Webelos Seven Virtues

[MattHiggins 18]

Anyone know the history on the seven virtues (wisdom, courage, self-control, justice, faith and love) used by many for an Arrow of Light ceremony?

 

I have read that the seven rays on the Arrow of Light symbol represent the seven days of the week and serve as a daily reminder to do your best. I've also read that it's to remind to do a good turn daily, but that's a Boy Scout slogan.

 

Anyway, the seven virtues make for a nice enough ceremony, but it seems odd, in my humble opinion, to use this language for the first time at the ceremony.

[desertrat77 1144]

Matt, I think the seven virtues were made up by a well-meaning person.   It seems once something finds its way into a script, it stays there for years to come, though the original intent and author are long gone.

 

I agree with your approach of sticking to what we know, and what the boys can remember and use when they cross over to the troop.

 

Best wishes!

[NJCubScouter 1389]

I've never heard of that.

[RememberSchiff 3688]

It is funny the symbolism that develops over time. I read today a historian found the "meaning" of the Scout left-hand shake. Lord Baden Powell was left handed.

Edited March 22, 2016 by RememberSchiff

[blw2 433]

yeah, I tried my best to steer clear of many of these home brewed "traditional" things when I was CM

Not there's anything wrong with them necessarily..... (& its very hard to know sometimes what is real and what is urban legend)

they make for a nice gesture when done in context sometimes.... as in a ceremony based on a themed meeting for example

 

but it grates on me when it becomes "law".  I especially disliked that Blue and Gold was synonymous with WEB2 Graduation Celebration while the true meaning and purpose was swept under the rug... and that the AOL is the "highest award in Cub Scouting" and something to not do immediate recognition for

 

another Pet peeve of mine was the term "WEBELOS TWO".... it seems to imply a distinct difference in rank or program from "WEBELOS ONE".  I prefer to think of it as the WEBELOS program.... (which happens to span more than a year).... so if in conversation one needs to clarify which group is meant, the term would be "First Year WEBELOS" or something similar

[SSScout 1616]

blw2:  Amen to that.  I tried to start "Junior Webelos " and "Senior Webelos"  but no one else seemed to pick up on it.   

 

Now, we usta have Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Lion and Webelos (look at the initials :  Should have been "Wobeli" but that didn't ring in the ear as well as "Webelo" , I guess. Turns out it stands for "We'll Be Loyal Scouts"  .  Which came first, the word or the symbology? 

 

Seven rays can remind us of these seven virtues...   well, if any 11 year old can remember that, he can remember the 12 points of the Scout Law as a 8 year old  Wolf, right?