In the category of ‘things forgotten but now remembered’, we recently handled a proof edition of the Scoutmaster handbook. A question from a collector got us digging into our reference shelves as there are actually four variations of the “PROOF” edition. The editions range from 203 pages, this one circa 1912, two versions with 161 pages and the final proof edition with 344 pages from March, 1913. The quantity made of the first three are unknown.

The reference book of choice is Chuck Fisk and Doug Bearce’s Collecting Scouting Literature/2nd edition published in 1990. And thus the ‘things forgotten’ observation – this book is 2o years old and yet its still the best, and most accessible out there but most current collectors do not know of this book. Not sure the solution to this problem – how do we keep these books up to date and let folks know about them.

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The Board for the new council here in Michigan approved at its first meeting new Field Service Council (FSC) boundaries. FSCs are a new concept in the Scouting structure that we’re developing. Although there is one legal entity there are at this time four (4) local delivery entities who’s primary purpose is unit support. The Coordinating Council, also sometimes referred to as the “Administrative Council”, integrates back office functions and achieves economies of scale that we could not achieve as individual councils. Basically we have been silos working within our boundaries. One of the goals of the Crossroads Recommendation is to not compete with each other but compete  to bring more youth to Scouting.

Here’s the new boundaries approved at the meeting. When will these be effective? Soon but still being worked out.

Note – the boundaries between FSCs is dotted. These will flex over time depending upon who can best serve the needs of a given unit. Within Field Service Councils we may well have additional Community Service Councils that are even more focused on unit service – MMM – membership, manpower and of course money. We’ve had discussions where our shoulder wear will change to the community level. Not as specific as red and white community strips that collectors know but more specific than council shoulder strips we’re used to seeing.

The criteria used are on this slide. The Unit Serving Executives to Total Available Youth ratio is about a third better than the current ‘gold standard’ for the national dashboard metrics in Journey to Excellence.

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Right now this is in the rumor mill but the OA National Committee is following through on its policy one charter – one lodge. The biggest outlier in this is Greater New York Councils which is technically one council but each of the burroughs operate with a lot of autonomy and they each have their own lodge several being some of the oldest in the country (e.g., Ranachaqua 4 and Shu-shu-gah 24). Anyone have any more knowledge about this situation either to confirm or refute?

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Previously I’ve shared information about what is called “The Area Project”, Area Project – Designing Scouting for the 21st Century and Michigan Councils Take Next Step In Integrating,  an effort by Central Region’s Area 2 volunteers to create a new structure for Scouting. Tonight all nine (9) councils who put the recommendation to join together to their governance approved the recommendation. That is, we’ve agreed to integrate together to become one, new council. This is the first new council since the 1940s as it is not a merger of existing councils into one successor council.

I’ve shared with some recently a quote from futurist Buckminster Fuller:

You never change things by fighting the existing model.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.

Well we’re on this course. Tonight’s a night of celebration but when we wake up tomorrow we have to begin the implementation. The bottom-line will be bringing more youth to Scouting in Michigan.

Update: Here’s a note I just sent to a friend from outside the area:

Deal is done. Vote passed state-wide. Of votes turned in it was 9 to 1 in favor. Basically we’re creating a new structure by pealing away a lot, unfortunately not all, of the calcification that has come from the bureaucracy over the past 100 years. Scouting-sclerosis I call the disease we have. We’re competing with each other rather than growing the pie – that is more kids in Scouting rather than “We’ll fill our camp by recruiting Scouts from other councils.” That any Board would suggest this is myopic thinking at best.

Implementation is the next hurdle.

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Hopefully someone can fill in the history on this piece but neither Destry nor I have seen this brand of Boy Scout hatchet. Its from E. C. Simmons Keen Kutter out of St. Louis, MO and has a clear, but worn, etched First Class Badge (as was standard).  Destry says this company generally made work tools or hand implements, which includes hatchets, but again for skilled trades and workers. Very cool in a different sort of way.

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Milwaukee County Council and Southeast Wisconsin voted to merge to become Three Harbors Council effective October 1, 2011. Merger discussions included parts of Bay Lake and Waukesha which may take action later.

Hiawathaland is in discussions with Bay Lakes and Appleton about possible merger options.

We’re at something like 296 councils nationally.

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Area 2 of the Central Region currently includes 11 councils in Michigan and northwestern Ohio. As reported on last week, the Boards of nine (9) of the eleven councils voted to move the integration recommendation on to the full voting membership. Here’s the update from the Area President regarding the other two – Hiawathaland (Marquette) and Erie Shores (Toledo):

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Last night nine of ten Michigan councils (the entire lower peninsula) voted to take the next step in creating a new structure for Scouting. This is the outcome of the BSA Area Project . The Chief Scout Executive has described it as one of the two most important new initiatives within the BSA (the other being the Summit base in West Virginia).

Here’s a PDF of the announcement from the Area 2 President:

Sept 16 Announcement by Area President Younkman

Previously we covered this back in January Area Project – Designing Scouting for the 21st Century.

There’s still much to do and many things to be worked out. The councils will make one more vote over the next 45 days to ratify the recommendation to integrate. Exciting times. Scary times. But necessary for us to improve our ability to serve our country’s youth.

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Fellow Scout patch dealer Richard Shields, the Carolina Trader, sent me an e-mail that as he says, “is humorous if it wasn’t so serious.”

I received a call on Sun. night that I thought at first was a joke but
later found out the lady was dead serious.  Below is an article from a
Colorado paper in regards to the first aid kits.  The ones from Johnson
and Johnson made during the 1930-40s have gauze pads with an ointment on
them that crystallizes over time.  Those crystals are explosive.  The
lady from NC had her pads blown up after they evacuated her neighborhood
for four hours.  She said they made a pretty good pop. If you having
any, call your local authorities.

Checking an article from the Denver News they reported the following:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Colorado Springs Police Department’s Hazardous Materials Team and Regional Explosives Unit was called out to a fire station Sunday because of concerns about the safety of a an antique Boy Scout first aid kit.The owner of the kit was concerned that kit may contain a small amount of picric acid and brought the kit to Fire Station 5 in Colorado Springs for disposal.The hazmat and explosives team remotely removed the hazard to a safe location and destroyed it, officials said.

Same Chemical Causes Other Evacuations

Picric acid was found in an antique Boy Scout first aid kit at the Pioneers Museum in Colorado Springs earlier this month. The museum was evacuated while the bomb squad and firefighters removed the material.

The same chemical was found in a historic doctor’s bag last month in a warehouse in the Lowry area of Denver belonging to the Colorado Historical Society, said society spokeswoman Rebecca Laurie.It too was picric acid, so the Denver bomb squad and a fire hazmat teams were called in to remove the acid.

“Sometimes, our researchers do come across chemicals in these kinds of medical hits or chemistry kits, things that were donated a long time ago,” said Laurie. “If they’re not sure what it is, they’re trained to call 911.

“Picric acid was stocked in pharmacies in the early 1920s as an antiseptic and as a treatment for burns, malaria, herpes and smallpox.

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