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During our camp retreat ceremony we fire a 12 gauge signal cannon as the colors are lowered. I asked why we did this (was it some tradition in American history, a military observance?) . I learned that we used to have a flag flying at the highest point of camp and the signal cannon let a group of Scouts stationed their to strike the colors while the rest of the camp saluted in a field far below. Over the decades the forest had grown to the point that we could no longer see the flag on the hill, so we moved the flag pole to the field where we hold the retreat ceremony. We still fire the cannon, it’s part of the camp history. After all who wouldn’t want to fire a cannon if they could!?!
Scouting Traditions are, for the most part, wonderful things, they connect us to the past and provide a bridge into the future. Scouting has many hallowed traditions that have only grown more meaningful with the patina of time. As laudable as they may be these traditions can drift from the core concepts that created them and even obscure the reasons they were perpetuated.
Sometimes, if we stop and ask ourselves why we are following a tradition we may find it’s based on habits that grew out of a particular set of conditions that are no longer valid reasons to keep the tradition alive.
It’s human nature to keep doing things as they were always done without asking why we are doing them in the first place. You may have heard the story of the cook who routinely cuts the end off of a roast before putting it in the oven because that’s what their mother did when they were growing up.
If you asked mother why she cut the roast she’d tell you this was the way her mother did things and, in fact, that’s even what her grandmother did. Ask grandmother why she cut the ends off the roast and you may find she started doing it because her oven was too small for a whole roast!
One year we looked at our traditional merit badge schedule and learned that we had simply perpetuated a habit of doing things from the years when 150 Scouts was the maximum number the camp could hold. Decades later we had 250 Scouts in camp and it was well past time to change the schedule!
We ought to test what we do, ask questions about why we do what we do. When we find traditions that don’t stand up to scrutiny we can change them. Either way, though, we’ll certainly understand more about them.
I enjoyed your post and thoughts on tradition and in a round about way relevent to discussions on a Venturing email list.
When they fire the cannon at our camp, the person who fires it gets the shell that was fired. They then slit it and where it in their epaulet of their uniform. This then becomes a badge of honor. Not everyone gets to fire the cannon.
Well, I only wish we fired a cannon at our camp – either now or when I was a scout. I’m sure the boys would certainly remember that fondly. I know that when we do the flag cermony next week, the 21 gun salute is always the major focal point. The awe you feel after hearing and watching that is even more profound than fireworks. Who doesn’t walk away from that amazed?
Clarke….Our cannon was the same, basically the one at the top of the article. It was breech-loaded also and I was the one of “all the 15,16 & 17 year old staff that were certified to use it”. No adult ever fired it that I can recall; it was done by the staff member who was assigned “Charge of Quarters” in the Administration Building, and they were the staff that were under 18.
Hi Larry- when can we expect to see the changes to the Pioneering MB ? It sounds like it could be many years from now.
I enjoyed this post. We had a cannon sound between “Retreat” and “To the Color.” Very stirring! (Camp Wauwepex, Wading River, NY) In and through my goose bumps, I just thought it was the way it was done. Loved it!
My impression is we’re both keen about, and into “Old School” approaches, but at the same time not completely put off by new technology—ready to embrace what’s out there when practical, useful, and sensible.
In my personal area of concentration, I look at the contents and requirements for Pioneering Merit Badge. Lots of additions and changes will be made (unfortunately not in this coming printing, but in the next) to make it much more fun and much more relevant. Lots of old school skills and lots of traditions, but at the same time, a good revamping to couple the old and the new that would undoubtedly bring a smile to the faces of the old pioneers.
Thanks!
When I was on camp staff in 1960 and ’61 I would fire the cannon. It was a small hand held one that fired a 12ga shotgun shell. I would put my foot on the back of the cannon, put one finger in my ear, turn my head sideways away from the cannon and with my other hand pull on the cord. Yep, it was fun.
Camp Meriwether used to fire a cannon, too. Tragically, the cannon failed and killed the scout who was operating it.
Without condemning the victim of this tragedy it was avoidable. The cannon at Meriwether was a muzzle-loaded cannon and accident reports conclude it was improperly loaded with the wrong grade of black powder, a projectile was used, a number of safety procedures were ignored and the cannon was being operated by a 16 year-old Scout who was not properly trained.
I’d hasten to add that the signal cannon we use is a breech-loaded 12 gauge cannon using commercially available blank shotgun shells and is only operated by an adult certified to do so.
Naturally this sort of thing is nothing to play with and every possible precaution must be taken even with highly trained people properly operating tested, safe equipment.