The Coral Gables Times

re ("And don't step over the line, either!") My husband fixed up a board to be walked, a bar to be chinned, and a box to be jumped. He also saws, saves scraps, and helps search out projects. One day the game time was a treasure hunt with each group having a different set of instructions. Talk about beaming faces—you'd think each boy had a 100-watt bulb turned on inside. But games are only the first part; then comes the m ing. This consists of the flag ceremony, which is approached from a different angle each time, since everybody needs a turn doing each thing. Then cookies silence wagging tongues, and since legs are tired enough to sit at the table by now it becomes my turn. So pack-meeting necessities are explained and awards and projects discussed. These boys have not been cubs long enough to know what they would really like to work on. This means I have the fun of rounding up the craft ideas and presenting them to e boys. Not just cut and paste. That's for girls. Boys like real construction, hammering, nailing, sawing, painting, varnishing, soap carving (a toothpick works better than a knife on hand soap), leather work, plaster of Paris, spatter paints—and on into the night. Those birdhouses are wobbly, perhaps, but they are carried home as if made of pure gold. The boys make butterfly nets of poles, wire coat hangers, and kitchen curtains. And how they work, sewing the curtain to the wire! isn't all peaches and cream, however. I search the library for craft ideas and must have read a zillion game books. There are skits to be dreamed up, money to be counted and delivered, phone calls to be made, lists to be kept, more phone calls to be made, but best of all, boys and their mothers to laugh with. (Right here I should mention that the Scouts put out several magazines and books with many project ideas and helps for the den mother.) OF COURSE, rain can change a lot of plans. My husband fixed up a corner of the garage for the meeting and the craft area, and when the rain comes the car is backed out and the special rainy-day games are played. The boys enjoy funny relays in the garage and all kinds of balloon games, such as balloon volleyball over a string and pop-the-balloon between partners' backs. Cub Scouting works to bring the cub and his parents closer together—that's one of the great things about it. Every mother of our den deserves a medal for the enthusiastic encouragement that is given to the boys. And that's another thing—I've made eight new friends for myself. Those mothers even take turns baking cookies and delivering them to the den meetings. The den mother takes the parents' word for it that the boy has passed his requirements toward the awards. I feel that the den mother's job is one of helping the boys to feel that they are part of a great group; that they are having fun sharing together; that they are making new friends; and tl working together on projects is enjoyable. Because I live in the redwood country of California, the thought comes to me that this bit of Americana we are trying to teach our boys is very much like a beautiful giant redwood. Our American ideals, also, are sky-high, but wonderful and necessary for young America to know. One mother, bless her heart, has been my faithful companion through it all. Connie expressed my opinion exactly when, one day, she looked at me over the din of the games, a laughed, "Aren't we lucky!" My den is now being handed over to Bea with mixed feelings. But I agree with Connie. We surely are lucky to have our cubs! Suburbia Today, February 1962 11

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