SCOUT NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21710, 3 May 1934, Page 2

SCOUT NOTES

[By Grbt VVoi,r.]

PATH FINDING. Perhaps a few notes about the Pathfinders’ badge, as it applies to Dunedin, may not be out of place. It is necessary, when sitting for this badge to know the streets intimately for one mile round one’s headquarters. What is the best method to get to know these streets? Believe me. it cannot be done simply by touring round on foot or on a bicycle, but again it cannot be done solely by the use of a street map. 1 think the best pethod is boy who is even moderately wide awake knows the main streets about his home or headquarters. Let him purchase a Stone’s street map, and taking a certain section of the area he has to cover, look up all the small streets and • alleys, and try to memorise them and their positions. The next thing to be done is to go over this section, preferably on foot, strolling' round and taking notice. Let him stroll thus until he has found every one of the small streets he set out to find. In this manner he can find every street or lane within his limit, and there is no better _ way of remembering where a place is than actually to visit it and know what it looks like. After all, what is the examiner most likely to ask you? The big, well-known streets or the small, seldom-visited ones? He will not ask you - where George street is, surely ? He may not ask you. where Leith street is, but if Leith street is within your limit he will ask where Vire street is. He will assume probably that you know Heriot row, but what about Young’s terrace? But much more is to be learned. When a stranger enters our city he usually wants to know something of its history. When was it founded, and by whom? What was it placed in this position for? What is the oldest part of the town? and so on. Can you answer such questions as these? Visitors, too, like to walk around and eye the “ sights ” of any town. They can go to the pictures and such places in any city, but they cannot see First Church, or the Otago University, or the Dunedin Art'Gallery, in any place other than in Dunedin. Therefore they should see them and numerous other places besides. Then where can we get some good photographs of the city ? There are many good places where ” snaps may be obtained, but if they want a good one of the Town Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Public Trust Buildings, and the tall spire of First Church, take them to Heriot row, just below St. Hilda’s Collegiate School, or to the corner of Cargill and Victoria streets. It is as well to ascertain, when guiding visitors, what their hobby is or what particular type of scenery they wish to see. People interested in architecture should see all the buildings named. Art critics will, of course, wish to see our Art Gallery. People interested in history should be conducted _ over the Early Settlers’ Museum, while the University Museum is worthy of a visit, or several visits, from anyone. It would, I think, be unfair to many fine Scouts to offer advice to them about taking visitors for walks. They are probably as well acquainted as 1 am with the best half-day, full-day, and week-end trips which are plentiful near Dunedin. But the aim of this badge is, besides making fellows useful, to induce them to learn all they can about their own city. Only if they are fully conversant with its history and topography are they able to make a just comparison of it with any other city. To Scouts intending to visit other centres I would say “ See and know Dunedin first.” , EXECUTIVE MEETING. At the first meeting of the executive a committee was set up to make arrangements with the examiners to set out the conditions for the hobbies exhibition, which is to be held on or about August 31 and September 1. As soon as these conditions are out, Scouters will be able to keep every boy fully occupied with bobbies during the winter, so that the exhibition this year may be even better than last time. GENERAL. The lloslyn 'troop is working with four patrols which are concentrating on signalling, ambulance, pioneering, and tenderfoot instruction respectively. They are finding their feet again after a change of officers. Their patrol corners are models for other troops to Some changes in the district staff have been found necessary owing to the resignation of District Commissioner W. D. Pirrott. Mr Pirratt has been associated with Scouting for the past twenty-three ; years, and is even keener than when be first started. He has served with credit in almost every capacity there is in the movement, and it is a loss to Scouting that he has found it necessary to relinquish his commissionorship, but it is comforting to know that he is willing to stay on the Board of Examiners and help unofficially wherever he can. The District Scoutmaster of the south has changed districts with District Scoutmaster A. S. Murie, who will be in charge of the Scouts in the southern district with District Cubmaster R. Watt in charge of the Cubs. In the north there are District Commissioner MacCallum and District Scoutmaster Thomas and District Cubmaster J. Livingstone. ___________