Cub Scouts (Scouting America)


Cub Scouts is a Scouting America program available to children from kindergarten through fifth grade and their families. Its membership is the largest of the five main Scouting America divisions. Cub Scouts is part of the worldwide Scouting movement and aims to promote character development, citizenship training, personal fitness, and leadership. Cub Scouts are organized into local packs where they complete requirements to advance in rank as well as engage in pack events such as the Pinewood Derby.

Origins

As early as 1911, Ernest Thompson Seton had developed a prototype program he named Cub Scouts of America that was never implemented. James E. West felt that having BSA divisions for younger boys would draw away boys from the core program, which was Scout troops focused on the 12- to 17-year-old age group; thus he opposed such a program for some time. In spite of this, unofficial programs for younger boys started around this time, under names such as Junior Troops or Cadet Corps. The BSA obtained the rights to Lord Baden-Powell's The Wolf Cub's Handbook in 1916 and used it in unofficial Wolf Cub programs starting in 1918. This led to an issue with Daniel Carter Beard who felt that the use of the British book was nearly disloyal to the United States of America. West encouraged the formation of the Boy Rangers of America, a separate organization for boys eight through twelve based on an American Indian theme. The Boy Rangers used the Scout Law and their Chief Guide, Emerson Brooks, was a Boy Scout commissioner in Montclair, New Jersey. The BSA finally began some experimental Cub units in 1928 and in 1930 the BSA began registering the first Cub Scout packs, and the Boy Rangers were absorbed.
The British Cubbing program used elements of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book series, with the Cubmaster taking the role of Akela and the assistant Cubmaster the role of Baloo. The American program also syncretized American Indian elements, with all Cub Scouts belonging to the Webelos tribe, symbolized by the Arrow of Light and led by Akela. Webelos was also a portmanteau meaning Wolf, Bear, Lion, Scout; the name was later given a backronym of "WE'll BE 'LOyal S'couts". The initial rank structure was Wolf, Bear and Lion, with ages of 9, 10 and 11. Dens of six to eight Cubs were entirely led by a Scout holding the position of den chief.

Aims, methods, and purposes

The Aims of Cub Scouting are the same as the other divisions—character, citizenship, personal fitness, and leadership.
The Methods of Cub Scouting
  1. Living the Ideals
  2. Belonging to a Den
  3. Advancement
  4. Family Involvement
  5. Activities
  6. Serving the Neighborhood
  7. Blue Uniform
  8. Working for badges
The Purposes of Cub Scouting are
  1. Character Development
  2. Spiritual Growth
  3. Good Citizenship
  4. Sportsmanship and Fitness
  5. Family Understanding
  6. Respectful Relationships
  7. Personal Achievement
  8. Friendly Service
  9. Fun and Adventure
  10. Preparation for Scouts

    Ideals

On June 1, 2015, the Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack were retired and replaced by the Scout Oath and Scout Law. The Cub Scout Motto continues to be used.
The Cub Scout sign, two raised fingers of the right hand, identifies the youth as a Cub Scout and the two fingers stand for the Scout Oath and Law. The Cub Scout salute, two fingers of the right hand raised to the edge of the cap or eyebrow, is used to show respect for the country when saluting the flag of the United States. The Cub Scout handshake, first two fingers along the inside of the other Scout's wrist, is used to help each other remember and obey the Scout Oath and Law.

Organization

The Cub Scout pack is sponsored by a community organization such as a business, service organization, school, labor group or religious institution. The chartered organization is responsible for selecting leadership, providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. The chartered organization representative is the liaison between the pack, the chartered organization, and the BSA.
The pack meets once a month, providing a program for Cub Scouts, leaders, parents and other family members attending. The pack is led by a Cubmaster with one or more assistant Cubmasters. The pack committee is a group of adults, led by the pack committee chair, who plan the pack program and activities and manage record keeping, finance, leadership recruitment and registration. The pack trainer is responsible for ensuring that all of the pack leaders are trained and for maintaining training records.
Cub Scouts who join a pack are assigned to dens with ideally six to eight members, usually based on age: Lion Scouts, Tiger Scouts, Wolf Scouts, Bear Scouts, Webelos Scouts, and Arrow of Light Scouts. Dens meet weekly or biweekly under the direction of the adult den leader. A Cub Scout is elected to the Denner position to provide basic leadership to the den. A Scout or Venturer holding the den chief position may assist the den leader in activities. Den meetings are planned around a particular adventure being worked on for rank advancement and may include games, handicrafts, hikes and other outdoor fun while also preparing for the next pack meeting.
Webelos is an acronym meaning "We'll Be Loyal Scouts". According to the Bear Cub Scout Book of 1954, the name originally came from the initial letters of "wolf, bear, lion, Scout", the rank of "Lion Cub Scout" was dropped in 1967, however was used again in 2017 with the launch of the pilot kindergarten program of the same name which became a full-fledged part of the program in 2018. AOL dens spend much of their time learning about Scout customs, including the Scout Law and Oath. Many packs are formally associated with a Scout troop for mutual support—the troop provides assistance to the pack with activities such as campouts and ceremonies and in time, the AOL Scouts cross over to the troop.
The Lone Cub Scout program serves youth who cannot take part in a nearby Cub Scout pack on a regular basis because of such factors as distance, weather, time, disability or similar issues.
In October 2017, Scouting America announced that girls would be welcomed into the Cub Scout program in single gender dens but co-ed packs. 77,000 girls joined nationwide creating packs in California, among other places.
In April 2023, Scouting America announced that effective June 1, 2023, co-ed dens would now be allowed for Cub Scouts in Kindergarten through 4th Grade. AOL dens for 5th graders would remain single-gender dens in order to prepare them for single-gender patrols within Scouts BSA troops.

Uniform

The uniform gives a Cub Scout visibility and creates a level of identity within both the unit and the community. The neckerchief, the neckerchief slide and the belt buckle uniforms are similar in basic design, they do vary in color and detail to identify the different divisions of Cub Scouts, Scouts and Venturers. In all cases, shirts are tucked in.

Youth uniforms

Lions have the option of two uniforms to wear; each Lion den will separately decide which uniform they as a den will wear.
  • Option A is the Cub Scout uniform, accompanied by a yellow Lion neckerchief and Lion slide, the blue Cub Scout belt, a blue cap with lion logo, and blue socks topped with yellow. Scouts can wear blue pants, blue shorts, or blue skorts, as appropriate.
  • Option B is the official Lion t-shirt which has the lion logo on it, but without the neckerchief or slide. The t-shirt can also be accompanied by the same hat, belt, socks, and pants, shorts, or skorts.
Tigers wear the Cub Scout uniform, accompanied by yellow-topped blue socks, an orange neckerchief, neckerchief slide with the Tiger logo, the cap with an orange panel and Tiger emblem and the blue Cub Scout belt. Scouts can wear blue pants, blue shorts, or blue skorts, as appropriate.
Wolves wear the Cub Scout uniform and the Wolf cap with red panel and Wolf logo and the red Wolf neckerchief and the neckerchief slide with Wolf logo. The yellow Wolf cap and yellow neckerchiefs are no longer sold at most council shops, but are still allowed to be worn instead of the red. Wolves also wear the Cub Scout belt and blue socks topped with a ring of yellow. Scouts can wear blue pants, blue shorts, or blue skorts, as appropriate.
Bears wear the Cub Scout uniform and a cap with light blue panel with Bear logo. The light blue neckerchief and the neckerchief slide have the Bear logo. Bears also wear the Cub Scout belt and blue socks topped with a ring of yellow. Scouts can wear blue pants, blue shorts, or blue skorts, as appropriate.
Webelos typically wear the Cub Scout uniform, with one unique addition being the Adventure colors ribbons worn on the right sleeve to hold the pins they earn. The Webelos cap is green with a plaid panel and the oval Webelos emblem; the plaid is made up of the Cub Scouting blue and gold and the Scouts BSA red and green. The neckerchief is plaid with the Webelos logo and is worn with the slide with Webelos emblem. Webelos also wear the Cub Scout belt and blue socks topped with a ring of yellow. Scouts can wear blue pants, blue shorts, or blue skorts, as appropriate. Starting in 4th grade, parents are given discretion as to when to have their Scout begin wearing the Scouts BSA field uniform. If a Webelos Scout has outgrown their blue uniform, it is appropriate for them to acquire and wear a tan Scouts BSA uniform instead rather than acquiring a new blue Cub Scout uniform for just a short window of time.
Arrow of Light Scouts wear the Scouts BSA field uniform with blue shoulder loops. The AOL Scouts no longer wear the Webelos cap or neckerchief; AOL Dens can choose to either go without both or can wear the Scouts BSA hat and neckerchief. AOL Scouts wear the green Scouts BSA belt and green Scouts BSA socks. The AOL den may elect to wear a den emblem in place of the den number; the patches are the same as the Scout patrol patches.