SCOUT NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 21649, 10 March 1932, Page 11

SCOUT NOTES

(By

Pathfinder).

The East Invercargill -troop has settled down enthusiastically to work under the leadership of Scouter Johnston. An anonymous donor has forwarded £5 towards the funds of this troop. The boys much appreciate this generous gift, and they themselves are to be complimented on their good work which has evoked such generosity and goodwill. District Scoutmaster Lee has left for Sydney where he will get in touch with local troops, and incidentally attend the opening of the bridge. We hope to hear much from him on his return. There is quite a possibility of one Invercargill scouter attending the world jamboree at Godollo in Hungary in August next year. St. Peters group is arranging for the formation of a Rover Crew. Four or five boys will definitely join and the numbers will probably be augmented when the crew is under way. I would suggest that ex-scouts from Georgetown and St. Aidan’s should also link up with the crew and learn the work, with a view to forming crews in their own districts in, the years to come. The troop and the pack are going strong, and the troop has put in two evenings at Oreti Sands gathering lupin seed for sale to the City Council. All cub packs are getting well under way and several are concentrating on work for first stars. The Gladstone boys are forming a club which will hold regular meetings in the ‘den’ at Lennel. Reports of the doings of country troops would be greatly welcomed by all scouts. Reports should be sent in to ‘The Commissioner, Boy Scouts, Box 48, Invercargill,’ or to “Pathfinder” care of Southland Times. These reports have more than local interest : it means a great deal to all scouts and scoutmasters to read of the successful activities of troops and packs in the various districts. Could not each troop appoint a ‘scribe’ to send in an occasional report? NIGHTCAPS TROOP. The troop decided to form a cricket team and after a few days’ practice at batting and. bowling with Scouters as coaches we challenged the local schoolboys. The game took place last Saturday, the Sth, the ground being in good order. The Scouts suffered their first defeat, the schoolboys winning by 15 runs. The scores were: School 110, Scouts 95. Scout T. Cosgriff proved to be the Don Bradman of our team, making 56 for both innings. On Saturday next we are hoping to play a game with the Ohai Troop and we hope to return as conquerors. The boys are keeping up very well with their work and noware all looking forward to our first annual camp. We are holding a committee meeting during the week to make arrangements and decide on a camp site. ROVER SCOUTS—HOW TO START. The unit of Rover Scouts is the crew. No minimum number is fixed for a crew, which is subdivided into patrols as may be suitable. The Rover Scout Crew is normally a part of a Scout Group which consists of all three sections of the Scout Brotherhood —Cub Pack, Scout Troop and Rover Scout Crew. It is at all times a good thing for Rover Scouts to meet together for their activities; especially Is this valuable where the members in each Rover Scout Section are small. Where there is no Scout Group to which Rover Scouts can be attached, a new Group can be registered with the Local Association commencing with a Rover Scout Section only, but it should always be borne in mind that by starting Cub and Scout Sections as soon as possible there will be a splendid opening for service for a number of the Rover Scouts. Each member of the crew should, as far as possible, have his own special duties in the work of the patrol, such as keeper of Camp Stores, the Scribe, the Purseholder, Hike Manager, Study Leader, Social Entertainment Manager, and so on. Also, where possible, each member should be assigned a certain day in the week on which he would be “on duty”—ready to take up any specified service or to answer any call. When the aim of the team is not merely that of winning at games, its members will realize that Rover Scouting is not merely taken up as a pastime for the individual members, but for the. opportunity that it gives them of qualifying themselves to do good work and for doing service for their fellow m?n. Rover Dens. Special club rooms, called Rover Dens, should be provided for Rover Scouts apart from Scouts, etc. These dens should be under the Rover Scouts’ own, management and should be open every evening for work or social activity. More than one crew might, if desired, cooperate in running one den between them and a common programme. It is not possible to run Rover Scouts efficiently without a den. Next week “Activities of the Rovers.”