green woolrich jac-shirts for scouts?

[willysjeep]

Hi all, again

 

I think I saw in the "uniform" board a thread on the red woolrich jac-shirt that there once were green jac-shirts for scouts and red for scouters. About how long ago did this practice cease?

 

As long as I'm asking about jac-shirts, did anybody but woolrich ever make the official ones, or was it an exclusive type thing? I know that the BSA has had other equipment made by just about every company in that perticular business at some time (Axes by Collins, Keen Kutter, and Plumb, along with the generic offical inexpensive axes). Were the Jac-Shirts something similar?

 

To tell you the truth I think green is a better choice for such a garment. Scouts, especially in the age of low impact everything, shouldn't stick out like a bright red sore thumb in the woods. I know there are saftey concerns about scouts dressing inconspicuously, but I still feel that there are more times when it is better not to be seen in the woods. Plus, I guess I am now officially a collector, so just having one might be neat.

[scoutldr]

That was me, I think. I just said that memory is deep in my brain from when I was about 12 years old....I have no idea if it's true or not. I seem to remember that green was for youths and red was for adults and Explorers. If someone has a BSA Uniform and Equipment catalog from around the 1966 time frame they would be in there. Even back then they were relatively expensive...when you could get a complete uniform, including hat and socks for under 20 bucks.

[willysjeep]

I think I read somewhere online that they made some "experimental" green jackets for "professional" scouters to wear when a field uniform would be inappropriate, like the official adult business uniform today. I guess they thought they might get in trouble with the PGA for having a green jacket or something. Unless mabey it was a blue wool coat for professionals and a green for ventures, I forget which. Anyways I guess they got rid of the green and blue jac-shirts when they got a new "color identity" scheme in the 60's, making it a universal red ja-shirt. I would still like to get a green jac-shirt if I could find one in men's 46. Mabey I should just find a green woolrich or filson jac-shirt and wear it as a jacket on campouts as a non official item, as a regular cool weather jacket would be.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I bought my first red shirt-jacket in 1965 as a JASM. I was proud to sew the Philmont bulls tail over my shoulder for climbing the "Tooth of Time and the Woodsman's axe sewn above the pocket for correct use of an axe and for properly cutting down a tree for firewood. I also purchased my first engraved name tag. I felt that I had officially arrived into the hierarchy of Scouting.

 

The professionals wore a red/black plaid shirt-jacket. There was a special Pedro patch for reaching some goal, most likely, Boys Life subscriptions. I still like those shirt jackets the best.

 

The green shirt-jacket was for the Scouts, as I remember it.

 

I believe the Explorers wore the red shirt-jacket which more closely identified them with the adults and looked great with the dark green uniforms and white leggings.

 

FB

 

[dan]

Between 1971 and 1979, the BSA offered a jac-shirt for Cub Scouters and Exploring leaders in royal blue (the same dark shade of blue used for the Cub Scout uniforms and for Exploring outer garments). This version of the jac-shirt was a slow-seller and the BSA quickly removed it from the Supply Division's uniforming offers.

 

Info from a post from Black Eagle on Scout L back in 1999.

 

[Kahuna]

I vaguely remember the green wool jacket, but I can't recall what it was for. In the mid 1960's, red was the official color for Scouts and leaders.

 

About 1969, the BSA came out with a Scouter dress uniform composed of a dark green jacket and sort of grey green slacks, worn with a kelly green tie. The jacket had a Scout emblem embroidered on the breast pocket. The whole thing was designed and made by Hart, Schafner & Marx. It could be worn by any Scouter, but was only used by professionals normally. It lasted about 10 years before it was replaced by the blue blazer & grey slacks worn now. I had one when I was a professional Scouter 1970-1975. I still have the gold bullion pocket insignia.

 

Prior to that, Scouter dress uniforms were like a military uniform, with a buttoned up blouse worn over a shirt and tie.

[Kahuna]

Sorry, I double-posted.(This message has been edited by Kahuna)

[schleining]

and in the late 70's early 80's the BSA supply division in cooperation with Boy's Life came out with a special "Pedro Edition" of the Wool Jac-Shirt. It was sent to Leaders only and was Red and Green Plaid.

 

I got my hands on one.. my Dad was a Scouter back in the old days...70's and 80's and he recieved one of these jac's.

He never wore it and gave it to me (in plastic) when I became a Scouter.

 

It is quite the conversation piece..

 

[emb021]

I have Scouting Magazines from the early 50s that announce the rollout of the NEW Red Jackets for Explorers. The jackets were only for explorers and their leaders. Other scout leaders had an olive green jacket at the time.

 

Michael Brown

[emb021]

Found the issue. Scouting Magazine for Sept 54 had a ad for the new red jackets for Explorers and their leaders. So it started there, then was expanded to other leaders and then boy scouts.

 

Michael Brown