No franks-n-beans, s'mores, or other campfire standards here; this honorable, dutiful, and helpful Cub Scout is earning his 'Bachelor Cooking' award under more domestic conditions. This flashback dates from 1945, and I suspect that, in the wartime context of G.I.s returning home, Norge was looking for a message that not only emphasized civic service but also sought to build a bridge between the generations of new veterans and young boys. It's an enlightened—and enlightening—stance: After years of depicting women venturing
out of the kitchen and into factories to support the war effort, this is a pretty impressive take on traditional gender roles.
