A Scouting Story

A Scouting Story HISTORY: “Way Back Then” – (Point with index finger) SCOUTS: “Be Prepared” – (Give Scout Sign” CUB SCOUTS: “Do Your Best” – (Give Cub Scout Sign) HIKE or HIKING: “Hi Ho, Hi Ho” CAMP or CAMPING: “I think I hear a bear!” This is a story you don’t find in a HISTORY book, but no doubt it will bring back memories to many of you who have had a similar experience. The story is about a CUB SCOUT named Johnny, and his first experience with HIKING and CAMPING. This is how it all started. It was approaching the birthday of SCOUTING which is celebrated in February every year, and Johnny’s CUB SCOUT Den Leader had read to the boys a story about the HISTORY of CUB SCOUTING and how it all began. Johnny could hardly wait until he was old enough to be a SCOUT so he asked his mother if he could plan a day of HIKING around the neighborhood and park, and a night of CAMPING in their backyard with some of his friends. Mom consented, so Johnny CUB SCOUT called his friends and they planned to go HIKING and CAMPING the next weekend. When the day arrived, Johnny was so proud of himself. He thought he would someday be a SCOUT who would go down in HISTORY because he was so well prepared for HIKING and CAMPING. At least, he thought he was prepared when the day began. The lunches had all been packed and put in the backyard CAMP. When Johnny CUB SCOUT went out to the CAMP to get the lunches, he was shocked to find that the paper bags were torn and scattered all over the backyard. Johnny saw his dog SCOUT munching on the last bit of sandwich and looking very contented. “Oh boy”, thought Johnny, “I thought I would make a well-prepared SCOUT, but I wasn’t prepared for this!” After new lunches were made, the boys took their HIKE. It was a great success, and Johnny CUB SCOUT felt sure that HISTORY had been made by the record time they made on their HIKE. But, when they returned to CAMP, the tent slumped down in a heap and the sleeping bags were muddy from SCOUTS dirty feet, and the batteries in the flashlights were dead. Johnny CUB SCOUT hung his head and said: “Boy have I got a lot to learn about HIKING and CAMPING and being a SCOUT, so I can go down in HISTORY.” But later his den leader reminded him that the purpose of SCOUTING is to teach boys to do their best and to prepare them to become SCOUTS. -Southeastern Massachusetts Cluster Council Pow Wow 1997