Campfire Ashes Project

[Fuzzy Bear]

These are hard words to write.

 

Yes Virginia, there is a jar of real camp ashes taken from the very first Boy Scout fire on the very first night of the birth of Boy Scouting; a little sand is yet seen in the bottom, probably from Brown Sea Island.

 

Nobody in today's BSA world is asked to hand over their Scout badge anymore for Whoppering or much of anything else.

 

'Everyone loves a good story. It can be instructive, inspiritual or just entertaining. Storytelling is a great opportunity to get close to your audience. It is the favorite part of a campfire and it will have lasting effects. Read the story several times and then add details and drama but not overly so. -a few notes from Creative Campfires

FB

 

[SSScout]

I have something of a reputation as a campfire story teller. I have a bit of a repertoire. But when I tell a story, my audience will KNOW if it is a bit of history (personally mine or otherwise) or if it is only allegory or example ("there once was an old indian chief..."). I was told the campfire ash story was a TRUE tradition. It had happened, was continuing to happen. I cannot pass on something as TRUE, as historically accurate ("B-P did this...") if it is not so. I do so BECAUSE a Scout told me it was true to him. The Coca Cola Santa Claus is NOT a historically true story, childhood dreams and St. Nickolas in Constantinople not withstanding. So, do I continue to tell the ash story as a wonderful example of a symbolic tradition (" Lord B-P knew that...")

or as an allegory of something that sounds nice ("Lord B-P is said to have...")? A Scout is Trustworthy...

[Miki101]

Bottom line:

 

There is no recorded fact or observation from the Brownsea boys or attendees that BP ever took ashes. Tell it as an allegory. "It is though that BP..."

 

I deal with facts, so if someone has the written fact, please correct me.

 

David C. Scott

[Fuzzy Bear]

hold it, hold it, hold it, hold the dadgum presses, Santa Claus is not real?

[SSScout]

I was attending the official opening of Camp W B Snyder near Mannassasn VA last Sat., and met a gentleman, SM of an Annandale Troop, name of Cortney. He was a Brit, hosted a nice display about Brownsea Island and Gilwell and B-P. We had a good conversation. He told me that there was no documentation about collecting ashes at Brownsea (he had several collected interviews with the original 20 or so "Scouts" at Brownsea), but there was good evidence, both from participants and B-P about his collecting campfire ashes for passing on to the next campfire, beginning at Gilwell. Good enough for me.

As for the various "pedigrees", I guess I'll have to trust to the Scouts that passed them on to me, just as the folks that I pass them on to will trust me, I guess...

 

"Think back if you will, to the first time our umpty ump ancestor found a tree that was struck by lightning..."

 

YiS.