Scout badge

“ SCOUT'S UNIFORM. Patrol Leader with Scout.
If you already belong to a corps which has a uniform, you dress in that uniform; but on passing the tests for a scout given here you wear the scout badge, if your 43commanding officer allows it, in addition to any of your corps' badges that you may have won.
A scout does not use a showy uniform, because it would attract attention; but scouts in a patrol should, as far as possible, dress alike, especially as regards hats, or caps, and neckerchief. ”

“ Denny came in and sat down. Other scoutmasters sauntered in, and scouts singly and in groups. One proud scout went out with three new merit badges and was vociferously cheered outside.
Another didn't quite make the pathfinder's badge; another the camp honor flag for good turns. Still another got the Life Scout badge, and so it went. Honor jobs for the ensuing week were given out. There were many strictly camp awards, not found in the handbook. The Temple Paddle was awarded to a proud canoeist. Scouts came and went. Sometimes the interest was keen and sometimes it lagged. ”

“ Instead of the full uniform a Citizen Scout may wear a brassard of khaki with stencilled trefoil and letters G.S. to which she may add the crest of her troop. The Troop leader’s insignia is a 1⁄4 inch red ribbon around the left arm above elbow. This may be put on uniform or brassard.
Citizen Scouts may work for the same proficiency badges as Girl Scouts. They are recommended to qualify for the progressive badge, especially if they have already won the Proficiency badges. ”

“ When, therefore, we want to show particular goodwill to anyone, especially those who have done us a good turn, we give to them a "Swastika," or "Badge of Brotherhood," to wear. This makes them members of the brotherhood of Scouts, although they are not actual Scouts themselves; and when they show their badge to a Scout he will do all he can to help them in whatever part of the world they may be. ”

“ Jack Danby and Tom Binns, Second Class Scouts, were ready now to become First Class Scouts, and so to earn the right to wear the full Scout badge, and compete for all the medals and special badges of merit for which Scouts are eligible. They had passed all the tests save one. They had proved their efficiency in signaling, in scout and camp craft, in the tying of knots, had given evidence of their ability to save those who were drowning and give first aid to the injured, and they had only to make a hike of seven miles, alone or together, to receive the coveted promotion. ”

“ Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, Gibraltar, China, France, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Holland, United States, Belgium, Sweden, Italy, Bohemia. The Camp was indeed a cosmopolitan spot, but to the casual observer there was little difference between the boys—the uniform was the same, they all wore the same Scout badge, although in some cases the familiar Fleur-de-lys had somewhat assumed the shape of the German Eagle, or some other emblem denoting the nationality of the wearer. ”

“ Don't mind the soiling of your new uniforms, lads. Every mark found upon them to-morrow must serve as a badge of honor to the wearer. After this it will be the tried and true scout who can point to a burnt hole in his smart coat, and say 'I got that the night of the great fire up at Bradley's!' And what shall I say of this fine member of your patrol who so bravely risked his own life to save that of a mother's baby? ”

“ Never say die till you are dead—struggle on against any difficulty or danger, don't give in to it, and you will probably come out successful in the end.
* * * * *
THE MALTESE CROSS. Most of the Oversea Scouts wear, in addition to the Scout's badge of the fleur-de-lys, the badge belonging to their country. For instance, the Canadian Scouts wear the maple leaf, and the New Zealanders wear a leaf of the tree fern.
If the Maltese Scouts want a badge of their own they could not do better than adopt the Maltese Cross of the knights, and then stick to, and act up to the meaning of it. ”

“ The troop may have a flag, which has the number of the [91] troop on it, and besides this each Patrol Leader may have a small flag, ten inches deep, on a staff, with the crest of her troop in cloth stitched on to it on both sides.
Each member of the troop wears an emblem badge sewn over her left pocket flap, and a shoulder knot of the colors chosen by her troop.
Every Scout is expected to know all about the life history of the emblem of her troop. If it is a flower, she should know what it looks like, when and where it blooms, and she should if possible grow it herself. ”

“ No scout may ever use the call of another patrol. The second law binds you to be loyal, kind, obedient, and cheerful. Most of your work then consists in playing scouting games and practices by which you gain experience as scouts. When you have learned sufficient to pass the test you can win the badge of either a first class or second class scout.
That of the first class scout consists of a brass arrow head with the motto on it "Be Prepared." ”

“ Ellsworth. (He always hesitated to direct their arguments, preferring to let them dope things out themselves.) “The uniform is only good for what it means—as it seems to me. To be a scout means certain things and to wear the uniform says to the world that you are for those things. So I’m for the uniform. The uniform is the scout’s chief badge. It’s just a great, big merit badge and it ought to be worn like the other merit badges.”
“There might be an invisible badge,” said Tom. ”

“ So you see the use of being a Scout and of wearing your badge.
Even in everyday life at home it is also a good thing to do, because you may often have a chance of doing a good turn to a stranger Boy Scout if he could only recognise that you were a scout. ”

“ But most every scout goes in for some particular thing. Maybe it’s first aid, or maybe it’s signaling. And he keeps on with that thing even after he has the badge.”
“That’s right,” Hervey concurred with surprising readiness. “You’ve got the right idea. My specialty is the Eagle badge. See?” [Pg 56]
“Well, that’s twenty-one badges,” Tom said.
“Right-o, and all I need to do now is test three for the stalking badge and I’m it. And if I can’t go over the top between now and this time Saturday, I’ll never look the fellows in my troop in the face again, that’s what.” ”

“ As a result of this demonstration, we were invited to visit a number of troops in Westchester County and in New York City and explained to them some of our activities.
I was awarded the Eagle Scout Badge in April, 1912. There was, of course, no local court of honor but I secured affidavits from local men who examined me on various subjects for merit badges. Later I was called in to the national headquarters where I was examined again by representatives of the national staff as they wanted me to be sure that I was properly qualified. Mr. ”

“ Scouts are taught to do a good deed without any thought of a return; but all the same, it is pleasant to know that the reward does often come, and if any of the four chums had failed to find a chance to turn his badge right-side up that day, on account of having given a helping hand to some one, certainly they must feel entitled to that privilege after lifting Amos out of his sad predicament. Saving a precious human life must surely be counted as answering the requirements of the scout law. ”

“ People have got to know now how useful the Scouts are, and they are often anxious to get hold of one to help them in some difficulty. Well, if they see a boy coming along with the badge on, they know that he is a Scout, though not in uniform, and they are able to ask him to do them the good turn. ”

“ I said. “Some Scouts think that to win the taxidermy badge all you have to do is drive a taxi. Pee-wee thought he could get the plumbing badge by eating plums. But he was mistaken just the same as he was when he thought if he won the astronomy badge he’d be a Star Scout. He thinks a Life Scout is one that has saved a life.” ”

“ You will be glad to know that three of our troop, Daniel Swift, John Walden, and Gordon Lord, are to be enrolled as first-class scouts, and Howard Brent as second-class scout. We are also glad to welcome Penfield Danforth into the ranks of the tenderfeet. You may be slightly interested to know that I myself have won the archery badge.” (Voice, “Bully for you, Doc!”) “And that Matthew Reed, our troop jester,” (laughter) “is to wear the badge for marksmanship. I could win this badge myself if I tried.” ”

“ At any rate I hope she won’t, because a Scout who is content to sit down and be a Second Class Scout is only a third class girl.
It is true that when she has got her Second Class, she can go in for Proficiency Badges and cover her arm with them, but I would much rather see a Scout with the one Badge of First Class on her left arm than one with a dozen on her right.
After all the First Class tests are not so very hard. [147] They look a lot, but like many other difficulties in this world they are not so bad as they look when you smile at them and tackle them. ”

“ Yet that same boy was afraid of his own shadow up to the time he became a scout.”
109
“I never heard theh like o’ thet, son,” declared the deeply interested guide.
“’Pears like they hain’t nawthin’ a scout ain’t ekal tuh.”
“Nothing that’s worth while, and that’s the truth,” Thad told him. “They can win merit badges by excelling in certain lines. If you look around right now, you’ll perceive that every boy in this Silver Fox Patrol of Cranford Troop wears at least one medal or badge. And let me tell you, sir, a scout is as proud of his badge as anybody could be.” ”

“ Of course, what Step Hen referred to was the well-known rule by which the great body of members composing the Boy Scouts’ organization of America has been governed, in order to teach the units of each patrol and troop the benefits to be derived from making themselves useful to others.
In the morning every scout is supposed to pin his badge upside-down, on the lapel of his coat; and is not allowed to change its position until he has found an opportunity for helping some one, either by act, or advice that is really useful. ”

“ If a stranger makes the scout's sign to you, you should acknowledge it at once by making the sign back to him, and then shake hands with the LEFT HAND. If he then shows his scout's badge, or proves that he is a scout, you must treat him as a brother-scout, and help him in any way you can. ”

“ Second-class scout is one who has passed certain easy tests in scouting.
A Tenderfoot is a boy who is not yet a scout.
A Court of Honour is formed of the scout master and two patrol leaders, or in the case of a single patrol by the patrol leader and the corporal. It decides rewards, punishments, and other questions.
Tests: To become a second-class scout and gain the motto badge, a boy must satisfy his scout master in the following details:
1. Tie four of the following knots in less than thirty seconds each knot: Bowline, fisherman's bend, reef knot, clove hitch, sheet bend. ”

“ So wear your buttonhole badge for the sake of other people.
POLITENESS LAW 5. A SCOUT IS COURTEOUS. A Scout should be polite to all—but especially to women and children, old people and invalids, cripples, etc. And he must not take any reward for being helpful or courteous.
Courteousness is much the same sort of thing as Chivalry, which is closely allied to Honour. Both were practised in the old days by the Knight's, who went about risking their lives in order to defend and help the weaker people, women and children, against bullies and marauders. ”

“ When a boy has become a first-class scout he may qualify for the merit badges.
The examination for these badges should be given by the Court of Honor of the local council. This examination must not be given any boy who is not qualified as a first-class scout. After the boy has passed the examination, the local council may secure the merit badge for him by presenting the facts to the National Council. ”

“ I saw it given to a scout from Virginia and one from New York. You always hear a lot of talk about the Eagle award here in camp. Lots of scouts start out big and don’t get away with it. I guess everybody knows it isn’t easy. If you’re an Eagle Scout you’re everything else. You got to be.
“I’ve seen scouts get it. But in the last couple of days I saw one chuck it in the dirt and trample on it. That’s because when a fellow gets so far that he’s really an Eagle Scout, he doesn’t care so [Pg 122] much about it. A fellow’s got to be a scout to win the Eagle badge. ”

“ They help to cool you off and make you feel that life is worth living, after all.”
6
The two lads were dressed in khaki uniforms, sufficient evidence that they were members of the local Boy Scout troop, of which their home town was rather proud. In fact, the young fellow who had been called Hugh and whose last name was Hardin, had lately succeeded in attaining the position of Assistant Scout Master, when the former incumbent resigned, owing to removal from the place.
His chum, Billy Worth, also a member of the Wolf Patrol, was a first-class scout, as his badge denoted. ”

“ But, boy, I’m going to eat my share of that steak!”
It was a glorious meal, and Dumplin’ kissed the pie plate when it was all over.
After Bennie had carried the pie plate back to the cook, while the rest washed up the dishes, Uncle Billy asked for the Scout Manual, and read what a scout has to do to get a merit badge for hiking.
“To obtain a merit badge for hiking, a scout must:
1. Show a thorough knowledge of the care of the feet on a hike.
2. Walk five miles per day, six days in the week, for a period of three months. This may include walking to and from school or work. ”