Any Wood Badgers out there?

[Spartan]

I used to be a beaver and a good ol' beaver too!

National Capital Area Council, 82-80.

Three beads for me. I picked up a new set when I visited Gilwell in 2006 made from a very old tree on the property.

One of these days I'd like to get a McLaren kilt to wear to Scouting events.

I had an opportunity to visit Gilwell in 1995. Good memories. When we stayed in London that year, we were about a block away from Baden-Powell House, where I had an opportunity to visit.

[EagleJCS]

Actually, any scout can wear the Maclaren tartan, it's only the scarf with that little swatch on it that you have to have your wood badge to wear. Even having been a cub scout should entitle me to wear Maclaren, I suppose. Of course, a Maclaren kilt is only scout uniform in Scotland, or elsewhere in the UK if you are of Scottish descent. The right to wear it and the uniform rules are two different things.

O'Callahan, I agree that the right to wear and the uniform rules are two diffeerent animals, but I do want to clarify.

I have it on authority from several Scottish Scouts I met at the 2007 World Scout Jamboree (wearing Scott, MacKenzie, Bell, Stewart, and Black Watch, among others) that the Scottish Scouts wear kilts in any tartan they care to (mostly cast-offs from the hire shops, their granda's, or whatever they can scrounge), usually in their family tartan if they can get it. Usually they don't wear MacLaren because of the association to the clan and to Wood Badge.

Other Scouts in the UK (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) with Scottish heritage can also wear a kilt in their own tartan. There are also a couple of Scottish Scout corporate tartans in the tartan registry.

As has been noted in other Scout-related threads, there's nothing in the Boy Scouts of America Insignia Guide about the wearing of kilts or anything else tartan-related beyond the tartan swatch on the Wood Badge neckerchief. Adult members of the Boy Scouts of America are authorized to become members by the Clan MacLaren Society of North America only if they have completed Wood Badge.

This is just my take based on my 30 years in Scouting, but if a troop chose the MacLaren tartan for a neckerchief, that would probably be accepted since the troop chose it (nothing requires a troop to have a neckerchief at all), but some people might raise a stink about it being reserved to Wood Badgers. In a similar vein, if a Venture Crew (a co-ed unit for older kids) chose the MacLaren tartan and kilts as their regular uniform (they'd still be expected to have the standard Venturing uniform - dark green shirt and gray slacks/shorts - for regional/national/international events), it would probably be accepted, but some people may object.

[Sir William]

As has been noted in other Scout-related threads, there's nothing in the Boy Scouts of America Insignia Guide about the wearing of kilts or anything else tartan-related beyond the tartan swatch on the Wood Badge neckerchief. Adult members of the Boy Scouts of America are authorized to become members by the Clan MacLaren Society of North America only if they have completed Wood Badge.

This is my understanding as well. At present I do not wear a kilt as part of my Scout uniform, but I'm thinking about doing so - if for no other reason than to wear a kilt. If I do, I would want to wear the MacLaren tartan because of its close association with Scouting, and more specifically with Wood Badge.

[Sir William]

I had an opportunity to visit Gilwell in 1995. Good memories. When we stayed in London that year, we were about a block away from Baden-Powell House, where I had an opportunity to visit.

When I was living in England in the late 70s, I had the opportunity to camp at Gilwell for a mini-International gathering (no, not a Jamboree) where we had Scouts from all over Europe. I had to wait until 2005 for another visit - and that was just for a short hour or two.

When I lived in England I would stay at the B-P House whenever I went to London. Great rates for Scouts and Scouters.

[Spartan]

This is my understanding as well. At present I do not wear a kilt as part of my Scout uniform, but I'm thinking about doing so - if for no other reason than to wear a kilt. If I do, I would want to wear the MacLaren tartan because of its close association with Scouting, and more specifically with Wood Badge.

Ditto. Actually, I'm not currently registered, so it's a moot point. However, apart from the Scout uniform, I'm looking forward to getting a MacLaren tartan kilt for the same reason as stated above. As a proud grandfather, I hope to have some occasion to attend some Scout ceremonies in the future. Although I wouldn't be wearing a Scout uniform, I could certainly wear the MacLaren kilt. Even though not currently registered I believe that I can still wear my Silver Beaver with civilian clothes when attending official functions. (I have a feeling that I could be quickly registered, if I wanted.)

Our oldest son is an Eagle Scout, now a Cubmaster for his son's Pack, and a council member of the Northern Lights Council.

[Sir William]

... As a proud grandfather, I hope to have some occasion to attend some Scout ceremonies in the future. ...Even though not currently registered I believe that I can still wear my Silver Beaver with civilian clothes when attending official functions. (I have a feeling that I could be quickly registered, if I wanted.)

Your local council, district or unit would love to have you register and become active again. You don't have to have a son in Scouts to be a Scouter - I know lots of folks like that - in fact about a fourth of our Roundtable have no children in Scouting. And yes, you can wear your Silver Beaver with civilian clothes at a Scout function.

[Spartan]

Your local council, district or unit would love to have you register and become active again. You don't have to have a son in Scouts to be a Scouter - I know lots of folks like that - in fact about a fourth of our Roundtable have no children in Scouting. And yes, you can wear your Silver Beaver with civilian clothes at a Scout function.

I actually have been active a Scouter after our sons were out of Scouting. It was a change of jobs, location, lifestyle, etc., that changed my Scouting activity. The President of the Grand Canyon Council is a friend of mine, so it wouldn't be difficult to get connected again.

[timtillman]

Late reply, I know. But another Wood Badger here. Bear, SR-729 Lake Region District, Gulf Ridge Council, Florida

[Matty Ross]

I first went to Wood Badge at Camp Cowles near Spokane WA 1987
W1-611-87, I used to be a beaver....

Second Wood Badge Course was at Camp Kiesel Near Ogden Utah
W7-589-02-08 I am still a beaver.

First term on Wood badge Staff coming up this winter.

Received My Silver Beaver Two days ago 3-Apr 2009

[O'Callaghan]

O'Callahan, I agree that the right to wear and the uniform rules are two diffeerent animals, but I do want to clarify.

I have it on authority from several Scottish Scouts I met at the 2007 World Scout Jamboree (wearing Scott, MacKenzie, Bell, Stewart, and Black Watch, among others) that the Scottish Scouts wear kilts in any tartan they care to (mostly cast-offs from the hire shops, their granda's, or whatever they can scrounge), usually in their family tartan if they can get it. Usually they don't wear MacLaren because of the association to the clan and to Wood Badge.

Other Scouts in the UK (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) with Scottish heritage can also wear a kilt in their own tartan. There are also a couple of Scottish Scout corporate tartans in the tartan registry.

As has been noted in other Scout-related threads, there's nothing in the Boy Scouts of America Insignia Guide about the wearing of kilts or anything else tartan-related beyond the tartan swatch on the Wood Badge neckerchief. Adult members of the Boy Scouts of America are authorized to become members by the Clan MacLaren Society of North America only if they have completed Wood Badge.

This is just my take based on my 30 years in Scouting, but if a troop chose the MacLaren tartan for a neckerchief, that would probably be accepted since the troop chose it (nothing requires a troop to have a neckerchief at all), but some people might raise a stink about it being reserved to Wood Badgers. In a similar vein, if a Venture Crew (a co-ed unit for older kids) chose the MacLaren tartan and kilts as their regular uniform (they'd still be expected to have the standard Venturing uniform - dark green shirt and gray slacks/shorts - for regional/national/international events), it would probably be accepted, but some people may object.

You are absolutely correct re scout uniform in the US and Scotland. I agree that scouts in Scotland itself are allowed to wear any tartan they like, and that this means they are not all that likely to choose Maclaren, but I didn't want to complicate my post unnecessarily.

However, scouts of Scottish heritage in parts of the UK other than Scotland may wear a kilt either in their own tartan or in Maclaren as uniform. The rules refer to Maclaren only under the name of 'the scout tartan' in that clause, but what it means is Maclaren. They have a picture of the sett of the 'scout tartan' on the UK scout website, and it surely looks like the Maclaren sett to me.

I also agree that it would be a bad idea for a troop or pack to choose the Maclaren tartan for their scarf.

The chief of the clan authorised all scouts to wear Maclaren tartan, but that has nothing to do with uniform rules as such.