Uniform Library

We have been running a uniform library for over a year now. It has made it possible for us to require the boys to wear uniforms, because if they cannot afford a uniform themselves, we can provide one for them. This is something we do personally, but you can also set up a uniform library on a unit or ward level, or I have even heard of districts or towns with a uniform exchange program. I wanted to share how we run our library, what to expect and what has worked best for us.

The first thing you ought to know when setting up a uniform library is not to expect to get all of the uniforms back. It helps to track the uniforms carefully, keeping a list of everything that goes out. We also sew tags inside of each uniform, with our family name or the pack number on them. (You can make your own with printer fabric or get a swatch with sixteen tags here for $5, plus shipping.) People are generally well intentioned and want to give the uniforms back when they are done, but I find they forget. I often have to keep track of the boys or leaders who leave the program, and go to the person or parent and ask for the uniform back. Sometimes I have to ask a few times. The uniforms we have not gotten back were ones loaned out to people in other wards or people who moved.

For the above reason, you need to obtain the uniforms as cheaply as possible. It helps when people in your unit are willing to donate uniforms as the boys outgrow them. You may also need to be less picky about uniform library shirts. Shirts that are long-sleeved, have glue spots on them or are without collars tend to sell a little more cheaply on ebay. A troop in need may decide to go a little "retro" and obtain the older green shirts, as these often sell for a lot less than the newer tan ones. Have everyone you know keep an eye out at thrift stores. You never know when you might walk in and find a uniform jackpot where you have never seen uniforms before. This happened to us recently when we went into a local thrift store and spotted two Cub Scout shirts and a Boy Scout shirt all hanging together toward the front of the store. Never having sold any before, the lady at the register charged us $1.50 a piece for them. Score!

Not wanting to redo the library everytime we move, any uniforms we purchase, belong to our family. Any uniforms donated to us by other people belong to the unit that they are in. When we were part of a "quad-pack" (four wards' Cub Scouts meeting together), if someone donated a uniform, we wrote their pack's number on it, and when the quad-pack broke up, we gave those uniforms to the corresponding wards. We keep all of the uniforms together in one tote, with the labels and list to keep track of everything.

Despite the difficulties, the cost, and the missing uniforms, I am glad we started our uniform library. It is really a nice thing to have. If you have any experience with a uniform library or uniform exchange program, please tell us about it in the comments.

Belonging

The first day of Wood Badge, I was in a really bad mood. Sunday afternoon, we had had a committee meeting that had not gone well. I was upset about it for the next two days (fortunately, on Tuesday, I remembered during a class that I had both the unit commissioner for our pack and the assistant district commissioner sitting right behind me; I was able to talk with them at lunch time, which cooled my simmer considerably). Something had also happened with my family Sunday night that left me feeling doubly rotten the next day.

Like I said, Monday, starting Wood Badge, I was in a really, really bad mood. Then I found out I was a Bobwhite, which did not improve my outlook at all. (Prairie Chicken?!?)

Something happened shortly after that, though, that changed everything. My patrol elected me as our first “patrol leader of the day.” Something about being put in that position gave me a feeling of ownership and responsibility and made me decide that if we were going to be Bobwhites, we were going to make being a Bobwhite something to be proud of.

By that evening, our patrol was feeling unified and showing off our Bobwhite pride. By the end of Day 2, I really felt we could hold our heads high, having shown everyone what it meant to be a Bobwhite. By the end of the week, I could not imagine being anything but a Bobwhite.

One of my favorite moments all week was the final time we sang The Song and we were joined by the staffers who had been in those same patrols when they were in Wood Badge. I felt a great sense of pride as we were joined by several staffers I had come to admire over the course of the week. Logically, I knew that patrols were assigned randomly and did not really mean that much, but there was such a great sense of belonging to know I share something – my Bobwhite-ness – with so many great people.

When a boy puts on a scout uniform, when he walks into a room where others are wearing that same uniform, does he experience a similar sense of belonging, of sharing something important? How much more, even, does that feeling grow when he sees adults he admires and respects wearing that same uniform?

Then, when that boy is given a real leadership role within that group of boys, overseen and guided, but not controlled by those adults he admires, I can now imagine better than ever how that sense of belonging grows into a feeling of ownership and responsibility. That is an opportunity every boy deserves to experience.

Uniforms

Foreword by firebirdluver

I recall my excitement when I was first called to be a Cub Master. I was thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of the Cub Scouting program again for the first time in many years; a certain change from the Boy Socuting I had been involved with! Early on I met with the ward Primary Presidency representative and the topic of uniforms came up. She told me as far as she was concerned, the proper uniform for baptized boys is a white shirt and tie. I was stunned. I really didn't have a reply for that at the time. On later reflection, I had to agree that in certain situations, that may be the appropriate attire. However, not when participating in Scouting activities. The uniform is more than just a shirt with patches on it; it is a unifying symbol of what the wearer stands for and what group he belongs to. A person in uniform tends to stand taller and be more cautious in his words and deeds. Like the traditional white hat, wearing the Cub Scout uniform should be a constant reminder that the wearer is one of the good guys and must uphold the high standards he has committed to. Proper wearing of the uniform is a very important part of the program.

Uniforms are expensive.

They are also an important part of Scouting. The Church Handbook on Scouting states, "No boy or young man should be excluded from Scouting if he is unable to purchase a uniform... The wearing of Scouting uniforms by adult leaders is optional, but it is encouraged where feasible." Uniforms are not required, but they are strongly encouraged.

Uniforms are one of the Methods of Scouting. There are many reasons for the boys to wear them. Uniforms will give the boys more of a sense of belonging to a group. They will be more likely to identify themselves as part of the pack or troop and feel like they belong. Uniforms also affect their behavior. A group of boys in uniform will behave differently than a group of boys in street clothes. (Note: They will still be boys. Uniforms help, but they are not magic.) Uniforms also give the boys a place to display their badges. They are very proud of their achievements and like to show them off. The chance to display achievements also serves as motivation to earn achievements.

The boys should be helped to understand that when they are wearing their uniforms, they are representing more than just themselves. They are representing their den, pack, church and the Boys Scouts of America. You can relate this to when they were baptized and took upon themselves the name of Christ. Their actions everyday should reflect Christ, and their actions when they are wearing Scout uniforms should reflect the Scouting ideals.

It is especially important for boys to get in the habit of wearing uniforms as Cub Scouts. This may be the first uniform they have ever worn. It is good for them to have the experience of wearing a uniform, both because of the pride it will give them and so that they will be ready for other uniforms they may wear in the future.

One of our biggest aims as Cub Scout and Boy Scout leaders in the Church should be preparing the boys to serve missions. On a mission (with rare exception) they will be expected to wear a uniform. The uniform they will wear on their mission is different than the Scout uniforms they have worn in practice, but it will serve some of the same purposes. It will identify them, and they will be expected to act in a way that represents Christ and the Church.

Making sure everyone in your pack or troop is outfitted in a uniform can be looked at as an opportunity for some ward teamwork. Some boys' families may be able to afford uniforms, but likely some will have trouble with it. When a family is financially unable to send a boy on a mission, often other members of the ward donate funds to help out. The same can be done for boys who need uniforms. Ask around the ward to see whether anyone has an old uniform they can donate. A uniform library can be started where uniforms are recycled. Boys can borrow uniforms from the library for as long as they need, then give them back when they are done. Choose someone to run the library whom you can rely on to keep track of the uniforms. Encourage anyone who outgrows a uniform (and doesn't have little brothers who might need it later) to donate it. Enlist the help of ward members in rounding up uniforms from other sources. For example, there are no DI's where we live, but many people from our ward visit Utah on a regular basis. We ask people to check a DI or two if they can while they are there. DI's and other thrift stores don't always have Scout uniforms (they tend to get snatched up quickly), but with enough people checking, your uniform library will grow.

It is just as important for leaders to be in uniform for all meetings, if possible. This sets a good example for the boys, and it is an outward sign that you care about the boys and about Scouting. Again, the boys will act differently towards a leader in uniform. It will give you an aire of authority.

Wards can also have a uniform library for leader uniforms. Since leadership positions in the Church often cycle frequently, there will be people who were involved in Scouts for a short time, purchased a uniform and don't need it anymore. Ask around. Check ebay for deals. Sometimes "Class-B" type shirts are available for a low price at the scout shop or online. These can be used as leader uniforms in a pinch. In one ward we belonged to the Cub Scout Committee Chair purchased several tan polo shirts on clearance at the local Scout Shop. She understood that Cub Scout leaders are often reluctant to purchase uniforms, especially if they don't have a boy in the program or don't expect to be in the calling for very long. She made the shirts available to borrow for those that didn't have real uniforms to wear.

As of the writing of this article, there are Ladies' Uniform Blouses available in the clearance section of the online Scout store for only $5. This is a good opportunity, while it lasts, to start a leader uniform library. You might also want to talk to other leaders in your ward about who is interested in purchasing a uniform and put in a group order to save on shipping.

Making it a ward effort to supply uniforms for everyone who needs them can help strengthen and unify your ward. Just as "The pack is the strength of the wolf, and the wolf is the strength of the pack," (Law of the Jungle, Rudyard Kipling), if the ward as a whole will strengthen the Scout program, the Scout program will in turn strengthen the ward.