Any old Boy Scouts here?

[misterrogers]

Now, don't ask me why, but I always put pipe smokers and Boy Scouts together. Well, at least, Scout Masters and pipe smoking. Maybe it's because they both tend to be wise men, who are always willing to give advice.
But either way, is anyone a past Boy Scout? Or am I the only one?

 

[portascat]

Troop 655, SJAC
Made it to Star Scout, was Patrol Leader, and spent a hitch at El Rancho Cima as a Counselor In Training.
That CIT spell of 2 or 3 weeks taught me that a female nurse who looked only so-so the first day or orientation could become the most sought after Helen of Troy type glimpse in 6 days of female sensory deprivation by 30 adolescent boys in the throes of a testosterone overdose.

 

[juozapas]

Me old Sea Scout...we don't die...we just fade away...

 

[portascat]

Sea Scouts were mysterious entities only read about in Boys Life. That one actually exists is similar to finding a Yeti.

 

[portascat]

I still have both my Scout shirts, a few patches and a half dozen or so of the old style "Skill Awards" you placed on your belt. No merit badges. Don't know where they went.

 

[toehead]

I am an old Boy Scout from Troop 351. Made to Eagle Scout.

I remember two of my scoutmasters smoking pipes around the campfire at night and sure did smell good.

But I not sure that would be PC nowadays.

 

[portascat]

Boy Scouts taught me a lot about my coming manhood.
I got drunk the first time ever as an Explorer Scout. In Galveston, Texas under a big as Army tent during a rain storm. We were all scared that the wind was going to blow this tent down all around us with big ass steel poles and ridges crushing us. Some folks had brought some booze, liquors of some sort, and it got dumped pot-luck style into 32 oz. bottles of coke and passed around.
El Rancho Cima is where I saw, for the first time, someone turn up a bottle of Jack Daniels, and drink it like water.
Not sure why those things stick in my mind today, but they do.

 

[dawk]

I couldn't cut it as a boy scout-so I joined the girl scouts-much more fun!

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

Not me, I used to torture boy scouts as a kid, sorry. Edited to clarify: Growing up, these were the kids who thought they were better than anyone else and tended to pick on us a lot. Little respect for anyone else outside of the scouts and we saw it all the time. Therefore, we had little respect for them.
Most of the scouts here in my area are like watching a chaotic daycare. They do things with the kids, yes, but they don't seem to have a very good structure or discipline. However, I like some of what they do. If it's a good running group, I know it can be a good thing for many kids. I just don't see them being the same scouts as what my dad and grandfather described them to be.
On another note, Cyndi's grandmother gave me two scout books from the 40's. One is aviation related, but can't remember what the other one is. I'll see about getting some pictures tonight and post them. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[misterrogers]

Growing up, these were the kids who thought they were better than anyone else and tended to pick on us a lot.

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

I'm sorry you had to deal such a poor excuse for Scouts in your Youth. Clearly they never heard the Scout Oath, which is odd because it seems like every troop says it before a meeting...
I for one am an Eagle Scout, from Troop 65, Simon Kenton Council. While I had moments where I wanted to quit, I am glad I didn't. I can promise you, without Scouting, I'd be some punk-ass kid who enjoys getting in fights or getting trashed.

 

[portascat]

We were all lower middle class suburban kids whose dads worked in, or for, the oil patch. A bunch of skinny white boys and mexicans with little true parental supervision. The Scouts probably about halfway saved a bunch of us from total destruction, although we went at it pretty well.
We worked hard at destroying stuff and building stuff to destroy stuff. I can't remember but one of the knots I learned, but I did learn a lot about self reliance and the ability to push myself physically in regards to work, as well as think outside the box.
In a bit of retrospect and euphoric recall, the kids I knew in the scouts and out of the scouts did about all the same things in regards to dope and booze. But the kids IN scouts seemed to hold it together just a bit better over the long term. At least enough to stay out of jail and chronic unemployment.

 

[chero]

worked with scouts a few years and wife worked with cubs. its was hard to get the parents to join in, they would drop them off like we were baby sitters. but we loved to work with them.

 

[misterrogers]

That CIT spell of 2 or 3 weeks taught me that a female nurse who looked only so-so the first day or orientation could become the most sought after Helen of Troy type glimpse in 6 days of female sensory deprivation by 30 adolescent boys in the throes of a testosterone overdose.

Well ain't that the truth... I remember one year, we had a bunch of Israeli Venture scouts come. I remember there being this one girl among them that stood out. Bronze skin, lovely eyes, and hell of a shot at the range. I think she was the only woman I’ve ever met that could make Hebrew sound sexy. And even on day one, it was "Dude, look over there." Needless to say, dreams of IDF women filled my dreams for a good while after.

 

[ssjones]

I was pretty active in scouting and made it to Eagle scout. That never fails to impress folks 35 years later. I had a great experience, belonging to a small, rural troop. We had great leaders, who I still know and work with in my community. My dad was also very active in the troop. He's 92 years old now and we have great memories from scouting. I was in Order of The Arrow, but shortly after attaining Eagle, the allure of working and earning money pulled me away from scouting. I have two daughters, but neither expressed any interest in Girl scouts.

 

[hauntedmyst]

I went through cub scouts and weblos but was kick out when I insisted the next camp out be at the Waldorf Astoria because I was tired of the lack of room service, sleeping in the woods on the ground and using confused raccoon cubs to wipe my ass. My scout master wouldn't carry my pack no matter how much I tipped him.

 

[pstlpkr]

Haunted...No room service? That's a shame.
Me, Cubs, Weblos, Scouts, and USMC... Guess I didn't know when to quit. :D

 

[juvat270]

Troop 921
Made it to the rank of Star scout and was, I think, about 2 requirements away for my Life Scout badge before hanging out with the wrong crowd became more appealing to me than scouting.

 

[nabottle]

I was a cub scout many years ago. But after eating a brownie, I was kicked out....... I know it's an old joke, but I still like it.

 

[badgercat]

Made it to Life Scout and Philmont one summer. I remember our Scout Masters smoking pipes or cigars...we tried rolling and smoking oak leaves...ahhh to be young and stupid again, at least young anyway.

 

[pstlpkr]

:rofl:

I know it's an old joke, but I still like it.

But a goodie!