Scouting anyone?

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts are 100 years old this year!

Troop 90 back in early 70s what fun it was. Most boys at school were either in Troop 170 or 90. The thing I remember most about Scouting was believe it or not fighting ! We would run into Scouts from the inner cities and a fight would ensue. I remember one meeting a Scout Master from another Troop ( we shared a meeting hall for a month ) told us a story. It seems his son during a camping trip saw a Bigfoot run across a road. He had a Plaster cast which he showed us. This guy was white as a Ghost while telling us so we knew he wasn't lying. I currently work with 2 guys who were Eagle Scouts but are ashamed to admit it. My friends son who was in scouts said it's way too PC. I bought a Manual that I had in the 70s off of ebay. Boy what dated memories .

Both a boy scout and a girl scout here
Dad was the co-leader for my brother's B.S. troop so i joined for a lot of the camping trips and mom was co-leader of my sister's G.S. troop so naturally i joined the girls as well.

I had a tremendous experience in Scouting...

Half a century ago, back in Kentucky, I had a tremendous experience in the Boy Scouts.

Our scoutmasters were or claimed to be part or full blooded Native Americans and they taught us things, Useful woodcraft and things like how to follow a trail and how to find arrowheads.

They did this by the following method: on a hike, one walked at the front of the troop, and the other walked at the rear. Each scoutmaster would pick up arrowheads as he walked along. At the end of the hike each scoutmaster would empty his pockets and keep the good ones and divide up the lesser ones among the scouts.

Each kid realized that arrowheads were out there waiting to be picked up, if only you could spot them -- and you had walked right over and not seen at least as many arrowheads as the scoutmaster at the rear had picked up.

Eventually, we all learned how to spot arrowheads and thus how to collect them. We also learned how to read a trail and how to track an animal.

These skills have come in very handy on places like archaeological digs and have been useful in solving the occasional petty crime.

One example of this: one night in the early 1970's, my girlfriend's car was burglarized. Her car was parked near some woods and we came back from a party to discover her rear window was shattered and her briefcase was missing. That briefcase, although of no great intrinsic value, contained two years of her life's work: all of her Ph.D. notes and research on some obscure topic in Classical Archaeology. She was freaking out, so I told her not to worry. At first light, I returned to the scene of the crime and looked it over. The evening's dew had not yet lifted, so I was able to discern a faint trail away from where her car had been parked leading to some woods. Once in the woods, I followed a few sets of muddy footprints for about a mile until I came upon a clearing in the woods. In the center of the clearing was the still-glowing remains of a campfire, with an odd bunch of stuff scattered around it. Empty beer bottles, a case of oranges, and my girlfriend's books and notes, neatly stacked. Obviously, whoever stole the briefcase took a bunch of other stuff as well and brought it here to sit around the campfire, sort it out, and have a few beers. I loaded my girlfriend's notes and books into the briefcase, grabbed the case of oranges and trekked back to my car. When I returned the briefcase, my girlfriend was extremely grateful and... let's just say the celebration also included lots of freshly squeezed orange juice.

In time, I accumulated enough Boy Scout merit badges for the rank of Eagle, but did not stay to collect the badge as I had moved on to other pursuits like girls, football, and motor vehicles.

I did keep all of my old Scout Handbooks and Field Books. I have also accumulated a number of other editions. The older ones are always the most useful and interesting and the newer ones far less so.

When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to own an old original edition of what must have been the original Scout Handbook, The American Boy's Handy Book: What to Do and How to Do It by Dan Beard, the founder of American Scouting. First published in 1882, this is a wealth of projects and games, with practical directions on how to make them, filled with topics which are now totally neglected by the decision makers who direct today's Scouting: Winter Fishing, Trawl Fishing, Kite Making, Home-Made Boats, How To Rear And Train Wild Birds, Magic Lantern Tricks, Snowball Warfare, Home-Made Hunting, Camp Out Tips, Home-made Masquerade Costumes, How To Make Various Whirligigs, Novel Modes of Fishing, How To Make A Flat-Boat, Home-Made Fishing Tackle, Crusoe Raft, How To Tie All Sorts Of Knots, etc.

I looked into today's version of Scouting for my kids, but found that it has changed, almost beyond recognition.

The topics the kids learn about and what they do is far less interesting.

And the Scouting magazine Boy's Life has gone significantly downhill. It used to have plenty of great articles on neat things to make and to do, but now it only seems like a guide to the consumption of high end camping gear and the acquisition of passive video games. I got my kids a subscription to Boy's Life, hoping to spark an interest in then in Scouting, but a steady stream of the mediocre content of the current issues had an opposite effect to the one I had intended.

Also, sometime since the days when I was a scout, the Boy Scout organization and the Boy's Life magazine seem to have taken on or been taken in by a particular religious orientation. This is a most troubling development because if a kid already has his own well-defined religious belief and if it is a belief other than that which seems to be promoted by the Scouting organization, that kid will amost certainly be made to feel like an outsider in the group.

When I offered my kids the opportunity to join a Scout troop, they passed on it and took junior life guard lessons instead.

Best of luck

Never did scouting. There was a group called the Young Marines. I was in from '74 to '78. Big D Detachment, B Company out of the Naval Air Station in Grand Prairie. We had a two week bootcamp with plenty of drilling in the hot sun and push-ups. Oh yes! All the push-ups you can want. Complete with in-your-face D.Is, morning revielle, PT and all kinds of inspections. Camping on weekends afterwards or charity drives.
I loved it and it gave me a head start in school with U.S. History. I never did follow up and join the military.
I was suprised that the Young Marines were still around. They organized a mud run last year, I think in Arlington. Fun!
Ernest

I was in Scout Troop 23 here in Greer from middle school through high school. I did earn the rank of Eagle and made a friend who is like a brother to me through the troop. We still get together and go camping to this day.

I tried to stay on as a Assistant Scout Master but college, marriage and having 3 daughters kind of got in the way. I'm excited that this year for the Anniversary my OA lodge is having a big open camporee here at Camp Old Indian. I intend to go to it, hoping to run into some old friends and take a look over the camp. I haven't been up there in over a decade.

I'm an Eagle scout from '09 in troop 609. Arrowman in the OA. BSA is 100 this month. I got the Boyslife for this month for that reason. Its a great program even if it is a bit watered down these days. My troop went on monthly campouts at least. Getting eleceted to a position was acctual work as the troop is nearly 80 strong. The leadership training and other skills I learned were only comprable to my time in the JROTC. I too would recomend scouting to anyone.

Corky said:

When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to own an old original edition of what must have been the original Scout Handbook, The American Boy's Handy Book: What to Do and How to Do It by Dan Beard, the founder of American Scouting. First published in 1882, this is a wealth of projects and games, with practical directions on how to make them, filled with topics which are now totally neglected by the decision makers who direct today's Scouting: Winter Fishing, Trawl Fishing, Kite Making, Home-Made Boats, How To Rear And Train Wild Birds, Magic Lantern Tricks, Snowball Warfare, Home-Made Hunting, Camp Out Tips, Home-made Masquerade Costumes, How To Make Various Whirligigs, Novel Modes of Fishing, How To Make A Flat-Boat, Home-Made Fishing Tackle, Crusoe Raft, How To Tie All Sorts Of Knots, etc.

I looked into today's version of Scouting for my kids, but found that it has changed, almost beyond recognition.

The topics the kids learn about and what they do is far less interesting.

And the Scouting magazine Boy's Life has gone significantly downhill. It used to have plenty of great articles on neat things to make and to do, but now it only seems like a guide to the consumption of high end camping gear and the acquisition of passive video games.

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Corky, your comments brings to mind a quote by Mr. Beard that I think is especially relevant today:

"...We must be on our guard to see that modern conditions do not weaken our fiber until when faced with hardship we are as helpless as a hermit crab without its shell." ...Daniel Carter Beard

A few years ago I picked up a reprint copy of The American Boy's Handy Book at a library sale for a buck. Though, much to my regret, I never was a Scout, I found it to be fascinating reading. Even I wouldn't mind trying my hand at a project or two!

In the Golden Era there were tons of hobby and how-to books for boys filled with these fun projects. I collect these books. One of the most notable examples is The Boy Mechanic which was published in four volumes in 1913 (Volume 1), 1915 (Volume 2), 1919 (Volume 3), and 1925 (Volume 4). They were a compilation of articles that originally appeared in Popular Mechanics Magazine in those years. It's a shame they don't publish books like that anymore.

Based on my recollections it seems as if even as recently as the late '70s and early '80s it was still possible to have a Huck Finn kind of childhood.

Eagle scout from Troop 107 in the Old North State council. Brotherhood in OA.

And I'm not going to go into all of the issues raised in Corky's post, but I will say he's got a good sense for the national organization. There are a lot of great people in Scouts, but there are certainly... issues.

"I was in the "Cubs" for about three weeks in the mid 1960's unfortunately I went down a hill on my Bicycle, ran straight through an intersection, and was almost killed by "Akela", needless to say I never went back"

Corky said:

When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to own an old original edition of what must have been the original Scout Handbook, The American Boy's Handy Book: What to Do and How to Do It by Dan Beard, the founder of American Scouting. First published in 1882, this is a wealth of projects and games, with practical directions on how to make them, filled with topics which are now totally neglected by the decision makers who direct today's Scouting: Winter Fishing, Trawl Fishing, Kite Making, Home-Made Boats, How To Rear And Train Wild Birds, Magic Lantern Tricks, Snowball Warfare, Home-Made Hunting, Camp Out Tips, Home-made Masquerade Costumes, How To Make Various Whirligigs, Novel Modes of Fishing, How To Make A Flat-Boat, Home-Made Fishing Tackle, Crusoe Raft, How To Tie All Sorts Of Knots, etc.

I looked into today's version of Scouting for my kids, but found that it has changed, almost beyond recognition.

The topics the kids learn about and what they do is far less interesting.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Scouting would do well to take a few lessons from the past when it comes to their activities. My son is currently a scout making his way up the ranks and I can say their yearly calendar of events leaves much to be desired. There could be so much more daytrips and handicrafts happening in our particular troop. Overall the kids are enjoying it so who am I to complain..

Eagle Scout & father of an Eagle Scout, former Assistant Scout Master & current Life to Eagle Coordinator for Chattahoochee District of the Atlanta Area Council. Scouting today is a good distance from what I experienced but a very viable program to develop character & leadership in today's male youth. It meant something to me growing up, so I'm giving back so it means something to my son & the other boys. For the boys...

Honey was asst. Scoutmaster and son made it to 1st. Class and both Order of the Arrow.
Not only did I have a blast when I went with them camping but usually got to sit back and eat yummy silver turtles and cobbler to boot.

We were very disappointed when son didn't go on to Eagle but peer pressure can be bad. I know without a doubt that Scouting reinforced values we were trying to teach and added greatly to self- confidence and independence as a man. Our son is in the business of saving lives daily and has made us very, very proud.
When I look back it was probably one of the top smartest things we ever did as parents.
Not sure how it is now though. Like to think still viable and I also believe one troop may not be same as the other. Depends on leaders.

P.S. You ain't lived till you lose a 9 year old boy in the Astrodome during Jamboree. Like finding a needle in the haystack. lol

Eagle Scout, Troop 351. After being unhappy with our first troop, my dad and some other parents started our own. I was the first Eagle out of the troop. Good times..learned alot.

Growing up in NYC, my folks were underwhelmed with the scouting options available (based on my bro's experiences in the late 70's). I would have taken part if I had known more about it. I respect many of their values, and wish there were more things these days that balanced patriotism and core American values with internationalism. It's wonderful to me that a scout grows up immersed in US traditions and salutes the flag, but can relate to other kids who've had a similar scouting experiences from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.

Had a low paying, but fun job a few years ago designing and illustrating for a company that handled Scout patches, pins and emblems. Ironically, the other major source of business for us was MC clubs, which were often (but not always) the opposite of the Boy Scouts—at least in the popular imagination.

I was in the Sea Scouts back in the day, like the regular Scouts but with sailing.

I was in Cub Scouts when I was younger (1980's).



I was ten and in the 4th grade when this was taken. I had the rank of Wolf.

What is so sad today is fewer boys are interested in scouting, and of those that sign up, many are rarely at Pack or Den meetings because they always seem to have other, more "interesting" things to do. When I joined it was made clear that I would be involved and attend meetings, even if there was something that I might find more fun or interesting on meeting day. In other words you fulfilled your commitments and obligations.

Also, it is hard to tell who is a scout today, as more often then not they wear no uniform. When I was in scouting the wearing of the uniform was a big thing, especially to a young boy.

Started as a Tiger Cub (the part before Cub scouts) in Kindergarten or so (or maybe not kindergarten. I have no idea what the ages were) and continued all the way up to becoming an Eagle, which by the way, did not happen till two weeks before my 18th birthday. I like deadlines.
BSA is great, and I don't think I would be who I am now without it.

I started out as a Bobcat then made my way through Webelos. Also earned the Arrow of Light badge (different from Order of the Arrow). Started in Boy Scouts, but never went far as I had to drop out to attend boarding school.

I was a member of Pack 338, Hoosier Trails Council (Bedford, IN), Den 3 until Webelos. My father was one of the Webelos leaders.

Sadly, because of the obnoxious behaviour of some of the boys in my den, the den mother up and quit. It caused quite a stir and things were messy for awhile. I was a Bear at the time, and frankly those boys really ticked me off. They seemed to calm down when a man (can't recall who now) finally was appointed to take over.

The one thing I will never forget is a camping trip I went on as a Webelos. My father and I were canoeing, and not having done this before.... anyway, despite his best efforts to teach me all I proceeded to do was turn us in circles! He finally took over completely. Suffice it to say, I did finally learn canoeing, but while at away at school. To this day when I mention canoeing to my dad he still ribs me about this. lol

I was a Girl Scout from ages five to fourteen. I went from Brownie to Cadette. I loved many aspects of Girl Scouts but my troop (knew the same girls the whole way through and had pretty much the same leaders the whole time) were too "girly" for me. Girl Scouting seems less structured than Boy Scouting - you do what the leader finds interesting, which in our case rotated far too much around crafts projects, for me, and not enough outdoorsy stuff.

I, of course, will one day have a troop, probably full of girls who'd wish I shut up about making them hike and swim and only want to play with the glitter I hated. lol