Marking with name?

[Fat Old Guy]

Why does it seem that so few parents or Scouts take the trouble to mark names on belongings?

 

After troop meeting we usually have two or three caps without names that will hang on the hat rack for the next six months.

 

At campouts and summer camp, there's always unmarked stuff.

 

Of course, we have the kid who didn't realize that his uniform shirt was inside out when he scrawled his name on the "inside" with black permanent marker. He spent the week at camp with everyone knowing his name.

[hops_scout]

"He spent the week at camp with everyone knowing his name."

 

And what's wrong with that?

 

Most of the older boys in our troop have name plates on our uniforms. I think I have my name on the tag as well, but cant remember.

 

At summer camp, our Scoutmaster took the uniforms in to be washed before the parents got there the next night. Some of them came back completely blank because the patches came off!

[acco40]

On the official uniform inspection sheet (youth), proper patch placement is shown. One of the "patches" is the youths name, first and last.

 

However, I know troops that have guidelines about placing a youth's full name on-line or in any public forum due to safety concerns.

 

As SM, I usually come home with more items than I left with. I prominently show the neckerchief slides, belts, hats, cups, plates, etc. that I've found at the camp site before we depart but few step up to claim them. Another solution (the obvious one) to marking every item with the Scouts name is to have the Scout EARN the monies to buy the uniform and supplies. That way he takes ownership and stops looking at the items as a renewable resource, i.e. something Mom or Dad will willingly procure ad infinitum.

[Fat Old Guy]

"On the official uniform inspection sheet (youth), proper patch placement is shown. One of the "patches" is the youths name, first and last."

 

That's usually a pin which is just as likely to get lost and even if it doesn't get lost, it doesn't help with pants, skivvies, or caps.

[OldGreyEagle]

I try to write my name on the tag of all my uniforms and on the inside rim of all hats, amzingly its not only the kids who lose things neither

[txscoutdad]

I just went through this with my 13 yo son before we left for Summer camp at the end of last monht.

Most of our troop takes their bikes to camp and when I told my son to put his name on his, he had a melt down saying, "We'er going to Scout camp dad, who's going to steal a bike there." I could not seem to get him to see the logic in what might possibly happen. Well it happened. A bike was "procured" by a scout from another troop. The staff at camp called this boy on not wearing a helmet and this is when he dumped the procured bike. When reported missing the staff had a good idea where to go look and found the bike.

On a side not about stealing. That same week three boys broke into the trading post at night to steal candy. Needless to say the Camp Director was not happy. The boys did come forward to comfess but I don't know the resulting punishment.

 

We also have unclaimed items every campout it seems and I'm with Acco40 in that I've told my son that we will help but the intial gear required but repacements will come out of his money. He used money from Popcorn sales to by himself a Termarest last year so he seems to taking ownership in his things.

[hops_scout]

My mom has paid for my uniform, but any gear that I get other than at Christmas and/ or Birthday are on my own.

 

Just an estimate, but I'd say I have/ had over 5-600 dollars of gear over the last few years. Most of that I bought myself.

 

 

[packsaddle]

We have the same problem. And we have thought (thunk?) of a solution (I think). At the end of the summer or at the early fall COH, we are going to "auction" the lost and found for the troop. This will be intended to be a humorous reminder for the boys to identify...and be responsible for...their belongings. We're still working on the form of 'payment' so if any of you have some ideas, let me hear them. So far we're thinking service time, or leading a cheer, (my favorite is food) but you get the idea. I guess it depends on who has the highest bid. They might actually give me stuff to prevent me from singing.

[txscoutdad]

In our troop when things come up unclaimed we make the owner sing silly songs for returning the items. Songs such as the Barney song, I'm a litte tea pot, ect... If the persons name is on the item this makes it eaiser to match up with the owner. Now if any of you think that this some cruel hazing done with in the troop, at summer camp this year the acting SM left some of his stuff in the latrine and at Flag ceremony had to sing the Chipmunk song. He really hamed it up too for the guys to geat a kick out of seeing do this.

[boleta]

Even if the Scoutmaster does it, it is still hazing.

[hotdesk]

Let me answer this question as a scout.

 

The reason that some scouts do not take care of their personal equipment is because they don't take pride/sense of ownership in it. Part of it has to do with being plain lazy (which has been promoted by video games and the internet) and some of it has to do with them not spending their own money on the equipment (or having to earn it another way). I bet you if they took their CD Player or GameBoy with them though, they would take ownership in that.

 

The reason that some parents don't do it is because they don't realize that it is a solution. Only those who have been camping would realize how easy it is to loose equipment.

 

A solution: Tell them to do it. Schools do it on their equipment lists and it usually tends to work.

[packsaddle]

Without commenting on their motivations, the electronic games and music devices get left almost as often as the socks and shirts. We tell them to label their stuff prior to every major outing. Some don't even put their names in their handbooks. I know one boy who owns three copies but can't seem to find one when he needs it. I tell him he's not allowed that condition until age 40.

 

boleta, from the perspective of the boys of this unit in regard to my singing, that would read, "Especially if the scoutmaster does it, it is hazing."(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[packsaddle]

The edit kept getting cut off so here it is...

Edited part: I must add (and this is going to be not-PC) that this is not unique to Boy Scouts. I have observed this in church youth groups, marching band trips, virtually every organized youth trip of any kind. However, it seems to be worse for males than for females. I could be wrong, but perhaps that defective Y chromosome?

[evmori]

I only ended up with two misplaced items at summer camp this year. And the one who lost them sang to get them back! This is not hazing! Hazing would be making them run naked through the campsite!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[OldGreyEagle]

Ed, it is hazing,

 

If a scout flat out refused to sing or do anything else for the sheer sadistic enjoyment of the troop, what would happen?

 

If you are going to tell me that it works in your troop, and no one is ever bothered by it, then fine, keep it up, but be honest and say in the troop there is a degree of hazing.(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)