Why doesnt anyone wear neckerchiefs anymore?

[Scoutfish]

Neckers are optional.

 

Period.

 

I always wear my necker when doing stuff with the cub scouts in my pack.Den meetings, pack meetings, B&G, PWD, roundup, etc.....

 

I do not always wear it to RT or training events. I usually don't wear it to district meetings either.

 

Depends on the mood I am in, how hot it is that day, or if it's really windy outside.

[Horizon]

My Scoutmaster wore a bolo. When I became a Scouter, I bought a bolo. I thought that was what Scouters wore!

 

When I am wearing a Troop or Pack t-shirt at an activity in the summer, I can usually be found with a bandana around my neck for all of the reasons stated above. When our Troop orders their custom neckers next time, I am going to encourage them to purchase full square ones instead of the mini-triangles that they got last time.

 

My son has a great necker collection from the UK and Sea Scouts. When he attends Troop meetings in his BSA shirt (instead of his Crew shirt), he just grabs one of 30 or different neckers he owns.

[SSScout]

Wear the necker. Encourage it. Talk about it's history, it's uses, it's symbology.

It is the ONLY item common to all Scouts in every part of the world. Scouts that cannot afford a shirt will wear the necker. Their ranks will be attached to it.

It originally was the same size for all Scouts, and Cubs. You grew into it. The shirt collar was bigger, too, on older shirts. You wore it over the collar, or neatened up the collar and wore the necker pulled snug around it, old Canadian Scouts still do this.Or the shirt came without a collar, to better wear the necker.

It was (and can be) a very handy thing to have. Much like my dad's insistance that a "gentleman always has a clean handkerchief", a Scout always had his neckerchief.

Necker use (from an old book I have): Signal flag, lashing for extending poles, nose covering for dust or smoke, wet it down and cool your neck, head cap, ID groups (arm flash), bandage, tourniquet, sail for boating (!), extend reach for rescue, sweat band, head bandage, eye patch, tie two together for swim suit (!), arm sling, sprained ankle brace, blindfold for games, disguise/costume for skits, flag for "capture the flag", mark boundary, ID Patrol area, Troop area, wind sock, kite material, mitten, hot pad for cooking, dust seal around neck, warm neck, award presentation (!), trading item, repair for torn pack frame(!),

"etc."

[SSScout]

Wear the necker. Encourage it. Talk about it's history, it's uses, it's symbology.

It is the ONLY item common to all Scouts in every part of the world. Scouts that cannot afford a shirt will wear the necker. Their ranks will be attached to it.

It originally was the same size for all Scouts, and Cubs. You grew into it. The shirt collar was bigger, too, on older shirts. You wore it over the collar, or neatened up the collar and wore the necker pulled snug around it, old Canadian Scouts still do this.Or the shirt came without a collar, to better wear the necker.

It was (and can be) a very handy thing to have. Much like my dad's insistance that a "gentleman always has a clean handkerchief", a Scout always had his neckerchief.

Necker use (from an old book I have): Signal flag, lashing for extending poles, nose covering for dust or smoke, wet it down and cool your neck, head cap, ID groups (arm flash), bandage, tourniquet, sail for boating (!), extend reach for rescue, sweat band, head bandage, eye patch, tie two together for swim suit (!), arm sling, sprained ankle brace, blindfold for games, disguise/costume for skits, flag for "capture the flag", mark boundary, ID Patrol area, Troop area, wind sock, kite material, mitten, hot pad for cooking, dust seal around neck, warm neck, award presentation (!), trading item, repair for torn pack frame(!),

"etc."

[Eagle92]

Somewhere on the net, sorry being lazy this morn gin as I have a 4 day weekend, there is a site that has the uses of the necker. It's may be KUDU's site.

 

I also found a SM Minute on why the neckers went from square to triangular: To save money 'cause a scout is thrifty and do be a reminder that a Scout needs to do his Duty to God and Country ( the longer edge that is rolled and goes around the neck), Duty to Others, and Duty to Self ( the smaller edges).

 

PM me if anyone is interested in a ceremony script I made using the above. At the last Pack meeting in May we give out the new neckers and we use that script.

[DLChris71]

So at RT, in fact both I have attended, I believe Scoutfish was wearing the Cub Scout Leader neckerchief and given the conversation decided to go check out the local scout store today and found they had them in stock. Was very happy to see that they were full sized neckerchiefs suitable for all purposes so went ahead and bought one...pretty inexpensive. So I guess I'm just lacking an "official hat" though I'm known to wear a felt Expedition Hat similar to the one available through scoutstuff.org. Though mine came from a Truck Stop and is pretty worn down.

[SeattlePioneer]

>

 

 

The day a new boy becomes a Cub Scout in my pack, he is awarded a neckerchief and slide in a ceremony. I point out that the neckerchief comes neatly packaged in a plastic bag, and that we expect Cub Scouts to treat their uniform with respect, and to keep it neat and clean.

 

The parents help their boys put on the neckerchief and slide. I explain that the new Cub Scout is now "in uniform," and that while we encourage boys to wear a complete uniform, the family can decide about adding to the uniform they NOW HAVE. Some boys just wear their neckerchief and slide to meetings for months.

 

For neckerchiefs I find an attractive bedsheet at a thrift shop and cut twenty plus neckerchiefs out of one bedsheet the last time I did that task.

 

For slide I cut sections out of a tree branch, and then drill a hole in it with a spade bit.

 

I usually spread 15-20 neckerchief slides out and boys get to choose a slide that appeals to them. I like one with a little twig on the side, which gives it a little character to my way of thinking.

 

I also point out to boys that they can decorate their new neckerchief any way they wish. I have mine decorated with a piece of a Cub Scout recruiting door hanger that says "Join Cub Scouts" with the cartune Cub Scout animals pictured on it.

 

And yes, I wear that neckerchief at all Scouting functions where uniforming is expected. When I was awarded the Silver Beaver a week ago, I wore my Pack neckerchief cut from a bedsheet and left the Wood Badge neckerchief at home.(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)

[desertrat77]

This is a good example of what happens when form is more important than function.

 

I've got a full size neckerchief from the '40s...big, made from absorbant material. Essentially a big cotton bandana with BSA on it. It doesn't roll up very smoothly, but it is comfortable.

 

Then at some point in our history, it became more important that the neckerchief be rolled nice and tight, like a taquito, and look good during uniform inspections.

 

So it went from a square to a triangle...from cotton to some non-absorbant material...and became a useless decoration rather than the multi-purpose uniform item as orginally intended.

 

You can still pick up a full size ones off ebay...I got one, in superb shape, for about 6 bucks. Money well spent.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello desertrat77,

 

 

In a variety of ways, Scouting has it's own diverse range of culture. Different Scouters value things in different ways, and different unit have various parts of the program they emphasize.

 

So I respect your last post, where you choose to value function over form. In many other things, I follow that value.

 

But in the post before yours, I describe in some detail how I use home made neckerchiefs and slides as part of a ceremony welcoming new boys into Cub Scouts.

 

That has it's own purpose, which is served well by my home made neckerchiefs. But they aren't functional for First Aid material. Of course, putting an arm in a sling is not part of the Tiger Cub program, either.

 

So I would claim that there are a variety of different purposes a Scout neckerchief can serve, and that people and units are entitled to use this uniforming method in ways that serve their program effectively.

[desertrat77]

SP, I see what you are saying, and I sure could have picked my opening words better.

 

I was addressing the general decline of the neckerchief in the BSA as a whole over the last couple decades, and not specifically situations like yours.

 

 

 

[blw2]

I think I'll pick up a leader necker the next time I'm at the store..... Even though none of the other leaders wear them in our pack.

[Federalist]

When I was a Tiger Den Leader a couple of years ago, all that was available was that tiny little one for leaders. Shortly after that, I bought the larger sized adult leader necker and I have been wearing it since. I must have started a trend because we went from just little ole me to every leader except one wearing a necker. Mine is worn and getting a little faded now because I use it for carrying water, tying things together, ect so the cubs see that it is a useful piece of gear.

 

I recently bought some dark blue silk fabric and made a large square necker like the ole cowboys did in the day. I know, it is not official. I only wear it for campouts and stuff like that. The kids like it and have some pride in their own uniform too.

[Eagle92]

Fed,

 

Whatcha mean it aint official? I have some square neckers I made, primarily for dancing but I do wear them on occasion.

[Scoutfish]

Why I didn't think of it beofore ........

 

Neckers are not such a hated thing as is the device that hold the necker in place - the slider!

 

How many slider a year do you guys find in the CO, outside the CO, at a campout?

 

I have a brown bag full of them. Some only have one tab, some have both, but they are nent all out of whack.

 

I do wear my Cub Scout leader necker on more formal-ish occasions, but I use that leather slide with 3 holes and the fleur de lis stamped in it instead of the universal BSA slider.

 

It doesn't slide, slip or twist around.

 

If I had to use a metal slider, I'd probably stop wearing my necker all together.

 

[desertrat77]

Scoutfish, good point...when neckerchiefs were popular, the issue slide had serious competition from slides that each scout or scouter made. Homemade slides were unique, creative, and held the neckerchief well. Some came in a kit, others were made from scratch. Check out old Boys Life magazines from the '50s and '60s for ideas. Cool stuff.