July Photo Finalists Revealed!
August 1, 2011
Last month’s entries to our Scouting photo contest on flickr were some of our strongest entries yet. Here are a few that really caught our eye. One of these photographs will win the taker a $100 Gift Certificate for some sweet custom shirts!
And the winner is…
And the winner is…
July Photo Winner!
Summer Reading Series, Book 4, The Scouting Party
July 26, 2011
For anyone who has ever wished that they could read the mail of the men who founded the BSA, The Scouting Party will be of great interest. This well-researched book uses the backdrop of America during the Progressive Movement in the early 1900’s to focus on the often strained relationships of men like Ernest Thompson Seton, Daniel Carter Beard, James E. West, and Lord Baden Powell. 
Through personal accounts of hotel meetings and the actual text of letters sent back and forth between the parties, readers get a glimpse of the egos, attitudes, and principles of these distinguished leaders.
The main conflicts are between Seton and West with Beard often being called into the argument to take sides against Seton or to mediate. Here are some quotes from an argument that arose over the look of patrol emblems.
Arguments like this one over details, and others regarding who should get credit for founding what aspects of the BSA, escalate to the point where Seton formally resigns from the Boy Scouts of America in 1915. Throughout the book, events like this are always put into the larger context of President Roosevelt’s America. Roosevelt even becomes a key player at times, entreating the BSA (a peaceful organization) to stand with him as America rallies to join the war effort.
The book is careful to remain objective, by presenting facts and letting the reader form their own opinions.
Overall, The Scouting Party is an informative and descriptive book on the rise of the Boy Scouts of America in the early twentieth century that Scouting historians will love!
Want to check out the other books in our Scouting Summer Reading Series?
Book 1: The Other Side of the Road
Book 2: Spirit of Adventure
Book 3: To Do My Best
Through personal accounts of hotel meetings and the actual text of letters sent back and forth between the parties, readers get a glimpse of the egos, attitudes, and principles of these distinguished leaders.
The main conflicts are between Seton and West with Beard often being called into the argument to take sides against Seton or to mediate. Here are some quotes from an argument that arose over the look of patrol emblems.
“I know something about heraldry and I know a great deal about patrol emblems,” Seton tells the editorial board including West.
“I think Mr. Seton is all wrong in this matter,” West responds.
“I think he is making a mountain out of a molehill,” Beard says in reaction to Seton’s advice on the emblem designs.
Arguments like this one over details, and others regarding who should get credit for founding what aspects of the BSA, escalate to the point where Seton formally resigns from the Boy Scouts of America in 1915. Throughout the book, events like this are always put into the larger context of President Roosevelt’s America. Roosevelt even becomes a key player at times, entreating the BSA (a peaceful organization) to stand with him as America rallies to join the war effort.
The book is careful to remain objective, by presenting facts and letting the reader form their own opinions.
Overall, The Scouting Party is an informative and descriptive book on the rise of the Boy Scouts of America in the early twentieth century that Scouting historians will love!
Want to check out the other books in our Scouting Summer Reading Series?
Book 1: The Other Side of the Road
Book 2: Spirit of Adventure
Book 3: To Do My Best
ClassB Goes to Camp La-No-Che!
July 21, 2011
This summer, ClassB had the pleasure of spending a day at impressive Camp La-No-Che, located on the North shore of Lake Norris in Paisley, Florida.
Our morning started out with a guided tour of the 1,480 acre camp. Highlights included a trip down to the beautiful lakefront to check out all of the options for Scouts looking to get out on the water. Camp La-No-Che is an approved site for the B.S.A.’s National P.W.C. pilot program. P.W.C. stands for “Personal Water Craft,” commonly called jet skis.
One of things that stands out about La-No-Che is the experience of the Aquatics program staff. Scouts can learn how to sail small crafts, practice open water rescues in kayaks, go canoeing, enjoy wake-boarding or drive the P.W.C.’s along the lake’s new boat traffic lane that La-No-Che staff installed this year.
La-No-Che is one of only a few camps in the entire country that is used as a testing ground for BSA National pilot programs and is the only camp this year to adopt both new pilot programs. That means that in addition to jet skis, Scouts at La-No-Che are getting the chance to drive A.T.V.’s for the first time ever at a Scout camp!
Another popular site at camp is the Native American Area. Resident instructor Jim Sawgrass is a Southeastern Creek. He impressed our group by lighting a fire using the friction bow method in a matter of seconds. Sawgrass and his fellow native american educators like Little Big Mountain (a descendant of Comanche and Mohawk), teach Scouts native american weaponry, early American history, Indian lore, archeology, wilderness survival, and primitive cooking. One of our staff members commented, “I appreciate the fact that camp La-No-Che teaches young boys how to use and conserve our nation’s natural resources.”
After lunch with the troops, Sawgrass promised to let our group try hatchet throwing, blowguns, and the atlatl (an ancient method of throwing long spears). The weaponry activity was an experience our group will never forget. The challenge of learning how to use ancient weapons was part of the fun. As one member of our group mentioned, “if we depended on our skills with the atlatl, we would all go hungry!”
The trip gave us all a greater appreciation for the huge amount of work that goes into running and maintaining a camp like La-No-Che and the camp staff there have the resources, knowledge, and experience to really get the job done. We all wished our visit could have lasted even longer. A member of our IT department pretty much summed up our feelings when he said, “Camp La-no-che kinda makes me wish I was a kid again.”
Camp La-No-Che is an amazing place for Scouts to safely work on merit badges, experience new activities, and learn valuable life skills.
For more pictures of ClassB’s day at Camp La-No-Che, check out our flickr album.
Have you been to this camp? Leave us a comment about your experience!
Our morning started out with a guided tour of the 1,480 acre camp. Highlights included a trip down to the beautiful lakefront to check out all of the options for Scouts looking to get out on the water. Camp La-No-Che is an approved site for the B.S.A.’s National P.W.C. pilot program. P.W.C. stands for “Personal Water Craft,” commonly called jet skis.
A beautiful day for some watersports
One of things that stands out about La-No-Che is the experience of the Aquatics program staff. Scouts can learn how to sail small crafts, practice open water rescues in kayaks, go canoeing, enjoy wake-boarding or drive the P.W.C.’s along the lake’s new boat traffic lane that La-No-Che staff installed this year.
La-No-Che is one of only a few camps in the entire country that is used as a testing ground for BSA National pilot programs and is the only camp this year to adopt both new pilot programs. That means that in addition to jet skis, Scouts at La-No-Che are getting the chance to drive A.T.V.’s for the first time ever at a Scout camp!
Another popular site at camp is the Native American Area. Resident instructor Jim Sawgrass is a Southeastern Creek. He impressed our group by lighting a fire using the friction bow method in a matter of seconds. Sawgrass and his fellow native american educators like Little Big Mountain (a descendant of Comanche and Mohawk), teach Scouts native american weaponry, early American history, Indian lore, archeology, wilderness survival, and primitive cooking. One of our staff members commented, “I appreciate the fact that camp La-No-Che teaches young boys how to use and conserve our nation’s natural resources.”
Sawgrass starts a fire using only friction
Atlatl action, aiming for hay bales.
After lunch with the troops, Sawgrass promised to let our group try hatchet throwing, blowguns, and the atlatl (an ancient method of throwing long spears). The weaponry activity was an experience our group will never forget. The challenge of learning how to use ancient weapons was part of the fun. As one member of our group mentioned, “if we depended on our skills with the atlatl, we would all go hungry!”
The trip gave us all a greater appreciation for the huge amount of work that goes into running and maintaining a camp like La-No-Che and the camp staff there have the resources, knowledge, and experience to really get the job done. We all wished our visit could have lasted even longer. A member of our IT department pretty much summed up our feelings when he said, “Camp La-no-che kinda makes me wish I was a kid again.”
Everyone enjoyed trying to hit targets with a blowgun.
Camp La-No-Che is an amazing place for Scouts to safely work on merit badges, experience new activities, and learn valuable life skills.
For more pictures of ClassB’s day at Camp La-No-Che, check out our flickr album.
Have you been to this camp? Leave us a comment about your experience!
Summer Reading Series, Book 3, To Do My Best
July 13, 2011
If you’re looking for a book on the BSA’s history that really give some insight on why the Scouting movement is organized the way it is, check out To Do My Best James E. West and the History of the Boy Scouts of America.
The story goes on to tell how West saved the boy from prison by getting him off on a technicality. This action led to West helping to organize a Citizens Committee for Juvenile Court and saw the bill passed into law by Congress on March 12, 1906. West was of a firm belief that children should not be tried as adults and that there hearings should take place in a different setting by people who had experience working with young people.
Stories such as this one make this book a fascinating read.
At times throughout the book, James E. West seems like a study in contradictions. He was a physically ill man from birth who never camped, yet he became the leader of the BSA. He was accused of being chauvinist when he went after the Girl Scouts for name infringement, but at the same time, had sent both of his daughters to respected colleges and always encouraged their career advancements.
West established The President of the United States as the honorary President of the BSA and this wise move did a lot of good for promoting the organization. The book highlights each President’s actions during this appointment for the years that West was in charge of the BSA.
Anybody in a leadership position in Scouting should add To Do My Best James E. West and the History of the Boy Scouts of America to their reading list.
Subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog to catch our next book review on The Scouting Party by David C. Scott and Brendan Murphy!
Check out the other books in our Scouting Summer Reading Series!
Book 1: The Other Side of the Road
Book 2: Spirit of Adventure
BSA’s founder was a complicated and highly principled leader. The author of this book, Dr. Rowan, uses an easy-to-follow chronological structure to highlight key moments in the BSA’s history that grew the organization. He also reveals the character and personality of Mr. West, the first “Chief Scout Executive.”
The book raises many intriguing questions and offers several interesting stories for example:Early in his legal career, West had his car stolen. West had left his two-seater parked while he visited a settlement house. He returned to find it gone. The police picked up the boy who stole it and West was asked to testify in court. When he learned that the boy had no lawyer, West volunteered to defend him.
The story goes on to tell how West saved the boy from prison by getting him off on a technicality. This action led to West helping to organize a Citizens Committee for Juvenile Court and saw the bill passed into law by Congress on March 12, 1906. West was of a firm belief that children should not be tried as adults and that there hearings should take place in a different setting by people who had experience working with young people.
Stories such as this one make this book a fascinating read.
At times throughout the book, James E. West seems like a study in contradictions. He was a physically ill man from birth who never camped, yet he became the leader of the BSA. He was accused of being chauvinist when he went after the Girl Scouts for name infringement, but at the same time, had sent both of his daughters to respected colleges and always encouraged their career advancements.
West established The President of the United States as the honorary President of the BSA and this wise move did a lot of good for promoting the organization. The book highlights each President’s actions during this appointment for the years that West was in charge of the BSA.
Anybody in a leadership position in Scouting should add To Do My Best James E. West and the History of the Boy Scouts of America to their reading list.
Subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog to catch our next book review on The Scouting Party by David C. Scott and Brendan Murphy!
Check out the other books in our Scouting Summer Reading Series!
Book 1: The Other Side of the Road
Book 2: Spirit of Adventure
June Photo Contest Finalists Revealed
July 1, 2011
Every month this year we have held a Scouting photo contest and have given away over $500 worth of custom t-shirts to winning photographers. This month we’ve picked 3 finalists. The winning photo will earn $100 Gift Certificate for some cool custom t-shirts!
Do you have some great Scouting pics? Upload them to flickr.com and tag them “ClassBPhoto2011.” Maybe you’ll win next month!
Summer Reading Series, Book 1, The Other Side of The Road
June 23, 2011
Pull out the trusty beach chair, adjust the sun-brella, pour your favorite beverage over ice, and dive into our Summer Reading Series!
Our first book tells the long overdue story of America’s best trained Scout leaders “…every Scout and every leader in the Boy Scouts of America today has been influenced by someone who has had a Philmont Training Center experience,” says Mark Griffin, author of the first book we’d like to recommend, The Other Side Of The Road.
- $12 per copy with discounts available for multiple purchases. Contact the PSA Office (575-376-1138) or click on the image to place your order now.
This book tells the amazing story of the Philmont Training Center by a man who grew up with PTC as a part of his life. Mark Griffin has been going to PTC since he was a small child and served as the Director of the training center from 1995 to 2000. He is currently the Scout Executive of the Blue Mountain Council.
While the slim book is a fast read, it is sure to include some facts or stories about Philmont that even someone who has attended or worked at PTC may not be aware of. For a Scouter who hasn’t been to Philmont yet, it will certainly make them want to go!
In the chapter entitled ” The Training Center in Scouting,” Griffin includes several of the articles that have been written about Philmont and have appeared in Scouting magazines over the years.
Here is an excerpt from one such article dated April 1953:
Like a Vacation?
Philmont is an ideal vacation land, and it’s all yours! Its trout filled streams, its breathtaking scenery, its cool and grassy meadows are waiting for you this summer. Famous Philmont training awaits you too. There will be conferences for Finance committee members, Commissioners and District and Counsel operating committees…
After detailing the conference schedule for that year the article goes on to say:
While Dad participates in the Training Conference with Scouters from all over the country, Mom and the children can have the time of their lives! “Kit Carson slept here.” Only fifteen minutes from the Training Center Tent City is Kit Carson’s home. Along the roadside to Carson-Maxwell Base Camp the deep ruts cut by the covered wagons of early settlers and traders still crease the soil.
Philmont Training Center is certainly a unique place that combines outdoor adventure with unparalleled leadership and training opportunities. It’s no wonder that PTC is attended by over 6,000 Scouts and their families every year.
For the next couple of weeks we will be recommending a few Scouting-themed books for you to check out. We’re calling them our Summer reading series. The next book in the series is Spirit of Adventure, by Alvin Townley.
April Photo Contest Winner Announced!
May 9, 2011
Here they are, the four photo contest finalists of last month! One of these photographers will win a $100 Gift Card from ClassB :)
If you were at this pack meeting, know this photographer, or have some connection with this photograph, leave a comment below!
Want to win $100 Gift Card from ClassB? Are you a photographer of Scouting events? If you can answer “yes” to both of these questions, then visit flickr and upload your pictures with the tag: ClassBPhoto2011.
A new winner is selected once a month!
Congratulations to Polywen for submitting this winning photo entitled “Cub Scout Pack Meeting.”
If you were at this pack meeting, know this photographer, or have some connection with this photograph, leave a comment below!
Want to win $100 Gift Card from ClassB? Are you a photographer of Scouting events? If you can answer “yes” to both of these questions, then visit flickr and upload your pictures with the tag: ClassBPhoto2011.
A new winner is selected once a month!
March Photo Contest Finalists!
April 1, 2011
These are the finalists for our March Scouting Photo Contest on flickr. The Winner is announced after the jump in this post and will receive $100 Gift Card from ClassB!
If you enjoy taking Scouting photos, upload them to flickr with the tag: ClassBPhoto2011 and maybe one of your pictures will be a finalist next month!
Here it is! Your March Photo Contest Winner…
Congratulations to “rustymonkey2” for submitting this month’s winner!
If you enjoy taking Scouting photos, upload them to flickr with the tag: ClassBPhoto2011 and maybe one of your pictures will be a finalist next month!
Here it is! Your March Photo Contest Winner…
Congratulations to “rustymonkey2” for submitting this month’s winner!
ClassB® at the Honda Grand Prix with BSA® Motorsports.
March 31, 2011
Last weekend, ClassB had the honor of being guests of Dale Coyne Motorsports and the #19 BSA Indy Car for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The event marked a lot of firsts for everyone involved. It was the first Grand Prix of the season for the IZOD Indy Car Series drivers. It was also the first Indy race for four-time Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais, who drives the BSA car for Dale Coyne and BSA® Motorsports.
Unfortunately, Bourdais wrecked in warm ups and was unable to go come race time, but it wasn’t a total disappointment for the team as they were able to pull off a miracle and get their other car, driven by rookie James Jakes, ready to go just before the race began. Jakes performed admirably in his first ever Indy race, finishing 15th after starting the race in the very last poll position.
The Dale Coyne Team looked sharp in their BSA branded team shirts and were more than happy to provide us with behind-the-scenes access right up until the race started. We hung out with the drivers in the team bus, watched the team mechanics work on the cars, and walked pit row complete with a demonstration of how cars are refueled and tires are changed.
It was a special day at the track for ClassB and the Scouts from the local council who showed up for the excitement. Check out this year’s
race schedule to see if a Grand Prix will be taking place near your council. Scouts with an interest in automotive technology will love the opportunity to meet this talented team and see the Indy cars in action.
The event marked a lot of firsts for everyone involved. It was the first Grand Prix of the season for the IZOD Indy Car Series drivers. It was also the first Indy race for four-time Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais, who drives the BSA car for Dale Coyne and BSA® Motorsports.
Unfortunately, Bourdais wrecked in warm ups and was unable to go come race time, but it wasn’t a total disappointment for the team as they were able to pull off a miracle and get their other car, driven by rookie James Jakes, ready to go just before the race began. Jakes performed admirably in his first ever Indy race, finishing 15th after starting the race in the very last poll position.
The Dale Coyne Team looked sharp in their BSA branded team shirts and were more than happy to provide us with behind-the-scenes access right up until the race started. We hung out with the drivers in the team bus, watched the team mechanics work on the cars, and walked pit row complete with a demonstration of how cars are refueled and tires are changed.
It was a special day at the track for ClassB and the Scouts from the local council who showed up for the excitement. Check out this year’s
race schedule to see if a Grand Prix will be taking place near your council. Scouts with an interest in automotive technology will love the opportunity to meet this talented team and see the Indy cars in action.
Happy Birthday Baden-Powell!
February 22, 2011
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell was born on February 22nd, 1857. In addition to founding the International Scouting Movement, Powell was a Lieutenant-General with the British Army and later authored several books on military reconnaissance and training before completing Scouting for Boys in 1908.
He tested some of his Scouting principles by taking a Boy’s Brigade to Brownsea Island in 1907.
Baden-Powell married Olave St. Clair in January 1912. They met on the RMSP Arcadian ocean liner while Baden-Powell was on his way to New York to kick off a Scouting World Tour. At the time of their marriage, St. Clair was 23 and Baden-Powell was 55. Though born many years apart, they shared the same birthday. This day is now known as Founder’s Day to Scouts.
Baden-Powell served the British Army in campaigns in India and South Africa. It was on one of these military campaigns that he saw a large string of wooden beads around the neck Dinizulu, king of the Zulus. Years later, this encounter would inspire the Wood Badge leadership training within the Scouting movement.
Baden-Powell was almost always photographed in his signature Stetson Calvary Hat.
He was a talented artist and liked to draw and paint as hobbies.
Great Britain awarded Baden-Powell the Order of Merit in 1937. He retired from making public appearances for Scouting at the 5th World Scout Jamboree that same year.
Powell died on January 8th 1941. His grave can be found in St. Peter’s Cemetery. His last public words to the Scouts contained the message, “‘Be Prepared’ in this way, to live happy and to die happy — stick to your Scout Promise always — even after you have ceased to be a boy — and God help you to do it.”
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via Wikipedia Commons
Baden-Powell served the British Army in campaigns in India and South Africa. It was on one of these military campaigns that he saw a large string of wooden beads around the neck Dinizulu, king of the Zulus. Years later, this encounter would inspire the Wood Badge leadership training within the Scouting movement.
Baden-Powell was almost always photographed in his signature Stetson Calvary Hat.
He was a talented artist and liked to draw and paint as hobbies.
Great Britain awarded Baden-Powell the Order of Merit in 1937. He retired from making public appearances for Scouting at the 5th World Scout Jamboree that same year.
Powell died on January 8th 1941. His grave can be found in St. Peter’s Cemetery. His last public words to the Scouts contained the message, “‘Be Prepared’ in this way, to live happy and to die happy — stick to your Scout Promise always — even after you have ceased to be a boy — and God help you to do it.”