[philmont] better red wool jackets

I reluctantly agree with the observation that the red wool jac shirt may be an item of apparel whose utility has passed, and that it may have its greatest appeal for us old timers. I am amazed when any youth finds himself the proud recipient of such an expensive piece of Scout apparel.

I don't recall how much they cost when I got my youth model in 1969. I do know that all Jamboree participants in that year were REQUIRED to purchase one. It made quite a scene in the arena show with 35,000 red jackets. (We were also required to have three COMPLETE -down to knee socks and garter tabs, summer uniforms--which produced what we termed a "Jamboree tan"-limited to the kneecaps on the lower extremities).

While sightseeing in San Francisco after the Jamboree, a city many councils elected to add to their travel itinerary, I recall being questioned by an elderly woman (who did not need assitance across the street, much to the disappointment of those of us on the "Do a Good Turn Daily" track). Seeing the city flooded by so many Scouts with red jackets, all of which bore the 6" yellow Idaho Jamboree patch on the back, she inquired "Are all of you boys from Idaho?".

In addition to advising the lucky youth not to turn his handsome jacket into a patch blanket (such blankets are available from National Supply), I also advise him to do as I do--never venture out wearing your jacket without carrying a plastic garbage bag to protect the jacket at the first sign of precipitation. Maybe this is not a problem with the current model, but the 60's era jac shirt would bleed red on any patches affixed thereto. This would irretrievably ruin my 6" 1969 Jamboree patch (embroidered on a yellow backround) and my 6"OA patch (on a white backround). I'm not taking that chance, hence the garbage bag.

Needless to say, this limits the utility of the jac shirt.

The story of the Philmont black bull patch and the adoption of the red wool shirt, later the jac shirt, with black bull above the left pocket is related in Minor S. Huffman's very interesting book "High Adventure Among the Magic Mountains- Philmont, The First 50 years", available at Tooth of Time Traders, at page 65-66. Huffman was the first manager of the combined Philmont properties (combining the ranching and the camping operations) in 1943. He was the man who traced the bull from the tile at the automobile entrance on the north side of the Villa Philmonte, at the request of Dr. Elbert K. Fretwell, then president of the BSA. Fretwell chose the red wool shirt with the bull as the symbol of Philmont.

All for now.

YIS

Bill Sheehan, ASM
Troop 55, Pitman, NJ
Philmont '70,'72, Autumn Adventure '01,'03,'05

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Received on Sun Jul 30 09:30:35 2006