Venturing /Early Exploring

[dana_renner]

In recent days I have been doing some research on the Explorer program from 1949-1965, and I noticed there are many similarities and then when I went on the Venturing website I noticed that in looking for ideas for the creation of our"Neo-Traditional" Venturing

many ideas were borrowed from Explorer Leader Handbook seems like that of the 1950's and early 1960's before Exploring took a turn toward the careers emphasis. The Venturing awards are just modern

recreations of the Explorer awards of earlier times. The uniform is not all the way like the old style was. But the spruce green shirt is close enough. Guys we have been talking about the loss of scouts

and youth and programs dwindling, and if people in Texas use the old to recreate something for today, maybe one thing they are missing is

the heart of the program. Keeping it simple enough for the youth.

[dana_renner]

More of Venturing /Early Exploring we argue over uniforms for Venturers. Recently at a crew meeting in which I am a Unit Commissioner of a young man who is a Boy Scout as well as a Venturer and just recently received an Eagle but from his troop went to an OA Auction and bought an old twill Explorer shirt with the Explorer BSA strip on it a circle-v-patch on the left pocket in him wearing this he got many looks and good comments on how well it looked on him. In an earlier time the one crew

President had all the officers that worked with him wear the Venturing uniform. They looked great. I feel that if the uniform is available it should be worn the adage just do it kind of goes here. I feel the more modern the program is the more heart the program looses. If Venturing has the uniform which it does, why not require it in the manual. Now I do understand it is up to the crew to select their own DDI but I feel in trying to de-scout Venturing they missed out on a lot of meaningful tradition. Early Explorers wore their uniforms with pride.