CLOSING CEREMONIES

Cub Scout Spirit
Heart of America Council

Personnel: Cubmaster, Assistant Cubmaster

Setting: A world globe on the head table, candles placed around the globe (one for each rank to be presented) Room darkened except for one candle held by the Assistant Cubmaster.

Cubmaster: We read in the newspaper everyday about wars, nation against nation in all parts of our world. Television shows us daily pictures of bombings, buildings destroyed, people killed, a dark and not very pleasant picture and certainly not what each of us wants for ourselves or our children.

Scouting is one thing that helps to bring people together, because its ideals and goals are the same everywhere. We tend to think of Cub Scouting as just our pack, our dens, and our friends. But, there are Cub Scouts like us in almost every country in the world — we are just a small part of this wonderful organization. Our Assistant Cubmaster, (name) holds a candle representing the Spirit of Cub Scouting. As we present our advancement awards tonight, he will light a candle next to the world globe for each rank.

First, we have ____ boys who have passed the requirements for the rank of Bobcat. Will Scout (name) and his parents please come forward? (The rank patches are presented to the parents who give them to the son(s). A candle on the table is lit. This is repeated for each rank to be presented.)

Notice how the darkness the world was in has gone away as the light of the Cub Scout Spirit is spread around the globe. If we all continue to work on our achievements and continue to advance in rank, we can keep the light bright and help our world to be a better place to live for everyone.

Note: You can have many variations, such as attaching rank patches on different continents with rubber cement and turn the globe as presentations are made, highlighting Scouting around the world.

Scout History
Baltimore Area Council

Cubs enter dressed in different types of Scout clothing.

• In 1908 in England, Lord Baden Powell started Scouting. It was based on two already existing American programs.
• Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts exist in 117 countries.
• The Boy Scouts of America was founded in 1910.
• The Scout program exists to develop the character of boys.
• Leaders and parents help guide boys through this development.
• So you can see we all benefit from the great events of Scouting!

Looking Forward, Looking Back

Set up:  Narrator and 5 Cubs, with pictures or objects depicting their assigned reading 

Narrator:  Baden-Powell drew on the stories of his friend Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book for his boy’s scouting program. 

Cub #1:  (holding up a picture of the first handbook, available online, or a young Indian boy) In the first handbooks in this country, “Akela” became an Native American boy, son of the chief of the “Webelos” tribe. 

Cub #2:  (Sign spelling out “We’ll be loyal scouts, with underlined parts of  words shown) Webelos had a special meaning – just as it does today.  It stood for We’ll beLoyal Scouts!

Narrator:  But in those early days, it also stood for Wolf, Bear, and Lion ranks.  The Chief of the Webelos tribe was called “Arrow of Light”, a name adapted from the Arrow Park World Jamboree held in London in 1929, when the “Golden Arrow” was made a symbol of world friendship. 

Cub #4:  (holding Arrow of Light symbol or picture) Just as it does today, the Arrow of Light had seven rays depicting the seven days of the week, and a reminder to do one’s best every day.

Narrator:   The Cubbing story told of the boy Akela being taken on little trips into the forest where, from the Wolf, he learned the language of the ground, the tracks, how to find food, how to care for himself.  He also learned from the Bear as he grew older – the secret names of the trees and the calls of the birds, how to live with others, and how to read weather signs.

Cub #5:  (Holding picture of lion or words such as Courage, Never Give Up, Do Your Best)  But before he could become a Scouting “Brave” he had to look the Lion in the eye and learn the language of courage –never give up!

Narrator:  Then and only then was he admitted to the lower ranks of the young “braves”, advancing at the age of 12 from the world of the Cubs into the worldwide brotherhood of Boy Scouts.  In later years, “Akela” came to mean the chief of a tribe or the pack.  Today, Akela can be any person – parent, leader, older brother or sister – who helps the Cub Scout advance along the trail.

What Is A Cub Scout?
Baltimore Area Council

Cub Scouts are found everywhere — on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them, and Heaven protects them.

A Cub Scout is:

Truth with dirt on his face,  Beauty with a cut on its finger,  Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair, the Hope of the future with a frog in his pocket.

The narrator, the “Spirit of Lord Baden—Powell”, is a Den Chief in full uniform wearing a campaign hat. He reads the script from a lectern, while Cub Scouts in uniform come on stage one by one.

Narrator: I represent the spirit of Lord Baden—Powell, the founder of Scouting. I am also the spirit of Scouting past and present. Here is our future. . . . the Cub Scouts of America.

(First boy approaches in complete uniform, carrying Bobcat awards.)

Narrator: The two colors of the Cub Scout uniform have a meaning. Blue stands for truth and loyalty; gold for good cheer and happiness. These are some of the traits we try to instill in our new Cub Scouts. These boys are taking the first steps into our program (Call boys and parents forward to receive awards.).

(Second boy enters carrying Tiger book and Kipling’s Jungle Book. He also is carrying the Tiger awards,)

Narrator: Early Cub Scouting ceremonies were based on Kipling’s Jungle Tales. One of the characters in the Jungle Book was Baghera the Tiger. (Call Tiger Cubs and their Adult Partners forward to receive awards.)

(Third boy enters carrying Wolf book and a craft project of wood. In it are the Wolf awards.)

When Cub Scouting was organized in America in 1939, Indian themes were used. Cub Scouting means fun. We have lots of fun, but most boys like making things.. .real boy projects.. .things they can play with or that follow the monthly theme. (Give Wolf Awards as above)

(Fourth boy carries a Bear book and a nature collection, with the Bear awards included.)

Narrator: Cub Scouts like to go on hikes and collect things for their nature collections or the den museum. They like the out-doors. (Give Bear awards.)

(Fifth boy carries a Webelos book and a “buddy burner” and the Webelos awards.)

Narrator: Most Cub Scouts like to go on picnics. All boys like to eat, It is even more fun when they can cook their own food. Webelos enjoy the added pleasure of Webelos Den camping. (Give Webelos awards.)

(Sixth boy - the smallest Cub Scout - enters holding American flag.)

Narrator: Cub Scouts are proud to be Americans. They are proud of their flag. They are also proud of their pack flag (points to it) because it reminds them they are part of almost 100  years of Scouting. They belong!

Yes, I represent the past and the present. These boys, Cub Scouts now, are the men of tomorrow. They will be the preservers of our American heritage. Please stand and join us in singing “God Bless America”.

The Value of a Badge Closing
Baltimore Area Council

A badge in Cub Scouting is a piece of embroidered cloth. If you were to try to sell one of these badges, you’d find it wouldn’t bring much money. The real value of the badge is in what it represents.. .the things you learned to earn it.. .how to keep healthy, how to be a good citizen, good safety practices, conservation and many new skills. Does your badge truly represent all these things? Were you prepared to meet each test at the time you passed it, or did you try to get by? Maybe you were prepared when you passed the test, but through laziness and neglect, you have forgotten the skill by now. If this is true, then the badge you wear has little value. Don’t wear a cheap badge. Wear one that has real value… one that represents what you can really do and know.

Interpretation Of The Cub Scout Promise
Southern New Jersey Council

Props:     Each Cub Scout holding a sign with his part of the Cub Scout Promise on it.

I,  PROMISE - A promise is a solemn vow, where your good reputation is at stake.

TO DO MY BEST - Your best is giving all you've got when you   have something to do ... and working on it with all your heart and all your strength and devotion you have.

TO DO MY DUTY - To do the job; to meet the responsibilities;  to do what must be done, not just half-way, but completely and fully so that you're proud of your work.

TO GOD AND MY COUNTRY - First, duty to God.  Fulfill your religious responsibilities and uphold our religious beliefs.  Second, duty to country.  I know you've been told how lucky you are to live in a free country and I hope you are aware of what freedom means.  You should try to be a good citizen.

TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE - To help ... it doesn't say how much.  It could mean saving a life or changing a tire or carrying a bag of groceries.  To help other people ... not just your own family.

The best time to help is when you have to go out of your way to do it.

TO OBEY THE LAW OF THE PACK   So that we will all remember just what this law includes, will you please stand and repeat it with me?