The old Scout Trail

[Oldscout448 697]

I sit at the Campfire alone now, my companions now sadly departed. Yet I remember their names, as I gaze in the flames. How young we all were when we started.

We were promised adventure in Scouting, if we followed it's long Rugged Road. So we hoisted our packs, grabbed a dull ax, and as we hiked we learned the Scout Code.

Young friendships were forged as we camped in the woods, learning of bears,trees and stars.  We drove the older scouts near mad with our questions, " Is that the North star or Mars?"

We wore our new patches so proudly, Tenderfoot,  First Class and Star.                Then Eagle, Philmont,  an Arrowmans sash were the symbols that we had come far.

Yet it wasn't the badges that mattered, it was how earning them had changed us inside.  Even without one we knew we had done well, and walked with a little more pride.

Then to our surprise there were green bars on our sleeves, always thought them quite out of reach. The Scoutmaster told us that we were in charge, as we learned how to lead and to teach.

The faded patches now hang on the wall my old handbooks all packed in a chest. I follow still adventures trail, but Scouting took a hard left.

So let us gather one last time if only in mind, where we once camped in sunshine and frost. To raise a last glass to the scouts o' the past and shed a tear for what is now lost.

Yet I have kept my honour bright. I can guiltless sleep tonight. Still true to the Oath and Law shall I be. Though none seem to care save me.

I hike in the woods by myself now, and reminisce by the embers alone.  There is no one now left to share tale or jest.  For all my companions are gone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FireStone 423]

10 minutes ago, Oldscout448 said:

The faded patches now hang on the wall my old handbooks all packed in a chest. I follow still adventures trail, but Scouting took a hard left.

I'm always up for some nostalgia, the box of scouting memorabilia on the shelf behind me of my days on the trail as a youth always takes me back just from thumbing through the patches and remembering where or how I earned them.

But you lost me at the quoted part above. I fail to see how we've taken this hard turn, that scouting is somehow so different now.

I had my Webelos den out for a little 4-mile walk in the woods a couple of weeks ago, along the way talking about the Outdoor Code (which to my surprise some of the scouts had already memorized perfectly) and some plans for working on adventure pins and a Nova award over the upcoming winter break. We're just finishing up Castaway, on the heels of one of my proudest moments as a DL where every scout in my den successfully started a flint and steel fire at our last den meeting. The kids don't even seem to care much about what pin they're getting, they just loved that they started a fire without a match or lighter.

Scouting didn't take a hard turn anywhere. The handbook is still the handbook, it's full of ideas for adventures not unlike those of my past and yours, if we just follow it. The BSA isn't changing that. So what really changed? The only changes I see are to the membership policies, and those don't have any impact on what my den is doing. The trail they're on, it looks a whole lot like the trail I remember and sounds like the one mentioned above.

We just had a Pack campfire (virtually) on Friday night, and we closed it out with some of those same lyrics from Scout Vespers. Again, I ask, what has really changed? This all feels very familiar and typical of scouting to me. If anything, I think the experience my den and pack is having is actually a richer and more rewarding experience than what I had.

[SSScout 1615]

There's a SM Minute in that. 

Once upon a time, Scoutson would roll his eyes when I would start off  "back when I was a Scout..."   Now he wants to hear the stories.  

Sometimes it is hard for the young to understand that yes, the world existed BEFORE they existed. There is a continuum.  My dad drove a horse drawn milk wagon when he was 16....  and he confirmed the story that the horse often knew the route better than he did ! ((?? milk delivered to your house?  Really?))

My favorite tale of this genre:   We were doing history homework and Scoutson  speaks up, "dad.... you had it easier than I do in history. You had less to remember !"

[qwazse 4342]

I’m gonna take my horse to The Old Scout Trail

I’m gonna ride ... ‘till I can’t no more