When going on a scout outing which shirt and why?

[Narraticong 15]

I like to wear my uniform and do so whenever I get a chance. I am proud of what Scouting means to me. But I guess I take a little different direction with the boys, and I think it is working.

 

When we go on District Camporees or other events where Scouts will be present, we wear our uniforms. Wednesday night we will be preparing dinner for some homeless people at our church. Again, it's good to show people we are Scouts.

 

We went camping this weekend. Nobody else around. Just the troop. Nothing was said about uniforms. I, too, wore more comfortable clothes in the cold Michigan woods. But the boys still knew we are Scouts, they still acted as Scouts. The uniform reinforces the ideals, but does not cause the boys to embrace them. But the program does.

 

My 7th grader son wore his red Jac-shirt all weekend at camp. It smells like smoke right now. But guess what he said he is wearing to school today? His high school age sister said, "Why do you want to wear that?"

 

His answer was that it was "cool". It's bright red, wool, has a Philmont Bull and a Scout emblem on the pocket. It screams "Boy Scout". Not often considered "cool".

 

But today, he's pretty proud of being a Scout. He just survided two nights in a tent below 15 degrees. None of his non-Scout friends at school can claim that.

 

So I guess I'm learning. Give them a program that makes them proud, and they'll proudly wear the uniform.