In today's Salt Lake Tribune, Robert Kirby wrote an article about Bandelos. Does anyone remember those? I do. They were just like he said: a light green felt sash just like a boy scout sash. There were plastic symbols that the primary teacher glued on the bandelo each time you passed an achievement. I remember there were fake little diamonds that were put on the symbols if you were fantastic enough to earn them. I was lucky to have my little pink plastic house on there, with it's 3 little front windows, but I never earned the little diamonds to go in them. There was a big musical note,and all kinds of other things, but my humble little bandelo was always ashamed because it was never good enough like the others.

That word takes me back to my youth. Silly to "earn" little plastic doodads for doing worthless tasks.

I remember the house, the jewels, and the notes now that you mention them, but not all of the other bits and pieces. Wasn't there a book and perhaps a bird or two and maybe a tree or flower?

You're right, it seems there was a book-probably to symbolize the BofM, as well as a little bird, but I can't remember the other things.

Yep! I still have my primary bandelo with the glued plastic thingies and rhinestones stored away somewhere. I think I had to memorize scriptures and attend for the rhinestones. There was a plastic house, girl praying, and a book if I recall. Was that when we were called Gaynotes, Firelight and Merrihands or some-such names for those primary years?

Also, I have my blue sash/bandelo thing from Beehives where we had a bunch of felt doodads sewn on. My mom helped me craft a felt white gardenia for my flower for purity (eye roll). It had a bunch of felt beehive cells sewn on for various busywork accomplishments.

If you want a map of 1950's gender brainwashing, just stroll down memory lane looking at them. Ick.

I so remember those and remember "doing" the steps required to get the little symbols. I remember very specifically the little hatchet that he mentioned, but can't remember what I did to get it.

I think our bishops in that era weren't really gung-ho on those since I don't remember earning many of them all by myself. HINT: my mother probably helped a lot.

Wonder whatever happened to stuff like that. The things I have in storage as childhood memories, other than photos, seem to start in high school and then my mission.

was for being a Blazer. The Trekkers got a blue wagon wheel,and the Guides got a red arrow. And then there were the little numbers for memorizing the articles of faith.

The free toys in the Cracker Jacks were cuter and nicer than the stuff we worked for.

You are all just kids, if you got plastic stuff. Our Boy Trail Blazer bandelos (1940s) had the symbols cut out of the same kind of material as the bandelo, but in different colors, of course. You had to get your mother to sew them on.

I remember when I earned my first one, and I got mad at my mother because she hadn't sewed it on the way I wanted it.

"Oh, we are the Boy Trail Blazers, out West where the West began...." (Maybe I don't remember it right...)

Older thread that may be of some interest…

http://exmormon.org/phorum/read.php?2,1407607

Never had one in cubs or scouts (that was 60 years ago) and I had so few badges (I flunked knots for starters and my scouting career went for shit after that) my sash woulda looked stupid.

Were these "bandelos" another thing that LDS,inc. has 'stolen', in this case, from the Boy Scouts?

woe unto you for not having the correct amount of pieces of flair on your bandelo.

I was in a transitional era. My bandalo was burgundy, but we still had plastic thingies. Lark, Bluebird, and Seagull. My younger sister had the green one.

Then in Beehives there was a dark blue bandalo with felt patches we had to sew on. Each one of us had to choose something for a symbol. I chose a daisy, but can't quite remember what it meant to me.

Can't believe I did that stupid stuff. I did earn an individual award for a bunch of years. Tossed those certificates ages ago.

I remember my sister's bandalo. I think that NormaRae still has hers.

Yep. I've put pics of mine on Facebook. I still have both my Primary and Beehive bandalos. I was so proud of my primary bandalo because I had a complete one--got every jewel possible, meaning also perfect attendance, memorized all the scriptures, articles of faith, completed crochet, knitting, embroidery and cooking projects, etc.

But now I keep it to remind me of my striving for perfection days and where it got me (in a pit of despair). But also for when people say I never had a belief in the church or that I was too lazy to obey or whatever. I had a perfect bandalo, damnit! Don't tell me I wasn't ever all in. The only thing I didn't have until mid life was the truth.

LOL!
I was missing one (only ONE) rhinestone for attendance. I felt like a failure!

I hated that damn thing. We were supposed to knit some slippers to earn some doodad and I knitted one and then gave it to my dog for a toy. Never got the thingy for the bandalo.

My mother was always harping on me about that thing. I'm sure I threw it out as soon as I had the chance.

In primary Sunday School class (about 3 yrs. old), I began to cry, and no one could console me--not even by putting a silver star on my forehead.

They brought my (older) sister out of her S.S. room to comfort me, but nothing would do. So, they had to call my mother to come and get me. On the way home she asked me why I was crying. (How would I know?---I was only 3 yrs. old.)

For years my mother drove us to church and dropped us off, and my father certainly never took us. (This all happened in a small community in Los Angeles, near the park which now holds the Dodgers stadium.) Being dropped off became an advantage, as we walked to a nearby park to stay, until it was time to go back to the theater corner.

Oh yes---you might be interested in this: Before our little ward building was built, we used to meet in the top floor of a movie-theater. The top floor was the Masonic meeting place. The seating arrangement was like movie theaters, moving from floor level, up several rows to the top. The red seats folded up when you got up.

Worst of all---we looked down at the circle below, and in the middle of the circle was a table, covered with a white cloth. I didn't know what this was for, but someone began to explain that what was underneath the white cloth was sacred, and had to do with the death of Jesus. I was horrified, as I though his body was what was under the cloth, and we were going to partake of his flesh and blood. Yipes!! Three years old, and left alone with my 5-year old sister to go through this??