighter, would it?

In Scouting, we have another kind of plumb line, and in a way it shows us how straight we are. Scouting's plumb line is the Scout Oath and Law. They tell us how to build our lives straight and true. When we don't follow the Oath and Law, we know it, don't we? If we've been untrustworthy, disloyal or unfriendly to someone, our plumb line - the Scout Law - is there in the back of our mind to remind us that we are not building our lives in a straight and true way.

The Scout never lived who never once violated the Scout Oath and Law. But those pledges, our plumb line, should always be our guide.

52 BEING A BROTHER

Did you know that you have millions of brothers? Who do you think they might be.

That's right, Scouts all over the world. We often speak of the World Brotherhood of Scouting, and that's exactly what it is - millions of boys and men who are divided by nationality and religious belief, but united in the ideals of Scouting.

Many millions of those brothers of yours in Scouting are very poor. To help them enjoy Scouting, the Boy Scouts of America has a special treasury called the World Friendship Fund. Through that fund, your brothers can get training materials, tents, even uniforms in some cases. It's one way we can show our loyalty to Scouting and our brotherhood with other boys and men.

At our Family Party, we are going to ask you to give a small amount to help our brothers. If you can afford a dollar, give that. If the best you can do is a quarter or a dime, fine. But I hope everyone here will try to contribute something.

We in the United States are amongst the luckiest people on earth. Some of us may be poor, but nearly all of us would be considered wealthy by the standards of some other countries. Show your appreciation for your good fortune, and your willingness to help other Scouts, by bringing something for the World Friendship Fund to the party.
 

Subject Cross Reference

Advancement 6,16
Camping 12,19,23,27,32,40
Badges 7,11,34,35
Compass 7,10
Star Study 13
Fishing 14
Ropework 8,11,15,51
Scout History 37,38,39,42
Hunting 17
Cooking 18
Uniform 28
Swimming 44
Scouting Ideals ALL
First Aid 1