Campfire Traditions

[OldGreyEagle]

There is a thread in the Open Program section that talks about places Units go as a tradition. It gave me am idea about a thread on Campfire traditions. I am starting this here to give it separation from the other thread. When I was a scout, lo those many years ago, after Brownsea Island but before the demise of the Red Berets, the troop I was in had a tradiiton of ending each campfire with the singing of Scout Vespers with Taps sung next without a break.

 

Each line of Taps would be sung and then a senior boy leader of the troop would speak the Scout Oath one phrase at a time. At the end of the phrase the Troop would sing the next line of Taps and so on. I always thought it was a powerful way to end a campfire. It was considered quite an honor to be selected as the solo speaker, because it meant you had the confidence of the scoutmaster not to mess it up. It went like this:

 

(SUNG)

 

Softly falls the light of day

As our campfire fades away

Silently each scout should ask

Have I done my daily task

Have I kept my honor bright

Can I guiltless sleep tonight

Have I done or have I dared

Everything to be prepared

 

(PAUSE)

 

Day is done

(spoken by one scout ) ON MY HONOR

 

Gone the sun

(spoken by one scout ) I WILL DO MY BEST

 

From the Lake

(spoken by one scout ) TO DO MY DUTY TO GOD AND MY COUNTRY

 

From the hills

(spoken by one scout ) AND TO OBEY THE SCOUT LAW

 

From the sky

(spoken by one scout ) TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES

 

All is well

(spoken by one scout ) TO KEEP MYSELF PHYSICALY, STRONG, MENTALLY AWAKE

 

Safely rest

(spoken by one scout) AND MORALLY STRAIGHT

 

God is nigh.

 

*********************************************

 

What do your units do?(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[Eamonn]

I enjoy a good campfire.

In the early days of my Scoutmastership!! I was also a Service Team member at one of the UK National Campsites. This was very much like being a Campmaster. People who came thought that because it was a National Site, that we would do a better job at things like Camp Fires. I went and took the Camp Fire Leaders course that Gilwell Park offered at that time. Leading a campfire for the campers at the site proved to be a lot easier then trying to get my bunch to sing.

Skits have never been as big in the UK as they are over here. But once our lot found that they were funny they really got into it.

As time past and the troop grew, I never gave up on the idea. I was still on the Service Team and there was nearly always a couple of patrols from the 17th in camp when I was there. Somehow and not by my doing they got the idea that there was something elitist about being good at camp fires. If ever anyone was silly enough to ask them if they wanted to sing a song, they always picked "Found A Peanut" They could add several hundred extra verses!! There was no stopping them.

On hikes it was Lloyd George Knew My Father to the tune of Onward Christan Solders or On illkey Moor By Tat.

Eamonn

(Off To Round table,)

[Owl62]

For me, the campfire is one of the most important and enjoyable activities on any campout, in or out of Scouting.

 

I just like sitting around a campfire - don't most?

 

In addition to the skits, etc at Scout campfires, our unit almost always retires a U.S. Flag at the end of our campfire - even at unit campout campfires. The Scouts like participating in this and take it very seriously. We find that is a thing that really draws them together.

 

And just recently, we started a tradition of doing a Scout Spirit Ashes (Campfire Ashes) ceremony soon after the campfire is lit. We simply tell the story of the ceremony, call those forward who have ashes to add to the fire, read the little saying that B-P supposely said, and then add the ashes, and then carry on with the campfire. Then in the morning we collect ashes from the campfire bed.

 

Also, many times, especially when the weather is cool, our unit usually prepares, cooks, serves and eats one or more cobblers that the unit prepares in dutch ovens when the campifre acivities are taking place.

 

[ManyIrons]

I like that tradition OGE and since my troop now has a bugler I think we'll give it a try on our next campout.

 

Owl, I'm with you. I believe the memories of our campfires will outlast many of the things the boys do in Scouting. We also just enjoy sitting and looking at the fire -- we call it "camp TV".

 

I've also started doing an ashes ceremony at our campfires. We've only done it 3 times so far, but the boys now ask for it on each campout. As I mentioned in a similar thread, I add some non-dairy creamer to the scoop of ashes which causes them t(This message has been edited by ManyIrons)

[ManyIrons]

which causes them to "flare" up when they hit the flames. The boys haven't figured it out yet, and whenever any of them asks what causes it, I just reply that there must have been a lot of Scout spirit in those previous campfires

[Grumpy]

OGE, I absolutely LOVE that! I may be using it this coming weekend.

 

BTW, where would I find more info about the Campfire ashes ceremony? That sounds good.

[Owl62]

You can find information on Campfire Ashes or Scout Spirit ashes on the internet.

 

 

[ManyIrons]

Ditto, just do a search on "ashes ceremony" you should get a bunch of hits. Most will resemble this link: http://www.bsatrainer.org/Ashes/ASHES%20Ceremony.html

 

Don't be afraid to modify the wording to suit your troop.