Re: I used to be a ...
(no name) ((no email))
Fri, 2 Aug 1996 00:13:04 -0500
John Pannell wrote:
>It was recently asked what was meant by all of us who end our messages
>with "I used to be a ...(animal name here)". Perhaps we should include this
>question in this list's FAQ if it already isn't there?
Yeah...I've been sitting here trying to figure out in my mind how to explain
it so that members of any youth organization can understand and at the same
time, not alienate anyone outside of the BSA:
"I used to be a (animal or historic figure here)" refers to the den, patrol
or crew name in which the person served as a member of a Wood Badge course.
Wood Badge is the advanced training course offered to members
of the Boy Scouts of America and other member nations of the World
Association of Scouting Movements. The course, a weeklong course of eight
days or a three-weekend series of sessions, empowers the participants to
fully understand the methods and excitement of Scouting and to encourage
them to provide additional service to the movement and to their units.
When a Scouts-L member uses this line in either a signature file or within
a message, he or she is referring to their participation in this course, in
a like manner that those whom are members of the BSA's Order of the Arrow
uses the "WWW" (not to be confused with a web page address!) within a
signature line. Look at it as the same as someone wearing a special jacket or
tee-shirt with those lines on it. The intent is let others know how proud
they are to have completed this special course as well as to (hopefully!!)
meet or hear from others whom have participated in this same course as well
within that same den, patrol, or crew name.
Finally, when a person refers to this line and states "I used to be an
Eagle...", they may NOT be referring to the Eagle Scout Rank, but service as
a member of the Eagle Den, Patrol, or Crew during Wood Badge. Eagle Scouts
know that "once an Eagle, always an Eagle" Scout, which is the highest youth
rank available to youth members in the Boy Scout program in the United States.
The line is taken from the first line of "Back to Gilwell", which is the
Wood Badge song. The first complete line is: "I used to be a (animal or
historic figure here), and a pretty good (whatever) too..." While this
discussion list is billed as an youth programs dicussion list, we have many
members of the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA as members,
and many of those members have participated in a Wood Badge course during
their lifetime. Some of them have served as staff members *grinning*
Our apologies in advance if their lines or this explaination is read in any
other way other than a reflection of their pride in being selected and
participating in something personal and important to their youth agency; and
in their willingness to share that part of their personality with you and
others through this discussion list."
>Surely we'll get a longer answer from Mike Walton <g>
I tried not to be too long, John....I'll keep this and when it comes time to
revise the WELCOME letter, I'll ask Jon to please include it. I agree that
since that question comes up a lot here, I think that new folks need to know.
At the same time, please understand my personal concerns that we don't tilt
the list even more toward the BSA instead of the forum that it has been.
Settummanque!
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle) (
co-Owner, Blackeagle Services of Kentucky (502.826.7046) __)_
174 Chapelwood Drive, Henderson, Kentucky 42420-5036 | ** |]
(H) 502.827.9201 (F) 502.826.7046 (W) 888.284.4848 (yea!) coffee?
anytime!
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