Staging post

Here we are, having made up our base camp and we're off on a hike carrying our backpacks and other odds and ends making notes of where we've passed and stopping off to take the odd photograph and have a picnic before continuing on our exploration.

It is really amazing just what you can take in when you travel by foot rather than in a car.

Good to see every scout in shorts here, as it should be!

Taking part

Sometimes looking at photographs can be intriguing an example of which is this one where I can't help but wonder if the Scout on the right is telling the cub on the left looking very much as cubs did during my own childhood, his playing's a trifle off  key.

In scouting you can learn to perform an instrument and use it in an official capacity.

This must be an official Scout Association parade was both have prominent red coloured sashes but clearly ins't Remembrance Day as they don't have any poppies on.

Taking part in something like that helps to build up personal confidence and pride.

Putting up our flag

These Scouts appear to be carefully unravelling the scout groups flag ready to attach it to the flag pole where apart from being a marker of where you camp is ready for when you go off for a day's activities such as hiking or fishing it also gives you a feeling of great pride to come back to your own place.

A letter to home

It's not uncommon in youth organizations to have to do some work connected with documenting the experiences you had or if at Camp to write your letters home so they can be posted on at some convenient point which I suspect is what these Cub Scouts are doing inside their tent.

There can be pressure coming from some child welfare people to insist that each child has independent means of contacting parents or others, typically by use of mobile telephone under the guise of safe guarding.

While it would unreasonable today to venture out to camp without the Scout leader having  a mobile telephone, as I found in connection with school days away, the insistence on the youngsters having the access to it at all times took away from fostering true independence within the group, learning to be able to rely on one another.

I feel it is necessary to move boys on to take them from time to time from their parents influence where a good number may be over protected and while a upset child ought to be comforted, a child should learn to adapt to change  to help him mature.

Cub scouts in the 1970's

For me the cub thing started in the nineteen-seventies where quite a bit around boyhood was different some because of technological advance while for us having a colour television  with three channels was a near miracle  and keeping in touch while you were out required the use of an outdoor hooded PayPhone today's boy has large screen multi-channel HD tv and a pocket sized computer that doubles up as a portable telephone that he can use more or less anywhere.
Also society itself was a bit different boys played more on the streets and beyond on their own, most children had two parents and society was more into girls only and boys only things of which scouting in all its sections was no different.
Girls were in Girlguiding, Boys were in the Scout Association and for those that didn't the Boy's Brigade and it's female equivalent were still very much a thing.
These two images, found in better quality than before are very much of the Cub Scouts of my Brothers age and so the one that I remember vividly seeing him go off in that uniform every Thursday evening.
As the shorts were not made for scouting not as best I can recall not being in the districts scouts suppliers, boys (and it was JUST boys then) wore the same ones at school which is why they are as short as they are as that was the trend then and lined.
He looks smart and the uniform is sufficiently different than any other to identify you as part of that movement you were proud to belong to.

The Cub Scout Game

British around 1986 as far as my memory recalls made by Goodtime Toys

US Wolf Cub game of a similar vintage and style of play.

Over the years the Scout Association and Boy Scouts of America have had a number of officially endorsed tie in products of which these two are broadly similar in that they're board games that test each players knowledge of Scouting either between a pack or with family.

Personally I'm hard pressed to see the application to Scouting as the handbook, activities and directed instruction should ensure the Scout knows about Scouting  and how the section he is in fits into the overall movement.
I only assume it was seen as a fun thing that possibly raised funds.

A traditional music show

At camp it is quite possible and in order for a group of scouts or cub scouts to put on an improvised musical performance and here we have  a traditional Germanic folk performance going on .

In a increasingly globalized world where anglo-american culture is often seen as 'more cool' than peoples own native ones, it is important to introduce people to them and preserve the old ways to ensure the survival of native culture.

Indoor camp activities

Activities at camps can vary and in the main I have looked more at outdoor ones but of course the weather as rugged as a scout you are may not be good enough to do a planned one especially in age where a high emphasis is placed on health and safety but you can have indoor activities.

Here we have a group indoor activity of solving a Jigsaw Puzzle going on where we've got some bits sorted and individuals are working on small clusters to slot in which is how when I'm away with friends we do this.

Paying our respects

Source:roverscout1love
A scout troup stands to attention in front of a war memorial in a clearing, paying their respects to all those who died serving their country, some of which were little older than themselves.

I might just add the boy in middle with his cap on is almost a deadringer for me at that age and not far off even now!

Six months on

On Tumblr we have reached a milestone in that blog and on here, while there are a few less posts because I reformatted a number, it still is a milestone because this blog in both forms has a very precise focus.
It is about and whole-heartedly in favour of Scouting for boys whither we look at how it is run today however we may feel about co-ed scouting, how scouting was in the past which may of included us or our siblings and the purpose and function of scouting in helping to develop and train up generations to be the very best selves they can.
It also looks at how those values can be taken on in our lives even now because it is my firm opinion those values we were exposed to hold a benefit to us especially those of us facing challenges.
In connection with that I also from  time to time write about how following those values, allowing myself to be influenced I am moving on dealing with how a past that missed much of this out can through its restoration transform my life being a wolf cub in spirit as an eternal boy.
While in both it's long form and Tumblr forms it is the least prolific in terms of posts, I believe the  content holds real value and meaning to any and all that read it. 

Bob a job week on tv

Source: norlington3
Cub Scouts from Manchester who made a guest appearance in the british TV soap Coronation Street during “Bob-a-Job Week” in 1969.
Two things to add to Norlington's original post, the first being as the norm then the boys wore lined shorts with green garters on socks as they did in school as with the leather sandals too.
The other is by showing them  on tv, it raised the awareness of scouting, the sort of things a cub or scout could offer to do to raise funds for scouting.

More Bob a job week

The above poster shows the nature of the work a boy could do for Bob a Job week was not restricted to traditional roles but was anything that would of of help which might include sweeping a yard, cleaning for somebody.

The main point was you offered a service you did just for the satisfaction of doing it, helping to raise funds for scouting that benefited you rather than expecting others to do it helping to raise awareness of scouting in the wider community.

By the mid 1970's it was formally retitled Scout Job Week not least with the "Bob" a pre-decimal unit of currency that was one shilling (1/) which was converted to 5 New Pence in 1971 which was a small sum being discontinued although the old term remained in informal usage.

Bob a job week

An enduring childhood memory with me connected with all of this is "Bob a Job week" which is something I remember happened every year around this time in May when my older brother would come back with some bits of paper that were in his room that then explained to me was to help raise funds for Scouts.

Being pretty well organized, there was official stationary and this was the most important one, which is the proof and authority for that Scout to offer his services in connection with his troup or pack.
This was the very design he had.
The design had changed over the years and below is an example from 1959 that belonged to a scout just in the adjacent County of Cheshire.

You will note on the rear of it there information for the person who offers a job on what to do making plain the money is for the benefit of scouting and not for the individual boy.
It also has instructions for the scout concerning what jobs he should taken on (he needs to think and only do those he can well) and to check first someone else hasn't already done  a Job.
He is to wear his uniform or at the very least show his badge.

This is from the gatefolded bit and the scout has to enter the job he did on it and the amount he was given for each. It would be totalized and signed off for him.

Different cubs or scouts did different things, my brother did things like cleaning cars and windows, the boy below worked outdoors and used a ladder and no doubt 2019 heath and safety would of insisted he had a hard hat on. 

These stickers are written into my memory as my brother had loads of them and he was required to offer and peel one off for each person he did a job for.

The person who had the job done if he or she didn't require another job needed to display it so the cub or scout passing could see it  by for instance putting it on or in their window.

Bob a Job week was discontinued for a long period from the 1990's due to concerns around child safety although I will add this was the era where children went around strangers playing trick or treat at night with bigger risks but bought back in a  different form today.

Excuse me may we clean your car please?

Here Sea Scouts offer to clean this Rose Royce car all over for Bob a Job week leaving everything shiny from the wheel trim upwards.

Going back over the point first

Back at base we are going over the instructions for assembling our kit carefully in groups.

One thing you learn sometimes the hard way is you need to read instructions from the start to finish so you know exactly what you need at which point and so are ready for it which may apply to just building a kit or to do with your scouting generally.

Teaching practical and thinking skills is something I consider to be important.

Enjoying our food

Camp food while not being the focus nontheless plays an important part in camps in scouting because eating isn't just about getting the right sort of food to sustain you, it's also very much a social thing that requires you to take turns in making food, sharing and eating collectively as that pack unit.

Here this boy is enjoying a hot dog which given his alpine shorts, is almost certain to be a Germanic type of sausage

We're there!

"Oh Wow. We've made it!" is I bet what every member of this pack felt as the climbed those final steps with the standards and equipment ready to pose for this excellent photograph that captures the whole feeling so well.

Everybody looks smart after all that effort although I do think the scout leader could of worn shorts like his boys did and BP was strongly in favour of rather than denim jeans.

A little rest

Looking smart even after quite a climb, the boys take a well earned break taking in the views and no doubt reviewing their plans before resuming their hiking.

It was what I always loved as hard as it could be for me.

Wolf Cub spring photography

For today's entry on this blog I am submitting some photography done as part of my Scouting this spring.

Here we have Bluebells that had only been out a few days that I crawled down to take. 
F4.8 1/50  @210mm

One joy of spring for me is the return of Dandelions and Daisies
F 4.8 1/1000 @ 180mm

A joy of spring is the blossoms that come out
F6.3 1/640 @450mm
Pictures taken on Nikon D3500 DSR with the 70-300mm ED VR image stabilized telephoto zoom lens with camera set to Iso 100
Proof if any were needed I'd of gotten my Photography badge

Sailing

Sailing was something that many do learn in scouting and given my past was something instead I learned at boarding school in the early 1980's with a traditional sail that I had to learn to move and also when my fellow pupils were doing it themselves avoid the boom coming into line with my head.

Fortunately we were near the Winsford Flashes which are used by organized sailing clubs including the one that owns the marina on it and they taught me.

It may of been unfortunate not to have done this via Scouting, but I was mighty glad I did anyway as its' a very worth while thing to achieve.