Among other things, the ruling has strained relations between the Scouts and school systems that have long provided space for troop meetings.

Troops may plan outings and activities outside the troop meeting.

Patrol meetings are generally held during the weekly troop meeting.

She said the district paid custodians $31,000 in fiscal year 1999-2000 to keep schools open during troop meetings.

Increasingly, though, merit badges are earned in a class setting at troop meetings and summer camps.

An adult is required to attend all troop meetings.

She attributed the recent increase to the "changing face of troop meetings."

Most meetings also included a training session on selling cookies, as most troop meetings still do.

They held their monthly troop meetings on Sunday in a large gimnazium and met weekly every Saturday as a patrol.

The backs of two Slammers, peering within from the rear ramp, proved there was a full house-a troop meeting going on.