SCOUT NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 25363, 15 August 1935, Page 5

SCOUT NOTES

By

"PATH FINDER?

Although the attendance was rather small, the First Invercargill Rover Crew held a good meeting last Monday evening. Future activities were discussed and a good sing-song enjoyed at the end.

A Scouters’ social and dance will probably be held at the end of this month, but the final details have yet to be arranged. Rover Scouts.

Rover Scouts have been described by the Chief Scout as “a Brotherhood of the Open Air and Service.” To be a Rover Scout, you must be over 17 years of age, and you will have to fulfil the conditions of membership. They are as follows:— (1) Have read and studied “Scouting for Boys,” and “Rovering to Suc(2) Have studied and understood the Scout Promise and Scout Law as they concern Rover Scouts and be applying them in a spirit of unselfish service to life in general. (3) Have sufficient knowledge to train a boy of Scout age in the tender-, foot tests. (4) Have undergone a period of probation. During this time you are called a Rover Squire, and when you have carried out the conditions of membership you are invested as a Rover Scout. The unit of Rover Scouts is a crew under the charge of a Rover - Scout leader, who should be over 30 years of age. Tire crew may be subdivided into patrols under the charge of Rover Mates. The centre of the activities of the crew is the Rover den, and this should be under the management of the Rovers themselves. If you have not been a Boy Scout you are not debarred from becoming a Rover Scout, but you will have to be willing to take to the open air life and camping or hiking, and to carry out the Scout Law. The crew programme caters for the physical, mental, spiritual and social sides of the Rover’s life, with the special activity that incorporates all four, and is the keynote of Scouting—hiking and camping. The Rover Scout Brotherhood has been organized all over Great Britain, the dominions and the United States. It has also spread to foreign countries and is going ahead rapidly. A Pertinent Parable.

Now it happened that a District Commissioner was visiting a certain crew, and each member was informally introduced to him.

Behold, they said, here is Charlie, a mighty athlete who won the Rover cross-country race. A man mighty in the art of gymnastics, who flies through the air with the greatest of ease. And here, they said, is George, our artist, who has painted the decorations on the wall: a man of artfulness and craftiness, indeed. Yonder, they said, stands Bill, a born comedian if there was one. Of a truth he literally stops the show with his gags. A truly great asset to the crew. And there, they said, is Rarzo, a great fellow with the boys; a Cubmaster, club leader, and Sunday School teacher. “Service” is his middle name. So one by one the members were pointed out to him of the purple plume, together with their several characteristics, and the Commissioner said: A worthy crew indeed. But stay, who is that little fellow over there in the corner, busy with his books? And the crew made answer, saying: Him, why he’s the Rover Leader!

—W.A.B. in the Rover World Magazine.