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HiLo

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Posts posted by HiLo

  1. 1Vigil - you're right about having to change uniform when they move from Cubs to Scouts. That bothers me too. In fact it's four different shirts for four different age based sections here. Five if you count leader level. But cost isn't really a huge issue from my perspective. All the parents need to buy is the shirt, $29.95 Australian. That's about $26 American. And in my neighborhood we're pretty flexible with families who can't find the money immediately.

     

    I'm inherently old fashioned too (along with being chronologically old), and I wasn't convinced about the change here in Australia, but they won me over. When the kids all have similar colored pants, and the uniforms are clean, they do look really good.

     

    I just wish you all luck in this process. Whatever happens, it won't kill Scouting.

     

     

  2. No Eamonn, it shouldn't be camo, and WVCubDad, a strong push with the Australian uniform was to move away from anything with military connotations, and that meant not khaki. This isn't being negative about the military, just saying that Scouts is not the military.

     

    After nearly four years, the new Australian shirts have now gone through a full cycle, at least for the rapidly growing kids, and seem to wear very well. Price is around $25 (US dollars) for the simpler shirt. Not bad for something that will last three to four years.

     

    I don't have one handy to check, but I suspect they are made somewhere in SE Asia. Perhaps not the way I'd prefer, but that's the modern world.

     

    To expand on what you're seeing though, and to probably shock the uniform conservatives (it did here), the shirt and scarf IS the uniform. No particular pants are prescribed, although dark blue/black (not jeans) is suggested. A lot of Australian kids wear black casual pants as part of their school uniform, so that's a popular option. Oh, and it's not the activity shirt you're seeing on those web sites, it's THE shirt. There is no separate dress uniform.

     

  3. Can't argue with those ideas Gold Winger.

     

    Four years ago Australian Scouting moved to a radical new uniform. For all leaders and all youth levels it is now a navy shirt, with the youth shirts having the yoke (the bit over your shoulders and on top of the (short) sleeves being in the color traditionally associated with that age group in Scouting. The shirts come in two styles, button up, or a more casual polo shirt. Leaders tend to choose button up, youth members the polo shirt.

     

    The navy color conceals armpit stains well. The necker and slide (we call it a scarf and woggle) seem to sit in pretty much the right place on a diverse range of body shapes. And yes, our neckers are a (mostly) cotton fabric and quite large when unrolled, allowing many other uses in emergencies of major or minor kinds.

     

    Despite the concerns of some, the known universe did not come to an end. Membership numbers are increasing. Uniform costs came down.

  4. While it does seem a little impolite for us foreigners to be telling an American organization they haven't got it quite right, I'm with Slouchhat. To be making money out of copyright matters on the Scouting name seems over the top.

     

    Protect the image, yes. Don't let someone call something Scouting if it's in direct contradiction with some of the basic principles. But don't let money rule everything.

  5. What if one loves B-P's ideas, but thinks BSA has got it wrong? My understanding as an outsider is that it's legally very difficult for anyone to initiate something called Scouts in the USA without coming under the umbrella of the BSA.

     

    While I'm sure the vast majority of BSA administrators have all the right intentions, it has to be valid for others to occasionally question their collective current interpretation of B-P's philosophies.

  6. Yes, we must sell, sell, sell. We have a great product, but we must not keep that product a secret.

     

    And as for what that product is, I'll go along with the package of outdoor adventure and fun, plus leadership development, and I would add independence.

     

    A good Scout can lead others effectively, but can also achieve more than others on his own, particularly when the going gets tough.

  7. Does anyone else see the self fulfilling nature of what happens with Girl Scouts? Because they tend tend to have a more conservative program than Boy Scouts, those who go through that program, and then become leaders in it, will tend to have the same conservative outlook. It doesn't prove that girls' and boys' needs are different. It simply proves that we have always treated them differently.(This message has been edited by hilo)

  8. Thanks for the tips everyone. I really didn't expect such a big response so quickly.

     

    And yes, I am one of a very small percentage of Australians who is familiar with driving in snow and ice. There's a driveway containing three Subarus outside precisely for for that purpose. But I still don't consider such conditions to be all that much fun. I'm certainly no Finnish rally driver.

     

    But quite frankly, I'm just as worried about learning to drive on the wrong side of the road!

     

    To those of you suggesting more time on the road, I know you're right, and I'd love to, but work doesn't permit at this stage. Maybe when I can afford to retire.......

  9. Hi all

     

    I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this. I'll take advice and move it if people think I should.

     

    I'm an Australian planning a visit to the USA in January with my wife and 20 year old son. (Im an old-timer at 59.) My son and I are both involved in Scouting, so I thought I could use this site to see if we could add a Scouting perspective to our journey.

     

    First, why winter? We have a 26 year old daughter working as a ski instructor at Heavenly Resort on Lake Tahoe, so we plan to visit her. We come from the cooler corner of Australia, and are moderately used to snow, including both cross country and downhill skiing. A rough list of our stopping places is:

     

    . Fly in via Los Angeles to Houston, where we will visit NASA.

    . Las Vegas, side trip to the Grand Canyon

    . Reno, visit Yosemite National Park, then on to Lake Tahoe

    . San Francisco, then home

     

    All up, well be there for just over two weeks. Its a quick trip, but thats what finances and time away from work will allow at this stage.

     

    Weve never been to the USA before. Collected lots of info from American TV shows, but Im sure thats not a very accurate picture of how everyone really lives.

     

    Im just interested in suggestions of adding a touch of Scouting tourism to the trip, if anyone has any ideas.

     

    Thanks in anticipation.

     

     

     

  10. moxieman posted:

     

    "Several times over the past many years and some of those times I got this from our paid scouters: BSA isn't completely coed because of some sort of agreement with GSUSA. If it weren't for that agreement, we would be ScoutsUSA (much like BSC became Scouts Canada about 15 years back). One of the explanations has been something about GSUSA having better lawyers. (shrug) "

     

    That's a really interesting perspective moxieman. I'm from Australia, one of those places where Scouting is now completely co-ed, and we often wonder about why Scouting in the US is like it is. Yours seems a highly likely explanation.

     

    Girl Guides, our equivalent to your Girl Scouts, still exists, and varies a lot in its program depending on the interests and attitudes of its leaders. We have a strong, very active, outdoors oriented Girl Guide group as neighbours, and joint activities are on the increase. Last night was a hot one around these parts and, seeing our Scouts having fun outdoors with water, the girls asked if they could join in. It was a great impromptu event.

  11. Packsaddle wrote:

     

    "I couldn't begin to make any sweeping statement for all the ideas about 'God'...only my own"

     

    It may interest you all to know that an Australian Scout swears to "...do my duty to MY god...." It's a personal thing. It's not meant to be prescribed by another person or organisation. Following the other Scout Laws will make us tolerant of others' beliefs, including non-belief.

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