This morning started early — I wanted to make SURE that I met up with Ida Lively this morning over at the Merit Badge Midway. Ida, a longtime volunteer and a member of the Scouts-L youth programs discussion group, had met up with other folks previous to the Jamboree and exchanged hugs…destined for *me*. The first time I read about this, I simply sat there, looked at the computer monitor, and said aloud to myself, “you know buddy, you’re blessed!”
I get hugged a lot — I really LOVE hugs. My family was not a “huggie” family but the Scouter families I came in touch with when I was a Scout — and later as a Scouter — were such families. They embraced their children — even the “bad ones”. They embraced their friends. They embraced those new people after asking “Can I give you a hug?” They always had a hug for a Scout or Scouter.
I tried that in high school once. I saw this tall gal named Channell Simmons in the hallway. She looked like she could use a hug. I bravely walked up to her, opened my arms and asked “Would you like to have a hug?”
She said “Sure! Are you giving them away today?”
I smiled and lied, “I give them away EVERY day”. We embraced. We got busted.
See, at that time at good ol’ Fort Knox High School, “outward personal displays of affection” (PDA) were NOT allowed nor tolerated. Never mind that people could REALLY USE a embrace — to show concern, or for encouragement or congrats, or to just say “hi!”
We both ended up with two hours of detention in the cafeteria. It was reduced to one because Lee Bishop, the tall black History and Government teacher, said simply at the end of the first hour of detention “If you’re gonna do that kind of thing, do it where we can’t see you…I had to bust you because everyone was watching to see if I would…”
Channell’s family PCSed (moved to another military base) about a month after that incident. I never seen or heard from her since.
So to ME, a hug is a pretty powerful thing. I give them out whenever I can, noting that it may well be the last time I get to embrace that person — maybe for the rest of my life. I don’t take them lightly and as people I’ve hugged noticed, I tend to give deeper hugs, especially to those I really care about.
Ida had hugs “banked” from several Scouters from her area of the nation. They kept saying things like “don’t forget to give Mike Walton a hug for me when you finally meet him!” So my primary mission was to meet this Ida woman — someone I have talked with electronically but never met in person — somewhere in the vastness of the Merit Badge Midway.
For me, the morning started when I arrived in the parking area of the Midway. A guy stopped me to give me direction on where to park.
“You know we’re neighbors,” he said, pulling out a CSP from his Council.
“Huh?”
“I’m your next door neighbor in the Ramada in Fredricksburg. I recognize your van…it’s parked right beside my car…”
I smiled and blushed at the same time, knowing that if he was my next door neighbor, then I’m SURE that he’s heard my snoring and the television blaring to cancel out the snoring.
“I’m sorry if I kept you up…I got a hotel room instead of living in the barracks because I snore really heavily…” I confessed.
“Not as loud as I do,” he said. “I think we cancel each other out…anyway, here’s something from my neck of the woods…thanks for your service…” He handed me his Council’s 100th Anniversary shoulder patch. I accepted it and shook his hand.
I then turned and poked around trying to find something to exchange with him. I ended up givng him one of my cards and said “send me an email with your mailing address…I don’t have anything I can find here…”
He took the card and then motioned me onward to the parking area closer to the Midway.
For those who have NEVER been to a Jamboree; and for those with little to no Scouting knowledge, here’s what the Midway is all about.
The Boy Scout program has a set of ten advancement steps — starting with Boy Scout, and going through Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, Eagle and the three Palms to the Eagle Scout Award: Bronze, Gold and Silver.
As part of each advancement starting with First Class, Scouts have to earn a number and/or specific merit badges. There are over 110 merit badges, each in a vocation, hobby, outdoor, conservation, or personal interest area. These badges are not light weight but at the same time, can be earned by any kid (Scout or not) with a sixth grade educational background. In order to earn a merit badge, a Scout must have the approval of his primary mentor — Scoutmaster, Coach, Advisor or Skipper — who signs a merit badge application card. The Scout (and a buddy — for youth protection purposes Scouts cannot go off on their own but must have another Scout or a parent to go along with them; the BSA recommends that a fellow Scout goes along) finds a merit badge counsellor — someone with knowledge and experience of the skill, vocation or hobby — and works with that person to complete the requirements for the badge. When all requirements are completed, the counsellor signs the application, retains a part of it for his or her records, and gives the rest back to the Scout to return to their primary mentor. The Scoutmaster, Coach, Advisor or Skipper records it on an advancement report which goes to the local Council along with the signed and approved application card. The merit badge is secured and is presented to the Scout either at the next meeting (recommended) or during a unit Court of Honor (okay, but not as good as getting the merit badge as soon as possible after earning it)!
Because it is VERY HARD for some Scouts to earn merit badges in fields like Engineering, Nuclear Energy, Horsemanship, Woodcarving and many others, some local Councils put together “Merit Badge fairs” or “workshops” whereby those hard-to-find counsellors would come to a college or National Guard Armory and work with Scouts on some of those merit badge topics.
Merit badges. Guess which subjects they are earned in…
Not to be outdone, at EVERY National Scout Jamboree, the Merit Badge Midway offers the opportunity for Scouts to work on a large number of merit badges — including all of the merit badges required to earn the Eagle Scout rank. Some Scouts come to the National Jamboree with the sole purpose of earning some hard-to-get merit badges, taught and coached by true national experts in those fields.
The Midway is also one of those “visuals” which illustrate what Scouting is all about to the public, who are encouraged to walk around, witness the Scouts getting instruction, coaching and practice, and ask questions of the Scouts and the instructors.
There is a lot of concern about “warehousing kids to earn badges”, whether at summer camp, the local college, a National Guard armory, or even the Jamboree. We can talk about that some other time for there are some benefits and some pitfalls associated with “group learning” which, to *me* isn’t what the “individual trail to Eagle” is supposed to be about…
ANYHOW…*smiling*
Ida left me two notes on Facebook telling me where she would be found. The problem is that the Merit Badge Midway — a group of some 30 or so long tents with seating and electrical outlets and Scouts and visitors all over the place watching and learning and observing and interacting with people who REALLY knew music, or pioneering, or cooking, or veternary science, or botany, or weather… — the Midway was not in any kind of “order” that I could use to quickly find Ida.
So I took my time, walked around, took photos, and talked with Scouts and Scouters. I knew that the weather was not all that great — grey skies started moving upward, so after I took the photos for my military assignment that day, I ducked into the Chaplains’ tents and enjoyed a little lunch with several Chaplains while recharging my netbook laptop.
After the brief rainshower, recharge period (and lunch!), I went back out and found myself sitting, waiting for this woman to finish working with some Scouts. She looked over at me, said “can I help you?” and when I started to say “no Ida, can *I* be of service to you!” she cut me off and announced to the other adults standing around in the tent, “That’s Mike Walton — I’ve found Mike Walton here!”
One of the Scouts sitting beside me nudged and whispered “Are you a general or something?” I grinned.
“Only in my wildest dreams. I’m just a “telephone Colonel” “, I whispered back.
Ida moved quickly toward me and I stood as I accepted the first of three hugs from this woman — a woman I NOW KNOW from Scouts-L!!!
It was GREAT to finally meet someone I’ve been trading emails with for many years!
She turned and introduced me to her husband, working alongside her in the Electricity Merit Badge booth. We shook hands. Ida asked me about how I was enjoying the Jamboree and then said “It’s kinda busy. Where are you eating dinner at? Over at Longstreet?”
The Longstreet dining facility is where most of the Soldiers and many of the BSA volunteer staff members have meals. I have not eaten a single meal there since arrival, even though I had a red meal card which entitled me to do so.
“I can.. you two want to meet for dinner?” We made the dinner arrangements, I took a couple more photos, and then let them get back to work.
“What’s a “telephone Colonel?” Is that like a “Command Sergeant Major?” the Scout asked me.
I made my hand like a telephone receiver, stuck it to my right ear and the side of my mouth and said “This line is unsecured. Colonel Walton speaking sir or ma’am.” I then explained, “I’m a Lieutenant Colonel, but Colonels and “Light Colonels” — another phrase for my rank — are addressed as “Colonel”. When I answer the phone at work, they can’t tell if I’m a “full” or “bird” Colonel from the “light” or “Lieutenant Colonel”. So they call us “telephone Colonels.” “
“Oh,” said the Scout, getting more than what he thought in an answer from me.
With photos of Ida transferred to Facebook and onto my laptop, I moved onward to the afternoon part of this day — to finally meet another Scouter from Scouts-L, Mark Wilbur.
Mark and I also communicated several times in advance of our meeting via Facebook. We agreed to meet up outside the “Vault”.
I have been told about The Vault. I have overheard excited Scouts tell other Scouts that “you’ve GOTTA go see this!! There’s EVERY BADGE IN SCOUTS in there…” Another Scout said “When I grow up, I’m giving all of my Scout badges and neckerchiefs to the Scouts so that they can display it like they have in there…” Still yet another Scout was sitting beside me at lunch one afternoon and was telling me about everything he remembered being in there. “And it’s air conditioned so you can get out of the heat. But they won’t let you stay in there too long…”
The Eagle Award ceremony for Dr. Sellars (which I missed because my van needed new shocks which I mistook for a leak somewhere) was in The Vault. It sounded like someplace I needed to check out for myself, so when Mark and I were coordinating where to meet, I asked if we could meet at the entrance to the Vault. Mark said “Excellent!!”
With apologies to Ida, Bob, and the others I met on this day, meeting Mark Wilbur was truly the highlight of this day — and something I will remember for a good long time. Mark is a staffer at something called the Order of the Arrow Mysterium Compass (more on that in a bit) which is next door to the Vault.
The Vault is simply that: close to 8 million dollars’ worth of BSA insignia, uniforms, posters, prints and information about the movement. It demonstrated the negative (there are photos and patches of BSA camps which were only open to Blacks in a segregrated nation. There are stories of how one camp would be open to Blacks only with one name; and then that SAME camp’s signage would be changed and opened to Whites with a different camp and campsite name!) and the positive (BSA insignia and other items taken above SkyLab, several shuttle missions and those things carried by Astronauts Lovell and Armstrong, for instance).
As I greeted Mark at the entrance, he told me how much he was looking forward in meeting me…and I apologized for not being in Scouting uniform as I was still working this afternoon to capture images of military personnel interacting with Scouting folk. We went inside and adjusted our eyes.
Scouter Mark Wilbur, a longtime electronic Scouter friend, was my escort and host as I visited “The Vault” and the Order of the Arrow exhibit during the Centennial National Scout Jamboree.
As we moved from exhibit to exhibit, I commented that I thought that the collection would be more massive than it was. There were a lot of displays of various Scouting insignia and items. I was looking, for instance, for a display showing the first five square knot insignia used by the BSA. It was not there. Nor was a display illustrating all of the square knot insignia produced by the BSA. I have much of that at my home in Minnesota, ready to go on a wall somewhere… There was a Silver Fawn and Silver Beaver award medallion. All of the heroism medals were shown…including one of the Heroism Award medals that I received — but Mom tossed it with the trail medals and other things after I went off to college. There were also the first CSP from each of the BSA’s local Councils from the 1970s. Insignia arranged by state or groups of states or terrirtories.
One of the many displays within The Vault during the Centennial National Scout Jamboree
I was also disappointed that the Transatlantic Council didn’t send a display showing all of the various segments which were available back in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I guess the Vault didn’t have everything…but it sure had a LOT of things which kept Mark and I busy looking, commenting and talking about during the visit.
Matt McGovern found me there…I didn’t recognize him right off, but he found me and we all stood and talked with some national guy who commented about the BSA’s “rule” about the number of square knot insiginia which could be worn. According to various books or individuals, that number ranged from nine (three rows) to twelve (four rows).
I told him that the BSA is having a tough time enforcing that “rule” and I would expect that “rule” to go out the door soon… This started a discussion about the number of square knot insignia that the BSA officially has (his number was lower than my number; as I discussed with him, I was looking around for a display of all of the square knot insignia so that we can count them off together to prove my point. There was no such thing there, so I just had to refer him to my website (
In the past, Mark told me later, the OA asked for an area at the Jamboree whereby they can best illustrate elements of the Order to Scouts, Scouters and the visiting public. Those early areas turned out to be basically Native American displays with some Arrowmen explaining the OA as best they could. What was needed was a demostration of the values of Scouting — the values which the OA places together through their various ceremonies, activities and events. Something which the public can see, understand and appreciate.
They have it right with the Mysterium Compass. I promised Mark and others involved in the project NOT to go into a lot of detail…for it, like the various OA ceremonies, need to be safeguarded from Scouts — to allow THEM to experience this like I did sitting beside Mark. While I did not go through the entire site, the final capstone put it all together for me in a way that I can see THIS EXHIBIT — which talks more about values, goals and the fact that as a young man, each Scout has the ability to “chart his own life” for good or bad — THIS EXHIBIT needs to be sent around the nation to every local Council.
I guarantee that Order of the Arrow Lodges would increase their membership — and have as a result QUALITY members who understand moreso than the traditional OA ceremonies — what the Order of the Arrow is REALLY all about. I also guarantee that those who witness this display and the Scouts going through the various segments — would come out of it with a deeper understanding of what the BSA is wanting, trying to do through their Boy Scout program and in particular, throught the Order of the Arrow honorary society.
I took no photos inside — not because I could not, but out of respect for what the exhibit was all about and to keep Scouts from seeing elements that they truly needed to experience. I did comment to Mark and our escort that “THIS should be the Pre-Ordeal event. If every Council can do this, I know that Scouts would “get it” well before waiting until they are honored with Vigil Honor to understand…”
Mark and I took pictures outside the Vault and then we hugged again…It was a GREAT afternoon I spent with Mark and I hope that I wasn’t taking up his time away from the things he needed to do. I am glad that the BSA has such dedicated volunteers like Mark and the others working within this area, directly impacting young men through their positive example.
And who are not afraid to hug others — detention or not.
Scouter Mark Wilbur, a longtime electronic Scouter friend, was my escort and host as I visited “The Vault” and the Order of the Arrow exhibit during the Centennial National Scout Jamboree.
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Settummanque is writer, military officer, dad, friend, traveler,
public speaker, webmaster, Eagle Scout, and/or “sweetie”
(LTC) Mike Walton. South Lake Minnetonka area, Minnesota.
http://www.settummanque.com
One Response to More about Hugs, the Mysterium Compass and the Largest Scouting Collection I have EVER seen! (2 Aug 10)