On my last blog, I used the term "boy scout" in a sort of self-denigrating way. Truth be told, even after all these years out of scouting, I am proud of my accomplishments with that organization. Here's a memory for you:
I remember when I was 11 years old and in the Boy Scouts. It was going to be my first hiking and camping trip. Ken Jansen, the kid down the street and a good friend, was already in the troop. He and I spent hours together while he showed me how to tie all of the knots I had to know to become a Tenderfoot. Then he told me all about camping. Keep in mind that he was older (12-years-old), so he knew a LOT more than I did. He told me I would have to have a pack with a frame (which was a relatively new concept in those days--quite common now) and, of course, a good sleeping bag.
Since we didn't have a lot of money, I used a hand-me-down pack from my brother Bob's days in the Scouts. It had "Bob Farnsworth" written on the flap. I crossed out the "Bob" and wrote "Steve". I also had to use an old sleeping bag. Ken and I "built" a frame assembly for the pack out of a light wood (I think it was made out of 1/4" x 1" furring strips) in his back yard. I was so proud of myself for my ingenuity and could hardly wait to try it out.
The hike was a 10-mile hike--5 miles in, 5 miles out. Everything looked good. I had everything I needed and everyone thought my pack frame was terrific. We left early on Saturday morning from Our Lady of Lourdes Church, which was the sponsor of our troop. Since I was the new scout, I rode with the scoutmaster, Mr. Haughey,(actually, I think it was DR. Haughey--I can't remember if he was an MD or a DDS, but I recall he was called DR. Haughey) and his son Mike, about 16 or 17 years old, who was the Senior Patrol Leader. There were a couple of other kids in the station wagon as well, but my memory of this particular hike isn't about what I learned from them. It is what I learned from Mike.
It only took about an hour or so to get to the trailhead, which was near Sunland, California. We split up into "patrols" and each of us was assigned a "buddy". Of course, since Ken and I were good friends, we chose each other as buddies. We were supposed to stick together like glue for the duration of the camping trip.
Ken was a good hiker, with a good pace. It was very difficult to keep up with him. It didn't help that the frame I had built was falling apart with every step I took. In addition, the knots I had worked so hard to learn and that held my sleeping bag to my pack came loose and I had to carry the bag separately, like a bag of groceries. About a mile into the trip, I was close to tears. I was not prepared for the weight of the pack, the destruction of my frame, or the pace of my “buddy”.
Mike saw the problems I was having, and gave me a lesson in leadership that I will never forget. Instead of berating me for not being able to carry my share of the load, he had the entire patrol stop right on the trail. He dissected his pack and showed each of us how he packed his own supplies and why. Then he had each of us do the same. Of course, since I was the only one that didn't have a frame to attach my sleeping bag to, he showed me the proper way to tie it to the pack.
Some of the other boys were making fun of me for being so slow and unable to carry such a heavy pack. Mike made it clear that this was unacceptable behavior and that the only way somebody learns is through his mistakes. He asked each one of the other guys to come up with one idea each that would help me make it through the weekend. When we started out on the trail again, he asked me if we could trade packs! Since his outfit was state-of-the-art, I didn't refuse. What a difference! Then, he set a pace that ALL of us could follow the rest of the way in, singing songs with a cadence that made it seem easier and before we knew it, we had arrived.
By this time, Mike had decided to take me "under his wings" and for the rest of the weekend we were buddies.
That was the last time I had difficulty on a hike with the Boy Scouts. When I got home, the first thing I did was save my money from my paper route and buy the best pack, frame and sleeping bag I could afford. I also asked so many questions of the other boys in the troop that I'm sure they probably would have gone out of their way to hide from me, if they could.
Because of Mike's example and leadership, my years in the Boy Scouts were some of the most enjoyable of my life. I learned so much--not just about how to camp and hike and all the fun stuff--but about life, the situations that occur, and how to handle them. In time, I even became the Senior Patrol Leader of the Troop, and I was able to lead and teach the younger scouts in the same way Mike taught me on that first outing.
Since we didn't have a lot of money, I used a hand-me-down pack from my brother Bob's days in the Scouts. It had "Bob Farnsworth" written on the flap. I crossed out the "Bob" and wrote "Steve". I also had to use an old sleeping bag. Ken and I "built" a frame assembly for the pack out of a light wood (I think it was made out of 1/4" x 1" furring strips) in his back yard. I was so proud of myself for my ingenuity and could hardly wait to try it out.
The hike was a 10-mile hike--5 miles in, 5 miles out. Everything looked good. I had everything I needed and everyone thought my pack frame was terrific. We left early on Saturday morning from Our Lady of Lourdes Church, which was the sponsor of our troop. Since I was the new scout, I rode with the scoutmaster, Mr. Haughey,(actually, I think it was DR. Haughey--I can't remember if he was an MD or a DDS, but I recall he was called DR. Haughey) and his son Mike, about 16 or 17 years old, who was the Senior Patrol Leader. There were a couple of other kids in the station wagon as well, but my memory of this particular hike isn't about what I learned from them. It is what I learned from Mike.
It only took about an hour or so to get to the trailhead, which was near Sunland, California. We split up into "patrols" and each of us was assigned a "buddy". Of course, since Ken and I were good friends, we chose each other as buddies. We were supposed to stick together like glue for the duration of the camping trip.
Ken was a good hiker, with a good pace. It was very difficult to keep up with him. It didn't help that the frame I had built was falling apart with every step I took. In addition, the knots I had worked so hard to learn and that held my sleeping bag to my pack came loose and I had to carry the bag separately, like a bag of groceries. About a mile into the trip, I was close to tears. I was not prepared for the weight of the pack, the destruction of my frame, or the pace of my “buddy”.
Mike saw the problems I was having, and gave me a lesson in leadership that I will never forget. Instead of berating me for not being able to carry my share of the load, he had the entire patrol stop right on the trail. He dissected his pack and showed each of us how he packed his own supplies and why. Then he had each of us do the same. Of course, since I was the only one that didn't have a frame to attach my sleeping bag to, he showed me the proper way to tie it to the pack.
Some of the other boys were making fun of me for being so slow and unable to carry such a heavy pack. Mike made it clear that this was unacceptable behavior and that the only way somebody learns is through his mistakes. He asked each one of the other guys to come up with one idea each that would help me make it through the weekend. When we started out on the trail again, he asked me if we could trade packs! Since his outfit was state-of-the-art, I didn't refuse. What a difference! Then, he set a pace that ALL of us could follow the rest of the way in, singing songs with a cadence that made it seem easier and before we knew it, we had arrived.
By this time, Mike had decided to take me "under his wings" and for the rest of the weekend we were buddies.
That was the last time I had difficulty on a hike with the Boy Scouts. When I got home, the first thing I did was save my money from my paper route and buy the best pack, frame and sleeping bag I could afford. I also asked so many questions of the other boys in the troop that I'm sure they probably would have gone out of their way to hide from me, if they could.
Because of Mike's example and leadership, my years in the Boy Scouts were some of the most enjoyable of my life. I learned so much--not just about how to camp and hike and all the fun stuff--but about life, the situations that occur, and how to handle them. In time, I even became the Senior Patrol Leader of the Troop, and I was able to lead and teach the younger scouts in the same way Mike taught me on that first outing.
And for you "Boy Scouts" out there who thought I forgot:
Scout Oath
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
Scout Law
A Scout is:
trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,brave, clean, and reverent.
And yes, I do remember how to tie most of the knots, and yes, I can still identify, cook, and eat some of the everyday "edible" plants found on a trail--although there's no way I would do it again.
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