My uniform is in a trunk in Mom's attic.
It was fun in Alpine.. lots of great places to camp and hike.
That's "Twin Peaks".. we collected geodes and other rocks up there.
I still have 'em.
Posted on 12/30/2005 12:13:13 PM PST by Doc Savage
I apologize for a vanity posting. Had a flashback this afternoon and it just made me go back through the years and I was left wondering if anyone else remembered their scouting days so long ago.
For some unknown reason I remembered the very first time I ever had a Cub Scout uniform. We were so poor that just to buy it meant others in the family went without. I can remember like it was yesterday how great it felt and how proud I was to have the complete uniform.
My mom sewed my badges and troop number on, and I had the yellow neckerchief with a special gold slide to hold it. And the dark blue pants. It was such a great feeling to be part of the Cub Scouts! My father was the Scout Master, and we had a great troop.
Still have the same feeling about being a Boy Scout several years later. So, sorry for the vanity, but something just made me want to connect with anybody else who just might remember those times.
My husband still has his metal gold slide.
My son is a Cub Scout(Webelo I) and he has been one since Tigers.
I remember sewing on all those patches for 2 of my sons. Still have them along with the little arrow of light medals, etc. I don't know if they will ever want them, but I kept them.
Still have everything... shirts, neckerchiefs and awards from cub Scouts to Eagle..
I hate to rain on your nostalgia parade, but my first pinewood derby car would've blown the wheels off of yours. It's sittin' right there any time you're ready...#8-)
I took fifteen minutes of our meeting on 12/7 to teach the kids about Pearl Harbor., something they don't get in the schools these days, at 2nd grade or any other.
Sure, and I remember the den and pack meetings. Glitter had just been marketed. Glued matchbooks to wood plaques to give to my Granny for her stove. Akela came to the ceremonies.
My Cub Scout uniform is long since gone, but not the memories. Back then, the Bobcat was a metal pin. I put a piece of paper over it, and made a pencil rubbing of it to mail to my Grandmother. We had cloth badges for Wolf, Bear & Lion.
At that time, the promise included the phrase "Be square, and obey the Law of the Pack.
My uniform is in a trunk in Mom's attic.
It was fun in Alpine.. lots of great places to camp and hike.
That's "Twin Peaks".. we collected geodes and other rocks up there.
I still have 'em.
Our heritage
It was such a wonderful experience for him and our whole family.
Which begs the question:
Does it still fit?
My Boy SCout uniform is in a closet in the cellar next to my Grandfather's WW I uniform. My scout uniform is bigger and I wasn't a big 12 yr old,
Cub Master myself here... Son's a Bear this year... Getting Ready for the Pinewood Derby in January.. and overnight camping weekend at Heritage (parent and son) in a few weeks.
In my very young days I can remember how much my first uniforms cost, while we were not butt poor, I know my parents had to do some sacrificing to get me that first uniform.
Fortunately or unfortunately, we haven't had to make such decisions for my son in terms of sacrificing to get/keep him in, but if I had too.. I'll do without to get him in and keep him in scouting. Its one of the few organizations left where boys are tought how to be men, and men of character.
I have a few single moms in our pack, and I know its tough and a sacrifice for them to get their kids there every time and everything.. but I am glad they do it, and do everything I can to help make sure we help them. I wish we had more of their kids involved... but it is VERY hard to recruit and keep the kids of single parents in... and its sad because they are often the boys who need it the most.
Mine is hanging in my son's closet. He earned more arrow points as a Wolf than I did. (I got a gold and 4 silver. He got five). He's working through the Bear stuff now.
You're on! Mine's in a trunk in the garage. Still remember my Grandad teaching me to carve on it.
Can't disagree. That cub was cheated of the good part.
Never made it to Weeblo... Plus, I thought the Weeblo neck thing was uglier than the yellow and blue one.
Eagle Scout 1971, Great Times.....
Ditto
I had the benefit of a wonderful family and community in Utah totally dedicated to supporting the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. If a young man wanted to work at it, there was no shortage of people and resources to help him succeed in Scouting. We had easy access to camping in all seasons, hiking, river rafting, rock climbing, skiing, and snowshoeing which was quite extravagant for the 1960’s.
My most vivid memories are of the camping excursions, especially the winter camp. We had to hike to the winter camp site in the mountains on snowshoes. We dug down in the snow three or four feet to pitch our tents. Staying warm and well fed was a chore but we loved it. Those were wonderful times that I will never forget.
My mom still keeps my cub uniform somewhere, far more years than I want to admit to
Does bring back great memories. Boy Scouts - Troop 388 - Albuquerque New Mexico. Learned archery, firearms safety, how to use a compass, cook on an open fire. Also saw my first laser beam in the 60's someone from Sandia Base brought to show us. Hiking the Sandias, Jamboree in the Monzano's...great times.
It was a pile of cheating.. sadly thought, it happens every year.... of course, what all those cheats never seem to realize is... yes there are certain things you can do to aide in the car.. but at the end of the day there's huge amount of just plain luck rolled in there.
The sad thing about the cheating is, the entire point of it is for the father(parent) and son to do it together... its not about the winning, though that's always fun.. its about spending time together and sharing knowlege and experiences.
No more Lions... Now they have a younger group, called Tigers, starts in 1st grade.
Progress is:
Tiger
Bobcat
Wolf
Bear
The above three are CUBS
Then you have WEBLOS (We'll Be Loyal Scouts)
Year 1 and Year 2.
There is no longer a Lion rank.
Yep, back when Sear's used to sell em... Mine is lost to the Ages.. my mom may have it crated up somewhere... but now I get the fun of wearing the uniform all over again... At least until son's in Boy Scouts.
Well, I had kids to feed at home, I told him I didn't think it was right but I wasn't going to quit my job over it.
"I hate to rain on your nostalgia parade, but my first pinewood derby car would've blown the wheels off of yours. It's sittin' right there any time you're ready...#8-)"
We just bought a new track and "laser" (quotation fingers) timer. We plan to finance it by having a parent Pinewood Derby immediately after the Cub Scout's race their cars. It is like serving up raw meat to Wolves (no pun intended).
One year when I was helping my oldest son sell Cub Scout popcorn, three different men, in the 40's and older, brought out their old uniforms to show us. It was very meaningful for them obviously!
Well I wouldn't expect you to quit over it... you weren't cheating... he was... and it wasn't cheating in the race so much as cheating his kid.
Even if he wants to do all that, bring the kid in, show him what you are doing, and explain why... let him help.. etc etc etc....
I am waiting for Son to tell me what style of car he wants this year... so we can get started cutting the block and shaping it.
If you can get it check out a movie called "DOWN AND DERBY" its all about a neighborhood of fathers who go completely bonkers when the Pinewood Derby comes to town....
One scene the father pulls out formal blueprints for the car... for him and "his son" to make.. the wife asks him, "when did you have those made?" His answer "As soon as I found out it was a boy"
When my sibs and I were little, my sister was actually a Girl Scout, I was a Brownie, and my two brothers were Cub Scouts...then we moved!
But still, I bet my Mom has our badges and maybe even uniforms stashed away somewhere (I think my brothers' were hand-me-downs from our cousins?) and I always think of those days and appreciate the fine tradition of Scouting when I see today's Scouts and leaders at church and civic events...
We had a parents race as well--good way to reduce the "help" that the fathers gave the sons in building cars. When it was over and with no advanced planning, the boy with the fastest car challanged the father with the fastest car--and beat the socks of him! You might give it some thought, especially if you keep track of the timer scores and know that the boy can win.
Some of us are still proud to be Scouts. I have been a registered Scout for nearly 50 years. I can't remember a few of the troops but I'm guessing 47 or 48 years.
I have nearly all of my rank advancement cards for Wolf, Bear, Lion and webelos. Ditto all the Scouting ranks including Eagle.
I resigned my Troop Committee Chairman job back 4 years ago to give someone else a chance.
My main job now is to be chairman of the eagle Rank Presentations at the quarterly courts of honor. Giving the Eagle Charge is a great job.
As a Scouter I was able to visit the BSA Sea Base in Floridia and the Scout Ranch at Philmont in New Mexico twice. Our troop was featured in Boy's Life twice, the most recent article described our overnight adventure under the Atlantic Ocean on board the Nuclear Submarine SSBN Maryland. I was able to man the helmn under the watchful eye of the officer in charge for as long as I wanted. It is a boring job and scouts were good relief.
I understand.
I just think it would be better to only help the kids with the finer points of carving etc., rather than offering more advice and guidance than the kids are asking for.
Talk about politically Incorrect...
When I was in cubs one of our den meetings was making an ashtray with a photograph of ourselves glued to the bottom, we started with a clear glass ashtray, square, trimmed a picture from our last den meeting taken in Black and White, and glued it all together with a cork base.
It is a treasured momento in my shop where I keep all my little pins and gizmos like valve stems. There is me, a bright 9 year old cub, with hat, scarf, and uniform.
Same things were done to my car, but they were done by me and my Dad.
He also built the track which had electronic microswitches at the Finish to select the winner.
It was the first track with modern electronics in our region.
Well, yes, I agree it would be better to do it father and son.... with some hand tools and maybe a minor power tool here or there... but at the end of the day, I personally don't get too worked up over it, if the father (parent) and son are working on it together.
When the 6 year old comes in with the absolutely polished manually pin striped car, that looks like a scale model.. you know he had very little if anything to do with it.
Many packs and dens have had to return to the BUILDING happening at formal meetings to cut down on cheating.... we haven't had to do this yet.. and hopefully never will.
I remember well. From Cub Scouts (my mom was den mother) to Boy Scouts (dad was involved), every badge available, every office in the troop, up to Eagle Scout and Assistant Scoutmaster.
And then there was Camp. Down by the Osceola River, which no longer exists.
My Pinewood Derby will blow the doors off of yours. Its got all the secret stuff built in (long wheel base, runs on three wheels, ballast in the back trunk, whoops shouldn't have told ya :-).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.