What Is Scouting?

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 92, 12 September 1947, Page 3

What Is Scouting?

XVII

(By “Tenderfoot”)

Then he devised games for the boys to develop their powers of observation. As for example, the game of “spotting the spot” in which a series of photos or sketches of objects in the neighbourhood such as would be known by all the Scouts if they kept their eyes open, have to be identified—such for instance, as a crossroads, a curious winddw, gargoyles, or a weather-cock or a tree, a reflection in some water caused by a particular building and so on. A pair of Scouts can play most of the competitions amongst themselves if they like ; a Patrol-leader can match one pair of his Scouts against another pair in the game ar.d thus get them practiced at it and when they become really good he can challenge other Patrols to compete against his. In this, as in other games, the patrol method is used that is, the Scouts training each other rather than being trained by an adult instructor. This kind of practice finds its .culmination in outdoor afternoon and in camp. Once more the game with its romantic possibility is the medium used ; the example here is called “Smugglers over the Border.” The “border” is a certain line of country about 400 yards long, preferably a road or wide path or a bit of sand on which foot-prints can easily be seen. One patrol watches the border with sentries posted along this road with a reserve posted further inland ; this latter about half way between the border and the town. The town would be a base marked by a tree, building or flags, etc., about half a mile distant from the border. A hostile patrol of smugglers assembles about half a mile on the other side of the border. They will all cross the border in any formation they please, either singly or together or scattered and make for the town either walking or running or at Scout’s pace. Only one among them is supposed to be smuggling and he wears tracking irons so that the sentries walk up and down their beat (they may not run till after the alarm) waiting for the tracks of the smuggler. Directly a sentry sees the track he gives the alarm signal to the reserve and starts himself to follow up the track as fast as he can. The reserve thereupon co-operate with them and try to catch the smuggler before he can reach the town. Once within the boundary of the town he is safe and wins the game. So one can go on showing how certain desirable qualities of character are deliberately developed, how abilities are trained and how all is done within the boys’ own world.