SCOUT NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1935, Page 18

SCOUT NOTES

(By "Sahl.") - "I believe in the wonder of the out-of- ; doors; in the inspiratioii of the stars; I believe in the strength of the hills, in the silence ol the night, and in the music of the birds and trees; I believe that my body was made for action, that my mind was made for thinking, and that my heart was made '. loving." —K. C. Stoll. ' Scouters and prospective Scouters are . reminded that the Metropolitan Training Course (Scout Section) commences on Monday,.April 29, and the Cub Section on Wednesday, May 1. The Scout Section \vill require a length of rope (about 9ft), staves, and notebooks and pencils; the Cub Section require a piece of cord, notebooks, and pencils. Both sessions commence at 7.30 p.m. at 93 Courtenay Place (top floor). The following warrants have been issued recently:—District Scoutmaster, W. B. Fink (Hills District); Group Scoutmaster, H. E. Ware (St. Peter's); Scoutmaster, A. F. Posselt (St. Leo's); Cubmaster, Miss M. Stewart (St. Leo's); cancellations, G. Cook, L. G. Purser, Miss J. P. Withington. . , Under the recent decision of the training committee to ask for attendance at a training course before the issue of a full -warrant, the following temporary warrants have been issued:—bcoutniaeters, A. L. Anker (Greytown), W; M. Bacon (Mount Camel), C. R. B. Foreman (Carterton), R. Fanthorpe (Island Bay Baptist), S. G. Ede (Port Nicholson Sea Scouts); Assistant Scoutmasters, J. C. A. Boyd (Miramar), H. Callow (Brooklyn), E. Gawn (St. Patrick's), T. D. Jackson (Carterton), -E. McSherry (St. Leo's), G. Murdock (St. Patrick's), B. J. Synriott (Miramar), L. E. Trotnian (Greytown); Cubmasters, A. L. Bryant. (Ist Upper Hutt), Miss Cameron (Brooklyn); ,■ Assistant Oubmaeters, Miss McLean (St. Mary's), G. F. Parkinson (Brooklyn), H. Stretton. (Island Bay Baptist) i. H. Stevenson (Brooklyn), J. L. Wilson (BrooklyTh'e St. Thomas' Group (Wellington South) are tonight holding their annual meeting in the Scout Den, South Welirigton School grounds (near the Russell Terrace entrance). A cordial invitation is extended to parents and friends to be '-r OnnThursday, May 2, an address on India by Mr. P. N. Denton has been arranged, to be held in-St. James's Sunday School Hall, Adelaide Road, at .8 p.m. This address will be illustrated with lantern slides of native life, customs, bindincs, and jewels, and should be most interring. A small charge is being made for the south district executive funds. THE WIRIHANA CAMP. - The Wirihana Easter Camp was, greatly enhanced by the beautiful weather. The programme dealt with the District Cub Course and sessionß on Second Star and Badge Work, with talks and demonstrations of handcrafts for Cubs. Mr. h. Zambra, a well-known member of the Petone St. John Ambulance Association, undertook the session on cut finger, leading up to the Cub First-aider Badge. On Good Friday, District Scoutmaster P. 1. Smither gave a very earnest talk on a ckuse in the "Ipise" and the Scout Law general y. Mr. Smither's own experience Wen in the Navy added very considerably in bringing home the fuller meantag oh£ subject. Best thanks are acccfded Mr. Smither. Saturday* programme included a camp fire away from the camp on the sea shore, when Ake ike was heard to good advantage. Owing to the serious illness of a neighbour the special pack meetings which were to have been held in the whare were postponed, and are to be taken in the Lair, Lower Hutt. , ... ,-...' On Sunday all in camp attended the early Easter services at 7 a.m. m Petone. Further sessions were taken and_ six stunts practised in readiness for the Mudge-. leewi's vkit in the afternoon. On his arrival Ifc Boyle was accorded a good Wihana Grand Howl. All were, very pleased to welcome Mrs. Boyle and Miss •Ayden, a Cubmaster from Nelson. . Mr. Boyle, who was present by .invitation to speak, gave » "^-"l&ggf ing talk; his remarks will be publislie^ later. A special display of musical dances and new jungle dances were . acted for the visitors Grey Six were very successful jT&tor/of the Union Flag, an* the Tawnies with their Maori songs. Alter tea a Wirihana camp fire was held in tlie usual place down in the clearing in the woods. Coloured lanterns twinkling in the trees; and the stars overhead were a_beautiful setting for the singing °£,*; ast« hymns. Mudgikeewis spoke on 'Easter and its message for us." Miss Ayden saitg some lovely Irish songs. The Camp fire then closed with "Abide with Me. . On Monday the camp was roused at 6 am. in preparation for a day's hike to Butterfly. The route taker,, was over the Gollan a Valley Road, returning by the new road into Eastbourne. Chil and two others met a motor-car—we won't say any more. Tawnies gave a practical, demonstration of the cooking of a hike dinner, which included potatoes, marrow, carrots, ~ and pSrsley sauce, finishing up with stewed prunes.' The camp closed at 9 p.m. A reunion is to be held on May 6 at the bonfire celebrations at "Ridgeside. THE PATROL SYSTEM. The Great War proved the essential soundness of the patrol system if any proof were needed, because so many Stfouters went on service that scouting pas left mainly in the hands, or the boys. In 1916 the Chief sent out\"A Call to Patrol Leaders." In this he emphasised their position, and he wrote: I have always considered the patrol as the lmPQrtuhjt body in the Scout Movement. . . I want you patrol leaders to go on and trai'n'your patrols in future entirely yourselves, because it ia possible for you to get fcold of each boy in your patrol and make a good fellow of him. It is no use having one or two Mlliant boys and;the ret't no good at all. You should try to m&k* them allfairly good., Themost mi- j porttut step to this is your own example, because'what you do yourself your Scouts will.do also." ' ,■'.,. it i. It ia quite clear from this tljat a Scouter'* first care should be to see that h« .ht« the best patrol leaders available, and that.his organisation of the troop throws the proper weight on their shoulders. He should^ not so much seek to train his Scouts as he should seek to train his leaders, and he should see that the P.L.gets the time and scope properly to- handle his patrol. The weakness of a central system of training patrol leaders is that they cannot achieve their object tives if they belong to troops where the Scouter does not understand thoroughly the patrol system, and allow it to work. The ideal method is through the Court ofHonour, with the Scouter himself directing his leaders and inspiring them. It is, However, to be hoped that the growing tendency to deprive the patrol leader of the ■ opportunities to do his job as the Chief wishes will be checked. The use of Rovers as instructors, and all teaching on a. troop basis, should be viewed with suspicion as a rule. The P.L. should be paramount in his patrol, and the patrol should remain the unit for training as has always been intended. Scouters would be wise, therefore, to read again Roland Philip's "The Patrol System." (Quoted from "The Victorian Scout.")