Scouting
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Wikipedia-Article "Scouting"
- For other uses, see Scout.
Scouting is a worldwide youth organization. Its aim is to develop young people physically, spiritually and mentally so that youth may take a constructive place in society. This is achieved through non-formal education with emphasis on practical activities in the outdoors. The Scout Movement was founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell, a retired Lieutenant General in the British Army. He was also at that time a good friend of William Alexander Smith, Founder of the Boys' Brigade. Currently Scouting and Guiding have over 38 million members in 217 countries and territories.
Note: The S in the word Scout is always uppercase when it refers to Scouting activities.
Origins
Lt-Gen. Sir Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in 1907 in the United Kingdom. He also introduced the parallel movement for girls, the Girl Guides in 1910 with the aid of his sister Agnes Baden-Powell. The Guides are known as the Girl Scouts of the USA in the United States.
The seeds of the idea of Scouting began during the Siege of Mafeking, South Africa, during the Boer War of 1899–1902, where Baden-Powell served as the commanding officer. Baden-Powell defended the town against the Boers (later known as Afrikaners), who outnumbered his troops eight to one. Volunteer boys in the town were formed into the Mafeking Cadet Corps, to help support the troops, carry messages, freeing up men for military duties and keeping the boys occupied during the long siege. The boys acquitted themselves well, helping in the successful defence of the town (1899–1900) over several months. Each Cadet Corps member received a badge, a combination of a compass point and a spearhead. This logo was similar to the fleur-de-lis, which Scouting later adopted as its international symbol.
As a result of his status as a national hero, acquired as a result of his determined and successful defence of the town of Mafeking, Baden-Powell's military training manual, Aids to Scouting (written in 1899) became something of a bestseller and was used by teachers and youth organisations.
In 1906, Ernest Thompson Seton sent Baden-Powell a copy of his book entitled The Birchbark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians. Seton, a British-born Canadian living in the United States, subsequently met Baden-Powell and they shared ideas about youth training programs.
Baden-Powell was encouraged to re-write Aids to Scouting to suit a youth readership. By 1907 he had finished a draft called Boy Patrols. The same year, to test some of his ideas, he gathered together 21 boys of mixed social background and held a week-long camp, beginning August 1, on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. His organizational method, now known as the Patrol System, a key part of Scouting training, allowed the boys to organize themselves into small groups with an elected patrol leader.
In the autumn of 1907, having his draft publication and a successful camp behind him, Baden-Powell went on an extensive speaking tour arranged by his publisher, Pearsons, to promote his forthcoming book. Beginning in January 1908 it initially appeared as six instalments in a boys' fortnightly magazine. The parts were subsequently published in book form as Scouting for Boys, now commonly considered the first version of the Boy Scout Handbook.
At the time Baden-Powell intended that the book would provide ideas for established organisations, in particular the Boys' Brigade in which he assisted their founder William A. Smith for some time. However, boys spontaneously formed Scout patrols and flooded Baden-Powell with requests for assistance. He encouraged them, and the Scouting movement developed by the weight of its own momentum. As the movement grew Sea Scout, Air Scout and other specialised units were added to the program options.
Baden-Powell could not singlehandedly advise all the youth who requested his assistance. To provide for adult leadership, proper training was required. The Wood Badge course was developed to recognize adult leadership training. In 1919 Gilwell Park near London was purchased as an adult training site and scouting campground. Baden-Powell also wrote a book for the assistance of leaders entitled Aids to Scoutmastership, and others for the use of new sections that were formed later, such as Rovering to Success for Rover Scouts in 1922.
Early history
The members of a small number of Scout groups have the right to wear a green scarf/neckerchief in recognition of their membership of those groups founded in 1908.
Scouting began to spread throughout Great Britain and Ireland soon after the publication of Scouting For Boys. The Boy Scout movement swiftly established itself throughout the British Empire. The first recognized overseas unit was chartered in Gibraltar in 1908, followed quickly by Malta. Canada became the first overseas Dominion with a sanctioned Boy Scout program, followed by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Chile was the first country outside of the British Dominions to have a recognized scouting program. The first Scout rally was held at the Crystal Palace, London, in 1910. It attracted 10,000 boys, as well as a number of girls, who turned out for this exhibition of scouting. By 1910 India, Singapore, Sweden, Denmark, France, Russia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Mexico, Argentina, Greece and the United States had Boy Scouts.
Conceptual Influences
Many elements of traditional Scouting have their origins in Baden-Powell's own personal education and military training. But it has to be remembered that the ideas that he promoted were revolutionary in education in his time. He was unique, a retired army general at 55 years of age, able to inspire and enthuse thousands of young people, from all parts of society, to get involved in activities most of them had never contemplated. The only comparable organisation (in the English-speaking world), the Boys' Brigade, has never been able to match the development of the Scouting movement.
Some aspects of the Movement have been criticised as being too militaristic. Such things as military-style uniforms, badges of rank, flag ceremonies, and brass bands were commonly accepted in the early years because they were also a part of normal society, but many of those attributes have been watered down or abandoned in later times. Many other popular youth movements have also adopted similar attributes successfully.
Local influences have also been a strong part of the Movement. By adopting and modifying local ideologies the Scouting Movement has been able to find acceptance in a wide variety of societies. In America, for example, Scouting uses images drawn from the U.S. frontier experience. This includes not only its selection of animal badges for Cub Scouts, but the underlying assumption that American Indians are more closely connected with nature and therefore have special wilderness survival skills which can be used as part of the training program. British Scouting, by contrast, makes use of imagery drawn from the Indian subcontinent, because that region was a significant focus in the early years of the Scouting Movement. Baden-Powell's personal experiences in India led him to adopt Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book as a major influence for the Cub Scouts — for example, the name used for the Cub Scout leader is Akela (whose name was also appropriated for the Webelos) is that of the leader of the wolf pack from this book.
The name "Scouting" seems to have been inspired by the important and romantic role played by military scouts performing reconnaissance in many of the wars of the time. In fact, Baden-Powell's original military training book, Aids To Scouting, was written because he saw the need for improved training of British military enlisted scouts, particularly in the areas of initiative, self-reliance and observation skills. The book's popularity with young boys surprised him. So when he adapted the book for youth in Scouting For Boys, it was natural the movement took up the names Scouting and Boy Scouts.
World Membership Badge
The world membership badge is part of the official uniform of Scouts in all parts of the world. It is a purple, circular badge with a fleur-de-lis in the centre, surrounded by a piece of rope tied with a reef knot (also called a square knot). The fleur-de-lis is an ancient symbol, originally used by Baden-Powell for the enlisted scouts of the British Army and subsequently adopted and modified for the Scout Movement. The arrowhead represents the North point on a compass, and is intended to point Scouts on the path to service and unity. The three points on the fleur-de-lis represent the three duties, to God, self and others. The two five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge, with the ten points representing the ten points of the Scout Law (see below). The bond at the base of the fleur-de-lis shows the family of Scouting. The encircling rope symbolises the unity and family of the World Scout Movement. Historically in the United States, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) used this symbol as an award called the World Crest. It was given to Scouts and Scouters who had participated in an international Scouting event, such as a World Jamboree. In 2001, the BSA made it part of the uniform for all Scouts. [1]
Scouting around the world
Main article: Scouting around the world
Following its foundation in the UK, the Scouting movement started to spread around the globe. Today the World Organization of the Scout Movement is the governing body for the mainstream of the Scouting Movement. In addition to being the governing policy body it organizes the World Scout Jamboree every four years.
Today, there are over 28 million registered Scouters around the world, participating from 216 different countries and territories.
Top 15 countries with Scouting, sorted by membership. Full table on List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members.
| Country | Membership | Joined WOSM | Scouting Founded | Admits Boys/Girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 8,054,968 | 1953 | 1912 | Both |
| United States | 4,347,159 | 1922 | 1909 | Both |
| India | 2,423,686 | 1938 | 1909 | Both |
| Philippines | 1,870,625 | 1946 | 1923 | Both |
| Thailand | 1,240,609 | 1922 | 1911 | Both |
| Bangladesh | 721,635 | 1974 | NA | Both |
| Pakistan | 516,891 | 1948 | 1947 | Boys only |
| United Kingdom | 440,250 | 1922 | 1907 | Both |
| Kenya | 262,106 | 1964 | 1910 | Both |
| Korea, Republic of | 202,668 | 1953 | 1922 | Both |
| Japan | 165,544 | 1922 | 1913 | Both |
| Canada | 133,478 | 1946 | 1909 | Both |
| Germany | 122,844 | 1950 | 1910 | Both |
| Italy | 100,640 | 1922 | 1912 | Both |
| Uganda | 92,919 | 1964 | 1915 | Both |
Scout Promise (or Oath), Law, Motto, and Slogan
- For the Scout Oath/Law/Promise of other countries, please see the individual country's Scouting article
Scout Promises
Scout Promise (United Kingdom)
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best, To do my duty to God and to the Queen, To help other people, And to keep the Scout Law.
Scout Promise/Oath (United States)
On my honor I promise to do my best To do my duty to God and my country to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
Scout Promise (South Africa)
On My honour, I promise that I will do my best; To do my duty to God, and my Country, To help other people at all times; To obey the Scout Law.
Scout Promise (Singapore)
On My honour, I promise that I will do my best; To do my duty to God, and to the Republic of Singapore, To help other people; And to keep the Scout Law.
The Outlander Promise
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best, To render service to my country; To help other people, And to keep the Scout Law.
Baden-Powell wrote this alternative oath called the “Outlander Promise” for Scouts who could not, for reasons of conscience, recognize a duty to a King, for individuals or members of religions that do not worship a deity, and for members of orthodox religions that do not use the name of God in secular settings.
Scout Laws
Scout Law (United Kingdom)
The original Scout Law, together with BP's commentary extracted from Young Knights of the Empire
- A SCOUT'S HONOUR IS TO BE TRUSTED. If a Scout says "On my honour it is so," that means it is so, just as if he had taken a most solemn oath. Similarly if a Scout officer says to a Scout, "I trust you on your honour to do this," the Scout is bound to carry out the order to the very best of his ability, and to let nothing interfere with his doing so. If a Scout were to break his honour by telling a lie, or by not carrying out an order exactly when trusted on his honour to do so, he may be directed to hand over his Scout badge and never wear it again. He may also be directed to cease to be a Scout.
- A SCOUT IS LOYAL to the King, and to his officers, and to his parents, his Country, his employers, and to those under his orders. He must stick to them through thick and thin against anyone who is their enemy or who even talks badly of them.
- A SCOUT'S DUTY IS TO BE USEFUL AND TO HELP OTHERS. And he is to do his duty before anything else, even though he gives up his own pleasure or comfort or safety to do it. When in difficulty to know which of two things to do, he must ask himself, "Which is my duty?" that is, "Which is best for other people?"--and do that one. He must Be Prepared at any time to save life or to help injured persons. And must try his best to do a good turn to somebody every day.
- A SCOUT IS A FRIEND TO ALL and a Brother to every other Scout, no matter to what social class the other belongs. If a Scout meets another Scout, even though a stranger to him, he must speak to him and help him in any way that he can, either to carry out the duty he is then doing, or by giving him food, or, so far as possible, anything that he may be in want of. A Scout must never be a snob. A snob is one who looks down upon another because he's poorer, or who is poor and resents another because he is rich. A Scout accepts the other man as he finds him and makes the best of him -- "Kim," the boy scout, was called by the Indians "Little friend of all the world," and that is the name which every Scout should earn for himself.
- A SCOUT IS COURTEOUS. A Scout should be polite to all--but especially to women and children, old people and invalids, cripples, etc. And he must not take any reward for being helpful or courteous.
- A SCOUT IS A FRIEND TO ANIMALS. He should save them, so far as possible, from pain, and should not kill any animal unnecessarily, even if it is only a fly, for it is one of God's creatures. Killing an animal for food, or an animal which is harmful, is allowable.
- A SCOUT OBEYS ORDERS of his parents, Patrol-leader, or Scoutmaster without question. Even if he gets an order which he does not like, a Scout must do AS soldiers AND SAILORS DO, or AS he would do if he got it FROM his CAPTAIN in a football match--he must carry it out all the same, because it is his duty; after he has done it he can come and state any reasons against it: but he must carry out the order at once. That is discipline.
- A SCOUT SMILES AND WHISTLES UNDER ALL DIFFICULTIES. When he gets an order, he should obey it cheerily and readily, not in a slow, hang-dog sort of way.
- A SCOUT IS THRIFTY. It is expected that a Scout will save every penny he can, and put it in the bank, so that he may have money to keep himself when out of work, and thus not make himself a burden to others; or that he may have money to give away to others when they need it.
- A SCOUT IS CLEAN IN THOUGHT, WORD AND DEED. Decent Scouts look down upon silly youths who talk dirt, and they do not let themselves give way to temptation, either to talk it or to do anything dirty. A Scout is pure, and clean-minded, and manly.
The Current UK Scout Law:
A Scout is to be trusted.
A Scout is loyal.
A Scout is friendly and considerate.
A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouts.
A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
A Scout makes good use of time and is careful of possessions and property.
A Scout has self-respect and respect for others.
The Current UK Cub Scout Law is:
Cub Scouts always do their best Think of others before themselves And do a good turn every day.
Scout Law (United States)
- A Scout is Trustworthy.
- A Scout tells the truth. He is honest, and he keeps his promises. People can depend on him.
- A Scout is Loyal.
- A Scout is true to his family, friends, Scout leaders, school, and nation.
- A Scout is Helpful.
- A Scout cares about other people. He willingly volunteers to help others without expecting payment or reward.
- A Scout is Friendly.
- A Scout is a friend to all. He is a brother to other Scouts. He offers his friendship to people of all races and nations, and respects them even if their beliefs and customs are different from his own.
- A Scout is Courteous.
- A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows that using good manners makes it easier for people to get along.
- A Scout is Kind.
- A Scout knows there is strength in being gentle. He treats others as he wants to be treated. Without good reason, he does not harm or kill any living thing.
- A Scout is Obedient.
- A Scout follows the rules of his family, school, and troop. He obeys the laws of his community and country. If he thinks these rules and laws are unfair, he tries to have them changed in an orderly manner rather than disobeying them.
- A Scout is Cheerful.
- A Scout looks for the bright side of life. He cheerfully does tasks that come his way. He tries to make others happy.
- A Scout is Thrifty.
- A Scout works to pay his own way and to help others. He saves for the future. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property.
- A Scout is Brave.
- A Scout can face danger although he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if others laugh at him or threaten him.
- A Scout is Clean.
- A Scout keeps his body and mind fit and clean. He chooses the company of those who live by high standards. He helps keep his home and community clean.
- A Scout is Reverent.
- A Scout is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties. He respects the beliefs of others.
Scout Law (South Africa)
- A Scout's honour is to be trusted
- A Scout is loyal
- A Scout's duty is to be useful and to help others.
- A Scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout
- A Scout is courteous
- A Scout is a friend to animals
- A Scout obeys orders
- A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties
- A Scout is thrifty
- A Scout is clean in thought, word and deed
Scout Law (Singapore)
- A Scout is to be trusted
- A Scout is loyal
- A Scout makes friends, establishes and maintain harmonious relations
- A Scout is disciplined and considerate
- A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
Scout Motto
Be Prepared.
Scout Slogan
Do a good turn daily.
Breakaway and nonaligned organisations
Scouting is first and foremost an educational game, one that benefits any youth that would learn from its method. Between the first publication of Scouting for Boys and the creation of the first supranational Scout organization, WOSM, fifteen years had passed and millions of copies of the appealing handbook had been sold in dozens of languages. By that point, Scouting was the purview of the world's youth, no longer containable by any one school of thought.
Many groups have formed since the original formation of the Scouting "Boy Patrols." Some are a result of groups or individuals who refuse to follow the original ideals of Scouting but still desire to participate in Scout-like activities. Others maintain that the WOSM of today is far more political and less youth based than ever envisioned by Lord Baden-Powell. They believe that Scouting in general has moved away from its original intent, because of political machinations that happen to longstanding organizations, and seek to return to the earliest, simplest methods.
There are at least 520 separate national or regional Scouting associations in the world. Most have felt the need to create international Scouting organizations to set standards for Scouting and to coordinate activities among member associations. Six international Scouting organizations serve 437 of the world's national associations, and the largest two organizations, WOSM and WAGGGS, count 362 national associations as members, encompassing the vast majority of the world's Scouts.
Breakaway and nonaligned organizations can be divided into four categories:
Scouts-in-Exile
Scouts-in-Exile groups formed overseas from their native country as a result of war and changes in governments. For the Scouts-in-exile groups, serving the community outside their homelands, there is resentment that they were not recognized during their nations totalitarian periods. These groups often provided postal delivery and other basic services in Displaced Persons Camps.
Independent Scouts and Scout organizations
The first schism within Scouting occurred during November 1909, when the British Boy Scouts (later the Brotherhood of British Scouts, and known internationally as the Order of World Scouts) was formed, initially comprising an estimated 25 percent of all Scouts in the United Kingdom, but rapidly declining from 1911 onward. The organisation was formed because of perceptions of bureaucracy and militaristic tendencies in the mainstream movement. With several smaller organisations, such as the Boy's Life Brigade Scouts they formed the National Peace Scouts federation. The British Girl Scouts were the female counterpart of the British Boy Scouts.
In 1916 a group of Scoutmasters in Cambridge, led by Ernest Westlake and his son Aubrey, who believed that the movement had moved away from its early ideals and had lost its woodcraft character, founded the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry. The order survives to this day in England.
In the years following the First World War, the Commissioner for Camping and Woodcraft John Hargrave, broke with what he considered to be the Scouts' militaristic approach and founded a breakaway organisation, the Kibbo Kift, taking a number of similar-minded Scoutmasters and troops with him. This organisation was the direct antecedent of the Woodcraft Folk.
Baden-Powell Scouts were formed in 1970, initially in the United Kingdom but now also elsewhere, when it was felt that the "modernisation" of Scouting was abandoning the traditions and intentions established by Baden-Powell. Another modern breakway group is the American Heritage Girls, formed in 1995 in response to the perceived growing liberalism in the Girl Scouts of the USA.
In Canada and to some extent in the United States, there is a Traditional Scout movement, seeking to take Scouting back to the way it was in Baden-Powell's days.
Other independent multinational Scout organizations include
Among independent single-country Scout associations are the Éclaireurs Neutres de France.
Scout-like youth organizations
There are also some similar organisations linked to movements such as organised churches, such as Adventism's Pathfinders, the Nazarene Caravan and the pentecostal Royal Rangers. Other groups such as the Camp Fire USA, YMCA, YWCA, Sokol, Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade also have similarities with Scouting, although some of those actually predate the foundation of Scouting. The Future Farmers of America and 4-H are also sometimes seen in that light.
South Africa's Voortrekkers are an Afrikaner youth movement founded in 1931 as the Dutch Africans found it difficult to belong to a movement founded by their Boer War opponent, Lord Baden-Powell.
Totalitarian and political youth organizations
Scouting is banned by all totalitarian governments, which see the traditional Scouting movement as unacceptably pro-democracy. However, these same totalitarian governments recognize the power of Scouting and have incorporated at least some Scouting methods in their own youth organizations.
Primary among the reasons that Scouting may not be recognized in totalitarian societies is that it runs the risk of becoming mandatory, a tool of the state or used for political ends. Several times Scout organizations or their members have been involuntarily subsumed into a national indoctrinary youth organization. So that Scouting maintains an apolitical stance, formal recognition is withdrawn, even though the Scout organization may in fact still exist in some semblance of its original self.
Prior to World War II, the Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary and Romania disbanded Scouting. Germany created the Hitler Jugend (Hitler Youth) organization; Mussolini had a fascist youth organization, the Balilla; and Romania under the Iron Guard had the Strajoria. In parts of Europe existed the socialist Red Falcons. The Communist Young Pioneers still exist in some fashion in the People's Republic of China, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam, and have been turned into a nationalist movement in Tajikistan, the King Somoni Inheritance.
Other politically based youth movements include Na Fianna Éireann Irish Republican Youth Association.
Controversy
See article on Boy Scouts of America controversies.
Coeducation
At the international level, there are separate umbrella organisations for organisations for boys, or for coeducational organisations (WOSM) and for organisations for girls solely (WAGGGS). The success of the Boy Scouts was also attracting girls. The mores of the times did not suit a coeducational paradigm. Scouting for girls was started by Baden-Powell with the aid of his sister Agnes who was the first Guide Commissioner. Later, his wife Olave took the leading role and became the Chief Guide of the World. Some countries have separate scouting organisations for boys and girls, while in other countries, there is a common organisation for boys and girls, which is a member of both WOSM and WAGGGS. In those countries, there are often mixed groups of boys and girls.
In the UK, The Scout Association has been co-educational at all levels for many years, but this has been on an opt-in basis for individual sections or groups. Since 2000 any new sections that have opened have been required to offer provision for female Scouts. The Scout Association in the UK have decided that all Scout Groups should become coeducational by 1 January 2007 - Scouting's centenary.
Scouting in film and the arts
As a facet of culture throughout most of the 20th century, Scouting has been portrayed in numerous films and artwork. It is especially prevalent in the United States, where Scouting is tied closely to the ideal of Americana. The works of painters Norman Rockwell and Joseph Csatari and the 1966 film Follow Me, Boys! are prime examples of this idealized American ethos. Scouting is often dealt with in a humorous manner, as in the 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills, and is often fictionalized so that the audience knows the topic is Scouting, without actually mentioning Scouting by name.
See also
- Air Scout
- Boy Scouts of America
- Civic virtue
- Eagle Scout
- Jaroslav Foglar, propagator of Scouting in Czechoslovakia
- Gang Show
- Girl Guides
- Girl Scouts of the USA
- IMWe, an international creation workshop for Scouts
- List of prizes, medals, and awards
- Pioneer movement
- Pioneering
- Queens Scout
- Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
- Cyril Arthur Pearson origin of "one good turn"
- Scout quartermaster
- Scouting memorabilia collecting
- Scouting sections
- Scouting staff
- Scouts Canada
- Sea Scout
- Wood Badge
- The Woodcraft Folk
- Youth organizations
- Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego The Polish Boy Scouts
- South African Scout Association
External links
- B-P's quotes at Wikiquote
- Scout Forum - The UK Scouting Forum
- The World Scout Emblem
- Scouts on Stamps Scouts on Stamps Society International
- Scouting Frequently Asked Questions
- Scoutpedia, The Scouting Encyclopedia
- Two world-wide organizations coordinate the scouts and the guides of the world:
- Singapore Scout Association
- World of Scouting, describes history of Scouting organizations.
- Aids to Scoutmastership
- Milestones in World Scouting
- Parallel Scouting Organization
- UK Scout Association
- ScoutNet Malaysia
- Jamboree 1947 World Scout Jamboree of 1947 in Moisson, France.
- Scouts in Europe
- EuroJam 2005
- Scouting in Australia
- Sethnas 18th West Bombay Scout Group India's oldest continuously running Scout troop
- West Yorkshire Scouts Official website for West Yorkshire Scouting
- 8th Wimbledon Scout Group One of the world's oldest Scout groups, founded in 1909 in Wimbledon (where Baden-Powen wrote "Scouting for Boys).
- Scouts of Greece (dead link)
- 1st Crowborough Scout Group One of the largest Scout Groups in the UK, founded in 1908.
- CMScout A CMS for Scouting. Designed so that Scouting related Groups can easily and simply create a website, without the need to know any programing.
Notes
- ^ Walton, Mike The World Crest Badge...(and why do we *all* wear it?). 1999.