Purpose
The Closing Ceremony puts a definite finish to a meeting. It draws together the Scouts in a quiet atmosphere where they are receptive to serious thought, and sends them home relaxed after showing respect to the Queen (flag down) and duty to God (devotions). Well conducted Closing Ceremonies unify the troop and help create in each Scout a better understanding of the spirit of Scouting.
Preparations
The Troop Scouter has a special task here; he has to make announcements. Prepare your announcements carefully and use both the bulletin board and the patrol system to insure they won’t take up so much time that they destroy the closing’s atmosphere. Whoever leads devotions also needs to be prepared and ready to add special items that came to light during the meeting. Does your troop have members from various faiths or denominations? If yes, you may prefer holding silent personal devotions.
Use behaviour
you’ve observed during the
meeting to
determine content for a Scouter’s Five Minutes. For example, if
you
noticed a patrol working very well together (or not so well together),
you might tell a little inspirational yarn that emphasizes the value of
cooperation. Take every possible opportunity to congratulate the troop,
a patrol, or an individual - Scout or counsellor - for things that
happened during the meeting or on a Scouting course or event.
The Duty patrol leader calls the troop into
horseshoe formation and to the alert, then hands over to the Troop
Scouter, or whoever is in charge.
Ask the troop to sit for notices and Scouter’s Five, then call them to alert for “FLAG DOWN.” At a word from the Troop Scouter, the duty patrol leader moves across the horseshoe to the flagstaff and lowers the flag, gathering it up to keep it off the ground. The Scouts do NOT salute.
The duty patrol leader stays at the flagstaff. As soon as the flag is down, but before it is removed from the halyard, the Troop Scouter may lead a short devotion.
Scouter: “Troop, alert! Troop dismiss!”
As soon as the troop is dismissed, the duty patrol leader removes the flag and, with the help of someone from the duty patrol, folds it ready for the next meeting.