SCOUT NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21733, 26 August 1932, Page 2

SCOUT NOTES

By Scouter. Last week we had something to say about the organisation of the Scout movement; this week we want to say something of the method of the training that is required. TRAINING. It is of the first importance that the group Scoutmaster should secure some sort of club room in which Scouts may meet, and where they can receive instruction and play games. The more the management of the club room is left in the hands of the boys themselves the better. Training divides itself into four heads: (1) Character —Development, resourcefulness, self-reliance, obedience, pluck, and persistency. (2) Handicrafts —The elements of a hobby or even of a future career. (3) Public service—Specialisation in different forms of usefulness foi others, (4) Health—Physical develop ment and personal hygiene. The Scouts are trained to pass tests, for which they receive badges. There are at present over 60 of these badges, of which several may be considered of public utility, such as cyclist, fireman, pathfinder, rescuer, and ambulanceman. Some of the remainder are fora proficiency in various trades and handicrafts, such as those of the carpenter, plumber, clerk, cook, farmer, engineer, printer, and gardener, etc. Scouts take as much pride in wearing these badges as public schoolboys do in their house colours. Whenever possible, the boys are taken into any open country available for Scout training and games, and at least once a year they go into camp for a week or two, which is both the best training and the best holiday they can have. The boys take a hand in the management of their troop affairs and in thenown discipline, etc., through the Court of Honour. Much of the discipline and training is carried out by boy leaders among the boys themselves in their patrols.

The training of officers, who are generally known by the title of "Scooters,” is provided for by a central school at Gilwell Park in Epping Forest (England), where practical courses are held throughout the summer, and correspondence courses during the winter. In New Zealand the Gilwell course is taken by such camps as will be held in the chief centres on the Labour Day week-end, supervised by a Gilwell officer. Anyone who is unable to undertake active work with the Scouts, and who is not interested in any particular locality, can nevertheless show his sympathy with the movement as a whole by sending an annual subscription to the Boy Scouts Association, care of Major Furby, Dominion headquarters. Christchurch, FIRST-CLASS EXAMINATION. A parade .of the entrants for the forthcoming first-class badge tests was held at headquarters last Saturday evening. Instructions were given as to the journey to be taken, and the piece of country to be sketched, together with date and place, for. the pflrpose of holding signalling, judging and cooking tests. In connection with the journey, which has to be done on foot by each Scout alone, or in pairs, a written report has to be banded in. The idea of this report is to allow of full information being given to a Scouter for the purposes of camping, field days, general Scouting, observation, etc. It is surprising how little some people see when going long walks, but a Scout must be prepared to give a very full report of any walk or journey upon 'which he is sent. A full half hour was civen instructing the lads in the use > (if Scout signs, in map drawing and reading. The attention and interest shown was of a high standard, and several questions were asked and answered. It is felt •that a verv profitable evening was spent. TRAINING NOTES. Scouters are reminded that their names, if they are desirous of entering the training camp to be held on Labour Day, must be in the hands of the commissioner for training not later than Tuesday, September 6. The camp fee is .estimated to be 7s per head. It has now been decided to hold the tutorial training class for Scouters before the monthly Scouters’ meeting. If Scouters will, therefore, report at Headquarters at 7.30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month good work can be done before ,the general business of the Scouters’ meeting is dealt with. The topics to be dealt with have been selected from the Wood Badge, part 1 paper. For next meeting they will be: (a) How to start a troop; (b) discipline in the Scout Troop, with special reference to the riotous boy. ' , ST. MARTIN’S. The whole evening at the parade of the St. Martin’s Troop was devoted to concert rehearsals, after which the Scouts were addressed by members of the committee. The concert is to be given in the hall on Thursday evening, when it is hoped there will be a good attendance of parents and friends of the Scouts. ST ANDREW’S. Friday night was clear and mild, and so, feeling in high spirits, the 14th Dunedin (St. Andrew’s) decided to spring some surprises. Meeting at 7 o’clock at Knox Church, they journeyed up to the Roslyn pa and entered tfye pa singing their Maori, song, “ Hiri-Toni Tong-Ita. A happy half-hour followed, in which Scouter ’Ashby and the troop demonstrated some of the diakas which Roslyn would have to learn in view of the forthcoihing rally. At 8.10 the troop silently left Roslyn oa and entered Mohican whare with fierce yells, and also showed the Scouts there the hakas. At 9 p.m. the troop thought it time to return home, and so were, dismissed, having spent a thoroughly good time. The following will be the Junior fifteen to play a Morninaton' fifteen:—W. Mitchell, Paine (2), Phillips, Hooper, Robertson, Campbell, Henderson, Varney, Cameron, Dolan, Hardy, Turnbull, Parkinson, N. Mitchell. St. Andrew’s are reminded to bring their kilts on Friday night together with sticks for the stick game. 4TH DUNEDIN TROOP. The George Street School Hall not being available on Friday night, the 4th (North) Dunedin Troop paraded in the Woodhaugb Gardens, where, after a brief programme of work, the time was taken up with Scouting games. The - native b ug h and natural surroundings made the games doubly attractive, and the boys thoroughly enjoyc.d the respite from a heavier programme. At 8 p.m. the troop was dismissed after the Scouters had made arrangements for Patrol Leaders to take their boys out hiking during the forthcoming school holidays. N. 8.: Scouts are requested to note that parades will be held as usual during the term vacation. IST DUNEDIN ROVERS. At the usual meeting of the Rovers visits to a Nightcaps Rover Scout in hospital in Dunedin were auranged. Six squires passed their tenderfoot examination. Two Rovers from Anderson’s Bay, attended to discuss the jamboree. Instead of the usual meeting next week the troop decided to patronise a Scout concert to be held in St. Martin’s Hall, North-East Valley. The crews are meeting during the week. 17th DUNEDIN (KNOX). The 17th Dunedin roll call was answered by 12 Scouts last Friday. One new member was welcomed. After a warming game of “ Soccer.” a mock court was held. The prisoner was severely dealt with for being a rogue and vagabond without lawful i means of support. One new member passed 1 his second class compass test. A court of honour was held .during the evening, which was closed with games. On Saturday 10 members of the troop went for a tramp over the hilfs beyond Opoho. The | weather was excellent, and good progress 1 was made. At the top of the hill the | Scouts had some fire-lighting instruction, and then boiled the billy. Several games made the afternoon pass all too quickly, and the troop returned home about 5.45 p.m. 7th DUNEDIN. The 7th Dunedin (Anderson’s Bay) troop took its parade in the Scout Den on Friday last. The Anglican Patrol, under Leader Ryan, paid its monthly visit i to the troop, and by its work showed ; ' that its signalling has improved greatly | since the last combined meeting. Leader ' Simpson and Second M’Gregor had their ! ’ patrol working on ambulance, while A.S.M. 1 Williams and Leader Guthrie gave the Tenderfoots their first signalling practice, I many of the boys already showing good < progress. Before games the troop again - practised the new haka, which seems to i 1 have become popular. £ Ist DUNEDIN (ROSLYN) TROOP. ! ( Only a small parade of about 20 Scouts ■ was held at the Roslyn Scout Hall, owing to the school holidays and a social. How- ( ever, a few games were held, and a short ■; talk was given by Dr Laird about his £

experiences as surgeon on the s.s. Northumberland and his experiences during the Hawke’s Bay earthquake. A patrol leaders’ meeting was held after dismissal. ANDERSON’S BAY ROVER CREW. The Anderson’s'Bay Rover Crew met in the Rover Den on Saturday night. For about half an' hour an interesting dis : eussion was held round the camp fire, after which all settled down to work under Rover Black, who gave an interesting talk on “ Buzzer Morse.” At the conclusion of the meeting the crew decided to hold its future meetings on Friday nights. CUB NOTES. 14th DUNEDIN (ST. ANDREW’S) i - PACK. The 14th Dunedin Pack paraded around the Council Rock on Friday in lorder to partake of the joys of Cub life in the jungle. The proceedings were opened by the grand howl and inspection. The pack then joined in various games, including the jungle race and a game of football. Since the Pack' Notes last appeared the pack has held an excellent social, in which the parents of the boys were shown the work and play of the Cubs. All the Cubs are busy at star work, and Sixers Skinner and Kerr have gained their artist’s, ambulance, and house orderly badges. The Cubs have built a Maori house in their hall and decorated the front in Maori design, intending to use it as a museum. Will all the Cubs in the pack please note that parades -in future will commence at 6.30 p.m. and continue to 7.30 p.m.? KNOX PACK. The jungle was alive last Saturday when 17 Knox Cubs met round the rock to give the grand howl to Akela, Ten Cubs passed their tenderpad tests, and will be'invested soon. After a game of “ Soccer,” the pack practised the Otago Yell and Canoe Haka. Relay races and football were then continued till dismissal. MOSGIEL PACK. The Mosgiol Pack met for its w’eekly hunt for jungle wisdom on Wednesday evening, when 17 Cubs joined in an opening grand howl. Games were enjoyed before tests and the practising of the Otago Yell and Canoe Haka.i and after further games the pack was dismissed.