# Were you a girl scout or a boy scout, leader or equivalent as a younger person?



## Ruthanne (Oct 11, 2017)

My mother was a leader and we went on several nice trips with our troop long ago.  We camped outside a few times and it was lots of fun.  At that time I was about 7 or so.  As I got a little older I became a Brownie and then a Cadette.  It's hard to recall all of it but I do recall there were always nice times in scouting.  

Any other leaders, cub scouts, boy scouts, brownies, cadettes, etc?


----------



## RadishRose (Oct 11, 2017)

I was  Brownie, then a Girl Scout. Our motto: "Be Prepared"


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 11, 2017)

RadishRose said:


> I was  Brownie, then a Girl Scout. Our motto: "Be Prepared"


That's a good motto!  I was a brownie, too!


----------



## Ruth n Jersey (Oct 11, 2017)

I was a cub scout leader. I got roped into it. I was suppose to have help with the boys but the other person backed out. Two of the boys were very hyper and hard to handle making it difficult to finish projects etc. One Mother was worse than her son. Not a week went by that she didn't have some petty complaint. Her son wasn't getting his patches on time or he had paint on his uniform,it went on and on. I stuck it out for the sake of the other boys and my son, but was so happy to see the year end. Not a fun experience at all.


----------



## Smiling Jane (Oct 11, 2017)

I was a Brownie, then a Girl Scout. I got every badge and then I earned the Curved Bar, which back then was the equivalent of being an Eagle Scout.

My mother and one of her best friends were co-leaders and they were excellent at creating projects for us. They made it fun.

A number of years ago some area Girl Scout troops got together to clear and help rebuild a section of the Continental Divide Trail and I volunteered for the project. It was nice to see the Girl Scouts had as much fun as they did when I was a kid.


----------



## tnthomas (Oct 11, 2017)

Cub Scout, then Boy Scout.

My mom was a Den Mother...





Me in Boy Scouts



Oops, that was Army not boy scouts....oh well, same thing.


----------



## applecruncher (Oct 11, 2017)

I was a brownie, I remember the little pin.
Younger brother was cub scout & really enjoyed it.


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 11, 2017)

Ruth n Jersey said:


> I was a cub scout leader. I got roped into it. I was suppose to have help with the boys but the other person backed out. Two of the boys were very hyper and hard to handle making it difficult to finish projects etc. One Mother was worse than her son. Not a week went by that she didn't have some petty complaint. Her son wasn't getting his patches on time or he had paint on his uniform,it went on and on. I stuck it out for the sake of the other boys and my son, but was so happy to see the year end. Not a fun experience at all.


That's sad it didn't go well for you.  Glad you stuck it out till the years end.



Smiling Jane said:


> I was a Brownie, then a Girl Scout. I got every badge and then I earned the Curved Bar, which back then was the equivalent of being an Eagle Scout.
> 
> My mother and one of her best friends were co-leaders and they were excellent at creating projects for us. They made it fun.
> 
> A number of years ago some area Girl Scout troops got together to clear and help rebuild a section of the Continental Divide Trail and I volunteered for the project. It was nice to see the Girl Scouts had as much fun as they did when I was a kid.


Pretty cool!  That project sounds like a good contribution.



tnthomas said:


> Cub Scout, then Boy Scout.
> 
> My mom was a Den Mother...
> 
> ...


Ha ha ha.  I thought you were a little more military looking there.  



applecruncher said:


> I was a brownie, I remember the little pin.
> Younger brother was cub scout & really enjoyed it.


I recall the pin, too!  My brothers all were boy scouts, all three of them.


----------



## Dobra (Oct 12, 2017)

A Wolf Cub then Boy Scout here in Merrie England. Still practice some their aspects of thoughts.....


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 12, 2017)

Dobra said:


> A Wolf Cub then Boy Scout here in Merrie England. Still practice some their aspects of thoughts.....


Thats cool Dobra!


----------



## hollydolly (Oct 12, 2017)

My younger  sister and I were both brownies in the same troop ( I was in the pixie pack) .... and then I went on to be a Girl guide ( it's called that here not Girl scout  )... my sister didn't continue on.. but I stayed till I was 14 ...


----------



## Ruthanne (Oct 12, 2017)

hollydolly said:


> My younger  sister and I were both brownies in the same troop ( I was in the pixie pack) .... and then I went on to be a Girl guide ( it's called that here not Girl scout  )... my sister didn't continue on.. but I stayed till I was 14 ...


We are scout sisters then Holly!!


----------



## hollydolly (Oct 12, 2017)

Ruthanne said:


> We are scout sisters then Holly!!



yes we are Ruth.......when we gained our merit badges we had to see them onto our sleeves... did you do the same? 

I had 6 or 7 that I can remember ...and we sewed them on to the sleeve of our uniforms in both Brownies and guides , and when that got full then onto the other sleeve..

from memory I had ...


Musician
Needleworker 
kinitter
Hostess
Dancer
Cook
first Aid


The badges looked like this in the UK in the 60's...

  This was our Promise  tie pin in the Brownies 


...and this was the tie pin (trefoil) in the Girl Guides... 


The girl guide and Brownie  promise  was... 




I promise that I will do my best,
 to do my duty to God,
 to serve the Queen and help other people
 and keep the Brownie Guide Law


It's been changed over the years to remove the 'God' reference''... isn't that sad?


----------



## Pappy (Oct 12, 2017)

Cub and Boy Scout. So long ago I don’t remember much. Think I quit after 4-5 years.


----------



## debbie in seattle (Oct 12, 2017)

I was a Campfire girl leader for several years.    Really enjoyed it.


----------



## Falcon (Oct 12, 2017)

Hey,  Get  this:  My morning newspaper  headlines  say this:  *The Boy Scouts  let girls  join up.*

What's your take on this ?


----------



## Smiling Jane (Oct 12, 2017)

Falcon said:


> Hey,  Get  this:  My morning newspaper  headlines  say this:  *The Boy Scouts  let girls  join up.*
> 
> What's your take on this ?



Desperate for members? They haven't been doing so well from what I've heard.


----------



## RadishRose (Oct 12, 2017)

Holly, they took God out?  *sigh*. Ours was slightly different-

I promise that I will do my best to do my duty to God and country
To help other people at all times, especially those at home.


----------



## RadishRose (Oct 12, 2017)

Falcon said:


> Hey,  Get  this:  My morning newspaper  headlines  say this:  *The Boy Scouts  let girls  join up.*
> 
> What's your take on this ?



They would have to change their name, like Youth Scouts or something like that.

In a way it could be good, teaching equality.

In another way, girls would lose that special bonding of sisterhood that Girl Scouts instill.


----------



## CeeCee (Oct 12, 2017)

I was a Cub Scout den mother for a year.


----------



## hollydolly (Oct 12, 2017)

Funny thing is ..unlike some of my teachers, I can't for the life of me remember my Brown Owl's name nor my guide leaders 'name . Couldn't have made much of an impression on me..


----------



## Aunt Marg (Jul 21, 2020)

Sure was, here in Canada it was called Girl Guides.

I spent three years involved with Girl Guides. We did everything from our weekly get-togethers, to camping, to other wilderness outings such as hiking, boating, etc, and of course along the way we earned badges.


----------



## Pepper (Jul 21, 2020)

I was a Brownie.  I loved it.  Decades later I found my uniform.  I tried it on.  I got it on but I couldn't get it off.  Don't remember how I finally freed myself from Brownie Bondage.


----------



## Lewkat (Jul 21, 2020)

I was a girl scout.  Later when my son was a cub scout, I was a den mother, then a den leader and ultimately became a Cub Scout Commissioner.  We really worked hard to revive some almost defunct dens and I am proud of that.


----------



## jujube (Jul 21, 2020)

My father was a legendary Boy Scout leader through my childhood and teenage years, so I had no interest in joining the Girl Scouts (the boys were much more interesting).  

I was an assistant troop leader for one year when my daughter was in Girl Scouts. It was a thankless task.

On the other hand, my late husband was, at the time, the only male "official" Brownie Scout leader in our state and one of only seven in the country.   When my daughter joined the Brownies in a newly-formed troop, the lady who was the leader had to quit and asked my husband if he would get certified and take over.  He did and was a brilliant leader; the little girls loved him.  It didn't go over with all the parents, but once they got to know him, the other parents approved completely.  He had a rare talent with children, especially difficult kids.  I've never seen anyone who could handle children like he did.


----------



## Keesha (Jul 21, 2020)

I really wanted to but for some reason I wasn’t allowed. Most of friends were so I kinda felt left out but I did go to summer camp. In fact, we HAD to go every summer. They were like permanent baby sitters. We learned arts and crafts and how to shoot a bow and arrow. Mostly it was fun.


----------



## Gaer (Jul 21, 2020)

Girl scout here.  Dug a six foot deep hole and roasted a whole pig.  (kinda gross) and ate my first red army ant.  (put my bed roll on top of an ant hill)  Got a lot of merit badges.  I remember it as being a lot of fun!


----------



## Warrigal (Jul 21, 2020)

I missed out on all of that when I was a child but later, when my daughter and son were ready for such activities I looked around for an outward bound group that they could join. There was a club in my area that, while not affiliated with the scouting movement, was modelled along similar lines. I volunteered as a leader and started out as an assistant with the boys pack. Later moved to girls pack and eventually girls troop.

Never having slept anywhere else but in a bed before I had a lot to learn and I had a great time. I kept it up until a work promotion made it difficult to continue. Since then, all of my 6 grandchildren spent time in the scouts, gaining a lot in the process. My daughter was a volunteer parent too. One grandson and one grand daughter took part in several of the combined concerts (can't remember what they were called - just remembered - the Gang Show). Membership of these organisations is a great way to learn the value of being part of a community and of being of service to others.


----------



## Fyrefox (Jul 22, 2020)

I was a Cub Scout during my elementary years.  They asked my mother if she wanted to be a “den mother” when I started, and I asked her quite seriously if that was like being an old lady!  Hilarity ensued...

So I went through being a “Wolf,” “Bear,” and “Lion” Cub Scout.  By the end of my elementary years, I had experienced enough of kerchiefs, caps, and Blue-and-Gold dinners, and was pretty much scouted out.  Besides, I heard that the secondary Boy Scouts would be taken into the woods, and expected to dig and use their own latrines, and I wanted none of that!


----------



## fuzzybuddy (Jul 22, 2020)

It's kind of fuzzy, now. I was a "Tenderfoot" ? I think. I had to work up to be a scout. We went on some day trips to the woods. I remember cooking hot dogs over a fire. I didn't get too involved with the Scouts. The blue uniform and the brown hiking one were extremely expensive. Even as a kid, I was shocked at how expensive anything with the word "Scout"  on it was.


----------



## Treacle (Jul 22, 2020)

I was in the brownies. I think the uniform was brown with a yellow tie? I can remember dancing around a mushroom and I don't think it was called magic?


----------



## Aunt Marg (Jul 22, 2020)

Treacle said:


> I was in the brownies. I think the uniform was brown with a yellow tie? I can remember dancing around a mushroom and I don't think it was called magic?


If I remember correct, it was called both "Girl Guides" and "Brownies" here in Canada.


----------



## Treacle (Jul 22, 2020)

Actually it might have been a toadstool.  Not a real one of course that would look stupid.  I'm sure we danced around something


----------



## Treacle (Jul 22, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> If I remember correct, it was called both "Girl Guides" and "Brownies" here in Canada.


I think we started off with the Brownies and then went on to Girl Guides when older.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Jul 22, 2020)

Treacle said:


> Actually it might have been a toadstool.  Not a real one of course that would look stupid.  I'm sure we danced around something


My memory is still sharp, but some things escape me, Brownies and Girl Guides being one of them, so I'm not the best person to ask.


----------



## Aunt Marg (Jul 22, 2020)

Treacle said:


> I think we started off with the Brownies and then went on to Girl Guides when older.


That's how I sort of remember it, too.

I remember mom sewing my badges on whenever I'd get one, which was always a thrill.


----------



## HazyDavey (Jul 22, 2020)

I was a Boy Scout, it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it very much.
A Scout is... Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, & reverent!
Whew, I still got it..


----------



## Kayelle (Jul 22, 2020)

I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout too. My Mom was the "Den Mother" for both and a good one too. She was a naturally fun person and I was proud all the little girls loved her too.  I have lots of good memories with the Girl Scouts.


----------



## jujube (Jul 22, 2020)

Did you know that since 2018 girls can join the Boy Scouts, which is now known as "Scouts BSA"?

Darn, came too late for me....


----------



## drifter (Jul 22, 2020)

I was a boy scout. Later in life I was a scoutmaster. Both were a long time ago.


----------



## peppermint (Jul 22, 2020)

I was never a Girl Scout...When my daughter came home from school, she asked if she can be a Brownie....Of course she did and I did be a
Brownie leader....It was really fun....


----------

