What were Primary bandlos?
Answer
Between 1929 and 1970, 9- to 11-year-old Primary children received a bandlo, a pointed piece of neckwear made of felt. It was used to display emblems and awards that showed the progress of each girl and boy in his or her respective classes. Children would use the same bandlo for their three years in a Primary program. The color of the felt and the emblems changed over the years.
The boys participated in Trail Builder activities, earning titles of:
- Blazers (age 9).
- Trekkers (age 10).
- Guide Patrol (age 11).
The girls participated in Home Builder (later Lihoma, which stood for “Little Homemaker”) activities, earning titles of:
- Larks (age 9), later Gaynotes.
- Bluebirds (age 10), later Firelights.
- Seagulls (age 11), later Merrihands.
