Using the Scout sign

[Bob White]

Here is how I learned when I was a cub scout (and my dad was Cubmaster), and I did this as a Cubmaster and a similar version as a Scoutmaster to teach the use of the sign. Maybe it will work for others as well.

 

At the first pack meeting of each year we had introduced the "Thunder Stick" a brightly decorating 'Indian-like' walking stick. The cubs scouts were told that when the end of the stick is touching the floor they can yell, shout, scream, and stomp, as loud as they want. But when the stick is raised high in the air they must stop as fast as they can and be very still. "So lets practice", and we would do it 4 or 5 times. Hooting and yelling...and then silence....hooting and yelling...and then silence. (I always select a cub to come up and operate the stick.)

 

You then explain that animals do the same thing to signal to their pack to get quiet. Wolves for instance can't hold up a stick so they hold up their ears (show the cub scout sign) (which by the way is made with the elbow straight, not bent like the Boy Scout sign).

 

Almost in a whisper "When a wolf pack is in the forest and they hear a noise, the lead wolf puts up his ears and all the wolves around him do the same, the young ones and the old ones alike." "The wolves get very quiet, they stop whatever they are doing to look and listen." "Because that noise is very important, it could be something good to eat...or it could be something that might want to eat them."

 

"When you see someone in our Pack put up the ears of the wolf, that means that something is going on around you that you need to pay attention to. It might be something fun to do that you want to know about, or it might be something so important it could save your life or help you save someone elses. So lets practice again. This time use the Cub Sign instead of the Thunder Stick.

 

In Boy Scouts we teach the stalking signals and show the difference in meaning between the Cub sign and the Scout sign.

 

And with the new scouts we practice. Holler...silencehollersilence. Its worked for me for many years.

 

Hope this helps,

BW

 

[zippie2223]

Hey thanks we will use that this year. It is all ways hard to get the tiger and the wolves to quiet down with the sign. This is more like a game to them then adults trying to make them shut-up.

[evmori]

When I was a Cubmaster, I would stand up front with signs up for as long as it took for everyone to quiet down. Only needed to do that at the 1st two meetings.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Bob58]

Great story BW. And Ed, I've also just stood there until the boys quited down. As soon as that happens I praise the boys and remind the parents "who might not know" that this is one of the silent signals we will use. After a few such warnings I'll approach any person,young or old, who insists on shushing others & remind them quietly of the emphasis on "silent". I believe that our parents nedd to be reminded of our methods on occasion, especially the new ones.

[OldGreyEagle]

During one of the times the troop was exceptionally rowdy, the sign went up, after a few seconds the familiar SHHHHHHH was heard. After order was restored, I stepped forward and stated that there was no shushing in Boy Scouts (see "A League of their Own")the sign was perfectly adequate. So now if a shush is heard, you can be sure a chourus of "No shushing in Boy Scouts" is heard. Of course, that occurs while the sign is up which isnt really ideal, but, oh well no one said it would be easy...

[Twocubdad]

I like the story, Bob. I may turn it into a skit and have one of the older dens act it out at our first pack meeting in a couple weeks. I don't use the stick, but we always "practice" the sign several times, letting the boys scream and yell then throwing up the sign to be quiet.

 

I also like the "no shushing in Boy Scouts" line. I've got one den leader who insists on screaming "Signs UP" all the time.

 

The one thing the boys don't seem to get is the immediacy of the sign. The seem to think it means "wind up what you're doing, finish your conversation and find a seat."

 

My pet peeve is "false alarms" -- leaders who use the sign to get the boy quiet but get distracted or involved in answering another question and leave the boys hanging. Invariably the boys start talking again only to have signs up again seconds later. Our Webelos camp director was bad about doing that this summer. They were also bad about doing signs up 19 times during a meal for every little comment or announcment anyone wanted to make. Get you act together! Make one set of announcements and let us eat!

[BPwannabe@137]

Twice in one day, I am enlightened by Bob White and the use of the scout sign. I will also use the thunder stick at our first meeting.

 

It's little gems like this why I signed up and read this forum. Thanks to all.

 

My pet peeve: A scouter who puts up the sign, gains the attention of the scouts, and then stands there talking still holding the sign. Looks really stupid (really stupid with his unofficial trouser up to his nipples and the top button buttoned on a short sleeve shirt and the bolo tie all the way up to the chin.)

Sorry-couldn't help myself.

[cheffy]

Out of habit I put up the Scout sign at a noisy staff meeting one day. About half the people knew what to do. the others figured it out. Now we use it to start every meeting. Freaks out the area director when he visits since he is the only one who doesn't get it.

[fotoscout]

I do Ed's thing, the sign stays up for as long as it takes to have the boys quiet down.

 

One of the first times I did it the boys got the message reletively quickly. They all quieted down, but the parents just continued on. I quietly had the boys come to the front for the room and asked them to quietly go tell their parents that the sign was up. There were a lot of red faces in the room that night.

 

[scoutldr]

Ahhh...stalking and Silent Signals. More lost scoutcraft.

[Twocubdad]

How's this:

The Wolf's Ears

Narrator: Once upon a time there was a wolf pack which, like most wolf packs, enjoyed walking in the forest and having fun together. As wolves sometimes do when they are having a good time, they can be noisy; talking and howling as they go.

(Wolf pack walks toward center stage, laughing, talking and occasionally howling as they go.)

Narrator: And like all wolf packs, when theyre in the woods playing hard, they get hungry!

All Wolves: Man, Im hungry. Me, too. Lets eat. Im starved

Wolf #1: Hey guys, I think theres a rabbit over there in the bushes, lets catch him.

(Wolf pack runs yelling and making lots of noise towards rabbit. Rabbit jumps up and runs away.)

All Wolves: Dang, he got away! How did he knew we were here? Im still hungry!

Narrator: Lucky for the rabbit, the wolf pack hadnt learned to be quiet in the woods while they were hunting. But worse yet for our Wolf Pack, there are dangers in the forest too.

(Wolf pack walks back across stage, again laughing, talking and howling toward a bear hiding in the bushes)

Wolf #1 Hey guys, be quiet! I think there may be a bear in the . (SCREAM)

(Bear jumps out of the bushes and devours wolf pack.)

Narrator: (With hands over eyes) Ooooh, tell me when its over!Fortunately for us, there was another wolf pack in the forest. These wolves also enjoyed being in the forest and had a lot of fun playing with their fellow wolves. But this was a smart wolf pack I think they are members of Pack XX. They had a secret signal to let each other know when there was food or danger around. When one wolf heard something, instead of yelling at the other wolf, he would silently perk up his wolf ears to signal his buddies. (Show Cub Scout sign) The other wolves would immediately stop whatever they were doing and be perfectly quiet. They would signal back to their leader by also perking up their wolf ears.

(A second wolf pack crosses the stage, laughing and talking as before. When they approach the rabbit Wolf #2 gives the Cub Scout sign and the pack immediately gets quiet and still. Wolf #2 quietly points to the rabbit and makes some silly bunny-looking gestures. The pack quietly surrounds the rabbit, and jumps him. Conveniently, the rabbit has a stash of jerky or another snack on him which the wolves much on as they walk away.)

All Wolves: Boy, this is good rabbit. Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm. (With tongue stuck out) Ive got a hare in my mouth!

Narrator: And fortunately for our wolves, this same trick work when there is danger about.

(Again making noise, the wolf pack walks towards the bear. When he sees the bear, Wolf #2 gives the Cub Scout sign. All the wolves return the sign and get quiet. Wolf #2 makes some silly bear-like gestures and the pack quietly tip-toes around the bear.)

Narrator: Like the smart wolf pack, Cub Scouts use a similar silent signal when they need everyones attention. When something important is about to happen, you leaders will show you the Cub Scout sign, which looks a whole lot like the wolfs ears. When you see the sign up, you should put up your Cub Scout sign, stop what you are doing, be still and quiet. Dont yell for to be quiet, just stand there silently like the wolves until everyone in the pack sees the sign. Lets practice it a couple times.