My adventures in scouting began a long time ago when I attended elementary school. I had seen various commercial ads on television, enticing me to join the Boy Scouts of America. I wanted to, but I wasn’t old enough yet. And so it was to my surprise when I saw a poster telling everyone that there was going to be an orientation meeting for a special program called the Cub Scouts. I saw that it was a part of the BSA and immediately want to participate. I already had the mindset of joining. The tricky part was getting my father to take me to the meeting and convince him to let me sign up. The event took place in the elementary school’s cafeteria, which was basically a large room with several long tables set next together. It felt wierd at first, seeing the cafeteria at night, completely deserted except for a few people preparing all the paperwork for the evening. Others soon arrived and a sizeable crowd assembled at the various tables as seven o’clock approached. The spokesman spent a great deal of time explaining the cub scout program, none of which I really paid attention to. For I was only concerned with signing the paperwork and doing all the fun stuff. After the presentation, I talked my father into letting me join, resulting in a lot of paperwork. I also managed to persuade him to serve as a den leader, leading to even more paperwork. During the latter portion of the meeting, everyone in the cafeteria was told we now belonged to Pack 706 and needed to divide in groups called dens. I think there were six dens in all, though I could be wrong on that account. Regardless, there was a significant amount of dens in my particular pack. My father became the leader of Den 3, which I also was a part of. After everything was sorted out, a few more details were hammered out regarding the next pack meeting to determine when it would be best for the dens to meet on a regular basis. The orientation may have been over, but there was still a lot of work to be done in regards to preparation.
The first order of business was getting supplies, which could always be found at The Scout Shore. There were two locations in the Dallas-Forth area which I knew about, both loaded with everything you could imagine pertaining to scounting, They had camping equipment, trophies, a huge selection of books and manuals, uniforms of all sizes, and hundreds of pins and badges. However, only a scout leader or some other authorized member could get the awards and badges, much to my disappointment.
The uniform that I got from the store was a dark blue or navy blue. I can’t remember which. The name “Boy Scouts of America was stitched on the left front side of the shirt. Somwehere below the lettering was the spot where the badges went, all of them requiring someone to sew them on. When placed together, there formed a diamond shape. The bobcat badge went to the center top area, the wolf was placed to the left of the bobcat while the bear was stationed to the right, and the weebelos went to the center bottom area. The arrow of light belonged above the diamond. There were earnable silver and gold arrows placed below the four badges. How a person obtained them is something I cannot remember. On one shirt sleeve, there was patch displaying the council number, one providing the pack number, and another giving the den number. The other sleeve was the place where the weebelos achievement ribbons went. It consisted of a small metal bar with “weebelos” on the front and three colored cloth ribbons hanging from it. The colors were red, yellow, and green. The way a person obtained the weebelos badge was by earning pins, each one representing a subject. When a subject was mastered, the scout received the corresponding pin and placed it on one of the cloth ribbons. It didn’t matter which one.
The shirt was not the only part of the uniform. There was a specially designed handkerchief with a logo on the back. You had to roll it up until you reached the logo. You then wrapped it around the neck. The two dangling parts had to cross each other and slide through a fastener. There was also a hat you had to wear. It was like a baseball cap. It was blue and had the scout logo on the front,
The Cub Scout handbook that my father purchased at the store was like a paperback book without a spine. The exterior was white but the interior pages were multicolored. It had an introduction and three sections, each one covering the steps needed to obtain a particular badge. Every section had a different color and each corner of the page had a paw print corresponding to the animal of the badge covered. Every time an activity, exercise, or goal was completed, you got to have a part of print filled in using a pen or pencil. You then went to the next page and worked on the next paw, When all the paw prints had been filled, the badge would be yours at the next pack meeting, usually held once or twice a month.
The first and easiest badge was the bobcat badge, The main goals and achievements involved learning the basics such as the scout handshake, salute, motto, and pledge. It took me a long time to learn the pledge, but I still remember it to this day.
It went : I, Clint Skinner, promise to do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country, to help other people, and to obey the law of the pack.
The wolf badge was next on the list, followed by the bear badge. Somewhere during this time, there was the opportunity of earning gold and silver arrows. However, I can’t remember anything about them.
After getting the three badges, the next task was obtaining the weebelos badge. This was the toughest one of all. You were given the aforementioned ribbon and had to get a new book. This time around, the book was thick and had a spine. Instead of having a linear progression to the ultimate goal, you got to pick and choose from a wide variety of courses to take. There was camping, cooking, history, government, swimming, art, woodworking, science, health, first aid, and many more. Upon completion of each course, an accomplishment by itself, you got a metal pin which matched the subject matter. The shapes and symbols remind me of the sporting event icons you see when watching the Olympics. When you acquired enough of the pins, I can’t remember how many, the weebelos badge would be awarded. The final badge to be rewarded was the arrow of light. I don’t know how it was obtained, but the occasion was always a special one during the pack meeting. There was a big, rectangular black box with the cutout of an arrow on the front and a piece of yellow plastic behind the arrow inside the box. When the moment of truth came, the scoutmaster plugged a cord whic was attached to the box into a nearby wall socket. He flipped a switch, a light inside the box lit up, and the arrow glowed in the dimmed cafeteria. The scoutmaster gave a longwinded speech explaining the arrow of light then called the recipients to the front so he could hand out the badges.
While working for these achievements, I attended one or two den meetings a month. It wasn’t a difficult commitment because all meetings took place on the large front porch of my house. Most of the time, we worked on projects designed to get everyone closer to getting their badges. My father then gave the announements of concerning the next meeting and any upcoming events. Once this was done, my mother brought out refreshments for us and everyone was free to leave or stay around and play in the front yard.
There were three big events which happened every year. The Dad and Lad Cake Bake was a cooking contest everyone looked forward to. Each contest had a diiferent theme and only the father could help his son make the cake, using only natural ingredients and edible decorations. Only one per scout could be entered into the competition. There was no tasting at the event, just various categories like Most Colorful, Most Decorative, and Most Creative. Ribbons were placed next to each cake. After the judging, a big auction was held and all the proceeds went to funding special activities.
The theme of the first cake bake I attended was the Middle Ages. My father and I decided upon doing a castle made out of marshmallows. Everything was going well until we tried to cover them with frosting. The castle looked so terrible, my father called it Castle of the Poor. It won an award for Best Name. The auction had unexpected results, thanks to the scoutmaster forgetting to put limits on the bidding. As a result, some cakes went as high as eighty and a hundred dollars. The lesson was learned and a limit was put into place. The theme of the second one was exploration. My brother had decided to join upon reaching the age requirement and produced a cake decorated with breakfast food rearranged to resemble ships. I can’t remenber what mine was like. At the end of the second auction, it was decided to end the auction and just have an entry fee so everyone could have the option of having their cake back.
The Pinewood Derby was a special racing event where homemade wooden cars rushed down a track in a bid to win the first prize trophy. Each scout was given a package of raw material to build a car for the race : four plastic wheels, four nails, and a block of wood. After sawing the block into the shape of a car, four holes were drilled on the sides so the wheels could be attached. The body was then painted and designed however you wanted it. To help make sure that the car didn’t fly off the track, a weight had to be attached to the car. When it came to this stage of prepping, a minimum weight requirement was added so there would be a level playing field.
On the big night, all the scouts gathered together and submitted their cars to be weighed then placed on a table. A number of judges passed by them to choose which ones had the best design. Once ribbons were handed out, it was time for the derby to commence. The cars were divided up into groups to race each other in heats. The track which the cars drove down was like a wooden slide with curved humps along the gradual decine. The vehicles managed to stay on the track, thanks ton a series of grooves in the wood. There could only be four in each race and it took two defeats to eliminate a player from the competition. It took a long time, but a winner was eventually declared. When all the festivities were over, many of the scouts stayed for awhile to continue racing against each other for the fun of it.
The biggest event of the year was the Scout Show. It took place at the now demolished Irving Stadium, the former home of the Dallas Cowboys football team. It had at least four levels and was surrounded by a sizeable parking lot. Beyond the lot, an open field and plenty of wooded areas awaited visitors instead of a concrete jungle.
Taking place across this whole location, the Scout Show was an event which allowed all the cub scout packs and boy scout troops throughout Texas to gather, socialize, and show off, Each pack and troop had a designated spot to set up a booth or display. The cub scouts were stationed alng the concourses of the stadium’s levels while the boy scouts were situated in the parking lot, open field, and the outer eddges of the wooda, Each cub group usually prepared an educational display or game booth. A lot of them dealt with scientific experiments while others provided information about wildlife, conservation, travel, and other topics. Some went the extra mile like the pack that set up a replica of a bat cave and another which provided a haunted house. Regardless of what was being presented, the hosts always made sure you knew their pack number. The troops did the same thing but on a larger scale and a wider variety, They did cooking demonstrations, taught how to tie knots, showed how to ride rafts property, demonstrated first aid techniques, and provided camping tips among other topics and activities. In addition to all this, there was a zip line ride and an obstacle course. The whole thing have been a multi-day event, but I can’t remember for sure, I do recall having a blast while I was there.
The time eventually came to receive the arrow of light and move forward into the Boy Scouts. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a troop nearby and my interest started to wane. I then decided to try other things. However, I never forgot those woderful years of scouting.
The first order of business was getting supplies, which could always be found at The Scout Shore. There were two locations in the Dallas-Forth area which I knew about, both loaded with everything you could imagine pertaining to scounting, They had camping equipment, trophies, a huge selection of books and manuals, uniforms of all sizes, and hundreds of pins and badges. However, only a scout leader or some other authorized member could get the awards and badges, much to my disappointment.
The uniform that I got from the store was a dark blue or navy blue. I can’t remember which. The name “Boy Scouts of America was stitched on the left front side of the shirt. Somwehere below the lettering was the spot where the badges went, all of them requiring someone to sew them on. When placed together, there formed a diamond shape. The bobcat badge went to the center top area, the wolf was placed to the left of the bobcat while the bear was stationed to the right, and the weebelos went to the center bottom area. The arrow of light belonged above the diamond. There were earnable silver and gold arrows placed below the four badges. How a person obtained them is something I cannot remember. On one shirt sleeve, there was patch displaying the council number, one providing the pack number, and another giving the den number. The other sleeve was the place where the weebelos achievement ribbons went. It consisted of a small metal bar with “weebelos” on the front and three colored cloth ribbons hanging from it. The colors were red, yellow, and green. The way a person obtained the weebelos badge was by earning pins, each one representing a subject. When a subject was mastered, the scout received the corresponding pin and placed it on one of the cloth ribbons. It didn’t matter which one.
The shirt was not the only part of the uniform. There was a specially designed handkerchief with a logo on the back. You had to roll it up until you reached the logo. You then wrapped it around the neck. The two dangling parts had to cross each other and slide through a fastener. There was also a hat you had to wear. It was like a baseball cap. It was blue and had the scout logo on the front,
The Cub Scout handbook that my father purchased at the store was like a paperback book without a spine. The exterior was white but the interior pages were multicolored. It had an introduction and three sections, each one covering the steps needed to obtain a particular badge. Every section had a different color and each corner of the page had a paw print corresponding to the animal of the badge covered. Every time an activity, exercise, or goal was completed, you got to have a part of print filled in using a pen or pencil. You then went to the next page and worked on the next paw, When all the paw prints had been filled, the badge would be yours at the next pack meeting, usually held once or twice a month.
The first and easiest badge was the bobcat badge, The main goals and achievements involved learning the basics such as the scout handshake, salute, motto, and pledge. It took me a long time to learn the pledge, but I still remember it to this day.
It went : I, Clint Skinner, promise to do my best, to do my duty, to God and my country, to help other people, and to obey the law of the pack.
The wolf badge was next on the list, followed by the bear badge. Somewhere during this time, there was the opportunity of earning gold and silver arrows. However, I can’t remember anything about them.
After getting the three badges, the next task was obtaining the weebelos badge. This was the toughest one of all. You were given the aforementioned ribbon and had to get a new book. This time around, the book was thick and had a spine. Instead of having a linear progression to the ultimate goal, you got to pick and choose from a wide variety of courses to take. There was camping, cooking, history, government, swimming, art, woodworking, science, health, first aid, and many more. Upon completion of each course, an accomplishment by itself, you got a metal pin which matched the subject matter. The shapes and symbols remind me of the sporting event icons you see when watching the Olympics. When you acquired enough of the pins, I can’t remember how many, the weebelos badge would be awarded. The final badge to be rewarded was the arrow of light. I don’t know how it was obtained, but the occasion was always a special one during the pack meeting. There was a big, rectangular black box with the cutout of an arrow on the front and a piece of yellow plastic behind the arrow inside the box. When the moment of truth came, the scoutmaster plugged a cord whic was attached to the box into a nearby wall socket. He flipped a switch, a light inside the box lit up, and the arrow glowed in the dimmed cafeteria. The scoutmaster gave a longwinded speech explaining the arrow of light then called the recipients to the front so he could hand out the badges.
While working for these achievements, I attended one or two den meetings a month. It wasn’t a difficult commitment because all meetings took place on the large front porch of my house. Most of the time, we worked on projects designed to get everyone closer to getting their badges. My father then gave the announements of concerning the next meeting and any upcoming events. Once this was done, my mother brought out refreshments for us and everyone was free to leave or stay around and play in the front yard.
There were three big events which happened every year. The Dad and Lad Cake Bake was a cooking contest everyone looked forward to. Each contest had a diiferent theme and only the father could help his son make the cake, using only natural ingredients and edible decorations. Only one per scout could be entered into the competition. There was no tasting at the event, just various categories like Most Colorful, Most Decorative, and Most Creative. Ribbons were placed next to each cake. After the judging, a big auction was held and all the proceeds went to funding special activities.
The theme of the first cake bake I attended was the Middle Ages. My father and I decided upon doing a castle made out of marshmallows. Everything was going well until we tried to cover them with frosting. The castle looked so terrible, my father called it Castle of the Poor. It won an award for Best Name. The auction had unexpected results, thanks to the scoutmaster forgetting to put limits on the bidding. As a result, some cakes went as high as eighty and a hundred dollars. The lesson was learned and a limit was put into place. The theme of the second one was exploration. My brother had decided to join upon reaching the age requirement and produced a cake decorated with breakfast food rearranged to resemble ships. I can’t remenber what mine was like. At the end of the second auction, it was decided to end the auction and just have an entry fee so everyone could have the option of having their cake back.
The Pinewood Derby was a special racing event where homemade wooden cars rushed down a track in a bid to win the first prize trophy. Each scout was given a package of raw material to build a car for the race : four plastic wheels, four nails, and a block of wood. After sawing the block into the shape of a car, four holes were drilled on the sides so the wheels could be attached. The body was then painted and designed however you wanted it. To help make sure that the car didn’t fly off the track, a weight had to be attached to the car. When it came to this stage of prepping, a minimum weight requirement was added so there would be a level playing field.
On the big night, all the scouts gathered together and submitted their cars to be weighed then placed on a table. A number of judges passed by them to choose which ones had the best design. Once ribbons were handed out, it was time for the derby to commence. The cars were divided up into groups to race each other in heats. The track which the cars drove down was like a wooden slide with curved humps along the gradual decine. The vehicles managed to stay on the track, thanks ton a series of grooves in the wood. There could only be four in each race and it took two defeats to eliminate a player from the competition. It took a long time, but a winner was eventually declared. When all the festivities were over, many of the scouts stayed for awhile to continue racing against each other for the fun of it.
The biggest event of the year was the Scout Show. It took place at the now demolished Irving Stadium, the former home of the Dallas Cowboys football team. It had at least four levels and was surrounded by a sizeable parking lot. Beyond the lot, an open field and plenty of wooded areas awaited visitors instead of a concrete jungle.
Taking place across this whole location, the Scout Show was an event which allowed all the cub scout packs and boy scout troops throughout Texas to gather, socialize, and show off, Each pack and troop had a designated spot to set up a booth or display. The cub scouts were stationed alng the concourses of the stadium’s levels while the boy scouts were situated in the parking lot, open field, and the outer eddges of the wooda, Each cub group usually prepared an educational display or game booth. A lot of them dealt with scientific experiments while others provided information about wildlife, conservation, travel, and other topics. Some went the extra mile like the pack that set up a replica of a bat cave and another which provided a haunted house. Regardless of what was being presented, the hosts always made sure you knew their pack number. The troops did the same thing but on a larger scale and a wider variety, They did cooking demonstrations, taught how to tie knots, showed how to ride rafts property, demonstrated first aid techniques, and provided camping tips among other topics and activities. In addition to all this, there was a zip line ride and an obstacle course. The whole thing have been a multi-day event, but I can’t remember for sure, I do recall having a blast while I was there.
The time eventually came to receive the arrow of light and move forward into the Boy Scouts. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a troop nearby and my interest started to wane. I then decided to try other things. However, I never forgot those woderful years of scouting.