How important are neckerchiefs?

[Stosh]

Obviously there are the traditional answers to this whole thing about neckerchiefs and first aid, etc.

 

However for identity purposes, I have a story:

 

I was traveling in Canada last summer and while in a gift shop in Banff, I noticed a number of high school/college aged boys and girls all wearing civilian clothing but also an unmarked yellow neckerchief. I asked one of them if they were scouts and yep they were.

 

Maybe this proves that the scout neckerchief is in fact the most important part of the uniform. How many other people/groups do you know of that wear a neckerchief? If scouts can be identified by this one item of clothing, maybe it ought to be something that's part of the uniform and not something that can be voted out.

 

Just a thought.

 

Stosh(This message has been edited by jblake47)

[kraut-60]

Stosh, Yes the neckerchief should NOT be an optional item...but it needs to be made from better material than cotton and be square and bigger than the present official ones.

 

The material that I favor would be the under-armour type fabric..that stuff flat performs!

[Stosh]

Easy solution to the problem.

 

Find the material you like and have someone make them. They can be square and all one has to do is roll the edges and stitch down. Voila, a neckerchief.

 

We use the Meyer's flag in red on white for the neckerchief of our honor's patrol.

 

As far as being "official", being "optional" they can be anything and still be "official". It's not like the Official Boy Scout Uniform Shirt, that can only be bought from BSA and comes with BS buttons. A neckerchief can be anything you vote it to be. With iron-on computer graphics readily available, one shouldn't have any problem coming up with a nice neckerchief for the troop.

 

For those who are domestically challenged: fold over the edge of the material 1/8" and iron down. Do it again for a second roll. Stitch it down like you were sewing on a patch. Otherwise run it through a sewing machine on a straight stitch. It'll probably take you longer to create the neckerchief than it would be to make it.

 

Stosh

[Pack378]

I know this does not have much to do with anything but I really like the dark green one's. It takes the geeky edge off the uniform....

[Stosh]

I like the homemade square ones, they are full and bulky, look nice and can't be worn under the collar. I really don't like the under-the-collar look because it covers most of the neckerchief. If one is going to wear one, make sure it's seen.

 

I like the dark colors too, green, black, blue, etc. I also find the writing on most to be distracting. Just plain, or a simple logo is all it needs.

 

Stosh

[vigil322]

I have always loved the neckerchiefs. Our Troop had custom ones made w/troop logo embroidered. we wear them with the color turned under. Every scout is given the national issue at cross over and after earning 1st Class they are presented the troop neckerchief. It help to sell the boys on wearing them. Since that time there are 4 other units in our district with new neckerchiefs for there troops. They all look Great.

[emb021]

Well, here is something interesting on neckerchiefs from the World Scout Jamboree.

 

Most people at the Jamboree wore 2 neckerchiefs. Their countries (or country contingent) and their WJ necker. They wore these even when in 'class b' (t-shirts) or their work uniforms (many groups had their own polo shirts or t-shirts you would wear 'on duty').

 

Everyone at the Jamboree was given a WJ neckerchief. These had a color border that identified the person as a youth participant, contigent leader, IST, etc. This, along with your id badge was to be worn at ALL times to identify yourself. In fact, to get into the adult camping area, proper id/necker was required.

 

Most people ALSO work their country (or country contigent) neckerchief along with the WJ neckerchief to identify what country they were from. There was a lot of trading of neckerchiefs (almost as much as trading of patches, etc).

 

So any who thinks that neckerchiefs are rarely worn are sadly misinformed.

[Gunny2862]

I Love the idea and am a proponent of the "functional" neckerchief.

But amazingly I have never personally seen a Boy Scout or Leader in a Neckerchief. Cub Scouts yes, Scouts no. Will be working it in with my troop as I can. But I have other fish to fry...

[LongHaul]

Emb021 talks about the use of neckerchiefs at the World Jamboree. The scouts I have talked to that attended tell me that in other countries the neckerchief is used similarly to our temporary patch. They have neckerchiefs for events instead of patches; patches are not very popular in fact. Scouts were wearing as many as three neckerchiefs at a time Im told. Neckerchiefs for special events would be worn for about three months after attending and then would be replaced by a different one. My boys tell me that some scouts would change neckerchiefs during the day. One of the Jamboree issue neckerchiefs had the logo One Promise One World. This spurred some interesting conversations. Seems the Oath or Promise in other countries is held in a different esteem than here in the states. While we say the oath at the beginning of every meeting and start to have Webelos recite it in preparation for crossover, other countries regard the Oath/Promise as a very personal commitment. One leader told me she was much moved when some UK scouts were telling the group she was with about when they took their oaths. These UK scouts said each planned something special, a hike to a special place, at sunrise from a moving spot; some were moved to tears as they recalled their oath taking. Maybe we have lost something more important in the US than the love for the neckerchief.

LongHaul

 

[Stosh]

I remember getting neckerchieves for different occasions as a youth many years ago. I'm sure a patch is easier to deal with.

 

We did a high adventure a number of years back and because it was two troops doing it together we had a patch, neckerchief, cap and pocket t-shirt all silk screened with the same logo for the occasion. I still have mine.

 

You are correct on the oath. Many people don't even realize what an oath is anymore. It's refreshing to know there are those out there that still keep the tradition alive.

[AvidSM]

I think the BSA oath seems more like a set of values to aspire towards than a commitment. It's not an oath of office, like the president takes. "On my honor, I will do my best ...", vice, "I do solemly swear ..." Is a UK scout not a scout until they take the oath?

 

On neckerchiefs - the importance of any object depends soley on the meaning the majority places on that object. It's like the tassles students wear at graduation or the Wood Badge beads. The more the neckerchief means or indicates something, the more likely the scout will wear it. Besides that, I find they don't fit on the uniform shirt collar right.

[LongHaul]

What does "On my honor" mean if it's not a oath equal to "I solemly swear"? By the way I'm told all the scouts with the exception of some US scouts wear the neckerchief on top of the colar.

LongHaul

[AvidSM]

When the president takes his oath of office, he is swearing on the good book that he will uphold the constitution of the United States and so on. When a boy says the scout oath he is pledging on his honor to do his best to do his duty. He is not saying I WILL do a thing, he is saying I WILL TRY to do a thing. One is a commitment, the other is an aspiration.

 

When they gave the scout shirt a collar, they should have designed it to the neckerchief can go under it without tucking it in in the back. Also, where do you position the slide? It doesn't look right if you put it up past the second button. But then you end up with this large triangle of tee shirt or skin, which means you have to be sure either of which is clean.

[LongHaul]

>>When the president takes his oath of office, he is swearing on the good book<< Which would be fine for Ed but what significance would it have for Merlyn were he even willing to swear on that book in the first place? In Gone With the Wind, Rhett Butler is asked to swear upon his honor as a gentleman. As he does not consider himself to be a gentleman he agrees to swear but makes the point of saying On my honor as a Gentleman?. The impression is that were he asked to swear upon his honor as a man he would not have done so. Is it not your honor as a God fearing person that gives relevance to swearing upon the good book in the first place?

The Scout Oath reads On my honor I will do my best... It does not say On my honor I will TRY to do my best... This distinction is something we have lost in this country. If you were talking with your son about sex, drugs, alcohol use, criminal behavior, and his response was Ill try not to cross those lines would that be acceptable? If he said Ok Dad I wont do those things Would not your belief in his sincerity be based upon your trust in his honor? You believe him based on whether you think you can take him at his word.

IMO if you are going to wear the neckerchief under the color the collar should be buttoned same as if you were wearing a long hand tie. The slide is then positioned where a knot in the long hand tie would be. Worn over the collar the slide is positioned so that the neckerchief lies flat along the top edge of the collar. I personally fold my collar under and position the slide such that some skin does show. There have probably been times, at camp for one, when that patch of skin has not been clean but I would hope that it has never been dirty while I was in uniform. As a side note Rolling or folding the neckerchief has also become a lost practice. I see so many neckerchiefs being worn so they look like a diaper around the neck. The back triangle collar to tip should be no more than the length of a dollar bill and the line across the top of the neckerchief when worn should be crisp.

LongHaul

[emb021]

"IMO if you are going to wear the neckerchief under the collar the collar should be buttoned same as if you were wearing a long hand tie. The slide is then positioned where a knot in the long hand tie would be."

 

However, per the illustration in the Insignia Guide, this is incorrect. The collar should be worn open (ie, top button NOT buttoned), and the slide at the point of the open collar.