True, but there’s lots of skills that can be used and enjoyed on a widespread scale and don’t entail climbing on tall structures.

Joel, in my opinion, the second sentence of your comment is a real gem! The sentiment shared by many is that it would be most beneficial if Scouting was presented as a value-based program that offers extraordinary opportunities to gain self-reliance and practice teamwork, while learning timeless outdoor skills that yield the ability to take care of oneself and others.

Well said!!

Amen!

I too would have loved watching you make the noodles!

In addition to the obvious benefits from learning outdoor Scouting skills such as cooking and surviving in the woods, there are several added benefits. Far too many kids are raised with little or no expectations to succeed. Many that I have worked with are full of the “it can’t be done” syndrome. For example, taking a group of the older boys camping in Michigan in January teaches them that they can adapt and survive conditions they never expected was possible. Another example is making Lasagna from scratch on a camp out. I made the noodles from flour and eggs, using my water bottle to roll them out then stewed the tomatoes into a sauce. No lectures, no lengthy classroom work, just letting them watch me and ask questions. The take away from experiences such as this are “the impossible” can be done with a little ingenuity and these lessons build confidence that applies to other things in life.

In regards to why National hasn’t actually done this already, I’m HOPING and trusting the appropriate national committees will meet the “renewed emphasis” proposal with open arms. That’s why we’re endeavoring to disseminate our perspective along with a petition for all members and a survey for Scouts as one of the preparatory steps. This is a job for all individuals who can relate to the relevance and importance of the tried and true “Old School Scouting” approach to once again provide a meaningful and richly appealing outdoor program in the BSA.

Exactly. Besides being appealing (fun) to today’s Scouts, I feel you’re really right to allude to the fact these skills can be important and useful.