SCOUTS HAVE COMMODIOUS NEW QUARTERS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 30, 1 April 1930, Page 5

SCOUTS HAVE COMMODIOUS NEW QUARTERS

TO BE OPENED WITH AN ENTERTAINMENT, 3EW MEMBERS ENROLLED. The meeting: held by the Stratford Boy Scouts last Friday evening was the fourth to be held in their new quarters, which, as they are large and commodious, are entirely suited for the purpose for which they are now being used. In a few weeks' time it is proposed to hold a grand opening night, to which Scouts and their parents and friends will be invited." In addition to items by the Scouts, |several local artfets are to be asked to help with the entertainment. This opening night should go ix, ong way to awaken a new interest n the Scouts, by the which during the past few ylars has been lacking. The Scouts are now busy doing Badge work, and "before the year s finished it is hoped to have sevral King's P<"ptß in the troup. Recently several new Scouts were, enrolled and as several more lboy|s have signified their intention to join, there should be a very strong troop in the. near future. Each week we propose to give an article on points which is the aim of every scout-master to teach the boys and which should be of much use to them during their after life OBSERVATION IN CAMP, ' Thi|s week we will talk on the powers of observation as used in a Scout camp. Every boy would like to be an exception, to make new trails and map new country. This week's talk tells you how you can become an texplorer in New Zjealand. There are times when Scouts \ are in camp, that they do not want to remain in the camping area and would rather wander off over the countryside. On such occasions it is better and far more interesting to set out with a definite object in view. Imagine you are an explorer who has pitched his camp in the wilds and has to learn, as much as he * can about the unmapped country within reich of his camp. It is true that your scoutmaster has with nim some excellent maps showing all the details of the surrounding: district, lut rather than rely on those always, it is great fun to pretend that there are no maps to be had and that it ijs'your job to make a survey that will be of use to future travellers. This doesn't mean that you will have to do all kinds of elaborate calculations with complicated instruments. If involves the use of your eyes, your feet, a compass and a pencil. SKETCHING. There will also be a very practical use for your observation when it comes to a Scout game, such as a flag raid, becaujse you will have a valuable knowledge of the lie of the land. When the sketch is /finished write on it any useful information that will make it clearer to understand. Name prominent features; mark on it any roads — where they come from and where they go to. Farms should be labelled; streams set out with arrows ito ishow their direction of flow; woods should be outlined, as separate from pajsture and ploughed land. Having finished the view from one direction you must . now • give sketches from other points, so as to give a complete idea of all (that enciricljes fyjour Icamp. To complete this part of your exploring you should also sketch the camp site, pencilling in any useful information as if you were considering the needs of some future explorer. Show him where good drinking water is obtainable; mark your rubbifsh pit and so on. Lastly, consider the landscape from the point of view of Scout games. Pick out the likely places for bases for flag raids, etc., and then think out where you would place Scouts to keep an eye on the movements of the other side. The more problems of this kind you set yourself the more i useful will your patrol be when it comes to playing the game.