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Before cellphones...Scouts required to use carrier pigeons


RememberSchiff

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Spokane back in the day...

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“The local council has secured a pair of carrier pigeons and hereafter, when troops hike into the hills, they will be required to take a pigeon with them. In case of delay or if the boys get lost, they can send a message home.”

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/nov/06/100-years-ago-in-spokane-boy-scouts-started-using-/

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Pigeons.... First it was a nickle in your pocket, then a dime taped to the inside of your first aid kit ("Pay phone? What's that, dad?").... 

Now we don't allow schmart phones in camp  so the Scout will pay attention to the Great Out Doors rather than the game du jour....

Dragging a whiffle log thru the woods to practice tracking....

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Cool. My father raised homing pigeons. They were part of the Signal Corps up until WWII and even after. They were actually very effective. One, Cher Ami, was a decorated war veteran of WWI. Use of homing pigeons would have seemed as commonplace to boys as cavalry was in the beginning of the 20th century. Miniaturized drones are a modern day variation of that program.  

We allow cell phones but they are supposed to be used only for emergencies or program, like taking pictures of tracks. They've kind of become a version of the Swiss army knife.

 

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