Thursday, November 17, 2011

Cubmaster Minute

Why does Scouting encourage a boy to do Good Turns?

Here is what Lord Baden-Powell, Scouting’s founder, had to say about it:
“The Scouting practices tend in a practical way to educate the boy out of the groove of selfishness. Once he becomes charitable, he is well on the way to overcome or to eradicate the danger of this habit.”

The promise that a Cub Scout makes on joining has as its first point, “To do my best, to do my duty to God and my Country.” Note that it does not say, “To be loyal to,” since that would merely be a state of mind. It clearly says to do something, which is the positive, active attitude.

Baden-Powell went on to say, “The main method of the Boy Scouts movement is to give some form of positive training rather than merely to inculcate negative precepts, since the boy is always ready to do rather than to digest. Therefore, we put into his activities the practice of Good Turns in his daily life as a foundation of
future goodwill and helpfulness to others. The religious basis underlying this is common to all denominations, and we, therefore, interface with the form of none.
“Thus we teach him that to do his duty to God means, not merely to lean on his kindness, but to do his will by practicing love toward one’s neighbor.”

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Monthly Theme - Citizenship

The core value highlighted this month is:

Citizenship: Contributing service and showing responsibility to local, state, and national communities. Cub Scouts will demonstrate good citizenship as they participate in pack flag ceremonies, show respect for people in authority, and strive to be good neighbors.