EXPERIMENT IN SERVICE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20629, 19 August 1932, Page 15

EXPERIMENT IN SERVICE.

TRAINING CENTRES FOR BOYS. THE SCOUT LAW. (XEOU OUT. OWN COamsrONDBKT.) LONDON, July 15. Lord Baden-P.owell, writing in "The Times," describes an interesting and enoouraging experiment in servico for tho unemployed. "Hcdinghani," writes the Chief Scout, "is ono of lour centres, the others being Hoxwell, Qucndon, and Eynsliam, where tho experiment has been carried on during tne past three years, thanks mainly io tho organisation of two iuUy (scoutmasters, Miss Majendio and Miss Doris Mason. The lads are selected from si long list of applicants sent m by scout commissioners of different counties. At Hcdinghani the members are all rover scouts unablo to find work, and they come from a variety of grades and trades. Twenty of them form a troop under tho direction of a scoutmaster, who is himself an unemployed' rover, in turn railway guard, miner, and house decorator, and, withal, a fine upright character and a leader of men. "The troop is housed in a large army hut, divided into dormitory anjJ living room, with store-rooms, kitchens, washhouses, etc. All cooking, housework, and repairs are done by tho men themselves. Each man, in consultation with the director, Miss Majendic, selects tho line of work which ho would like to take up, and for which he is best fitted. Miss Majendio arranges with neighbouring gentry, garage owners, farmers, gardeners, and others, each to take quo lad for instruction as footman, houseboy, cook, chauffeur, gardener, handyman, or mechanic. She has found people only too ready to give the instruction as their contribution of service to tho country. The lads go to work for the day, and return to camp in the evening for scout games and activities aud for meals and sleep. This course of instruction lasts for three months. Then the pupils have generally gained sufficient knowledge to be qualified for situations. These meantime have been found for them by the director. * I Non-Scout Lads. "Another departure was made by Miss Majendio in taking into training unemployed non-scout luds, who might almost be termed unemployable. Though tough to deal with at first, they responded in a great measure to the consideration extended to them and encouraged belief in the further extension of this experiment. Miss Majendie, witli an adventurous spirit out of the common, did not hesitate to go into the lowest quarters of Newcastle and there to tell her mission. Siie at once secured a number of candidates for the training. Fed, exercised, washed, clothed, trained as scouts, and vocationally instructed, these down-and-out men were changed in four months into useful, self-respecting members of the community. They were taught such trades as carpentering, garage work, and boot-repniring rather than housework.

"In spjto of the varied grades from which they had been recruited, over 80 per cent, of the pupils at the centres are reported as having made good. Employees have generally expressed themselves well satisfied with them. This is notably so with the rovers employed as i-ndoor servants. The experience gained in training the down-and-out men makes it apparent that such results could not be obtained by mere vocational training of the mass without tho additional scout training of the individual. since it is this that really grips their interest and opens up their moral sense."