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Neckerchief history and size change


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I am a dyed-in-the-wool neckerchief nut. And I probably own more vintage neckerchiefs than anyone. So, here goes.  The standard issue neckerchiefs up until the end of the 1930's were 30 x 30 inches. 

The iconic necker has shrunk thru the years.  My sources indicate the original BS necker was about a 36" square, folded into a triangle, gathered, not rolled, and held on the neck (over the collar !)

The neckerchief (and the whole uniform for that matter, but that's another topic) seems to be in kind of a weird place in Scouting history right now. Today it's smaller and less useful than ever, and

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4 hours ago, ianwilkins said:

 

Or what's wrong with a skinnydip? 

 

It is against the rules.

Besides that, I will refer you to the movie Stand By Me.

 

Edited by David CO
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  • 3 years later...

guess I should have done my homework first. 

Vol. 2, Number 6 (July 15, 1914) edition of Scouting magazine clearly indicates that the neckerchief was Item No. 542 and an official part of the uniform at this time.

so it clearly predates the 1920s by many years...apparently the statement on The Troop 97 website is in error..

 

Edited by rayezell_2000
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3 hours ago, rayezell_2000 said:

guess I should have done my homework first. 

Vol. 2, Number 6 (July 15, 1914) edition of Scouting magazine clearly indicates that the neckerchief was Item No. 542 and an official part of the uniform at this time.

so it clearly predates the 1920s by many years...apparently the statement on The Troop 97 website is in error..

So, it’s a little more nuanced than that. There were clearly early depictions of American scouts’ uniforms without a neckerchief. Like most things, it moved from trend to essential over a number of years.

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3 minutes ago, Double Eagle said:

As we saw in the 2019 World Jamboree, the neckerchief is the one noticeable item that makes a scout stand out and IDs a scout.  Boy's Life used to run a 

monthly neckerchief slide build, don't remember the years of this.  

YES. Whittlin Jim's column.

Here's a scouter who is keeping the faith.

https://www.channelingwhittlinjim.com/

 

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