SCOUT NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22063, 20 September 1933, Page 13

SCOUT NOTES

- .€E» —* By Scooter. .

I wonder how many cubmasters have come across the problem of the cub who doe s not want to “go up,” and have been more or less “stumped” by it? Here is a hint or two which may be helpful:—Consider the Cub in question and try to find out just why he does not want to go up. His unwillingness may be due to one of the four following main causes:—(a) He may be very fond of Akela, and may not know Scouter at all. He may not want to leave the familiar, happy, Cubby atmosphere for, as it seems to him perhaps, a cold troop of strangers, and he may possibly think that scouting is not interesting enough after the fun and good times he has had in the pack, (b) He just does not want to “go up. He will not be able to advance any reason for this frame of mind, but it is probably because he does not like to face the ordeal, as he regards it. (c) He is not ready to go up. He may be 11 or 12 years of age, but, mentally, he may still be only 9or 10. He is thus still of Cub age, and has not yet come to the time when, like Kaa, he must leave his old skin behind him and blossom forth in the bright new skin of Scouting, (a) Personal pride, which is strong in all boys of about 11 or 12 years of age, may prevent him from wishing to give up lus hard-earned badges and stripes and become a comparatively (in his eyes) unimportant member of the troop. Cases (a), (b), and (d) are generally easily remedied if Akela explains to the Cub the true state of affairs: that he really never leaves the pack, as it is part of the troop; that Scout work is even more interesting than Cubbing for a boy of his age; that he will get plenty of camping; that the troop is just as happy a brotherhood as the pack is a happy family; and that if he works hard and faithfully he will have two stripes on his breast pocket and badges, too, perhaps the coveted King’s Scout. Case (c) must be left to Akela’s discretion. He should not make the Cub go up. If he is not ready lie should remain in the pack until Cub training and influence can bring him to a state where he is fitted to go up. Then, and only then, should he leave the jungle to set off along the long road of Scouting. If Akela reads, or tells the Cub the gist of bite 16 of the handbook, he should have no uiliiculty in getting the Cub to go up when his time comes. , ~ . . It sometimes pays to get the Cubs who are soon to “ go up’” into contact with the Scouter. Akela should arrange a meeting or meetings previously (out of doors, for preference), so that at the “ going up ” ceremony he will be familiar .with Scouter. This gives Akela the chance of “unsticking” the Cub from himself, and “sticking” him on to Scouter. This is by no means a lull analysis of the reasons why a Cub does not want to go up, and if the causes given above do not fit, try and find the cause and a remedy for it. If you are still stumped, bring it up at the next Cubbers’ meeting, or send in your queries to the column, when they will be answered, if it is humanly possible to answer thCm ‘ HOBBY EXHIBITION.

Friday and Saturday of this week will see the result of weeks of keen effort on the part of. many Scouts. Entries tor the hobbies exhibition have poured in, and total about 800. The work is of an extremely high standard, and shows that Scouts occupy their spare time to good advantage. Many popple seem to think that the boy of to-day is rather helpless with his hands. A visit to the exhibition will change these views. A hobby is something that everyone should have so as to fill in their spare moments, and Scouts, who are supposed to be handy men, should certainly have hobbies. Entries cover art, toymaking, model aeroplanes, basketwork, carpentering, cooking, leather work, metal work, naturalist, photography, radio, model shipbuilding, and many other useful spare-time activities.