All Scout Blue and Gold Banquet Recognition Ceremony

National Capital Area Council

Setting - Cub Master as Chief Akela (Native clothing is a good idea)

CM: "As the century was ending, Chief Akela was worried about his people. His Pack was surrounded by others who did not have the same ideals or teach their children the same values. He wondered if his people would continue to learn and grow in the next century. So, Chief Akela decided to call his Pack together to review their accomplishments and to show the Pack its Scout's achievements.

First he called forth all the Pack's Bobcat Scouts. He asked them to form a line, facing away from the Pack, joined arm in arm. These Scouts had taken their first steps on the Path of Scouting, having mastered the Promise and the Law of the Pack by which all Cub Scouts live.

Next, Chief Akela called forth the Wolf Scouts and asked them to join the Bobcats. In addition to learning the rules of good Scouting, the Wolf Scouts had taken on the responsibilities of respecting and caring for our flag, learning about the community, working with tools, making choices, and safety. (Leave sufficient time for all Wolf Scouts to join the line of advancements.)

Chief Akela thought that his Pack's advancements were impressive. But, he still had more Scouts and more advancements to recognize. So, he called forth the Bear Scouts and asked them to join the Bobcats and Wolves. The Bears had advanced far on the Path of Scouting, for they had mastered achievements involving God, Country, Family, and Self. In these tasks, the Bears learned about wildlife conservation, fitness, helping one's family, and being reverent.

The growing line of Scouts pleased Chief Akela. To add to it, he called upon the Webleos Scouts to join the Bobcats, Wolves, and Bears. The Webelos had earned many Achievement badges in a broad spectrum of activities. The Webelos also learned about being Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

Last of all, Chief Akela called upon the Arrow of Light recipients to come up and join the other Scouts. These Scouts had advance the farthest on the Path of Cub Scouting and soon would be moving on to a Boy Scout Troop, where they would continue to learn and grow into strong members of the community.

When all the Scouts were lined up, joined arm-in-arm, Chief Akela saw that they formed a chain that surrounded and protected the Pack. Together, they faced outward, not because they were facing away from the Pack, rather because they were prepared by their Scouting experience to face the world, arm-in-arm, prepared to meet the future with the skills and knowledge about their families, community, country, and selves.

A History of Cub Scouting
York Adams Council

(Note that this and other ceremonies should be reviewed and modified to suit the specific awards being giving at the meeting. This ceremony is written so that any particular award can be used or omitted without impacting the whole of the ceremony.)

We all know that the Boy Scout movement in America was started by William Boyce after he was directed to an address in London by a boy who refused a tip because he was a Scout. Mr. Boyce was so impressed by his talk with Lord Baden-Powell that he helped incorporate the Boy Scouts of America of February 8, 1910. It is this date that we celebrate each year with our Blue and Gold Banquet.

Almost as soon as Scouting began, younger boys started clamoring for a chance to participate in Scouting. This resulted in the Wolf Cub program being started in England in 1916. It wasn't until August 1,1929 that the first demonstration Cub units were started. By 1933, it was felt the time had come for promoting Cub Scouting as a part of the Boy Scout program.

As we read in the Wolf book the basis for much of the program came from THE JUNGLE BOOK by Rudyard Kipling. In this book is the story of two wolves who find a man cub who is being hunted by SHERKAN, the tiger. They take in the boy, whom they name Mowgli, (which means frog) and raise him as part of their family.

The wolves are part of a pack, which is led by Akela, the great gray Lone Wolf. Once a month, the new cubs are presented to the pack for acceptance. If two members of the pack do not accept them, they are turned out. When Mowgli was presented to the council, none of the other wolves would speak for him. Just as Mother wolf was ready to give up. Baloo, the kindly brown bear who taught the wolf cubs the Law of the Jungle stood up and said, "I will speak for the man cub." When no one else spoke, Bagheera, the black panther rose and offered to pay one bull if the man cub would be accepted into the pack. And so it was that Mowgli became a part of the Wolf Pack, for the price of a bull and on Baloo's good word.

In looking back at old Cub Scout books, we are reminded that the Cub Scout program has survived with very little change. In a 1934 Cub Book, the rules for becoming a Bobcat are:

Today as Bobcats, we must do the same requirements. When Akela says that we are ready, we are presented to the Pack or recognition.

(BOBCAT)

(List names of Bobcat recipients and call them with their parents to the front of the room.)

(Hand parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them with the Cub Scout handshake. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.)

Just as the Wolf cubs learned about the world around them by taking short trips into the woods, so have our own Cubs grown in their understanding of nature and of their families.

(WOLF)

(List names and invite them with their parents to come forward)

(Hand out badges to parents to give to the boys. Congratulate them and offer a suitable applause. Have them sit down.)

Originally, only two arrow points could be earned for each rank. The basic rank was called the Bronze Badge. The first ten electives earned the Cub the Gold Rank, and the next ten elective the Silver Rank. Today we award the Gold Arrow Point for the first ten elective and Silver Arrow Points for each ten additional electives.

(ARROW POINTS)

(List names and invite them with their parents to come forward.)

(Hand out badges to parents to give to the boys. Congratulate them and offer a suitable applause. Have them sit down.)

Just as Baloo the kindly Bear, taught the young Wolves the secret names of the trees, the calls of the birds and the language of the air so must each of you help others in you Den in order to meet the requirements for Bear.

(BEAR)

(List off Bear candidate names and invite them and their parents to the front of the room.)

(Hand parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.)

Up until a few years ago, the next rank was Lion. In 1967, this was dropped and the Webelos program expanded to cover an entire year. The Webelos Colors (GOLD representing the Pack; GREEN, the Troop, and RED the Explorers) and 15 activity badges were added at this time. A new Webelos Badge was also created and the original Webelos Badge retained as the Arrow Of Light.

The Webelos rank is the transition between Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting. Originally the name was derived from the three ranks: Wolf, Bear, Lion and Scouts. To become a Webelos requires a further expanding of one's horizons. Activity Pins must be earned and involvement in Church and Civic activities are encouraged.

(List names and invite them with their parents to come forward.)

(Hand parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.)

The Arrow of Light is the highest award in Cub Scouting. It can also be worn on the Boy Scout uniform in recognition of your achievement. To be standing here tonight, means that you have reached the highest point along the Cub Scout trail. Do not stop here for the trail leads on to Boy Scouting and great new adventures that can only be dreamed about for now.

(ARROW OF LIGHT)

(List names and invite them with their parents to come forward.)

(Hand boys the parent's Arrow of Light pins to present to their parents. Then give parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.)

Bridging Webelos to Scouts
York Adams Council

Personnel: Cubmaster, Webelos Leader, Den Chief, Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Candidates and their parents.

Equipment: American flag, pack flag, troop flag, a bridge, troop neckerchief for each Candidate

Setting: The bridge is placed in the front of the room, spanning left to right. The Pack flag is to the (speaker's) left of the bridge, the American and troop flags to the right. Candidates and parents are "staged" to the far left, to be escorted to front.

Cubmaster: The main goal of Cub Scouting is to prepare boys to become Boy Scouts. Tonight it is my privilege to present to you our Cub Scouts that have decided to continue their Scouting trail.

(Calls forward each candidate by name and their parents.)

Cubmaster: This ceremony of crossing the bridge marks your completion in Cub Scouting, just as it marks the beginning of a whole new experience in Boy Scouting. Congratulations and good luck!

(As each candidate approaches the bridge, the Webelos Leader and Den Chief remove the Webelos neckerchief and hand it to the Scout's parents, Cubmaster gives each the Cub Scout handshake. Candidates and parents cross over bridge together. Scoutmaster gives candidates' Scout handshake and welcomes them and their parents into the troop.)

Scoutmaster: We are happy to welcome you to our troop. (Give a short statement on what is expected of a Scout.)

Scoutmaster: Please repeat after me the Scout Oath.

As a token of this important occasion, I would like to present you with the troop neckerchief.

(After each has received his neckerchief, the Scoutmaster and new Scouts exchange the Boy Scout salute.)