The Uniform

Symbol Of Commitment

It's not difficult to imagine Scouting without the uniform, many leaders not only can imagine it; they believe the uniform is unnecessary and should be done away with entirely. While they are certainly welcome to their opinion, I happen to believe that the uniform is kind of important to Scouting. Either way, though, the Boy Scouts of America has a uniform, which is counted among the methods of Scouting, and therefore deserves the support of every leader regardless of their opinion on the subject.

Like I said, many people can imagine Scouting without a uniform. Many more people are perfectly willing to modify the uniform, or drop it entirely for various reasons (some valid, some not). The uniform is easily the most discussed, abused, and quickly modified method in Scouting. Almost every one of us, including myself, are guilty of this. We should, however, stop to think what the uniform means, and how Scouting changes when we take the uniform out of it.

One aspect of the aim of building character in boys is changing their attitudes. We do this through many methods. Primarily, we present them with an ideal for behavior in the Scout Oath and Scout Law. These challenge the Scout to do his best on his honor. That's an important clue and a pretty high concept. Of course, the word "honor" was more widely known in the days when Scouting was first organized, but it remains a pretty important concept.

When a Scout recites the Scout Oath, he's pledging himself to the ideals of Scouting. He's taking on a powerful commitment that transcends his personal likes and dislikes. He may not like being helpful to other people at all times, but his pledge as a Scout is to do his best to do exactly that. He may not like being physically fit, but he is making a commitment to do his best to be physically fit.

More Than Just A Shirt

The uniform as a method is an outward symbol of that commitment. A Scout may not like wearing the uniform, but his commitment as a Scout means he should do his best to wear the uniform. It may be "geeky," "uncool", or hopelessly out of fashion, but a Scout's commitment to the ideals of Scouting doesn't turn on fashion. When we, as adult leaders - the example he follows - ignore or change the importance of the uniform method; or we change the uniform to better fit the likes and dislikes of our Scouts; we are in effect telling them that their commitment need not force them to do things they don't like to do. We're telling them that the commitment can be changed in favor of something more fashionable.

When a Scout learns that his Scouting commitment can be changed or ignored depending on what's "cool" or "popular" at the time, he can no longer do his best to live by the ideals of Scouting. We encourage him to do his best, but the commitment means nothing anymore. He's not held to that commitment on his honor. He acts however he wants to act, regardless of the Scout Law, because we've shown him that "honor" means nothing, that he need only follow the Scout Law when it's convenient to do so.

The Uniform Method asks us, the adult leaders, to hold up the uniform as a symbol of the promise each Scout makes. The intention is that wearing the uniform reminds the Scout of that promise, providing the expectation that he act like a Scout. As he gains experience in Scouting, he should also gain experience acting like a Scout, and eventually he will no longer need the uniform as a reminder. That is the Uniform Method.