Uniform Police

[cliffgolden 10]

Bob White,

 

You said "please allow me to answer the questions you posed to me".

 

Actually Bob, you didn't. Not all of them.

 

You said, "the philosophy of the BSA is that in order to be effective in teaching the lessons of the Law and Oath you need to use the other 7 methods. All of them. Completely".

 

I said I agreed with using all 8 methods of Scouting. The problem is defining what is completely? I followed that with a string of quick examples. No Bob, my real question was how do you define using the 8 methods COMPLETELY? You skipped that one.

 

YIS,

Cliff Golden

Scoutmaster Troop 33

DeKalb, Illinois

 

[cliffgolden 10]

***** johnsned QUOTE*****

Cliff, sorry for dragging you in on this. I never thought that posting an amusing story would cause such brouhaha. Someone I met a Philmont posted your story on a yahoo groups and I thought people on this forum would enjoy the story, so I took, the liberty of posting it here. I had no idea that I would be causing such a controversy.

*****END QUOTE*****

 

johnsned,

 

No problem.

 

I was surprised to see it here. Sometimes I find things I've written here and there on the Internet. In Scouting I just figure we share whatever we have. I don't mind.

 

I thought since there was a discussion in progress, I should join in. I didn't have to, that was my decision. My cyber cuts and bruises will heal quickly enough.

 

It's been a good vigorous discussion. People have made some good points. You have many interesting Scouters on this forum. I enjoyed seeing the various personalities come across my computer screen. Many of them have made me smile. (I mean that in a good way.)

 

Once this horse is dead, and I think at the rate we've been beating it, it shouldn't be much longer, I may go away. I'm becoming too distracted from other things I need to be doing. Time is limited.

 

It's been interesting though.

 

YIS,

Cliff Golden

Scoutmaster Troop 33

DeKalb, Illinois

[Fat Old Guy 11]

" I can buy 30 shirts for boys and have them all be able to participate or maybe 4-6 complete uniforms. Id rather have 30 boys partially uniformed than only six in complete uniform."

 

What does this have to do with putting patches on in the right places?

 

In any event, I think that very few of us are concerned with the kids who can barely afford the dues or even are members on a "Scoutership." I haven't bought any uniforms at full retail but I do scour rummange sales and thrift shops for uniform parts (best buy yet: cap, shirt and pants for $5 total) to give to the few financially disadvantaged kids in my troop.

 

The problem is two-fold, first that many parents or Scouts don't care enough to find out where patches go. The second problem is the well heeled parents who'll buy $150 sneakers, a $175 NFL jacket, and $60 pants at the GAP but won't spring for the uniform pants or a shirt that fits because, "it's expensive and, after all, it's only Scouts."

 

[goodoldeagle2 10]

I've read this thread from beginning to end, and it seems to me that there's been a lot of talk about policy and very little dialogue about how we might best go about the method of proper uniforming so that ALL our boys (not just the ones who can afford it) can proudly wear the uniform.

 

So in the interest of being part of the solution...

 

Does anyone have uniform banks anymore? If not, I'd say to put an item in the community section of your local paper calling all former scouts and former leaders to donate their uniform parts. Not everyone in a unit will need this service, but if parents who can't really afford the full uniform know that a troop or pack has a uniform bank, they may feel a little less intimidated about enrolling their child in scouts.

 

eBay is another tremendous resource for uniform parts. Thanks to eBay, for a little more than what Supply Division charges for one long-sleeved shirt, I now own two short-sleeved shirts and a long-sleeved shirt. This is a viable method for parents and troops to purchase uniforms for less than retail price. And for an added bonus, sometimes the uniforms you get on eBay have council patches or lodge flaps, or other collectable patches on them.

 

Lastly, I believe we need to encourage our boys to learn how to sew their own patches on their uniforms. When I was a youth, my mother made it abundantly clear to me that if I was going to see the program through to Eagle, the I would be the one sewing the merit badges on my sash and the patches on my uniform. The result was that I cared more about proper placement and how the patches looked in relation to one another. I have even been known to sew a patch on, look at it, and then cut it off and resew it just because it didn't look straight. I've mellowed out a bit since then...mostly. I encourage the same for adults too. Our wives and our kids moms may mean well, but ultimately its scouts and scouters who know best where to put the patches. Trust me. You'll get a lot of happy mothers, and a lot of happy wives!

 

That's it. I hope this cools things off on this thread. Probably not, but I'm curious to hear anyone's response.

 

Goodoldeagle2

[Fat Old Guy 11]

"Does anyone have uniform banks anymore? If not, I'd say to put an item in the community section of your local paper calling all former scouts and former leaders to donate their uniform parts"

 

We have one in our troop. Right now it consists of three shirts. Since virtually no one buys the pants, we don't get any pants donated.

 

I don't know how many people would want to give up their uniforms unless they had moved up to another size. My brother was last a Boy Scout in 1968 and his uniform still hangs in his closet as a momento.

 

 

[goodoldeagle2 10]

FOG, I guess I just never got too attached to my uniform shirt. I was a real grower in my adolescence, and my body liked it so much it decided to pass the trend along to my waistline.

 

My whole goal with that post was to maybe, possibly turn the tide of the discussion more toward solutions rather than pointing fingers or beating chests.

 

But I also realize that people just like to argue for the sake of arguing. I just never believed in it much.

 

Good Scouting to all!

[Bob White 20]

In fact the leader basic training courses for troop leaders and pack leaders suggest things like e-bay, uniform exchanges, resale stores, and garage sales as ways to get and keep scouts in full uniform without having to buy pieces new.

[goodoldeagle2 10]

That's super....now if we can just get the kids to pick up needle and thread...:-)

 

Goodoldeagle2

[cliffgolden 10]

Our troop has a uniform bank. Anyone in need of a uniform can have anything there free of charge. We ask that when they outgrow it, they donate it back for another boy to use.

 

We also have a former parent from our troop who sponsors a uniform exchange at her business. That way items are available to all units in the local communities to borrow or donate uniform parts. No money is exchanged. It's good PR for her business and increases the foot traffic in her store.

 

Then I have my network of people that pick up cheap uniform parts at garage or yard sales. Seasoned uniforms usually go pretty cheap.

 

As for sewing, I suggest the boys glue the patches on with Elmers glue first before going over it with needle and thread. The glue holds the patch in the correct position while sewing and later washes out in the laundry. The patches get on much straighter and better positioned if they're glued first.

 

I've seen some pretty interesting patch placements with boys sewing.

 

Cliff Golden

 

[Fat Old Guy 11]

" The patches get on much straighter and better positioned if they're glued first."

 

I prefer to staple them in place.

 

One of the best ideas that I've heard about for a uniform exchange isn't a free uniform bank at all. I don't remember where I heard about this but,as I recall, they charged $10 for a uniform item and when you returned it, you got a $5 credit toward your next item. This kept things affordable and encouraged people to trade in uniforms.

[Eagledad 2777]

Happy Scouting All

 

>>My whole goal with that post was to maybe, possibly turn the tide of the discussion more toward solutions rather than pointing fingers or beating chests.