LettersAn Informative SourceI wanted to let you know that the January-February edition of Scouting magazine was the best issue ever. As an adult leader for the past six years, I have received (and kept) every issue. Every page of this issue was informative. There wasn’t a page that I skipped! Robynn Jasper Pawhuska PrideWhat a wonderful 100th Anniversary edition of Scouting, worthy of the extra pages and special cover. Lawrence Gibbs Pawhuska did have a Boy Scout troop as early as 1909. But several other communities boast that they are home to the first official Boy Scout unit. Power OutletI read with great interest the column on the Nature of Boys, titled “I’m No Good at Sports!” [January-February]. That was me almost 50 years ago. Scouting was my outlet. As a Scoutmaster, I often told parents and Scouts that any boy could be an Eagle. It was up to him to challenge himself to get there. Unlike a sport, it was not a situation where someone wins while others lose. That ability to challenge myself and work to a goal has helped me all through my life. Francis W. Kearney I enjoyed the “I’m No Good at Sports!” article. One thing I have never seen is reference to “nonathletic” involvement in sports. A boy does not have to be a star player. If he knows the rules of the game, he can be a referee or scorekeeper. A reputation for honesty and fairness can earn him a lifetime of respect. Melanie Hazelrig Where the Buffalo RoamsIn your article about the Buffalo River [Trail Tips, January-February], you forgot to mention there is a Boy Scout camp there. Camp Orr has been there for more than 50 years, giving out-of-state Scout troops high-adventure activities with the river and mountains. Stan Vlademar Ooops!When I got to the end of the Cub Scout article “Brrrr-illiant” [Cub Scout Corner, January-February], I found that it ended mid-sentence. Dennis Kirson Due to a production error, the final paragraph was omitted. It should have read: “Bottom line: Keep it simple, and make it fun. A well-planned cabin camping experience can provide a fun, safe venue where Cub Scouts can warm to the outdoors—even when it’s cold out.” We regret the error. Game On?I was horrified when I read in the 100th anniversary edition of Scouting that “Video Games” would soon be offered in the Cub Scout Academics program, and that boys would be eligible to earn a belt loop for it. I have struggled to come up with any requirements that would promote video games in a way to benefit Scouting and the boys’ lives. On the contrary, we actively seek to dissuade electronics as part of our program by disallowing the use of MP3 players, portable game stations, cell phones, etc., on any pack or den activities. I know from attendance at roundtable that most other packs have the same rules. Why would a program that emphasizes physical fitness and outdoor pursuits espouse an activity that promotes the opposite? It seems the folks who are coming up with achievements such as this are woefully out of touch with what the rank and file are looking to get out of the program. Gary Golub Rani Monson of the BSA’s Innovation Group responds: The Video Games belt loop and pin accomplishes several goals while appealing to youth and remaining true to Scouting’s core values and principles. For example, one requirement asks a Cub Scout to explain why a game ratings system is important. The goal is for a Cub Scout to select an age-appropriate game, which he has saved money to buy, and then play it with his family. Another requirement focuses on consumer education by asking the Cub Scout to check a game’s price at three different stores, evaluate the return policies, and determine the best value. |