Can we get rid of the tie and slide?

[MiG-19]

Bravo-Zulu Eaglefoot. Well researched, and very apt. Though these words may have been written years ago, they still hold true. The neckerchief and slide are indeed essential to the Scout uniform.

Semper fi,

MiG-19

[fotoscout]

The neckerchief is a great part of the uniform. What would a baseball uniform be without baseball socks? It's the same thing here.

 

The BSA stock slides on the other hand should really be trashed in place of something that offers the parents some value for their money. I've lost count of how many slides the boys have lost or broken. Yes broken, some of them started to fold the tangs into the neckerchief in an effort to stop the slides from being lost. After a few episodes of folding and "unfolding" the tangs they simple broke off. Some of my parents have been back to the Scout Shop three and four times to buy slides.

 

Its simply unacceptable for the parents to contiune spending money on an item that is clearly disfunctional for Cub Scouts!!

 

We ended up having the boys make some very durable wood slides that fit properly. So far we haven't lost any of those.

 

[hops_scout]

We made our own slides using leather last year when we got neckchiefs for a camporee. We usually dont wear them.

[Twocubdad]

Based on the troops I've seen, the units who wear the uniform correctly and with pride, still wear the neckerchief. Several in our area have really sharp, custom embroidered neckerchiefs which I'm sure cost a pretty penny. On the other hand, many of the troops who have opted out of the neckerchiefs are the same ones who have also opted out of official pants, correct insignia placement, tucking shirts into the pants and wearing the cap on straight. (Maybe that's an unfair generalization, but just my observation.)

 

I personally, I like wearing a neckerchief. I have a leader neckerchief for each level of Cub Scouts and wear it to the appropriate meetings. (I usually wear a bolo to pack meetings, simply because that's the custom of most of our other leaders.) Back in my day (uh, oh, here we go) my old troop had an official troop neckerchief, but you ditched it as soon as you "earned" another -- Jamboree, Philmont, NESA, OA activities -- your neckerchief was another way to show off where you had been and what you had done. All the guys wore one, even though no two were alike.

 

All that said, I can see where many Scouts no longer want to wear them. Among men generally, neckties are going the way of the fedora. Maybe it's time for national to come out with another neckwear option for formal occasions. Or here's a wild (maybe goofy) idea: what if they created a "fake" neckerchief with the fold or roll sewn in place and a stiffener in the back so it doesn't require constant ironing to look decent. They could also improve the slide to be more like a tie clip, so it will stay in place. It may be a good idea for formal occasions. Of course it may be a dodo, too, like the knee socks with the built-in velcro garters. Anyone else have a pair of those?

 

Fotoscout -- here's a trick I teach my cubs to keep the slides in place. Take a rubberband (natural rubber color works best), double it several times and fasten the neckerchief with it, at the same spot you wear the slide. Put the slide on, covering the rubber band. Then -- and here's the secret -- pull one loop of the rubberband over the face of the slide to hold it in place. It's hardly visable and anyone who is close enough to notice the rubberband, is violating a couple of Youth Protection rules, anyway. Works like a charm.

 

[fotoscout]

Thanks TwoCubDad, I'll try it tonight!