If
you've been involved in Scouting for any length of time, you've
probably heard the term “Patrol Spirit”. Simply put, Patrol Spirit is a
culture of teamwork and camaraderie that develops among the members of a
Patrol that is run according to the principles of the Patrol System.
Patrol Spirit is what makes a group of boys a real Scout Patrol rather
than just a convenient division of a Troop.
A lot of little things which develop Patrol Spirit were already built
into Scouting by the founders. Unfortunately, a lot of times these
little things are forgotton or overlooked. One such feature of Scouting
is that of the Patrol Flag.
The Purpose of the Patrol Flag
The Patrol Flag is a unique standard designed and crafted by the
members of the Patrol to represent themselves during activities. It
should be carried with the Patrol during all Scouting activities that
the Patrol participates in. It should accompany the Patrol on camping
trips and hikes, mark the Patrol's rallying point during games, and be
kept prominently in the Patrol Den/Patrol Corner when not in use.
There
are a handful of ways that using a Patrol flag raises Patrol Spirit. To
start with, the making of the flag itself is a group effort. Every
single Scout in the Patrol will have a hand in making it. Because of
this, it helps set the right tone for the Patrol: that every individual
Scout is necessary the make the Patrol a good one.
In addition, it is a unique visual symbol of the Patrol. Just as Scout
uniforms help set apart Scouts and become symbols of what Scouting
stands for, so Patrol flags become special standards which set apart the
members of different Patrols. This visual symbol has a strong
psychological effect. If you are patriotic and love your country, the
sight of your country's flag involuntarily triggers an emotional
response in you that reinforces your feelings toward your country. It is
no different with the Patrol flag. The Patrol flag stands for
everything good about a Patrol, and each member can call it his own.
Lastly, the Patrol flag is a powerful way of building a unique Patrol
culture. You see, a real Scout Patrol isn't simply a two-dimensional
group of boys with just a special name to set them apart. A real Scout
Patrol is a living and breathing team that develops a whole sub-culture
of its own. Each Patrol does things a little differently. They develop
their own routines in setting up Patrol camps; they have their own
traditions that they carry on; and they have certain Scouting skills
which they specialize in. Most importantly, each Patrol develops a
unique character that is grown out of the combination of individual
personalities which make it up. The Patrol flag's design represents all
of this. It helps to solidify this Patrol culture and pass it down to
younger Scouts.
Creating the Flag
The Design
Creating
the Patrol flag seems very simple, and it really is! A Patrol drafts a
design, then crafts it from raw materials. However, because of the
significance of the Patrol flag, it isn't something that can be done
carelessly. Designing each part of the flag is a series of decisions
that must be made by the Patrol as a group. Each aspect of the flag must
be decided upon carefully.
There are very few rules as to what the flag can look like and be made
of. It may not even look like a flag! One rule that must be followed,
though, is that every member in the Patrol must have a hand in making
it. The Patrol's leader's job is to make sure each of the Scouts
participate in areas they are strong in. One Scout might get the fabric,
one Scout may draw out the chosen design, one Scout may get the pole,
another may sew it together, and etc.
One cool way of getting all of the Scouts involved in the design
process is by holding a competition. Every member of the Patrol should
draw a design (despite their protestations of “I can't draw!”), in the
end, the Patrol votes on which design is best. They can then take some
of the best ideas from the other drawings and incorporate them into a
final design.
It can be a crowded and intricate design, or it can be something simple
and bold. It can have just words, or just symbols, or both! It can
mainly represent the skills of a Patrol, or it can represent the
character that they want to achieve. There really is an infinite number
of options. Whatever you do, though, don't gloss over the design process
or rush it through. The attitude that must be avoided is, “We're the
Owl Patrol, so just slap a picture of an owl on a pillow case and be
done with it!”. Impress upon the Scouts in your Patrol the importance of
the flag and the care that should be taken in it's design.
The Material
Besides
the main design of the flag, another decision that must be make is what
material it will be made of. If your Patrol wants a more traditional
looking flag, there are many different types of fabric you can use. Try,
though, to pick out a fabric which is very durable. You want this flag
to last many years, so plan accordingly. One of the members of your
Patrol might have some good fabric already. If not, then you can
probably find what you are looking for at a sewing store, thrift shop,
or craft shop.
If your Patrol wants to make a flag which isn't like a traditional
flag, you can use other materials as well. You can use leather, metal,
wood, or whatever else serves the purpose well. Just make sure whatever
it is does the best job of representing your Patrol. Also, make sure its
portable! If you can't take it on a five-mile hike, then you need to
trim it down a bit.
The Shape
When
you think of a flag, you probably think of the traditional rectangular
shape. However, your Patrol flag doesn't have to fit this mold. Many
Patrol flags have been triangles, squares, and many other shapes. You
can put notches or streamers at the end. You can make the shape a
silhouette of your Patrol symbol. Make sure, though, that whatever the
shape is, it can be firmly attached to your pole. And that brings us to
the last decision:
The Pole
In the past, many Patrol Leaders made their Scout Staff higher than
necessary. This was so they could attached the Patrol flag to it and
carry it more easily on hikes and camping trips. Some flag designs, on
the other hand, require a specially shaped pole. It may be that the flag
design requires a symmetrically shaped fork at the end of the pole. The
most commonly used material for the flag pole is wood, but it could
also be metal if it was light enough.
If wood is used, I highly recommend finding a good hardwood tree which
you have permission to cut on and cutting your own pole from a long,
straight branch. You can leave the bark on, or you can strip it off. You
can carve the pole or leave it plain. You can treat and stain the wood,
or you can keep it bare. The options are limitless!
Call to Action
The
Patrol flag is such a great builder of Patrol Spirit that it is little
wonder why the founders considered it a necessary accessory to a true
Scout Patrol. Do all the Patrols in your Troop have a Patrol Flag? If
so, was it put together by all of the members with care, or was it
thrown together haphazardly by the Patrol Leader?
If you are a Patrol Leader, make sure your Patrol has a good flag. If
you don't, or have one that was poorly crafted, get your Patrol
together, impress upon them how important it is, and together design a
new one. Be sure that every member of your Patrol is involved in the
making of it. Make sure to carry it with you on camping and hiking
trips, and always treat it with pride and respect.
If you are a leader of a Troop, make sure that every one of your
Patrols have a good flag this month. You can make an inter-Patrol
contest and give a special privilege to the Patrol with the best flag.
You can also do the same with the flag's attendance to meetings and
camping trips.
Gallery
Here are some photos of historical Patrol Flags to start your creative juices flowing.
Resources
Here are a couple of images I found on the internet of scanned
scrapbook pages with ideas on how to make a Patrol Flag. I am unsure of
their original creator:
Here is a similar image by Inquiry.net that illustrates some different flag designs:
All pictures in this post are from historical issues of Boys' Life Magazine.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading this post! I hope you found it useful. The real
use of Patrol flags seems to have been forgotten by many Scout Troops
I've seen. Patrol Flags are excellent at developing Patrol Spirit, and
for that reason it is very important that they are Rediscovered by
modern Scouting. I'll leave you with a quote on Patrol Spirit from a
little 1960 book called “The Patrol System”.
“Patrol spirit doesn’t spring up like a mushroom overnight. It can’t be made to order. But it can be developed in the same way that a small tree can be helped along by giving it rich soil in which to grow, by tending it faithfully, by letting plenty of sun and air get to it, by pulling up the weeds that threaten to choke it.…Patrol spirit grows in the things that distinguish your Patrol from the others in the Troop; your Patrol name, your flag, your emblem, your call, your song and yell. Patrol spirit grows in the things that you make for your Patrol: your Patrol corner or Den, your Log Book, your camping equipment, your Patrol Box, the unique way that you decorate your Patrol flag and staves. Patrol spirit grows by the things that you do together: your Patrol meetings and hikes and camps and your taking part as a unit in the activities of your Troop.”
Scout On!
