One of the objects in a Captain being “an elder sister rather than an officer” to her girls is precisely that she can talk to them intimately and naturally on this very vital topic.
Rallies
Rallies are useful for bringing together a number of Troops to see each other and be seen by others whom it is desired to interest in the Movement. For either or both purposes it is a good thing to have displays of Scout activities by the different patrols and companies, and also to have competitions between them in various Scout practices.
A too common fault about Rallies is that the stage-managing is faulty—the way in which the thing is presented is as important as the thing presented, so far as the outside impression is concerned. The other fault is that generally the displays are chosen too much with a view to training the girls and too little with a view to interesting the onlookers. This is a bad fault if you are trying to spread the Movement and to get people keenly interested in it. The two points can perfectly well be combined. Let the programme err on the short side, and let it be full of variety, novelty, incident, and interest. Long signalling tests and bandaging exhibitions are intensely boring to the onlookers who don’t understand them. Whereas a realistic accident, a pretty dance, good acting, and graceful gymnastics, and exhibitions of work done, or girls at work, are pleasing and attractive.
Let it go with a snap—short, sharp and sweet.
Often the Rally includes inspection by a Commissioner or other officers.
Inspection of Troops by Commissioners
There was in the early days of the Movement a tendency to look upon the inspection of a Troop rather in the light of a military parade or a social function, when in point of fact it should be neither.
A cursory review by a visiting officer is bound to induce training for outward effect and appearance, an entire perversion of our aims and methods.
I have seen it suggested, even quite recently, that the girls in the Troop should be ranged for inspection in order of size so that they may please the eye of the inspector!