Wallace

A bit off topic but related to the issue... I scanned the latest Boys Life Magazine that arrived at home yesterday (04/29/03). There are only two photographs of Scouts in uniform. This does not count the cartoons. This spoke volumes to me regarding the concern in the thread. If the primary magazine for the BSA is shying away from the "image of Scouting" what will be next?

I remember that feeling of being embarrassed in the BSA uniform. We were in London and our jamboree Troop was taking a walking tour of the city. I thought I would die. The red berets were funny looking...the shorts were too short. But all day, no one said anything derogatory to us and I finally got over myself. Now that I have two sons in Cubs and am a Webelos Den Leader, I struggle with preparing the boys for this sudden awareness of "what other people might think of me". It is starting even now in fourth grade. I agree that the Scout Oath in action in the local community is the best advertising, but we need more. If you look at the national BSA site...the sample print adds and TV spots online - You see the selling of high adventure and the aspects of Scouting to which we all aspire. The problem is that I have never seen these ads anywhere outside the BSA website! I know the national BSA office has had advertising problems in the past but a strong national advertising effort must be made to ensure that we have a future. People know what a "kid in a soccer uniform" means. They do not know (except from odd TV sitcom and movie caricatures of Scouting) what we are about! I spend much of my quality "parent to Den Leader" time explaining the program and how it will change their boy's life forever. We need BSA commercials on Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet and the like and fewer ads in the relatively obscure business magazines that the national office BSA targets.

Great Idea! What Department do we need to contact to participate? I know there will be rules and regs!

I have worried over the attendance issue as well. I have finally decided that I can only be there for the boys that show up and not worry so much about those who do not. Yes, I am tired of preparing 8 copies of handouts, etc. only to have 2 boys show up. I have stressed to the boys and families that Webelos is a time to prepare to be Boy Scouts. We have a set calendar and regular meeting schedule. This year I only contact the boys (about the meeting) if the meeting time has changed. At some point the Webelos need to learn that they are responsible for remembering the meeting. I tell them (boys and parents) that when they join a troop, they will not be reminded about meetings. So far they have all risen to the challenge and attendance is up over the Bear and Wolf years. Be Prepared! is very much the theme.

Stapling the patches on with one or two staples works well for the temporary holding problem. It is more secure than the glue and does not stain the cloth underneath. And if the patch does not get sewn in time for the meeting, the patch will not fall off(short term solution only).

Recently, I have come across a few references to the old, collarless shirts being worn without neckerchiefs. In our area, they were NEVER worn without neckerchiefs. I have a vivid memory of attending an international scouting event and noticing that all the other nation's scouts had collars on their shirts and wore the neckerchiefs under the collar. We thought that was pretty cool and felt like the "odd cousin".