Figure 1.--Here a HBC reader has sent his school portrait taken in 1969. He was in grade/year 4. You will focus attention, that the Pioneer neckerchief is tied incorrectly. The square knot was the correct knot. Below on the shirt on the left side of breast is visible pioneer znachek - image of V.I.Lenin against the background of the Red Star and bonfire flame.

The boys wore red scarves withb their white shirts. The red scarf of course symblized the Communist Revolution. The scarf was the most important element of the uniform. The first Pioneers in the 1920s did not have formal uniforms. Instead they wore their own clothes with a red neckerchief to identify themselves as Pioneers. The first Pioneers wore red galstuki in the school, on the street and even at home if they wanted to do so. The children were not self-conscious about this and most wore the red neckerchief with considerable pride. In early years of the Siviet Union when the Pioneeers were first created, a Russian reader tells us this could be dangerous as there were many who still opposed the Revolution. Our reader tells us that some children were attacked because the wore the red neckerchiefs. I do not know how common this was. Even after the Pioneers adopted a formal uniform, the red neckerchief remained an important part of the uniform. Children did not commonly wear their neckerchiefs unless they were at school or involved in Pioneer activities. Pioneer neckerchiefs were not always worn in the same manner that they were worn by the 1960s. Pioneers in the early years (1920s-50s) wore the neckerchief with a special pin. The ends of the neckerchief were from the front fastened by pin rather tied by knot. Beginning in the 1960s the neckerchief pin was abolished and the members began tieing their neckerchiefs with knots. The idea was to tie a smooth square knot. There were instructions at Pioneer meetings on the proper way to tie the knot. Here a HBC reader has sent hu=is school portrait taken in 1969. He was in grade/year 4. You will focus attention, that the Pioneer neckerchief is tied incorrectly. The square knot was the correct knot. Below on the shirt on the left side of breast is visible pioneer znachek - image Of V.I.Lenina against the background of the Red Star and bonfire flame.

Garment

The Pioneer boys and girls wore red scarves withb their white shirts. The red scarf of course symblized the Communist Revolution. The scarf was the most important element of the uniform. It wa presumaby inspired by the Boy Scout scarfe.

Chronology

The first Pioneers in the 1920s did not have formal uniforms. Instead they wore their own clothes with a red neckerchief to identify themselves as Pioneers. The first Pioneers wore red galstuki in the school, on the street and even at home if they wanted to do so. The children were not self-conscious about this and most wore the red neckerchief with considerable pride. In early years of the Siviet Union when the Pioneeers were first created, a Russian reader tells us this could be dangerous as there were many who still opposed the Revolution. Our reader tells us that some children were attacked because the wore the red neckerchiefs. I do not know how common this was. Even after the Pioneers adopted a formal uniform, the red neckerchief remained an important part of the uniform. Children did not commonly wear their neckerchiefs unless they were at school or involved in Pioneer activities.

Wearing

Pioneer neckerchiefs were not always worn in the same manner that they were worn by the 1960s. Pioneers in the early years (1920s-50s) wore the neckerchief with a special pin. The ends of the neckerchief were from the front fastened by pin rather tied by knot. Beginning in the 1960s the neckerchief pin was abolished and the members began tieing their neckerchiefs with knots. The idea was to tie a smooth square knot. There were instructions at Pioneer meetings on the proper way to tie the knot.

Personal Experiences

Some HBU readers have provided us some information about Pioneer scarves. Here a HBC reader has sent his school portrait taken in 1969 (figure 1). He was in grade/year 4. You will focus attention, that the Pioneer neckerchief is tied incorrectly. The square knot was the correct knot. Below on the shirt on the left side of breast is visible pioneer znachek - image of V.I.Lenin against the background of the Red Star and bonfire flame. Another reader provides some insight about the Pioneer scarfe and how it was used by the Pioneers. It was popular to trade scarves.