Scouting in our Youth

[Twocubdad]

It think Buster Brown's dog was named Tad (or at least something that sounded close to it.) I remember looking at the ads for the official shoes in Boys Life and thinking you had to be really, really rich to have those. Seems like they were $45. I think I was out of college several years before I had shoes that cost that much.

 

I don't remember why I joined Cubs. It would have been late '67. A lot of the boys in the Pack were in our church, so I suspect my folks had contact there. I don't recall knowing any of the other boys particularly well. They were mostly a little older. Back then you joined and moved up on your birthday and I was the oldest of most of my friend.

 

I do remember going to my very first meeting. It was a pack meeting and we did a flag ceremony where the Scouts reinacted the raising of the flag over Iwo Jima. The had a bugler play taps and everything. I was in hook, line and sinker from then on.

 

 

[skeptic]

Never a CS, as I was the tag-a-long when my brother was and mom was the den mother. I wanted to do what he was doing, so could not wait to join Boy Scouts. Have a photo of me on my 11th BD in my new uniform; joined the day of it and went on my first trip a day or two later, the Lutheran campout in SCal in 1955. Active in 2 SGVC troops until 58 when moved to the desert and almost dropped out at 14 as a Life. A friend of mine was the SPL of the troop in town that I visited and was in my freshman class. When I did not come back, he nailed me at school and dragged me back more or less. Ended up going to camp that summer and finishing Eagle in 59; Dale got his third palm at the same COH. Went on to jambo in 1960 as scribe and unofficial SPL (the actual one could not seem to do the job). Briefly ASM in a base troop in Germany in 66-67 until got sent remote to a bombing range near Munich. Considered pro as I was getting ready to grad in 71; but they actually made me visit and tag-a-long with one at work and I realized that was not for me. Tried to get involved in Orange County in early 70's, but they did not seem to know what to do with me. Finally got involved again in spring 76 in the old Topanga District of the GWC. Moved to Ventura in 77 and my store manager was CC of our troop; he dragged me to his meeting and I walked out SM. Still am, and of course have worn dozens of various district and council hats over the years (most of us seem to not know how to say no). 1st ASM for 85 jambo troop; WB in 80's and staff 1st course of new one. And here we are. Am sort of one of the local historians, as my troop started in 1921 and I collect and display memorabilia. Have displays each year at annual meeting and Eagle dinner; and sometimes in other locals.

 

(This message has been edited by skeptic)

[desertrat77]

As a military brat, scouting was my stability as we moved base to base.

 

Joined cubs in Panama Canal Zone, 1970. I was proud to wear that cub uniform! Superb program, enjoyed every moment.

 

Crossed over to scouts, then three weeks later, moved to AZ...50 miler in the Grand Canyon, earned Eagle, 50 miler at Philmont.

 

Moved to Alaska...three years on camp staff, also served as SPL then JASM for my troop. Lots of winter camping and backpacking.

 

 

[CalicoPenn]

Joined Cub Scouts as a 7-year old in pre-Tiger days. I was one of the youth that qualified based on grade level as opposed to age - most of the kids in my grade level were already 8 when school started - I was one of the youngsters that would turn 8 after school started but before the December 1 deadline that would have forced me to start my school career one year later. Of course that also meant my first semester in College, I was 17 until just a couple weeks before finals.

 

Went through the ranks, earned the Arrow of Light but didn't join Boy Scouts until I was 11, crossing over in November(this was also the era of the 1-year Webelos program - not the Webelos 1 to Webelos 2 program being used today, and there wasn't an emphasis on having every lad crossover at the same time - when you came of age, you crossed over - and it wasn't unusual to have a crossover cermony at every pack meeting if the pack was large, as ours was. It was also made clear by the Troop I was joining that even though I could technically cross over at the beginning of the school year (having already earned the Arrow of Light) they were not accepting any crossovers until the lad turned (or was within a couple of weeks of turning) 11). My first outing as a Scout was the Klondike Derby. I was in my first Troop for 3 months then moved to a new Troop being formed by my old Pack's chartered organization. Stayed in there for about 1 year then joined my third and final Troop (the one I consider my home Troop). When I turned 14, I joined the Explorer Post that my home Troop's chartered organization sponsored Post. Was elected through the Post to the OA and became very active in OA - becoming my Chapter's Ceremony Leader, Chapter Chief then elected as Lodge Vice Chief. Was honored by the Lodge with the Vigil Honor. Though I remained registered in the Troop, I was semi-active - attending outings and meetings as I could, but remaining very active with the Explorer Post. I earned my Eagle through the Explorer Post - and was one of those "just in time" Eagles. I joined and was active in two other Explorer Posts during this time as well.

 

Was a Camp Staff CIT at the Out-Of-Council camp my Troop went to (and that camp's first ever Out-Of Council CIT - and the only CIT asked to stay the whole season that year) then camp staff at my Council's camp the following year. After that, I was paid Day Camp staff for 4 summers (I had an in - my mother was the Program Director - she started the council's council-wide day camp program - until then, day camp was provided at the district level). I also worked for Maine National High Adventure both in their OKPIK program (this was before National rolled it out to be used by Councils) and at Matagamon Base.

 

I do remember camping with my Pack, specifically with my Webelos Den, as a Webelos Days event at the council's summer camp. About 4 years later, I started working on staff for Webelos Camporees - my father had lobbied and worked to get the permission needed for Webelos to hold overnights at the district level, not just at the council level, and to extend that further to allow Webelos dens to hold their own campouts. I, for one, am very glad to see that it now extends to Pack outings as well.

 

I also remember that I never had Buster Brown shoes. They were way too expensive for my middle class family to buy for three growing boys. Come to think of it, not many people I grew up with wore Buster Browns either. Maybe it was more of a case of Buster Browns not being available at the stores our families shopped at.

[baden]

Several people responding to this thread have mentioned going to J.C. Penneys to get their uniforms. It is interesting what you remember. Several years ago, on our way to Philmont, our Crew stopped at the Central States Scout Museum in Larned, Kansas. As we wandered around I felt an almost electric shock as I stood in front of a J.C. Penneys floor display. It was identical to the one our local Penneys store had in the late "50's. I remember standing there with my Mother getting my Cub Scout Uniform. I had to show my membership card to be allowed to get it. We had to recite the Cub Scout promise from memory before we could join and get our card. The display was a cardboard affair that resembled the interior of a log cabin with all manner of "Scouty" details. I had forgotten all about it, and was amazed that somehow, one had survived. The only time I can recall going to our Council office as a youth was with my Mother, who was our Den Mother, to pick up our Packs supply of 50th Anniversary neckerchief slides. Must have been late 1959 or early 1960. I also remember as Cubs and Boy Scouts we were totally enamored of the astronauts. We had a B&G dinner one year that was totally NASA themed.

[cyboji59]

Joined in 2nd grade in 1966. Also wore our shirt to school on den meeting days - everybody did. Went thru webelos. Crossed over to boy scoouts and dropped out after one year. Never went on a campout in 4 years. Did shoot 22's at a scout day camp, finished last in pinewood derby each year. Pretty boring experience back then.

Became active adult when we signed up my son in second grade. Didn't hear from anyone for two months after we had signed him up. Thought I shouldn't complain unless I was volunteering to help. That was five years ago. My boy loves scouting 200x more than I did.

Still have my cub scout uniform/green boy scout uniform.

[shortridge]

Oh, gosh, yeah - Penney's was great! As a young Cub, it was the one place that I actually enjoyed my mother dragging me along shopping to, as I could hang out at the Scout counter and salivate over the Webelos neckerchiefs and books and stuff on display. The fact that you had to show your membership card made it like a top-secret ultra-cool deal. The other place we could get uniform supplies was a men's shop a few towns over. It's now a specialty shop dealing in big & tall and hipster clothes.

 

Now, your choices are online, at the council shop or a friendly army/navy store roughly in the middle of the council.

[True Believer]

I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout.

Amazingly, my Cubmaster was a German immigrant, who fought in the German army during World War II (the Russian front, of all places). We had a great time, and I wasn't really aware of his service, until we took a Pack trip to Ft. Dix on Armed Forces Day. The Army had set up a tent with all kinds of helmets, including German helmets from World War II. My Cubmaster pointed out the one he used to wear, to my father, who was standing next to me. Kinda effected me when I played "army" with my friends, after that.

 

I then moved on to Boy Scouts. I didn't realize it until I became an adult leader, but this troop did everything wrong. BUT, I had a great time! We didn't have much money, so we never went to summer camp (late 60's, early 70's), and Philmont was never, ever mentioned. We camped, monthly, on land near Narrowsburg, NY, which was owned by one of the Dad's in the Troop. The Dads stayed in the cabin, so we were truly "boy lead".

Patrol leaders were never elected unless a PL was needed. The SPL was appointed by the Scoutmaster, for life. I was SPL for three years, and didn't think anything of it!

I became an Eagle in 1976....earning all of my merit badges one at a time, visiting merit badge counselors in neighboring towns, "the hard way"...no summer camp. It was a great time and we had tremendous fun.

 

 

[skeptic]

Funny that your leader fought on the Russian front too. In the 3 years I spent in Germany in the late 60's, I never met a German who fought in WWII that had not fought on the Russian front. We used to laugh amongst ourselves about that coincidence.

[TAHAWK]

My neighbor talking me into joining his Troop when I had just turned 11. In a month, he had moved, but I stayed with the Troop for 11 years. Then, I moved away, got tied up in grad school, marriage, etc.

 

Those were great times, and they provided a basis to say "yes" when I got the "If you don't agree to be Cubmaster. . ." speech after 15 years on the sidelines.