Scouting Maverick: Scout Better

Cub Scout eating ice cream while wearing hat

Stop removing hats at meals

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by

Aren Cambre
in

EDIT: Kudos to Camp Trevor Rees-Jones. At 2018, 2019, and 2020 Winter Camps, there was not once a prohibition on wearing hats at meals!

Stop removing hats at (most) meals. It’s silly.

This tradition may be centuries old. Back then, hats shielded you from grit and grime. Polluted air or dirty work made nasty hats. These hats weren’t appropriate at meals.

Today is different. Youth wear hats for sun protection or fashion. Their hats are not nasty. Ha, let me rephrase: they usually don’t project nastiness.

Removing a hat at meals respects nobody. In fact, it is disrespectful to remove a hat. Dead skin and hair would have been contained by the hat. Not so when the hat’s off. Plus, what does the removed hat do? Gets dirty on the table, next to the food, or on the floor.

Web searches mainly find brainless tradition regurgitation. Chowhound has a refreshing view: In Should I Take My Hat Off at a Restaurant?, Helena Echlin says “no” in many cases, including those applicable to most Scouting situations.

Why do some adults bark about hats at meals? Because it’s Grandpa’s rule. Seriously, that’s about it. No emotionally stable cook or server will feel slighted by a hat.

Sure, when crotchety camp staff demand hats come off, it probably needs to happen. Otherwise, don’t waste time teaching that anachronism.

Prepare Scouts for their world, not for Grandpa’s world: don’t worry about hats at meals.

NOTE: I wrote “most” at the top. In the most formal situations, yes, the hat still needs to come off. However, Scouts almost never reaches that level. We’re not finishing school!

Comments

9 responses to “Stop removing hats at meals”

  1. Tiffany Avatar
    Tiffany

    I respectfully disagree. The issue of the hat protecting the wearer from dirt and grime is one reason that once upon a time hats were to be removed at a dining table. Another is that it blocks the wearer’s view of other people at the table discouraging conversation. It also blocks the wearer’s view of a waiter’s arm as they set down and remove drinks and plates which would spill food and drink onto the table as well as the people sitting around the hat wearer. This would also be a waste of resources (food/drink spilled). It’s a sign of respect to those waiting on you as well as your fellow tablemates to remove your hat.

    As for the dead skin and hair argument? The hat should be removed prior to sitting down which would eliminate the chance of any extra dead skin cells or hair falling into the food or onto the table.

    No, this is not finishing school, however we are working to bring up young men who can converse with each other in dining situations as well as be respectful towards the waitstaff.

    Also, the tone of the article is quite disrespectful and dismissive.

    Reply
    1. Aren Cambre Avatar
      Aren Cambre

      The issue of the hat protecting the wearer from dirt and grime is one reason that once upon a time hats were to be removed at a dining table.

      “once upon a time” <-- bingo! That was two centuries ago. It's now just an obsolete custom. Kill it. The rest of your argument is tragically either false or conjecture.

      Reply
  2. James Kurtz Avatar
    James Kurtz

    It is respect. Which apparently you do know anything about.

    Reply
    1. Aren Cambre Avatar
      Aren Cambre

      > It is respect.

      Got it. So there must be a camp staff member somewhere who has a heart-wrenching story of being devastated from being disrespected because hats were worn in a dining hall. Would you share some of these stores? Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Not Gonna Happen Avatar
    Not Gonna Happen

    Tiffany,

    The tone of your comment is disrespectful and dismissive but it didn’t stop you! You clearly know nothing of head covering in food preparation so please, stop. The adults can take it from here.

    Reply
  4. Publius Avatar
    Publius

    A scout is courteous. Customs vary worldwide, but in our society wearing a hat at the meal table, with very few exceptions, is considered rude. Despite one’s personal objection, to be courteous to our dinner companions and especially our host, removing one’s hat is a recognized act of courtesy. It is not some elaborate conspiracy to deprive anyone of their rights.

    Reply
    1. Aren Cambre Avatar
      Aren Cambre

      Got it. So there must be a camp staff member somewhere who has a heart-wrenching story of being devastated from the disrespect of rude Scouts wearing hats in a dining hall. Would you share some of these stores? Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Brandon Killian Avatar
    Brandon Killian

    First this whole argument could have been done in a less aggressive tone. Secondly we are teaching children respect, I do not know of any person who has held a negotiation for a company with a hat on, we always talk about what Eagle scouts have accomplished in our country Astronaut’s, CEO’s and so forth. We help these kids strive for excellence and is it really that big of an issue for them to take their hat off? Also have you seen their hats during summer camp they are nasty, usually covered in the dirt and grime that was expressed in the begining of the article.

    Reply
  6. Chris Matthewson Avatar
    Chris Matthewson

    Hats off. It’s time to stop enabling poor behavior and poor manners. Start teaching youth how the real world operates so they have the tools to be prepared for it. It’s not wrong to do so.

    Reply

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