Bring back the Girl Scouts!

Circa 1963.

I recently bought a used Junior Girl Scout Handbook at a local seller and was blown away by it. Yes, I was a scout during the 60s but I guess I had forgotten just how logically the whole thing was presented and the ideals that were cherished.

Scouting was more than just an afterschool activity, it was a course on manners, friendship and even the arts. And yes, outdoor living was prominent as well, but that was presented in a way that made it look both fun and practical.

Back to the manners. Where do kids learn to set a table or eat in a mannerly style? Their classmates? Their parents? Well shouldn't it be codified and written down somewhere? The Junior handbook wrote it down on pages 151-152. We need this back! When I was on my cruise (see below)I was astonished by how far we have devolved in this area. People blithely and revoltingly chewed with their mouths open, ate soup in a splashy fashion and generally used utensils as primitive spears. Volume control is another place where we fall short.

No, I am not suggesting we drag our entire nation back to the times of limited rights for women and minorities or any such nonsense, so don't go there with me! But I do think that learning basic skills at the table would be beneficial.

Bring back the scouts of 63! More later...

Brief update: I have been informed that this trend toward piggish smacking and gobbling is called "relishing one's meal" or "eating with zest". I beg to differ. Just plain piggish and RUDE!