NOTES for INSTRUCTORS.
SUMMARY.
The Empire wants your help.
Bad citizenship, which ruined the Roman Empire, is creeping in among us to-day.
The future of our Empire will much depend on the character of the rising generation. For this too little is at present being done in the way of development.
Peace Scouting is suggested as an attractive means towards developing character and good citizenship.
Can be carried out by young men of all kinds without expense, each training a few boys.
Experiment has already been successful.
Hints to would-be instructors for carrying out the training.
Books to read on the subject.
PLAY THE GAME: DON'T LOOK ON.
Every Briton who is worth his salt would like to help his country:
Firstly, if he thought it was wanted.
Secondly, if he saw a way by which he could do it.
THE BRITISH EMPIRE WANTS YOUR HELP.
Our great Empire is to-day to the rest of the world very much what the Roman Empire was two thousand years ago. But the Roman Empire, great as it was, fell.
"The same causes which brought about the fall of the great Roman Empire are working to-day in Great Britain."
These words were lately spoken by one of our best-known democratic politicians, and they have been confirmed in a recent lecture at Cambridge by Mr. Warde Fowler, as also in various pamphlets and writings. That they are true is practically admitted by those who have studied and compared the general conditions of both countries.
FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS DUE TO BAD CITIZENSHIP.
Instruction of Boy Scouts. "Boyhood of Raleigh," after Sir J. Millais. From such instruction was a great character formed.
The main causes of the downfall of Rome is similar to that which resulted in the downfall of other great empires, such as the Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, Spanish, and Dutch, and that cause may be summed up in each case as the decline of good citizenship and the want of energetic patriotism. Each nation, after climbing laboriously to the zenith of its power, seemed then to become exhausted by its effort, and sit down in a state of repose, relapsing into idleness, studiously blind to the fact that other nations were gradually pushing up to destroy it. It is easy to push historical parallels too far, and whether or not these parallels are real or exaggerated, they give us food for reflection. The main point is for us to take the lesson to heart, and see, before it is too late, that our Empire also be not undermined by these defects.
I am not so pessimistic myself as to think with some people that we are already so far on the downward grade as to be in a hopeless condition. On the contrary, I think that we are only near to the parting of the ways where it becomes incumbent upon everyone of us who has the slightest patriotism in him to earnestly help, in however small a way, to turn the rising generation on the right road for good citizenship.
The aim may seem too big to attain, but most big things are only got by combination of small efforts. A coral island is erected by the work of myriads of sea-insects, the Pyramids of Egypt were the result of co-operation of thousands of workers.
BAD CITIZENSHIP IS BECOMING APPARENT IN THIS COUNTRY TO-DAY.
One form of bad citizenship among many is evident around us on the part of the people themselves, who, not having been taught to think of the future, or of their country, allow themselves to come under the despotic power of a few professional agitators whose living depends on agitating (whether it is needed or not); and, blinded by the talk of these men, they attack the hand that finds the money, till they force employers to spend fortunes, either in devising machinery that will take their place and not go on strike, or in removing their business to other countries, leaving the agitators fat and happy, and a mass of people unemployed and starving, and unable to provide for the crowds of children they continue improvidently to bring into the world.
FOOTBALL.
One of the causes of the downfall of Rome was that the people, being fed by the State to the extent of three-quarters of the population, ceased to have any responsibility for themselves or their children, and consequently became a nation of unemployed wasters. They frequented the circuses, where paid performers appeared before them in the arena, much as we see the crowds now flocking to look on at paid players playing football.
Football in itself is a grand game for developing a lad physically and also morally, for he learns to play with good temper and unselfishness, to play in his place and "play the game," and these are the best of training for any game of life. But it is a vicious game when it draws crowds of lads away from playing the game themselves to be merely onlookers at a few paid performers. I yield to no one in enjoyment of the sight of those splendid specimens of our race, trained to perfection, and playing faultlessly; but my heart sickens at the reverse of the medal—thousands of boys and young men, pale, narrow-chested, hunched-up, miserable specimens, smoking endless cigarettes, numbers of them betting, all of them learning to be hysterical as they groan or cheer in panic unison with their neighbours—the worst sound of all being the hysterical scream of laughter that greets any little trip or fall of a player. One wonders whether this can be the same nation which had gained for itself the reputation of being a stolid, pipe-sucking manhood, unmoved by panic or excitement, and reliable in the tightest of places.
Get the lads away from this—teach them to be manly, to play the game whatever it may be, and not be merely onlookers and loafers.
Indifferent citizenship is, and always has been, the progeny of indifferent government. With it there arises a crop of doctors to suggest remedies: faddists on feeding, faddists on Socialism, faddists like myself on scouting, and so on. Some may be right, some wrong; all mean well. A certain class of Socialist, for instance, has come to the fore lately. As a matter of fact we are all Socialists in that we want to see the abolition of the existing brutal anachronism of war, and of extreme poverty and misery shivering alongside of superabundant wealth, and so on; but we do not quite agree as to how it is to be brought about. Some of us are for pulling down the present social system, but the plans for what is going to be erected in its place are very hazy. We have not all got the patience to see that improvement is in reality gradually being effected before our eyes.
We have a parallel in London just now in the several railway stations, which, having been found to be out of date and inadequate for their increased traffic, are being reconstructed. The Man in the Street has demanded that they should be pulled down at once, and that afterwards something better should be devised and built up. But the management have been wiser; they have recognised the defects of the old, but before pulling down they have seen that it would be fatal to stop traffic during the alterations, and have therefore laid the new foundations outside the old; they have erected the new buildings over the effete ones, and have then pulled these away piecemeal, without interrupting the public convenience, trade, or routine for a moment.
It is easy to pull down; the difficulty is to do so without damage to the country. We ought to begin by building up on a sounder foundation before destroying the old.
OUR FUTURE CITIZENS.
That foundation seems to me to be in the rising generation. If the whole of our youth were taken in hand and taught good citizenship, we should have a solid foundation on which our nation could stand for a long time to come. But it does not exist at present.
We have at the present time in Great Britain two million boys, of whom one-quarter to one-half a million are under good influences outside their school walls.
(See Sir John Gorst's "Children of the Nation" and Dr. Macnamara's Report.)
2,000,000 boys.
270,000 under good influence.
—————
Remainder = 1,730,000 independent of such.
The remainder are drifting towards "hooliganism" or bad citizenship for want of hands to guide them the right way towards being useful.
It is this remainder, nearly two million boys, that we want to tackle and reduce.
They are boys, full of spirit and enthusiasm, approaching the cross-road, where they take the turn, either to good or evil. In spite of the improved school teaching and of the good work of Boys' and Church Lads' Brigades, Y.M.C.A., and kindred associations, a large proportion of them are drifting, owing to their environments, to evil, that is, to becoming "hooligans" and ultimately "wasters" for the natural term of their lives; no good to themselves, worse than no good to their country, just from want of a guiding hand or two at the turning point of their career.
Cannot we find these guiding hands amongst us?
PEACE-SCOUTING.
Here is one suggestion, at any rate, for a remedy by which every young man can help his country. I believe that under the attractive term and practice of "Scouting," a large number of boys might be taken in hand in a practical way, by every young man, without expense in time or money.
By "scouting" I do not mean the military work as carried on on active service. The scouting we are considering has nothing to do with this. There is another form, which one might term "peace-scouting," such as is usual with frontiersmen of our Empire in every corner of the world. The pioneers of civilisation in Central Africa; the ranchmen, cowboys, and trappers of the West; the drovers and bushmen of Australia; the explorers of the Arctic and Asiatic regions; the hunters and prospectors of South Africa; missionaries in all parts of the uncivilised world; and the constabularies of North-West Canada, South Africa, etc., are all "peace-scouts," men accustomed to live on their own resources, taking their lives in their hands, brave and loyal to their employers, chivalrous and helpful to each other, unselfish and reliable; MEN, in fact, of the best type. These are the peace-scouts of the Empire, and there is no reason why we should not train a large number of boys to follow in their footsteps as regards character and manliness.
A small book which I published a short time ago on the subject of scouting for soldiers has been so freely taken up by schools and boys' clubs in England that I am encouraged to think a system organised for the special purpose of teaching boys would be acceptable, and I am still further encouraged in the idea by the fact that a somewhat similar organisation founded by Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton in America has had a full and widespread success.
MILITARISM.
Two or three prominent authorities have written deprecating my attempt to "foster among the boys of Britain a bloodthirsty and warlike spirit."
I can only fear that either these gentlemen have not read the handbooks very carefully, or that I have expressed myself very badly. The whole intention of the Boy Scouts' training is for peaceful citizenship.
Even if I had advocated training the lads in a military way (which I have not done), I am impenitent enough to see no harm in it. I have not noticed that ex-soldiers are more inclined than other people to commit murders; all that I see in them, as a rule, is that they have been taught self-discipline, to sacrifice themselves, if need be, for others, to obey orders, to be sober, clean, and active, to make the best of things as they find them, to be loyal to themselves and their officers. All of which appear to me to be valuable assets in character for a citizen, whatever may be his grade or trade.
The fact that industrial employers now prefer ex-soldiers in very many of their departments speaks to the peace value of a military training. But when an eminent public man wrote to me that I ought not to teach boys soldiering because, as he puts it, "he hates war like the devil," I felt bound to reply that had he actually seen anything of war himself, he would, like most soldiers, hate it worse than the devil. It is for that very reason that officers almost without exception urge upon their fellow countrymen to be prepared to defend their country. It is not that they wish to make the men bloodthirsty, but it is that they may avert from our own land that worst of all modern anachronisms—the horrors of war, brought on to our own homes, our women and children.
Those who preach shutting our eyes to what is quite patent to all who dare to look out will themselves be guilty of tempting the enemy on, of bringing war upon our country, and of the blood and ruin which will assuredly follow—if there is any truth in history.
With our rising generation brought up as good citizens, sensible of their responsibilities and duties in return for the benefits which they enjoy in a free country, there would be no danger for the State; but without manliness and good citizenship we are bound to fall.
Manliness can only be taught by men, and not by those who are half men, half old women.
HOW TO TEACH SCOUTING.
The first point is to get men to take up the instruction of the boys in the art of peace-scouting. The men I have in my mind as the best qualified and able to do this are schoolmasters, clergymen, members of the Y.M.C.A., Legion of Frontiersmen, officers of Cadet Corps, Boys' and Church Lads' Brigades, Rifle Clubs, country squires, ex-army officers, telegraph-masters, etc. These could carry out the training of a few boys apiece, with very little expense of time or money, by devoting, say, Saturday afternoons and Sundays to the work, which, I can promise them, they will find a pleasure rather than a labour in practice.
My suggestion to them would be for each to select a party of six or eight youths or smart boys, and carefully instruct them in the details of peace-scouting. These boys could then act as assistant instructors or "patrol leaders" in training each five or six more in the same art in the progressive course of instruction in this handbook.
The instruction is designed for boys of every class.
To help the lowest from drifting into hooliganism and to give them health, character, and aims.
To teach the middle class how to work well, and to be patriotic first and political second.
To teach the wealthier to be chivalrous and sympathetic with their less-favoured brothers, and ultimately to help in spreading the training.
One wants to bring all classes more in touch with each other, to break down the existing barriers, which are only artificial after all, and to teach them to give and take in the common cause instead of being at snarls of class against class, which is snobbery all round and a danger to the State.
The training is applicable to town or country, indoors as well as out.
Not in Opposition to Existing Organisations for Boys.
The scheme is not in any way intended to be in opposition to any existing organisation. On the contrary, we want amalgamation rather than rivalry, and scouting is only intended to be used as an additional attraction by those in charge of boys' organisations of any kind. If scouting is taken up by several it may prove a bond between all. Where such organisations do not already exist it can supply a particularly simple and effective one for catching a number of boys who would otherwise have no hand to guide them.
Experimental Camp.
I have already made a preliminary trial of the scheme with a camp of boys of all sorts, from Eton as well as from the streets, and the results were such as to encourage very great hopes as to the possibilities of the scheme when carried out on a larger scale. A large island was lent for the purpose by the late Mr. Charles Van Raalte, Brownsea Island, near Poole.
Patrol System.
The troop of boys was divided up into "Patrols" of five, the senior boy in each being Patrol Leader. This organisation was the secret of our success. Each patrol leader was given full responsibility for the behaviour of his patrol at all times, in camp and in the field. The patrol was the unit for work or play, and each patrol was camped in a separate spot. The boys were put "on their honour" to carry out orders. Responsibility and competitive rivalry were thus at once established, and a good standard of development was ensured throughout the troop from day to day. The troop was trained progressively in the subjects of scouting given on page 8. Every night one patrol went on duty as night picket—that is, drew rations of flour, meat, vegetables, tea, etc., and went out to some indicated spot to bivouac for the night. Each boy had his greatcoat and blankets, cooking pot and matches. On arrival at the spot, fires were lit and suppers cooked, after which sentries were posted and bivouac formed. The picket was scouted by patrol leaders of other patrols and myself, at some time before eleven p.m., after which the sentries were withdrawn and picket settled down for the night.
Method of Instruction.
We found the best way of imparting theoretical instruction was to give it out in short instalments with ample illustrative examples when sitting round the camp fire or otherwise resting, and with demonstrations in the practice hour before breakfast. A formal lecture is apt to bore the boys.
The practice was then carried out in competitions and schemes.
For example, take one detail of the subject, "Observation"—namely, tracking.
1. At the camp fire overnight we would tell the boys some interesting instance of the value of being able to track.
2. Next morning we would teach them to read tracks by making foot-marks at different places, and showing how to read them and to deduce their meaning.
3. In the afternoon we would have a game, such as "deer-stalking," in which one boy went off as the "deer," with half-a-dozen tennis balls in his bag. Twenty minutes later four "hunters" went off after him, following his tracks, each armed with a tennis ball. The deer, after going a mile or two, would hide and endeavour to ambush his hunters, and so get them within range; each hunter struck with his tennis ball was counted gored to death; if, on the other hand, the deer was hit by three of their balls he was killed.
This was our principle for teaching most of the items.
Discipline was very satisfactory indeed. A "court of honour" was instituted to try any offenders against discipline, but it was never needed. In the first place, the boys were put "on their honour" to do their best; in the second place, the senior boys were made responsible for the behaviour of the boys forming their patrol. And this worked perfectly well.
Results of the Camp Experiment.
Since this experimental camp I am more than ever convinced of the possibilities which underlie the scouts' training as an educator for boys of all classes. Prepared as I was for enthusiastic endeavour on the part of the lads, I was surprised at the effect on their character, which became visible even in the few days we were at work. I have not trusted merely to my own observation, but have had reports from all the parents, bearing out this conclusion, and giving incidentally some very useful hints from the parents' point of view. That the boys enjoyed the training is evident from the letters which I have had from them, and some of them, at any rate, have remembered what they learnt. One of the boys—a working boy—writes: "The most important thing that a great many boys need to learn is to look at the bright side of things, and to take everything by the smooth handle. I myself found that a great lesson, and I shall never find words enough to thank you for teaching me it. I have already found it a great help even in everyday life."
AUTHORITIES WHO MIGHT FIND THE SCHEME USEFUL.
Lord Mayors and Mayors.—This scheme might suggest some useful forms of instruction for the newly-authorised vacation schools.
Schoolmasters and Teachers.—This scheme may, I hope, supply an additional means by which to get hold of the more unruly boys and to continue out of hours the practice of the theory which they have learnt in school. Unruly boys are often the best, once you have got the right side of them. A Commission on our schools has recently shown that there is an excess of book instruction in many of them; possibly if one day a week were devoted to scouting it would greatly benefit both the teachers and the scholars mentally and physically.
Clergymen.—Clergymen would, I think, find in scouting a good means of keeping the wilder spirits among their boys in some kind of order, and also of arousing the loafers among them into some sort of energy and interest in life.
Parents.—Parents might be apprehensive that this course would lead their sons to imbibe too much the spirit of adventure and romance, and those whose sons are wage-earners would fear for their getting unsettled and wasting their working hours on a useless fad. But to such I would point out that the course is purposely designed to teach the boys useful knowledge in a form that will attract them, and it can be carried out entirely on Saturday afternoons and Sundays as a counter-attraction to that Sunday loafing which is the ruin of so large a proportion of our young men.
Ladies.—To ladies interested in the care and education of girls, I think this scheme might supply a suggestion for an attractive organisation and valuable training. The experiment of a somewhat similar camp for factory girls has been such an unqualified success as to lead one to hope that scouting camps might with advantage be employed for the rising generation of girls as well as boys.
Boys' Clubs and Brigades.—Officers of Boys' Clubs, Boys' Brigades, Church Lads' Brigades, University and Public Schools Missions, Cricket Clubs, and Cadet Corps, but most especially officers of Rifle Clubs, will, I hope, find in this scheme an additional means of attracting recruits and of maintaining their interest in their corps after the first glamour of it has worn off.
Legion of Frontiersmen.—The Legion includes many an old scout in its ranks who could at once take up the instruction of a few boys and youths and do really valuable work for the Empire, while reviving for himself many a delightful experience of camp and prairie life.
Ex-Army Officers.—Then there are a number of ex-Army officers, keen and capable, but without occupation, who would here have a great opportunity for the exercise of their special gifts and of their prestige among boys for doing a great national good with very little trouble and expense to themselves.
Country Squires.—Members of county families might do much among their tenants and villagers by making good Englishmen of their lads, somewhat on the old feudal lines, by means of scouting.
Y.M.C.A.—Everyone recognises the keenness and go-a-head manliness of the members of the Y.M.C.A. and Polytechnics in all parts of the kingdom, and I am convinced that if these men could see their way to do a good turn to the rising generation of their countrymen they would take it up with ardour, especially since this kind of work is becoming a part of their policy. It is these gentlemen that I have specially in my eye in suggesting this scheme, as being the men who can, if they wish, get hold of practically the whole of the British boyhood by means of scouting. If every member of the Y.M.C.A. took a friend as his second-in-command and six boys as pupils, each of them being required to bring in another recruit, and then acting as leaders and instructors to further patrols of six, there would at once be the commencement of a great "snowball" movement for good.
HINTS TO INSTRUCTORS.
I do not in these "Hints" propose to teach my grandmother to suck eggs, and, therefore, I only address them to those who have had no previous practice in teaching boys. They are merely a few notes from my own experience in that line, and tend to explain some of the arrangement of details in the Handbook.
When you are trying to get boys to come under good influence you are as a fisherman wishful to catch fish.
If you bait your hook with the kind of food that you like yourself it is probable that you will not catch many—certainly, not the shy, game kind of fish. You, therefore, use as bait the food that the fish likes.
So with boys, if you try to preach to them what you consider, elevating matter you won't catch them. Any obvious "goody-goody" will scare away the more spirited among them, and those are the ones you want to get hold of. The only way is to hold out something that really attracts and interests them. And I think you will find that scouting does this.
You can afterwards season it with what you want them to have.
To get hold of your boys you must be their friend; but don't be in too great a hurry at first to gain this footing until they have got over their shyness of you. Mr. F. D. How, in his "Book of the Child," sums up the right course in the following story:
"A man whose daily walk led him down a certain dingy street saw a tiny boy with grimy face and badly-developed limbs playing with a banana-skin in the gutter. The man nodded to him—the boy shrank away in terror. Next day the man nodded again. The boy had decided there was nothing to be afraid of, and spat at the man. Next day the little fellow only stared. The day after he shouted 'Hi!' as the man went on. In time the little fellow smiled back at the greeting which he now began to expect. Finally the triumph was complete when the boy—a tiny chap—was waiting at the corner and seized the man's fingers in his dirty little fist. It was a dismal street, but it became one of the very brightest spots in all that man's life."
"BE PREPARED."
In this book I suggest as subjects to teach your boys such things as Observation of Details and consequent ability to read character and thereby to gain sympathy, the value of patience and cheery good temper, the duty of giving up some of one's time and pleasure for helping one's country and fellow men, and the inner meaning of our motto "Be Prepared."
But as you come to teach these things you will very soon find (unless you are a ready-made angel) that you have to acquire them yourself before you can succeed with the boys, and when once this is accomplished the occupation is intensely interesting and improving.
You must "Be Prepared" yourself for disappointments at first, though you will as often as not find them outweighed by unexpected successes.
You must from the first "Be Prepared" for the prevailing want of concentration of mind on the part of boys, and if you then frame your teaching accordingly I think you will have very few disappointments. Do not expect them to pay great attention to any one subject for very long until you have educated them to do so. You must meet them half-way and not give them too long a dose of one drink—a short, pleasing sip of one kind and then off to another, gradually lengthening the sips till they become steady draughts.
Thus a formal lecture on the subject which you want to practise very soon palls on them, their thoughts begin to wander and they get bored because they have not learnt the art of switching their mind where they want it to be and holding it there.
This making the mind amenable to the will is one of the important inner points in our training.
For this reason it is well to think out beforehand each day what you want to say on your subject and then bring it out a bit at a time as opportunity offers—at the camp-fire or in intervals of play and practice, not in one long set address.
The lectures in this book are broken up into sections for this purpose.
Frequent practical demonstrations and practices should be sandwiched in between the sections of the lectures to hold the attention of the boys and to drive home your theory.
CLUBROOM.
Half the battle is to get a room lent for certain nights in the week, or hired as a club for the scouts, even if they only consist of a patrol in a village.
It must be well lit and well ventilated to prevent depression and boredom. Pictures of incidents (not landscapes or old portraits) help to make attraction.
A bright fire in winter.
Interesting illustrated books and magazines.
This can generally be got, furniture, games, etc., being given in the first instance by well-wishers.
A coffee-bar, commencing on the smallest lines, will generally succeed, and if carefully managed may develop a regular income for the upkeep of the clubroom.
The scouts themselves must do the cleaning and decorating, and making furniture.
Discipline and good order should be kept inside the room, and neatness insisted on, Patrol leaders being made responsible, Patrols taking it in turn to be responsible for cleanliness and good order of the room for a week at a time.
If a bit of ground, even waste ground or a backyard, is available as club ground so much the better. You want some place where the scouts can make huts, light fires, play basket-ball, make tracks, etc.
Make the boys themselves manage the club affairs, as far as possible, by committees, and putting boys in responsible charge of room, equipment, papers, etc. Sit back yourself and let them make their mistakes at first till they learn sense and responsibility. Committee and annual meetings are very useful for giving self-respect and responsibility to a number of boys.
In America small, self-managed boys' clubs are becoming exceedingly numerous and popular in all towns and villages. And the education authorities help them by allowing them the use of classrooms in the school buildings in the evenings. This might easily be done in England too.
At the same time, when you can get your own clubroom, no matter how small, it gives the boys more a sense of proprietorship and responsibility, especially if they have taken a hand themselves in making the furniture, putting up pictures, etc.
The clubroom must not be made cosy like a lady's boudoir, as the boys must be able to romp in it occasionally, or play handball or "Bang the Bear," etc. So you want furniture that will pack away into a corner, such as folding wooden chairs, small tables, and a cupboard in which to put away books, games, etc., when the romp comes on.
The ideal club is one of two rooms—one for quiet games, reading and talking; the other for romping, gymnastics, etc.
The boys must of course pay subscription towards rent, lighting, furnishing, etc., and the major expenses must be provided for by means of some joint work by them, such as garden produce, toys, displays or bazaars (as described in Appendix).
One penny weekly, paid strictly in advance, is sufficient as a membership subscription.
A Penny Savings Bank should be started to enable boys to put by money to pay for outings and eventually to start them in the practice of thrift.
A piano is of great help in a club, if you have some one who can play it, to help out songs, musical drill, war-dances, etc.
THE HANDBOOK.
The Handbook is merely intended to offer suggestions, not to tie instructors to one set course.
In such brief space it can only touch sketchily upon subjects whose detail as instructor you must fill in for yourself, according to your own imagination and resourcefulness, to suit your particular local circumstances.
I give with each lecture the titles of books bearing on the subject, to which you can probably get access in your public library, but you will also find every day as you read your newspaper fresh things worth cutting out to use in your lectures. Indeed, if you are ever hard up for a subject, take the leading news items of the past week, and explain them in an interesting way with maps, etc.
I have found the value of this also in dealing with grown-ups in men's clubs, hospitals, etc.
The "History of England" by H. O. Arnold-Forster will at all times give you useful subjects in most interesting form. For your own information read "Duty," by Samuel Smiles.
I have endeavoured to make the Handbook readable by the boy himself, since a boy should be encouraged to read for himself. The worst of it is that the literature to which as a rule he has access is the cheap and nasty press with little else than crimes and tragedies and big football matches to catch his attention.
He thus becomes educated downwards instead of being elevated by good examples to higher deeds.
The reading of such books as "Golden Deeds," "Deeds that Won the Empire," and so on, are the best of antidotes, especially if impressed by means of modern examples, illustrations and lantern slides, and acting the incidents.
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.
I suggest the following scheme of work, to be altered according to local circumstances.
Give a week to each chapter of the book.
On Saturday evening give a lecture with practical demonstrations and, where possible, with lantern slides, on the subject of the following week's instruction.
Among the worst classes in our slums Sunday is, unfortunately, perhaps the most unholy day of the week, but by using it for instruction of the proposed kind I believe that a good proportion of these lads might be won and led to better things than the loafing and vice which are at present incidental to the day.
So, for such lads, I advocate using Sunday morning for teaching the minor practices, and the afternoon for the consequent scouting exercises.
It is true that this suggestion has been criticised in some quarters, but it has, in the end, been generally accepted on the plea that it makes for saving souls, for which work there need be no Sunday closing.
The details thus taught could then be carried out and perfected by the boys individually in their own time during the week, or by occasional parades when possible under their patrol leaders, till the following Saturday afternoon, when you could have a final competition or games on that subject before starting on the next chapter that evening.
This is only a suggestion on the supposition that you and your boys are at other work all the week. If you would thus devote eight Saturday afternoons and Sundays to this work you will have completed a course of instruction which will guide a number of boys for life, and will take them from that present school of loafing which is to be found, to our great disgrace, at the corner of every village street in England on Sunday afternoon.
If funds are then forthcoming amongst the boys a camp of a week or ten days, or for two or three week-ends in the summer, would complete their instruction and put it to a practical test, while serving as a great reward for good preliminary work. And it need not be very expensive if the boys work for it and save up, as suggested in Chapter IV.
As I have before remarked, the training laid down in this book is merely suggestive.
The instructor should use his own knowledge and imagination and enlarge upon it.
There is much useful technical knowledge which he might incidentally impart to his boys, either himself or by getting friends to come and demonstrate (I don't say "lecture") on such points as the principles of steam or petrol-engines, or electricity; the work of sailors, soldiers, firemen, police, and so on; pioneer work such as bridging with models, road making, building, etc., also carpentering, modelling, casting, plumbing, gardening, etc.
Excursions from town into country, and seeing farm life, mining, fisheries, etc.; or from country to town and visiting the Zoological Gardens, interesting portions of museums, picture-galleries, armouries, etc., would be valuable and popular.
With a carefully-laid programme of such items the scouts' training can be carried out indefinitely in an interesting way, and on lines that will be of use to them in their future career.
I even advocate taking the boys to a theatre to see something really good, as a very great inducement to them to save the money necessary to pay for their seats. It can be made the first step towards thrift.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION.
The way to teach a language is not to bore your pupil at first with the dry bones of elementary grammar, but to plunge into fairly deep water with phrases and conversation; the grammar will then quickly follow of itself.
So also with most other subjects of instruction, including scouting. For instance, take tracking. After preparing the boys' minds with a few good tracking yarns and showing a few actual tracks and their meaning, don't wait till they get bored in trying to learn the elementary details, but take them for a real piece of practical tracking. After they have found out for themselves how weak they are at it, give them further "sips" of the elementary part.
IMAGINATION.
Boys are full of romance, and they love "make-believe" to a greater extent than they like to show.
All you have to do is to play up to this and to give rein to your imagination to meet their requirements. But you have to treat with all seriousness the many tickling incidents that will arise: the moment you laugh at a situation the boys are quick to feel that it is all a farce, and to lose faith in it forthwith and for ever.
For instance, in instructing a patrol to make the call of its tutelary animal (page 355), the situation borders on the ridiculous, but if the instructor remains perfectly serious the boys work at it with the idea that it is "business"—and once accomplished the call becomes a fetish for esprit de corps among the members of the patrol.
Bacon said that play-acting was one of the best means of educating children, and one can quite believe him.
It develops the natural power in them of imitation, and of wit and imagination, all of which help in the development of character; and at the same time lessons of history and morality can be impressed on their minds far better by their assuming the characters and acting the incidents themselves than by any amount of preaching of the same on the part of the teacher.
The recent craze for historical pageants is, in reality, one of the best ideas, educationally, that has come over us of late years. In places where pageants have been held, both old and young have learnt—and learnt for the rest of their lives—something of the history of their forefathers, their town, and their country.
Instructors will similarly find it a genuinely useful practice to make their scouts act scenes from history or of incidents with which they desire to impress them. Such, for instance, as "Wilson's last Stand," "The Wreck of the Birkenhead," "The Sentry at Pompeii," and so on.
For this reason a few suggestions for pageants are given in the Appendix.
It is also easy to get up real plays, such as To Parents and Guardians (See Messrs. Samuel French's List), for which the organisation, rehearsals, and performance are all good, useful practice, especially in the long winter evenings. Begin with a small play first, such as Box and Cox or Area Belle.
When these performances attain some degree of merit they might be used as a means of gaining funds.
RESPONSIBILITY TO JUNIORS.
The great thing in this scheme is to delegate responsibility—mainly through the patrol leaders.
Have, if possible, a good Second in Command to yourself to ensure continuity of instruction should you be unable on occasions to be present yourself, and to relieve you of many minor details of administration.
Give full responsibility and show full confidence in your patrol leaders. Expect a great deal from them, and you will get it.
This is the key to success in scout-training.
Foster the patrol spirit and friendly rivalry between patrols and you will get immediate good results in an improved standard of the whole. Don't try to do everything yourself or the boys will merely look on, and the scheme will flag.
DISCIPLINE.
Insist on discipline and strict obedience; let them run riot only when you give leave for it, which is a good thing to do every now and then.
A nation to be powerful and prosperous must be well disciplined, and you only get discipline in the mass by discipline in the individual. By discipline I mean patient obedience to authority and to other dictates of duty.
This cannot be got by repressive measures, but by educating the boy first in self-discipline and in sacrificing of self and selfish pleasures for the benefit of others. This teaching is largely effected by means of example, and by expecting it of him. There lies our work.
Smiles gives in his book on "Duty" Baron Stoeffel's report comparing the discipline of the Germans and the French before the war, 1870-71, in which he foretold the victory of the Germans, on account of their superior discipline; and, in commenting on this, Mr. Smiles writes:
"Can it be that we are undergoing the same process in England as in France; that the ever-extending tide of democracy is bearing down the best points of a very vain-glorious people?
"We are a very vain-glorious people.
"We boast of our wealth, our naval and military strength, and our commercial superiority. Yet all these may depart from us in a very few years, and we may remain, like Holland, a rich and yet powerless people. The nation depends on the individuals who compose it; and no nation can ever remain distinguished for morality, duty, adherence to the rules of honour and justice whose citizens, individually and collectively, do not possess the same traits."
Sir Henry Knyvett, in 1596, warned Queen Elizabeth that the State which neglects to train and discipline its youth produces not merely rotten soldiers or sailors, but the far greater evil of equally rotten citizens for civil life; or, as he words it, "For want of true discipline the honour and wealth both of Prince and countrie is desperatlie and frivolouslie ruinated."
Discipline is not gained by punishing a child for a bad habit, but by substituting a better occupation that will absorb his attention and gradually lead him to forget and abandon the old one.
RELIGION.
An organisation of this kind would fail in its object if it did not bring its members to a knowledge of religion—but the usual fault in such cases is the manner in which this is done. If it were treated more as a matter of everyday life and quite unsectarian, it would not lose its dignity and it would gain a hold. It is often the best not to have religious instruction as a special feature, but to introduce it by "sips" here and there among other instruction, as I suggest in the chapter on "Chivalry" and elsewhere in this book.
CONTINENCE.
In the Handbook I have touched on many important items of a boy's education, but there is scarcely one more important than this, which, under advice, I have relegated from the body of the book to these "Notes for Instructors."
The training of the boy would be very incomplete did it not contain some clear and plain-spoken instructions on the subject of continence.
The prudish mystery with which we have come to veil this important question is doing incalculable harm.
The very secrecy with which we withhold all knowledge from the boy prompts him the more readily to take his own line, also secretly, and, therefore, injuriously.
I have never known a boy who was not the better for having the question put to him frankly and openly. It can quite well be done without indelicacy.
You can warn him that "indulgence" or "self-abuse" is a temptation more likely to assail him than any other vices, such as drinking, gambling, or smoking, and is more harmful than any of them, since it brings with it weakness of heart and head, and, if persisted in, idiocy and lunacy.
Show him that it is not even a manly vice, but is everywhere looked down upon with contempt; and that it can be overcome by determination and strength of will.
The temptation may arise from physical causes, such as eating rich foods, sleeping on the back in a soft bed with too many blankets on, or from constipation, or it may come from suggestion through pictures, stories, or dirty talk of others.
In any case, knowing their danger, these causes must be avoided, and the temptation met with a mental determination to fight it by substituting other thoughts, by washing in cold water, and by exercising the upper part of the body, with boxing or arm exercises, to draw away the blood, and so on.
The first occasion will be the difficult one, but once this is successfully overcome subsequent attacks will be more easy to deal with.
If the boy still finds difficulty about it he should come and speak quite openly to his officer, who can then advise him what to do.
But for an instructor to let his boys walk on this exceedingly thin ice without giving them a warning word, owing to some prudish sentimentality, would be little short of a crime.
HINTS TO INSTRUCTORS.
Priggishness or conceit is sure to come to some of your boys as they find themselves good at various games or branches of their work. These must be taken down by the skill and patience of the instructors. Don't get upset by having one or two of these to deal with, but, on the contrary, take it as a sporting adventure, and treat them as interesting subjects. It is far more satisfactory to turn one unruly character the right way than to deal with a dozen milk-and-water cases.
There are also boys who, though with other boys, are not of them. These need special individual study and special treatment, which will avail in almost every case.
Boys of rich parents need the training of a scout quite as much as any poor boy, and should, therefore, be taken in hand by those who are willing to deal with them.
In "The Boy Problem" it is shown how in the days of chivalry boys were pages to the esquires in order that they might learn knightly habits, and then they went to one of the young knight's castles to learn knightly ideas. In the same way boys of to-day need contact with chivalrous young men to make them into noble and courtly men.
FORMING CHARACTER.
Keep before your mind in all your teaching that the whole ulterior object of this scheme is to form character in the boys—to make them manly, good citizens.
For the individual it is useful, when describing a situation, to stop narration at the critical point and ask a boy what would be his action under the circumstances, in order to develop quick decision, and so on.
In the games it is of the greatest importance to so arrange that a boy imagines himself running a great danger in carrying out the mission given him. In this way he becomes accustomed to taking risks.
For the mass it is a useful practice frequently to give false alarms to see what they do and to accustom them to face sudden crises. Such alarms, for instance, as having smoke blown into the room and a sudden alarm of fire given, or getting a boy to rush in and report that Johnny Tomkins has fallen from a tree and hurt himself.
Instruction of the individual is the only really successful form of instruction.
In teaching your boy to be alert and energetic, teach him also how to be restful and not to worry.
The physical attitude of the natural man, as one sees it in the savage, is the one to cultivate in the boy in mind as well as body.
The normal attitude of the natural man is a graceful slackness of body, but with eyes and ears alert, able on the instant to spring like a cat from apparent inertness to steel-spring readiness.
Study the individual fads and characteristics of your boys, and, having found them, encourage their development on these directions; then when advising the boys as to their future line of life you will be in a position to direct the square boy to a square hole in the world, and the round boy to a round one. Don't, as many people do, make him aim for some sphere for which he is not really fitted. Aim for making each individual into a useful member of society, and the whole will automatically come on to a high standard.
One great cause of unemployment—in all walks of life in England—is the inability of our men to take up any line other than the one they have first attempted and failed in. We call a sailor the "handy man" with admiration, because he seems to be the only kind of man among us who can turn his hand to any kind of job. Well, so can anyone if he only has the idea put into his head and tries it for himself. Our aim should be, therefore, to make the boys "handy men."
But most of all we want to raise the lowest to a higher place. "Go for the worst" is the motto of the Salvation Army in its great work. "Our mission is to the bottom dog" says Colonel Ruston, Mayor of Lincoln.
Mr. A. J. Dawson, in his very able articles in the Evening Standard, has put the question of the loafer in clear and easy terms.
He points out that the very efficient work of our police in big cities has stopped thieves, but produced a class of criminally-inclined loafers.
"On the Canadian prairie," he says, "if a perfectly able-bodied man without means were deliberately to abstain from work for any considerable time he would die and would cease to cumber the earth." But in London it is different; a man can loaf for months, or years, leaning against a public-house—and they do it by the hundreds. He assigns two reasons for this:
1. Want of discipline in the lives of those who are not absolute criminals.
2. Indiscriminate charity.
We want to save lads from drifting into this class of loafer who swells the ranks of the unemployed. The complaint has recently come from Canada that "No Englishmen need apply for employment" there. The subsequent Canadian explanation was to the effect that the average type of Englishman who came there was unsuitable, because:
1. He had no idea of discipline.
2. He was generally surly and ready to grumble at difficulties.
3. He could not be relied upon to stick to a job the moment he found it at all distasteful.
These faults are, undoubtedly, very widespread among us, in all classes of society, owing to want of an education like that of the scouts. They are the result of putting self in the first place and ignoring duty or the interests of others; in other words, they mean bad citizenship.
CONCLUSION.
I fear I have stated my hints in very long and formidable array, such as seem to make the instructor's part a very complicated and responsible one, but it is not so when you come to put them into practice. My hints are like the rows of oil-valves on a motor-car, they look complicated, but in reality they are intended to drop their oil automatically and make the wheels run easily.
I merely offer this scheme as one among many for helping in the vital work of developing good citizenship in our rising generation.
Every man of the present generation ought as a matter of duty to take a hand in such work.
This scheme purposes to be one by which any man can do this, since it requires but little time, expense, or knowledge; and it is one which attracts the boys and is at the same time interesting and beneficial to the instructor himself.
If you who read this are a man who has charge of boys in any way, or if you are one who has so far had nothing to do with them but who has a desire to see your country keep her place among the nations for the good of the world, and would take a hand by training half-a-dozen boys and putting them on the right road for good citizenship, you would be doing a great thing for your country, for your younger brothers, and for yourself.
BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT.
"Boys of the Street and How to Win Them." By Charles Stelzle. (H. Revell, publisher.)
"The Boy Problem." A study of boys and how to train them. By W. B. Forbush. (Progress Press, Boston, U.S.A.)
"The Teacher's Problem." (Perry, Mason, & Co., Boston, Mass.)
"Duty." By Samuel Smiles.
"The Children of the Nation." By Sir John Gorst.
"The Citizen of To-morrow." By Samuel Keeble. (Kelly.)
"The Canker at the Heart." By L. Cope Cornford.
"The Child Slaves of Britain." By M. Sherard.
"The Abandoned Child." By Bramwell Booth.
Pamphlets (at 3d.) on training of children. Secretary, Moral Education Committee, 29, Bloomsbury Square, W.C.
Y.M.C.A., Junior Branch, 13 Russell Square, W.C.
National League of Workers with Boys, Toynbee Hall, London, E.C.
National Institution of Apprenticeship. Secretary, J. Ballin.
SCOUTING GAMES, PRACTICES, AND DISPLAYS.
NOTES TO INSTRUCTORS.
Instruction in scouting should be given as far as possible through practices, games, and competitions.
Games should be organised mainly as team matches, where the patrol forms the team, and every boy is playing, none merely looking on.
Strict obedience to the rules to be at all times insisted on as instruction in discipline.
The rules given in the book should be altered by instructors where necessary to suit local conditions.
The ideas given here are merely offered as suggestions, upon which it is hoped that instructors will develop further games, competitions, and displays.
Several of the games given here are founded on those in Mr. Thompson Seton's "Birchbark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians," called "Spearing the Sturgeon" (Whale Hunt), "Quick Sight" (Spotty Face), "Spot the Rabbit," "Bang the Bear," "Hostile Spy" (Stop Thief), etc.
A number of non-scouting games are quoted from the book "Social—to Save."
SCOUTCRAFT.
Practices and Games.—Kim's Game, p. [54]; Morgan's Game, p. [55]; Scout's War Dance, p. [57]; Scouts' Rally, p. [44]. Teach the scouts to look out trains in Bradshaw's Railway Guide.
"Boom-a-tata."—Kindly supplied by Dr. H. Kingston as a good marching rally.
Boom a-ra-ta.
TRACKING.
Practices.—Street Observation, p. [83]; Telling Character, p. [84]; Scout's Nose, p. [86]; Footmarks, pp. [89], [98], [99]; Deduction, pp. [107], [108].
Display.—The Diamond Thief, p. [140].
Games.—Observation, pp. [84], [85], [86]; Far and Near, p. [86]; Spot the Thief, p. [99]; Smugglers Over the Border, p. [100].
Alarm. "Stop Thief."—This is similar to the game of "Hostile Spy," in the "Birchbark Roll of Woodcraft Indians," by Mr. Thompson Seton. A red rag is hung up in the camp or room in the morning: the umpire goes round to each scout in turn, while they are at work or play and whispers to him, "There is a thief in the camp"; but to one he whispers, "There is a thief in the camp, and you are he—Marble Arch," or some other well-known spot about a mile away. That scout then knows that he must steal the rag at any time within the next three hours, and bolt with it to the Marble Arch. Nobody else knows who is to be the thief, where he will run to, and when he will steal it. Directly anyone notices that the red rag is stolen, he gives the alarm, and all stop what they may be doing at the time, and dart off in pursuit of the thief. The scout who gets the rag or a bit of it wins. If none succeed in doing this, the thief wins. He must carry the rag tied round his neck, and not in his pocket or hidden away.
WOODCRAFT.
Games and Practices.—Scout Hunting, Dispatch Running, Deer Stalking, Stalking and Reporting, see pp. [114], [115]; Observation of Animals, p. [134]; Lion Hunting, p. [134]; Plant Race, p. [139]; Scout meets Scout, p. [53].
"Track the Assassin."—The assassin escapes after having stabbed his victim, carrying in his hand the dripping dagger. The remainder, a minute later, start out to track him by the drops of blood (represented by Indian corn or peas) which fall at every third pace. His confederate (the umpire) tells him beforehand where to make for, and if he gets there without being touched by his pursuers, over eight minutes ahead of them, he wins. If they never reach his confederate, neither side wins.
Relay Race.—One patrol pitted against another to see who can get a message sent a long distance in shortest time by means of relays of runners (or cyclists). The patrol is ordered out to send in three successive notes, or tokens (such as sprigs of certain plants), from a point, say, two miles distant or more. The leader in taking his patrol out to the spot drops scouts at convenient distances, who will then act as runners from one post to the next and back. If relays are posted in pairs messages can be passed both ways.
"Spider and Fly."—A bit of country or section of the town about a mile square is selected as the web, and its boundaries described, and an hour fixed at which operations are to cease.
One patrol (or half-patrol) is the "spider," which goes out and selects a place to hide itself.
The other patrol (or half-patrol) goes a quarter of an hour later as the "fly" to look for the "spider." They can spread themselves about as they like, but must tell their leader anything that they discover.
An umpire goes with each party.
If within the given time (say about two hours) the fly has not discovered the spider, the spider wins. The spiders writes down the names of any of the fly patrol that they may see; similarly the flies write down the names of any spiders that they may see and their exact hiding-place. Marks will be awarded by the umpires for each such report.
The two sides should wear different colours, or be differently dressed (e.g., one side in shirt-sleeves).
"Throwing the Assegai."—Target, a thin sack, lightly stuffed with straw, or a sheet of cardboard, or canvas stretched on a frame.
Assegais to be made of wands, with weighted ends sharpened, or with iron arrow-heads on them.
Display.—The Diamond Thief. See pp. [140]-141.
Play.—Wild Animal Play, by Mrs. E. Thompson Seton. A musical play, in which boys and girls take parts. Price 6d. (Publishers, Doubleday, Page, & Co., 133 East Sixteenth-street, New York.)
"Animal Artisans," by C. J. Cornish. 6s. (Longmans, Green.)
"Flag Raiding" (from "Aids to Scouting", 1s. Gale & Polden).
Two or more patrols on each side.
Each side will form an outpost within a given tract of country to protect three flags (or at night three lanterns two feet above ground), planted not less than 200 yards (100 yards at night) from it. The protecting outpost will be posted in concealment either altogether or spread out in pairs not more than 80 yards apart. It will then send out scouts to discover the enemy's position. When these have found out where the outpost is they try and creep round out of sight till they can get to the flags and bring them away to their own line. One scout may not take away more than one flag.
This is the general position of a patrol on such an outpost:
Outpost.
Any scout coming within 50 yards of a stronger party will be put out of action if seen by the enemy; if he can creep by without being seen it is all right.
Scouts posted to watch as outposts cannot move from their ground, but their strength counts as double, and they may send single messengers to their neighbours or to their own scouting party.
An umpire should be with each outpost and with each scouting patrol.
At a given hour operations will cease, and all will assemble at the given spot to hand in their reports. The following marks would be awarded:
For each flag or lamp captured
and brought in 5 marks
For each report or sketch of the
position of the enemy's outposts Up to 5 marks
For each report of movement of
enemy's scouting patrols 2 marks
The side which makes the biggest total wins.
CAMP LIFE.
Practices.—Knot-tying, pp. [146]-153; hut building, p. [148]; bridging, p. [150]; self-measurement, p. [151]; hurdle-making, p. [153]; models, p. [153]; handicrafts generally; camp furniture, p. [156]; camp fires, p. [157]; camp room, p. [163]; cooking, p. [165]; making ration bags, p. [171]; breadmaking, pp. [167], [171].
"The three B's of life in camp are the ability to cook bannock, beans, and bacon."
How to Make a Tent.
For "Tee pee" or American Indian tent, see Thompson Seton's "Birchbark Roll," 25 cents. (Doubleday, Page, & Co., New York.)
For light cyclists' tents, see "The Camper's Handbook," by J. H. Holding; "Boy Scouts'" tent, with canvas and scouts' stoves. This is made simple and easy by the three pictures showing the different stages.
To Make a Ladder with a Pole.—Tie firmly sticks, or tufts of twigs, or straw, across the pole at intervals to form steps.
How to Make a Sleigh.—See "Camp Life," by Hamilton Gibson. 5s. (Harper.)
Game.—Food; Name not less than twelve different kinds of wild food, such as you would find in Great Britain, supposing there were no supplies available from butchers, bakers, grocers, or greengrocers. N.B.—A pike or a trout are not considered different kinds of food for this competition.
Fire-lighting Race.—To collect material, lay, and light a fire till the log given by umpire is alight.
BOOKS TO READ.
(Additional to those mentioned on pp. [153], [171], etc.)
"The Camper's Handbook," by T. H. Holding. 5s. (Simpkin, Marshall, & Co.)
"The Young Marooners," by F. Goulding. 2s. (Nisbet.) A story of resourcefulness in camp, including raft-building, shoemaking, first aid, etc.
"Carpentering and Cabinetmaking," by W. M. Oakwood. 1s. (C. A. Pearson.)
"Models and How to Make Them," by Cyril Hall. 1s. Including steam-engine, turbine, electric motor, etc.
Frame of six Scouts' Staves, and an extra joint to lengthen ridge-pole.
Six squares of canvas, 5ft. 6in. square, with eyelets and hemmed tube on one side. Each Scout carries one, and can pack his kit in it if necessary, or use it as a cape in rain.
Boy Scouts' Tent for a Patrol. Four canvas squares make the tent. Two make the ground sheet.
N.B.—Before making a real article, whether tent, or boat, or other thing, to scale, it is almost always best to make a model on a small scale first—make an inch of model represent a foot of the real thing.
How to Make a Boat, from "Camp Life," by Hamilton Gibson, 5s. (Harper).
Get two boards, A and B, 12 feet long, 20 inches wide, and 3/4 inch thick. Cut them both as in Fig. 1.
Nail a plank (C) between them at the centre to hold them in position, and a second similar plank below it.
Cut solid block of wood (D) to form the stem or bow-piece, and a stern board about 2 feet long, 10 inches deep.
Join the two bow ends of A and B by screwing them into the block D.
Join the two stern ends by screwing them to each end of the stern board, and strengthen by screwing stern seat (E) on to both sides and stern piece.
Turn the boat upside down, and screw on planks F F to form the bottom. Caulk the seams between these by driving in tow by means of a blunt chisel and mallet, and paint them with pitch, if necessary, to make them water-tight. Mark where the seats G G are to come, and nail pieces of plank to the sides of the boat, reaching to a height of one foot from the floor, to act as supports to the seats. Put the seats in resting on these chocks, and screw them to the sides. Screw a pair of strong wooden pins to each side of the boat (H H) to form rowlocks. Knock out plank C, and your boat is ready.
CAMPAIGNING AND PATHFINDING.
Practices (see p. [182]).—Mountain Climbing, Boat Management, Barometer and Thermometer Reading, Find the North, pp. [190]-194; Judging Heights and Distances, pp. [187]-188, [195], [205]; Semaphore and Morse Signalling, pp. [201]-202; Drill Signals, p. [203]; Hiding Dispatches, Campaigning Tests, p. [205]; Exploration, pp. [175]-176.
Games.—Night Patrolling, p. [182]; Whale Hunt, p. [183]; Mountain Scouting, p. [183]; Star-gazing, p. [196]; Judging Distance, p. [197]; Finding North, p. [197]; Dispatch Running, pp. [53], [205]; Arctic Expedition, p. [52]; Siberian Man Hunt, [53].
HOW TO MAKE A BOAT.
Scouting Race.—Instructor stations three individuals or groups, each group differently clothed as far as possible, and carrying different articles (such as stick, bundle, paper, etc.) at distances from 300 to 1,200 yards from starting point. If there are other people about, these groups might be told to kneel on one knee, or take some such attitude to distinguish them from passers-by. He makes out a circular course of three points for the competitors to run, say about 1/4 mile, with a few jumps if possible.
The competitors start and run to No. 1 point. Here the umpire tells them the compass-direction of the group they have to report on. Each competitor on seeing this group writes a report showing—
1. How many in the group.
2. How clothed or how distinguishable.
3. Position as regards any landmark near them.
4. Distance from his own position.
He then runs to the next point and repeats the same on another group, and so on; and finally he runs with his report to the winning post.
Marks.—Full marks, 5 for each correct and complete description of a group—that is an aggregate of 15 marks for the course. One mark deducted for every ten seconds later than the first boy handing in his report at the winning post. Marks or half marks deducted for mistakes or omissions in reports.
On Trek.—Make a trek through Central Africa—each scout carrying his kit and food packed in a bundle on his head; walk in single file with scout 200 yards out in front and find the way; he makes scout signs as to the road to follow; make bridge over stream or raft over lake: corduroy or faggots in boggy ground: leave signs and notes for any parties who may follow by day or night.
To teach your scouts, individually, ideas of time and distance, send each out in a different direction on some such order as this. "Go two miles to North-north-east. Write a report to show exactly where you are (with sketch map if possible, to explain it.) Bring in your report as quickly as possible."
Then test by ordnance maps or otherwise to see how far he was out of the distance and direction ordered.
Send out Scouts in pairs, to compete each pair against the other. Each pair to be started by a different route to gain the same spot, finding the way by map, and to reach the goal without being seen by the others on the way.
This develops map reading, eye for country, concealment, look-out, etc.
For judging time. Send out scouts in different directions, each with a slip of paper, to say how long he is to be away, say seven minutes for one, ten for another, and so on.
Note down his exact time of starting, and take it again on his return. Scouts must be put on their honour not to consult watches or clocks.
N.B.—Many of these games and practices can be carried out in town just as well as in the country.
Books to Read.—In addition to those mentioned in Chap. V., "Heroes of Pioneering," E. Sanderson, (Seely & Co.) "Boys' Book of Exploration" by Tudor Jenks.
ENDURANCE AND HEALTH.
Practices.—Making tooth-brushes, p. [216]. Measurement, [217]. Deep breathing, p. [227]. Drill, p. [235].
Staff exercises (to music if possible).
"Follow my Leader."—With a large number of boys this can be made a very effective display, and is easy to do—at a jog-trot, and occasional "knees up," with musical accompaniment. It can also be done at night, each boy carrying a Chinese lantern on top of his staff. If in a building, all lights would, of course, be turned down. A usual fault is that the exercise is kept on too long, till it wearies both audience and performers. Among the most effective figures are the following:
Follow My Leader: The Spiral.
Follow My Leader: Turn at the corners, and double zig-zag.
Follow My Leader: Windmill.
"How to Keep Fit" is a little book, costing 3d., by Surgeon-Captain Waite (Gale & Polden), which tells a man how to look after his health, and so avoid getting ill. It is much better to study and act upon advice of this kind than to read the advertisements of patent medicines and then to fill yourselves up with these drugs. They are often harmless, but sometimes very bad for you; very seldom are they any good.
Books to Read in addition to those already suggested:—
"Healthful, Physical Exercises," Swedish system. W. L. Rooper, 2s. 9d. (Newmann, 84, Newman Street.)
"The Fine Art of Ju Jitsu," by Mrs. Roger Watts, with excellent photos. (Heinemann).
CHIVALRY.
Practices.—The knot in the necktie to remind the scout to do a good turn. The money-box to develop thrift and charity.
Archery and quarter-staff play.
Carpentering and other ways of making money, pp. [263]-5, [268].
Games.—"Knight-Errantry," see p. [250].
"Risking Life," p. [258].
Further displays, etc., will be published in the "Scout."
SAVING LIFE AND FIRST AID.
Practices.—Dragging insensible man, p. [289]; "scrum," p. [288]; rescuing drowning men, pp. [290]-291; fire drill; first aid for all injuries, see St. John's Handbooks; artificial breathing, p. [298]; carrying a patient, pp. [306]-7; fire alarm, p. [308].
How to make eye tweezers for removing a piece of grit from eye. Fold a piece of paper in two. With a sharp knife cut it to a point at an angle of 30deg., and slightly moisten the point. Then bring it straight down over the eyeball of the patient, so that it can nip the obstruction, which it generally removes at the first attempt.
Games.—Dragging Race, see page [308].
Book to read in addition to those mentioned on p. [308]. "R.E.P." Elliman's Handbook. Apart from its advertising, it contains a very complete vade mecum of First Aid and Sick Room Hints and Massage. (Apply to Messrs. Elliman, Slough.)
Displays.—A few ideas for life-saving displays can be taken from programmes of the Boys' Life Brigade, as suggestions. These displays are very popular both with performers and with the audience.
PATRIOTISM.
A good map of the Empire is very desirable, as stated on page [309]. A globe is of even more value than a map. Paper globes which can fold up or open out like an umbrella can be got, which are inexpensive and most instructive.
Practice: Marksmanship, pp. [322]-325.
Flag-flying, p. [331].
Observe Saints' Days: See p. [327].
The visits to museums and armouries (as suggested on p. [327] and elsewhere) are on the lines of what is regularly done in Germany as part of the training of the boys while at school. Classes are taken by the masters to armouries and museums to be taught their National History.
Games.—"Shoot out," p. [325]; "French and English," p. [326]; "Badajoz," p. [326]; "The Empire" card game.
"Navigation," 7s. 6d., Newmann, 84, Newman Street; "Separate Cruises," 3s. 6d.; "Contraband," 6s. 6d., Newmann, 84, Newman Street.
Displays.—Pageants of incidents in local history.
"Play the Game."—See p. [380].
"Storming the Kashmir Gate, Delhi."—See p. [382].
Songs.—"The Maple Leaf For Ever" (Canada). The song of Australia.
Books to Read in addition to those already suggested:—
"Heroic Deeds Simply Told"; "Heroes and Heroines of Everyday Life as well as those of War," by Ernest Protheroe. 1s. 11d. (Newmann).
"History of England," by H. O. Arnold-Forster. 3s. 9d. (Cassell).
"Adventures of Beowulf," by C. L. Thomson, 9d. (Marshall).
School Atlas, by H. O. Arnold-Forster. 1s. 11d. (37, Bedford Street.)
"Through the British Empire in a Few Minutes." A short address by Sir Howard Vincent. (A. K. Johnstone, 7, Paternoster Square.)
A Bicycle Accident.—Boys returning from camp. A rash cyclist. Misfortune. Injuries attended to and patients carried away to hospital on improvised stretchers.
A Gas Explosion.—Mrs. Coddles and family take a walk. They witness a terrible railway accident. Mrs. Coddles on her way home meets a friend. Maria is sent on to light the gas-stove and prepare father's tea. Father gets back from work and finds the house full of gas. Ambulance squad to the rescue. "Fireman's lift" and artificial respiration. Constable Aooo arrives on the scene. How not to look for a gas escape. Sad end of a gallant but thoughtless policeman.
Fire Display.—Evening at No. 5 Suburbi Villas. Fire alarm. Inmates aroused. Escape by the chute. Arrival of fire section with jumping sheet. Life-lines and pompier ladders. Rescue of remaining occupants.
Synopsis.—The workmen are engaged in their daily occupation when an explosion occurs, causing a fire inside the building and an exterior wall to collapse, which injures a man who happens to be passing at the time. The uninjured workmen attend to their unfortunate comrades, while others rush off for help and return with the ambulance and fire apparatus. Some of the men are rescued from the burning building by jumping from the tower.
PLAY THE GAME!
Poem by Henry Newbolt.
Scene I.: Tableau of boys playing cricket.
Recitation.
There's a breathless hush in the close to-night
Ten to make and the match to win—
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his captain's hand on his shoulder smote.
[Action: The captain steps up to the batsman, puts his hand on his shoulder, and says to him urgently—]
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
Scene II.: Tableau. Soldiers in a hard-fought fight retreating—a young officer among them.
Recitation.
The sand of the desert is sodden red—
Red with the wreck of the square that broke;
The gatling's jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed its banks,
And England's far and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks.
[Action: The young officer stands forward pointing his sword to the enemy, and the retreating soldiers turn ready to charge with him as he cries—]
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
Scene III.: A procession of all kinds of men, old ones at the head, middle-aged in centre, young ones behind—soldiers, sailors, lawyers, workmen, footballers, etc., etc.—Scotch, Irish, English, Colonial—all linked hand in hand.
Recitation.
This is the word that year by year,
While in her place the school is set,
Every one of her sons must hear,
And none that hears it dare forget.
This they all with joyful mind
Bear through life like a torch in flame,
And falling fling to the host behind.
[Action: The leader flings out a Union Jack, and calls to the rest—]
"Play up! Play up! And play the game!"
[One in the centre then calls back to the juniors: "Play up! Play up! And play the game!" The smallest of the juniors steps forward and cries to the audience—]
"Play up! Play up! And Play the Game!"
THE STORMING OF DELHI.
[Scene, ruined drawbridge at Kashmir Gate. Group of officers and soldiers about to blow in the gate. Description to be read during the picture.]
Lord Roberts, in "Forty-one Years in India," describes how the Kashmir Gate of Delhi was captured by the British troops during the Mutiny. Lieutenants Home and Salkeld, with eight sappers and a bugler of the 52nd Regiment, went forward to blow the gate open for the column to get into Delhi.
The enemy were apparently so astounded at the audacity of this proceeding that for a minute or two they offered but slight resistance.
They soon, however, discovered how small the party was and the object for which it had come, and forthwith opened a deadly fire upon the gallant little band from the top of the gateway, from the city wall, and through the open wicket.
The bridge over the ditch in front of the gateway had been destroyed, and it was with some difficulty that the single beam which remained could be crossed. Home with the men carrying the powder bags got over first. As the bags were being attached to the gate, Sergeant Carmichael was killed, and Havildar (native Sergeant) Madhoo wounded. The rest then slipped into the ditch to allow the firing party which had come up under Salkeld to carry out its share of the duty.
While endeavouring to fire the charge Salkeld was shot through the leg and arm, and handed the slow match to Corporal Burgess. Burgess succeeded in his task, but fell mortally wounded as he did so.
As soon as the explosion took place, Bugler Hawthorne sounded the regimental call of the 52nd as a signal to the attacking column to advance. In this way the troops got in through the Kashmir Gate, and Delhi was taken.
Lieutenant Home was unfortunately killed within a few weeks by an accidental explosion of a mine he was firing, otherwise he would have received the V.C.
"THE MAPLE LEAF FOR EVER."
Alexander Muir.
In days of yore, from Britain's shore,
Wolfe, the dauntless hero, came
And planted firm Britannia's flag
On Canada's fair domain;
Here may it wave, our boast and pride,
And join in love together,
The Lily, Thistle, Shamrock, Rose entwine
The Maple Leaf for ever.
The Maple Leaf, our emblem dear,
The Maple Leaf for ever,
God save our King, and Heaven bless
The Maple Leaf for ever.
At Queenstown Heights and Lundy's Lane,
Our brave fathers side by side,
For freedom, homes, and loved ones dear,
Firmly stood and nobly died;
And those dear rights which they maintained
We swear to yield them never.
Our watchword evermore shall be,
The Maple Leaf forever.
Refrain.
Our fair Dominion now extends
From Cape Race to Nootka Sound,
May peace for ever be our lot,
And plenteous store abound;
And may those ties of love be ours,
Which discord cannot sever,
And flourish green o'er Freedom's home,
The Maple Leaf for ever.
Refrain.
On Merry England's far-famed land
May kind Heaven sweetly smile;
God bless Old Scotland evermore,
And Ireland's Emerald Isle;
Then swell the song both loud and long
Till rocks and forest quiver.
God save our King, and Heaven bless
The Maple Leaf for ever.
The Maple Leaf, our emblem dear,
The Maple Leaf for ever,
God save our King, and Heaven bless
The Maple Leaf for ever.
"THE SONG OF AUSTRALIA."
Words by Mrs. C. J. Carleton. Music by Herr Carl Linger.
There is a land where summer skies
Are gleaming with a thousand dyes,
Blending in witching harmonies;
And grassy knoll and forest height
Are flushing in the rosy light,
And all above is azure bright,
AUSTRALIA.
There is a land where honey flows,
Where laughing corn luxuriant grows,
Land of the myrtle and the rose.
On hill and plain the clust'ring vine
Is gushing out with purple wine,
And cups are quaffed to thee and thine,
AUSTRALIA.
There is a land where treasures shine,
Deep in the dark unfathomed mine,
For worshippers at mammon's shrine;
Where gold lies hid and rubies gleam,
And fabled wealth no more doth seem
The idle fancy of a dream,
AUSTRALIA.
There is a land where homesteads peep,
From sunny plains and woodlands steep,
And love and joy bright vigils keep;
Where the glad voice of childish glee
Is mingling with the melody
Of Nature's hidden minstrelsy,
AUSTRALIA.
There is a land where floating free,
From mountain top to girdling sea,
A proud flag waves exultingly;
And freedom's sons the banner bear,
No shackled slave can breathe the air—
Fairest of Britain's daughters, fair,
AUSTRALIA.
[Note.—When sung, repeat at end of third line in each verse as follows: "harmonies," "and the rose," "mammon's shrine," "vigils keep," "exultingly.">[
GOD BLESS THE PRINCE OF WALES.
Among our ancient mountains,
And from our lovely vales,
Oh! let the prayer re-echo,
God Bless the Prince of Wales!
With heart and voice awaken
Those minstrel strains of yore,
Till Britain's name and glory
Resound from shore to shore.
[Chorus] Among our ancient mountains,
And from our lovely vales,
Oh! let the prayer re-echo,
God Bless the Prince of Wales
Should hostile bands or danger
E'er threaten our fair Isle,
May God's strong arm protect us,
May Heav'n still on us smile.
Above the Throne of England
May fortune's star long shine!
And round its sacred bulwarks
The olive branches twine.
Among our ancient mountains, etc.
GOD SAVE THE KING.
God save our gracious King,
Long live our noble King,
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the King!
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On him be pleas'd to pour,
Long may he reign.
May he defend our laws,
And ever give us cause,
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the King!
SAMPLE PROGRAMME OF ATHLETIC SPORTS.
Throwing the life line Open.
Patrol drill (demonstration) Curlews.
Fire-lighting competition Wolves v. Bulls.
Physical drill or ju jitsu (demonstration) Ravens.
Dragging insensible men race Lions v. Curlews.
Basket ball (final ties) Patrols.
Deer-stalking Wolves.
Spotty face Bulls.
Shoot out Ravens v. Lions.
Bang the bear Curlews.
Cockfighting Wolves v. Ravens.
French and English tug of war Birds v. Beasts.
Whale hunt All patrols.
In place of Challenge Cups it is well to have Challenge Banners. Each scout in the patrol that wins a banner should receive a small copy of the flag to keep as a memento.
NON-SCOUTING GAMES.
Useful for Evenings in the Club or in Camp.
Nobody's Airship.—Two patrols sit on two forms facing each other, knees about a foot from those of opposite side. A small air-balloon is thrown in, both sides pat it with their hands to keep it up in the air and try to send it far over the heads of their opponents. If it falls to the ground behind one party that party loses a point. The game is best of five points.
"Artists."—Players sit round a table, each with paper and pencil.
The right-hand one draws a picture, in separate firm strokes, of an ordinary figure or head—putting in his strokes in unusual sequence so that for a long time it is difficult to see what he is drawing. Each player looks over to see what the man on his right is drawing and copies it stroke by stroke. When the right-hand artist has finished his picture, compare all the rest with it.
"Target Ball."—Indoor cricket with a lawn tennis ball, small wooden bat, and a disc or small target for wicket.
"Circle Ball."—A large circle of players throw lawn tennis ball at one in the centre.
The object of the player in the centre is to remain "in" as long as possible without being hit; if he catches the ball in his hands it does not count as a hit.
Whoever hits him with the ball takes his place.
The player who remains "in" longest wins.
Counting the Words.—Let someone read out half a page from a book, pronouncing the words with moderate rapidity. As he reads, let the members of the company try to count his words. The persons who comes the nearest to the truth in his estimate is judged the victor. It is astonishing how widely these estimates vary.
Animated Portraits.—Over a door drape a curtain, in the centre of which is hung a frame through which can be thrust the heads of various persons chosen from those present. These heads are to be attired in such a fashion as to represent various well-known characters, such as Christopher Columbus, Queen Victoria, etc. The audience are to be informed that they are at liberty to make frank criticisms on these animated pictures for the purpose of causing a smile. In case the audience is successful in identifying within a certain time, the person who represents the picture must pay a fine.
To Fit.—Cut a square opening in a pasteboard, which is placed prominently in front of the room. Distribute to the members corks of different sizes. Provide with sharp knives those that are not already provided. Explain that the task before them is to cut the corks so that they will fit the square opening, without measuring the opening, judging entirely by the eye. The one whose cork fits the best wins.
City Chains.—Place the players in two groups facing each other. Each group must choose a leader, with whom the members of his side communicate in whispers. In the centre is an umpire, who, with his watch, gives each side a quarter of a minute, or less, for their response.
The leader of one side begins by naming a city, such as New York. Within the prescribed time the leader of the opposite side must name a city beginning with the last letter of New York, as Kalamazoo; and so it proceeds, each leader using the wits of all in his group to assist his own.
When a leader fails to respond in time, the opposite leader chooses one player from his opponent's side, and in his turn starts a new chain. The game can be played also with the names of famous persons, but this is harder.
A Memory Game.—In order to play this game successfully, it is necessary that the list of words and sentences given below be in the memory of one of the players, who acts as leader. This leader, turning to his next neighbour remarks, "One old owl." He turns to his neighbour, and gives the same formula. So it passes around the circle till it comes to the leader again, who repeats it, and adds the formula, "Two tantalising tame toads."
So again it goes around, and again, and each time the leader adds a new formula, until the whole is repeated, up to ten. It is safe to say, however, that no society will ever get that far. All who forget part of the formula are dropped from the circle. Here is the whole:
One old owl.
Two tantalising tame toads.
Three tremulous, tremendous, terrible tadpoles.
Four fat, fussy, frivolous, fantastic fellows.
Five flaming, flapping, flamingoes fishing for frogs.
Six silver-tongued, saturnine senators standing stentoriously shouting, "So-so."
Seven serene seraphs soaring swiftly sunward, singing, "Say, sisters."
Eight elderly, energetic, effusive, erudite, enterprising editors eagerly eating elderberries.
Nine nice, neat, notable, neighbourly, nautical, nodding nabobs nearing northern Normandy.
Ten tall, tattered, tearful, turbulent tramps, talking tumultuously through tin trumpets.
Post.—This game may be played in a large hall, or out of doors on the lawn. It is especially adapted to the juniors, and may be so played as to teach them a great deal of geography. The leader either marks with chalk, or indicates with his fingers, the outlines of some mission country. Let it be India, for example. A rough triangle is fixed, and the places of the prominent mission stations are indicated by marks, sticks, stones, bushes, or trees, and at each of these places one of the players is stationed. One player might stand at Calcutta, one at Bombay, one at Madras, one at Madura, one at Delhi, etc.
The leader then takes upon himself the name of some prominent missionary of India—say Bishop Thoburn; then, declaring that Bishop Thoburn wants to go from Calcutta to Madras, he attempts to reach one of those stations while the two occupants thereof are rapidly changing places. If he succeed in doing this, the player left out has to take his place as Bishop Thoburn, and in this way the game proceeds.
Number Groups.—Give each person present a number, printed in large type on a card which is pinned conspicuously on the breast. The numbers range from 10 to 24, and so of course there will be many duplicates. There is a leader, who begins the game by calling in a loud voice some number, such as 180. Immediately the players as rapidly as possible arrange themselves in groups, seeking to form a group the sum of whose numbers will equal 180. As soon as a group has been thus formed it presents itself to the leader, and to each member of this successful group is given a slip of paper.
As soon as one group has thus formed 180 and been rewarded, the half-formed groups are dissolved, since they do not count anything, and the leader calls out a new number. After this has been tried a certain number of times, the person that has received the largest number of slips is adjudged the winner. If you want to make this game very difficult, use higher numbers, and attach them to the backs instead of the fronts, of the members.
Their Weight.—This contest will make pleasant material to fill some interval in your socials. Let the committee previously gather six articles, as dissimilar as may be in size, shape, and material, but each weighing a pound. You may take, for instance, a wooden pail, a tin pan, a piece of lead. Call out different members of the company, and request them to arrange these six articles in the order of their weight. Of course, almost every one will think the large article to be the heaviest.
BASKET BALL.
This is a game something like football, which can be played in a room or limited space. A small football is used, but it is never to be kicked. It is only to be thrown or patted with the hands. Kicking or stopping the ball with the foot or leg is not allowed. The ball may be held in the hands, but not hugged close to the body, nor may it be carried for more than two paces. All holding, dashing, charging, shouldering, tripping, etc., is forbidden; and there is a penalty of a free throw to the opposite side from the fifteen foot mark at the net, which forms the goal. The net is hung up about ten feet above the ground on a post, tree, or wall, so that the ball can be thrown into it. Opposite each goal a path of fifteen feet long and six feet wide, beginning immediately under the basket and leading towards the centre of the ground, is marked out. At the end of this path a circle is drawn of ten feet diameter. When there is a free throw, the thrower stands inside this circle, and no player is allowed within it or within the measured path. Corners, byes, and shies are the same as in Association football; but in ordinary rooms, with side walls, it is not necessary to have "out" at the sides. The usual number of players is four or five a side, and these can be divided into goal-keeper, back, and three forwards. If there is plenty of room the number of players could be increased. A referee is required, who throws up the ball at the start of each half of the game, and also after each goal. When he throws in, the ball must be allowed to touch the ground before it is played. With four players a side, 7-1/2 minutes each way is sufficient time; with five a side, ten minutes is the usual time. A short interval at half time. The net or basket goal should be about 18 inches diameter at the top and 2 feet deep.
BOOKS TO READ.
"School Games." By T. Chesterton. (Educational Supply Association.)
"New Games and Sports." By H. Alexander. (George Philip & Son.)
"Industrial Games." By Mrs. Aldrich. (Gale & Polden.)
"Social—to Save." (Published in New York.)
"Finger Problems:" Games with String. (Plumbe & Richardson, Mansfield.)
SUGGESTION FOR A DISPLAY
By two patrols or more, to demonstrate Scoutcraft, bringing in Drill, Pathfinding, Camping, Pioneering, Life-saving, Hygiene, etc.
Can be performed out of doors or in a big arena.
Improved by incidental music.
Enter advanced scout, left, finding his way by the map, noticing landmarks, and looking for sign. He crosses the arena and disappears, right, unless it is a wide, outdoor space, when he remains at a distance, squatting, on the look-out.
Enter scouts, left, in patrol formation, followed by second patrol in close formation. Scoutmaster halts them. One scout semaphores to advanced scout, "We camp here. Keep good look-out." Patrol leaders drill their patrols at quick, smart drill for about three minutes by whistle or hand signal, etc. (Page [203].)
Camp: Break off and form camp.
One patrol makes camp-loom (page [163]) and weaves a straw mat 4 feet wide 6 feet long, and makes a lean-to frame (page [148]) or tent frame, with scout staves, and with the mat form a lean-to shelter.
The other patrol makes a camp grate or kitchen (page [159] or [165]), and lights fire. It then makes tent frame of staves (page [371]), and makes tent with canvas squares (page [371]).
One patrol commences cooking, making dough in coat, etc. The scouts of the other give themselves physical exercises, such as body-twisting (page [229]—page [237]). Clean teeth with sticks (page [216]).
Scouts' War Dance: All fall in and carry out Scouts' War Dance (page [56]), combined with Follow My Leader (page [375]). Just towards the end the dance is interrupted by an
Alarm: Shots heard without (right). Alarm signal given by leaders (page [203]). Smoke-fire made, alarm signal sent up by one of the patrols, while the other throws down tent and shelter, cuts lashings, and distributes the staves to scouts. One patrol then doubles out in extended formation (right) towards the firing. Sentry staggers in, and falls. One scout attends to him. Second patrol follows the first at a double in close formation. A scout returns from right carrying a wounded one on his shoulder; bandages him. Another scout drags in a wounded one (see pages [289] and [306]). Firing ceases; both patrols
Return, cheerful in having driven off the enemy.
One patrol makes stretcher with staves and tent-canvases.
The other tidies camp ground, puts out fire, etc.
Parade and march off. Union Jack in front. Then scoutmaster, followed by one patrol; second patrol carrying one sick man on crossed hands, the other on stretcher.
The whole scene should be frequently and thoroughly rehearsed beforehand.
It must all be carried out as smartly and quickly as possible, without pauses. Everybody doing something, helping the others, never standing idle.
It is well to have a short explanatory story on the programme, so that the public understand what it is all about. Such as this:
The Explorers.
A troop of scouts, with an advanced scout finding the way, are exploring a strange country. They halt. A little drill, and then form camp. While food is preparing they gain an appetite by physical exercise and indulgence in a war dance.
The alarm is given and signalled. The camp successfully defended. The wounded cared for, and the expedition continues on its way.
TRUE SCOUTING STORIES.
Interesting examples of the great value of scouting have, of course, occurred many times. Here are a few—unavoidably omitted from a previous part of "Scouting for Boys."
Captain Stigand in "Scouting and Reconnaissance in Savage Countries" gives the following instances of scouts reading important meaning from small signs.
When he was going round outside his camp one morning he noticed fresh spoor of a horse which had been walking. He knew that all his horses only went at a jog-trot, so it must have been a stranger's horse.
So he recognised that a mounted scout of the enemy had been quietly looking at his camp in the night.
Coming to a village in Central Africa from which the inhabitants had fled, he could not tell what tribe it belonged to till he found a crocodile's foot in one of the huts, which showed that the village belonged to the Awisa tribe, as they eat crocodiles, and the neighbouring tribes do not.
A man was seen riding a camel over half a mile away. A native who was watching him said, "It is a man of slave blood." "How can you tell at this distance." "Because he is swinging his leg. A true Arab rides with his leg close to the camel's side."
General Joubert, who was Commander-in-Chief of the Boer Army in the Boer War, 1900, told me (some years before that) that in the previous Boer War, 1881, it was his wife who first noticed the British troops were occupying Majuba Mountain. The Boers were at that time camped near the foot of the mountain, and they generally had a small party of men on the top as a look-out. On this particular day they had intended moving away early in the morning so the usual picquet had not been sent up on to the mountain.
While they were getting ready to start, Mrs. Joubert, who evidently had the eyes of a scout, looked up and said, "Why, there is an Englishman on the top of Majuba!" The Boers said "No—it must be our own men who have gone up there, after all." But Mrs. Joubert stuck to it and said, "Look at the way he walks, that is no Boer—it is an Englishman." And so it was; she was right. An English force had climbed the mountain during the night, but by the stupidity of this man showing himself up on the sky-line their presence was immediately detected by the Boers who, instead of being surprised by them, climbed up the mountain unseen under the steep crags and surprised the British, and drove them off with heavy loss.
An officer lost his field-glasses during some manoeuvres on the desert five miles from Cairo and he sent for the native trackers to look for them.
They came and asked to see the tracks of his horse; so the horse was brought out and led about so that they could see his footprints. These they carried in their minds and went out to where the manoeuvres had been: there, among the hundreds of hoof marks of the cavalry and artillery, they very soon found those of the officer's horse, and followed them up wherever he had ridden, till they found the field-glasses lying where they had dropped out of their case on the desert.
These trackers are particularly good at spooring camels. To anyone not accustomed to them the footmark of one camel looks very like that of any other camel, but to a trained eye they are all as different as people's faces, and these trackers remember them very much as you would remember the faces of people you had seen.
About a year ago a camel was stolen near Cairo. The police tracker was sent for and shown its spoor. He followed it for a long way until it got into some streets where it was entirely lost among other footmarks. But the other day, a year later, this police tracker suddenly came on the fresh track of this camel; he had remembered its appearance all that time. It had evidently been walking with another camel whose footmark he knew was one which belonged to a well-known camel thief. So without trying to follow the tracks when they got into the city he went with a policeman straight to the man's stable and there found the long-missing camel.
CORRECTIONS.
Owing to difficulties in getting out this handbook punctually in fortnightly parts, I am afraid a number of inaccuracies have crept in, which I hope you will excuse.
These are some of them:
Page 45.—In the colour for the "Wolf" patrol, for "Yellow" read "Yellow and Black."
" 171.—For "Mr. Seton Thompson" read "Mr. Thompson Seton."
" 188 (line 19).—For "365 feet" read "365 yards."
" 202.—Sign Y read semaphore
" 259.—For "Self-Employment" read "Self-Improvement."
" 267 (line 19).—Heading "Luck" should be the heading of the next paragraph, before the words "If you," etc.
" 281 (line 8).—For "we will" read "you must."
" 296 (last line).—For "Two Scouts in Mafeking" read "Marksmanship." Colonial boys think more of their rifle shooting than of their games. See page 322.
(Pictures from "Sketches in Mafeking," by the Author. By permission of Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co.)
" 301 (last line).—For "An actual experience of mine" read "An incident in Kashmir. See page 230."
" 332 (last line but one).—For "made known" read "remedied."
" 334 (line 21).—After "we are" insert "or should be." After King add "for the good of our country."
READY MAY 1st. IN BOOK FORM.
Scouting
for Boys.
A HANDBOOK FOR INSTRUCTION
IN
GOOD CITIZENSHIP
BY
Lieut.-General R. S. S. BADEN-POWELL, C.B., F.R.G.S.
Price 2s. Cloth Bound.
Published by HORACE COX, Windsor House,
Bream's Buildings, London, E.C.
Copyrighted 1908. All rights reserved.
All communications regarding Boy Scouts should
be addressed to—
THE QUARTERMASTER,
Boy Scouts,
Bedford Mansions,
Henrietta Street,
LONDON, W.C.
This Part VI. of "Scouting for Boys" is the concluding one of the Series.
The book has met with unexpected success.
Its work of imparting suggestions and knowledge of Peace-Scouting will therefore now be continued and amplified in
THE SCOUT,
a weekly newspaper, at One Penny, which will appear on 14th April, and every succeeding Thursday.
"The Scout" is founded by Lieut.-General Baden-Powell, with a view to keeping touch among the very large number of those already interested in Boys' Scouting in every part of the country, and also as appealing to all British young men and lads of honour, grit, and spirit.
The founder will write in its pages each week, and the services of a number of known writers have been secured.
THE SCOUT
will be fully illustrated and up-to-date. Its publication will be in the hands of
Messrs. C. ARTHUR PEARSON LTD.
Transcriber's Notes:
Archaic and colloquial spelling and punctuation was retained.
Missing or obscured punctuation was corrected.