The Necker - an historical perspective

[SSScout]

 

:-})> Smiling man with mustache and goatee.

 

;-{) Smiling man, winking, with walrus mustache.

 

 

[mpaull]

:-})>== Smiling man with mustache and goatee and a long neckerchief.

 

;-{)== Smiling man, winking, with walrus mustache and a long neckerchief.

 

 

[BartHumphries]

In Europe, they still tend to tie their neckerchiefs in a knot instead of using a slide.

 

o) balding man who bent down to look at his shoes just as the picture was taken and thus you get the top of his head instead of the front.

[UCEagle72]

In Europe, they still tend to tie their neckerchiefs in a knot instead of using a slide.

 

Yup ... and they use a "Friendship Knot" and not a square or overhand knot ...

 

[ScoutWithNecker]

And in Europe, as around the world, every Scout without exception wears his or her neckerchief and wears it proudly. Why have we in the USA all but abandoned this universal mark of the Souting Movement? Scouts come back from World Jamborees and other gatherings with several neckerchiefs they have received from new friends. And at Jambos it is unusual to see Scouts wearing only one neckerchief. They trade and sign and exchange multiple neckers with other Scouts.

[Eagle92]

SWN

And don't forget multiple woggles too, at least at the 95 WSJ.

[mpaull]

balding man who bent down to check the friendship knot in his neckerchief just as the picture was taken

 

o)

[ASM915]

Scoutwithnecker asked "Why have we here in the USA all but abondoned the universal symbol of Scouting?"

 

Could it be that we in the USA feel that we do not have to follow tradition, that we have to be different, and that we do not care what others think?

 

Sort of reminds me of the book "THE UGLY AMERICAN".

 

I wear my Lodge necker. My youngest wears either his Lodge or his Jambo necker. My oldest (23 y/o) wears his for ceremony, or when it is called for.

 

But when you can't get your leaders to wear a necker, you're not going to get your Scouts to wear them.

[mpaull]

Would it be safe to say that the necker tied with friendship knot (and no slide) is a European thing, and that using a slide (with or without 'good deed knot' at the end) is a North American thing? UCEagle mentioned the knot being in the 7'th edition handbook - has it gone out of style for US Scouts? Was it ever a Cub thing?

 

 

m(This message has been edited by mpaull)

[SSScout]

I did a short demonstration at Scoutson's Troop. I exhibited my collection of neckerslides and 'chiefs. I then held up the red 'chief from my youth and the blue one of the Troop today. I asked the Scouts, aside from the color, if they saw any difference? All of them noted the bigger size of my old red one (almost 6" longer on a side), and some of them noted that it looked "worn". Well, yes, despite being washed and ironed and kept in a plastic bag, it did have a few snags and rubs on it from it's use 40plus years ago. I explained how we practiced bandages, slings, signalling and were encouraged to USE it , not just WEAR it. We wore it almost every where we went as a Troop or Patrol. About the only place we didn't wear it was when we went camping on the Troop "property"; but to Camporees, out in public, it was on our neck. It meant we were from OUR Troop. We were Scouts.