OPENING CEREMONIES

The Six Ships of Scouting
Baltimore Area Council

Sam Houston Area Council had this listed for a closing.  It works either way.  Your choice.  CD

Arrangement: Six Scouts hold large cardboard cutouts of ships with flags on which have been printed the following words:

SCHOLARSHIP -- FELLOWSHIP -- SPORTSMANSHIP
WORKMANSHIP -- STATESMANSHIP -- FRIENDSHIP

On the back in LARGE print are the Cubs parts:

Cubmaster: Tonight Pack ____ would like to tell you about the six ships of Scouting. These are ships that were launched in America - strong and mighty… ships that will last forever.

Cub #1: Scholarship - This ship is very important on the sea of Education, On her deck stands such officers as Determination, Intelligence and Application. Her flag bears symbols of the letter “A” and the plus sign.

Cub #2: Fellowship --This ship stands for good spirit, fine cooperation, and never-failing unity. It’s flag floats high - the flag of Scouting.

Cub #3: Friendship - This is the most handsome ship of all. It is true blue and it’s flag golden - since friendship is golden.

Cub #4: Sportsmanship – This is the ship that is fair and square. It never veers from its course

Cub #5: Workmanship - This ship’s every line, every part, every mast represents the best that a person can give. It’s flag is a circle of hands, working together.

Cub #6: Statesmanship - This ship represents wise guidance, constant, unselfish interest and sincere effort. It’s flag is white with purity.

Cubmaster: And there you have six strong and sturdy ships to brave the sea. Three cheers for the SCOUTING SHIPS!

Opening
Baltimore Area Council

Arrangement:  Pictures, silhouettes, models of sailing ships, and Cubs craft project decorate the meeting hall. The Pack and American flags are already posted.  Each Cub has a poster (piece of Construction Paper) with a picture of the ship he is to describe on one side and his part in LARGE print on the other side.

• The ocean-going ships of the 18th Century were a very important part of our early fight with England in the Revolutionary War.
• Without the sailing ships of France bringing supplies, and later, our own fighting ships, we might still be part of England.
• Old Ironsides, the U.S.S. Constitution, achieved fame and glory in the war of 1812.
• The Merrimack and The Monitor waged fierce battle in an important test of floating Iron in the Civil War.
• American Clipper ships were the fastest afloat in the 19th Century.
• Convoys of American ships supplied our allies throughout both World Wars.
• Tonight we celebrate the sea and the adventures you can find there. Please join us in paying tribute to those early sailors and the Flag that flew high above their Ships.

Den Ldr:Lead audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

SET YOUR COURSE
Sam Houston Area Council

Arrangements:  Four Cub Scouts are needed in their uniforms.  Each will need to have a compass.

•  (Walks with a compass across the stage.)  I think Destiny Island is northeast.
•  (Not bothering to look at his compass.)  No, that it’s more like northwest.
•  (Looking at his compass.)  Look guys, I think (Name of Cub #1) is right.  My compass reads the same.  Northeast.
• Well there is only one way to find out.  Let’s go sail there.  I’d like to end up on top of the mountain on Destiny Island.

All Cubs get their bearings by looking at their compasses and start “sailing” toward the island while walking off stage.  Then you hear a howl.

All Cubs  Yeaaaaaaa.  We made it.

Cubmaster:  These Cubs have done three important things.  First, they set an objective of reaching the top.  Second, they figured out the direction they would have to move to get there.   Third, they moved full steam ahead!  They charted their course and stuck to it.

              Most of you can set a compass course.  Probably many of you can also set a course toward a career.  Now let us set our course for a program full of fun. 

Don't Give Up The Ship
Long Beach Area, Verdugo Hills, San Gabriel Valley Councils

• In the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland is a Naval Museum.
• It has an interesting historic display of flags and standards which are preserved.
• One of the most famous is the original "Don't Give Up The Ship" flag.
• It was flown by Commodore Perry in his noted victory over the British fleet on Lake Erie, December 10, 1813.
• During a terrific battle between the ships Shannon and Chesapeake, Captain Lawrence gave this order: "Don't Give Up The Ship".
• In honor of Captain Lawrence, Commodore Perry named his flagship, adopting his dying words as his battle slogan.
• We as Cub Scouts ask all of our parents and leaders "Don't Give Up The Ship".
• Help us be seaworthy so we in time can help others be seaworthy.

Boatswain's Pipe
Long Beach Area, Verdugo Hills, San Gabriel Valley Councils

Pipe the flag aboard by having someone make a whistle like a boatswain's pipe. It gives a long, drawn-out tone, stating in a high key and dropping to a lower pitch half-way through. A Webelos color guard then marches in with the U.S. and pack flags and posts them. One of the Scouts leads the Pledge of Allegiance. Another then leads the Cub Scout Promise.

OLD GLORY SPEAKS
Sam Houston Area Council

EQUIPMENT: Flag of the United States, Spotlight on Flag, patriotic music playing in the background, tape recorder or record player.

ARRANGEMENT: Flag in front and spot lighted, Room darkened. Cub Leader or Scout share reading the following, standing where the audience cannot see you, but read loud enough for all to hear.

"I am the Flag of the United States of America. I was conceived in the dreams of liberty and in the hopes of freedom. I was designed by the hands of Betsy Ross and her sewing basket was my cradle.  Though I was never an orphan, I was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1777 and proclaimed the national emblem of a nation newly born on this continent, fighting valiantly for survival and destined to bring to all mankind a new concept of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I have been many places and have seen many things.  I have witnessed every event of American history.  I was there when they fired the shot heard around the world.  I was there in the late twilight at Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the immortal words to "The Star Spangled Banner", now our national anthem.

I saw Molly Pitcher take the cannon swab from the hands of her dead husband and help carry on the fight for freedom.  I felt the biting cold at Valley Forge, and gave warmth and comfort to General Washington and his tired and hungry Continental Army.

I was flown above the decks of ships like Old Ironsides and from the masts of the Yankee and China clippers.  I blazed the trail with Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.  I led the settlers coming west and crossed Death Valley in a covered wagon.  I was there with families on the Oregon Trail and with prospectors at the California gold rush. 

I was carried through the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli by the United States Marines.  I galloped up the slopes of San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders of the United States Cavalry.  I stayed with the boys until it was over, over there, and on the battlefields of the Marne, St. Michael and the Argonne Forest.  I saw many youth and men of our nation fall and lie still in death.  They had given their last full measure of devotion.  The war was over for them forever and I kept my lonely vigil over their graves and stayed to watch the poppies grow amid the crosses, row on row, in Flanders Fields.  I was raised by five brave men during the "hell" of Iwo Jima.  I waved farewell to the four immortal Chaplains who went down with their ship and to honored glory.  I have not changed very much in my 230 years.  I still have my original 13 stripes, but as each state came into the union a new star was proudly added to the Constellation on my field of blue.  I started out with 13 stars; now there are 50.

I am easy to find.  I am everywhere.  I drape the caskets of our nation's heroes borne to their last resting place, the caskets of presidents, generals, admirals, privates and unknown soldiers alike. Wherever there is Justice, Equality, Faith, Hope, Charity, Truth and brotherly love, there, too, am I.  

May history never write my obituary, for I am the Stars and Stripes forever.  I am Old Glory!"