Figure 1.-- This snapshot has us baffled. We at first assumed this group of boys was Anerican, largely because of the left flag. It looks American, but we can not see the entire flag, only the stripes. We do not recognize the flag on the right. Usually flags are a helpful clue as to nationality, but here they only leave us confused. The boys look to be European or American. The caps and shirts do not look like American Scout uniform items. We are not sure just what kind of cap they are wearing. The knee socks, especially the light-colored ones, also do not look American. The back ground looks like it might be part of the English coast--although there is no way to be sure. The snap shot is undated, bit looks like the 1970s. British Scouts by the 1970s were no longer wearing short pants as part of thir uniform.

This snapshot has us baffled. We at first assumed this group of boys was Anerican, largely because of the left flag. It looks American, but we can not see the entire flag, only the stripes. We do not recognize the flag on the right. Usually flags are a helpful clue as to nationality, but here they only leave us confused. The boys look to be European or American. The caps and shirts do not look like American Scout uniform items. We are not sure just what kind of cap they are wearing. The knee socks, especially the light-colored ones, also do not look American. The back ground looks like it might be part of the English coast--although there is no way to be sure. The snap shot is undated, bit looks like the 1970s. British Scouts by the 1970s were no longer wearing short pants as part of their uniform. A reader writes, "The scouts are either Egyptians or Turks. We cannot see the color of the fez (should be red)." The Fez would suggest Turks or Egyptians in the 1950s, but these boys are wearing more modern uniforms, we would say from the 70s or possibly the early-80s. And we no longer see such short shorts in Muslim Middle Easrern countries by this time. It does look like the boys are wearing fezes, but the image is not real clear. Looking at the boys, I'd say that they are European or American, but the image has us baffeled. One reason that we think this may be European is the highly polished leather shoes. By the 70s we no longer commonly see American Scouts wearing leather shoes with the short pants uniform. .