Boy Scout Troop 325 Scoutmaster Minute

Top Ten Signs...

May 5, 2009
Andy Duprey, Scoutmaster

Top Ten Signs you are in a Solid Boy Scout Troop

10. The troop has been around for awhile-Troop 325 was founded in the autumn of 1959
9. Boys bring there brothers into the troop and sometimes their sisters into venture crew.
8. The troop is a good size-Over the years, the troop size has ebbed and flowed. The earliest roster we have dates to 1970 and shows 39 members. A few years later in 1976, the troop had dropped to 29 members. In 1981 it was up to 31 members. In 1985, it had dropped to 13 members. In 1990, it was down to just six registered Scouts with just three active. Currently there are 77 scouts in the troop
7. The troop has an active and diverse outdoors program. A typical annual program includes: backpacking, camping, canoeing, hiking, rifle and shotgun shooting, river rafting, rock climbing, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snow camping, skim boarding and body surfing, and water skiing. The troop also participates in Pioneer District Camporee each year, Santa Clara County's Scout Expo, and the council's Bear Paw Winter Camping Experience. In addition, troop members participate actively in regional, national and international events. We have routinely sent the most numbers of Scouts from any unit in our council to International Rendezvous, National Jamboree, and World Jamboree.
6. The troop has traditions
   • The first troop neckerchief was the red, official Scout neckerchief. In the early 1970s, the Scouts in the troop designed their own neckerchief, a black neckerchief with a yellow patch depicting a Scout hiking. In the late 1980's - early 1990's, they returned to the official red neckerchief. Then, in 1992, the Scouts designed a new neckerchief incorporating both: a two-sided neckerchief, red on one side, black on the other, with a new troop patch. When a Scout first joins the troop, he wears the neckerchief red side out. When he completes First Class, the Scout may turn over his neckerchief to wear black side out. He is also presented with the new official patch of the troop, showing a Scout with a hiking stave and backpack looking out over a broad river with snowcapped mountains in the distance.
   • In 1993, the troop designed an "official" troop t-shirt: a "Far-Side" cartoon by Gary Larson, entitled "Know Your Knots!" It shows a very shaky "almost" hanging victim sitting on the ground beneath a noose that has obviously become untied, while his supervisor re-teaches the hangman how to tie a noose properly: "OK, the rabbit comes out of the hole, goes around the tree several times.
   • The troop has an almost annual tradition of hiking the Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail. This 28 mile trail was built in 1968 by the Boys Scouts of Santa Clara, Monterey, and Skyline Councils, with members of the Sierra Club and members of the Santa Cruz Mountains Hiking Club. That day was proclaimed Santa Clara County Trails Day. The following year, it was adopted by the state as California Hiking Days. A few years later, it was adopted by the nation as National Hiking Days!
   • This is Troop 325.
5. The troop meets regularly-We meet every Tuesday night.
4. The patrols are strong-ok-so we are working on that.
3. A number of boys make Eagle.-In 1965, Troop 325 honored it's first Eagle Scout, Michael R. Rose. Over the years, the troop has celebrated 84 Eagle Scouts-12 in the last 2 years!
2. The troop provides service to the community. The troop has provided service to Prince of Peace church, Moreland Woods and to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
1. You are challenged and have fun!

Ten Signs You're in a Bad Boy Scout Troop

10. You get merit badge for picking the trifecta at Bay Meadows
9. You help old ladies across 280
8. First rule in handbook: "Blame the other kid"
7. You're part of a the so-called the Gambino Patrol
6. To become an Eagle Scout, you have to catch and eat a Bald Eagle
5. Your Scoutmaster wears a locator from the Sheriff's office.
4. You get busted for selling knot-tying secrets to Russian Boy Scouts
3. Scout master hands out his favorite campfire treat -- Marlboro Lights
2. Troop motto: "Be prepared...to lie on the witness stand"
1. Every year you have to put on a skirt and go door-to-door selling cookies

But you are in a solid troop, with a long tradition of community service and supporting boys as they grew into men. Thank you and good night scouts.