Chilean Boy Scout Uniforms


Figure 1.--These Chilean Boy Scouts in 1966 wear a tradition Scout uniform, berets, tan shirts, kerchiefs, short pants, turn-over-top kneesocks, and leather shoes.

The Chilean Scout movement was founded in 1909 after a visit to Santiago by Baden Powell. There are in Chile more than one Scout assoction, however, the main group is the Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts de Chile. Like many Latin American Scout movements, only a very narrow sector of the population could participate, mostly middle-class boys that could afford the uniform and other costs. Scouts in the 1990s continued to wear a traditional uniform.

Síntesis en Castellano

En el año 1909, el general del ejercito británico Sir Lord Robert Baden Powell, visitó nuestro país. Dando a conocer la esencia del movimiento Scouts que este distinguido militar creara en Inglaterra en el año 1907. Así el 27 de marzo de 1909, ante un numeroso y selecto público, Sir Baden Powell se refirió a esta institución mundial, que lo motivo la creación de la primera Brigada Scouts de Chile que se denominó "Brigada Central" y que más tarde dió origen a la creación de otros Grupos Scouts en la ciudad de Santiago y provincias.

Rápidamente este movimiento se extendió por todo el país, en las Escuelas y Liceos, que constituyeron también Brigadas (hoy Grupos) consolidando la institución en el ámbito nacional e internacional. Como resultado del éxito obtenido en la práctica y difusión del movimiento Scouts, se logró la dictación de la ley Nº 520 de 6 de septiembre de 1925, que la declaró Institución Nacional por su valioso aporte y apoyo a la educación y formación de buenos ciudadanos.

Posteriormente, como es de dominio público, se gestaron en el país, diversos movimientos y tendencias dentro de la institución, cuya génesis no corresponde analizar en esta breve síntesis. No obstante, a consecuencias de ellas y tras ingentes sacrificios de toda índole, un selecto grupo de hombres esclerecidos e imbuidos del autentico pensamiento del fundador, dieron vida a nuestra actual Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts de Chile, como una corporación de derecho privado, con personalidad jurídica vigente por imperio del decreto supremo de justicia Nº 984 de 28 de septiembre de 1982.


Figure 2.--Chilean Scouts at camp wear "T"-shirts rather than their regulation shirts.

Efectivamente en Chile junto a la Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts, existen otras instituciones similares. Sin embargo, es la Agrupación quien mantiene vivo el espíritu y tradición del Escultismo fundado por Lord Baden Powell de Gilwell. En consecuencia, nos sentimos herederos legítimos del legado del fundador.

Founding

Lord Baden Powell from an early point in the development of the Scout movement began to promote the movement in other countries. In 1909 Baden Powell reached Chile. He came to explain the movement he had created and promote its development in Chile., only year after founding Chile. Powell on march 27, 1909 met with a numerous and select group described the world Scout Movement to help found the first Chilean unit, which was called "Brigada Central". Soon other units were fiorming in Santiago and the provinces.

Growth

Scouting rapidly expanded throughout Chile. Units were formed in primary and secindary schools. These groups help to consolidate the national and interntional movement in Chile. As a result of the popularity of the Scut movement in Chile, the Chilean Congress passed Law Nº 520, September 6, 1925, declared Scouting a National Institucional, in recognition of its valuable contribution and support of the education and formation of good citizens.


Figure 3.--Chilean Scouts in the 1990s wear their khaki uniforms, maching baseball caps, shirts, shorts, and brown kneesocks.

Scout Associations

Many movements were organized in Chile that were not in keeping with the principles of the authentic Scout Movement as founded by Baden Powell. A select groupo of adult leaders and Scouts, however, to build an authentic Scout Movement in Chile--imbuded with the principles laid out by Baden Powell. This gave life to the Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts de Chile which was incroporated as a private institutio with legal rights by Supreme Justice Decree Nº 984 of September 28, 1982.

There is more than one Scout association in Chile along with the Agrupación Nacional de Boy Scouts. Even so, it is the Agrupación that is the principal Scout association as is the center of the Scout movement in Chile. The Agrupación thus sees itself as the legitiamate heir of Baden Powell and the original Scout movement.

Participation

Like many Latin American Scout movements, only a very narrow sector of the population could participate, mostly middle-class boys that could afford the uniform and other costs.

Figure 4.-Cubs in 196? also wore a traditional Cub uniform--with piping. The Cubs wore a traditional peaked cap, but styled somewhat ddifferently than that of the origional English Cub cap.

Organization

Chilean Scouts have the traitional organization with Cubs and Scouts, each with destinctive uniforms. I'm not sure at this time just when Cubs were formed in Chile.

Cubs

The Cub uniform in Chile has been quite destincive to that of the Scouts. I'm not sure about early Cub uniforms, but by the 1960s they were wearing a uniform similar to that of the English Cubs. It is likely that this was the uniform from the beginning of Cubbing in Chile. I'm not sure about the colors, but the boys wore peaked caps, sweaters or jersies, short pants and kneesocks. The peaked caps were styled somewhat differently from the British peaked caps, but they did hae a peak and piping. I'm ot sure about the color sweater, the English Cub sweater was green, but it does appear to ba sweater or jersey rather than a shirt. The shorts may have been tan like Chiean Scouts rather than grey like English Cuns. The kneesocks appear very similar to those worn by Chiean Scouts. Chilean Cubs appered to have switched to blue uniforms, with baseball-type caps and shirts rather than jersies. The current Cubs appear to also wear blue kneesocks.

Scouts

Chilean Scouts since the 1960s have worn tan uniforms. I do not at this time have any information on early Chioean Scout uniforms. Chilean Scouts in the 1960s were wearing berets as head gear, but by the 1960s this had changed to base-ball type hats. The tan shirts and shorts appear little changed over the yeatrs, although the Scout shirt by the mid-1970s was being commonly worn with jeans. The Scouts also werar heavy kneesocks with long pull-over-top socks.

Uniforms

The 1960s and early 70s

Chilean Cubs and Scouts Chilean Scouts through the early 1970s appear to have worn traditional unidorms. Attention to the uniform declined in the mid-1970s with boys mostly wearing just the official Scout shirt, often with jeans. At least some Scouts in the 1990s, however, wore traditiinal uniforms.

The 1960s-70s

Chilean Scouts in the 1960s and early 70s wore khaki uniforms, khaki shirts and shirt pants with khaki kneesocks. They were worn with blavk berets. Cips wore peaked caps, but styled a little diffrently than the classic British peaked Cub peaked cap.

The 1970s-80s

Scouts in te late 1970s and early 80s appear to have worn both tan and blue shirts, often with blue jeans,


Figure 5.--Chilean Scouts are seen here preparing for a hike. Note the Cub in the blue uniform.

The 1990s

Chilean Scouts in the 1990s aooear to have retuned to a more formal uniform. They wore a khaki uniform, matching khaki shirts and khaki short pants with brown kneesocks. Like many national Scout groups they also adopted the American-style baseball caps. The Cubs appear to wear a blue uniform.





Christopher Wagner






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Created: May 26, 2000
Last updated: May 26, 2000