The Chief Scout Talks

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1931, Page 25 (Supplement)

The Chief Scout Talks

WHAT ABOUT THAT MOTTO? (By Lt. Gen. Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell.) Thirty years ago the South African Constabulary adopted as their .motto, on the selection of the men themselves, the words “Be Prepared.” “Be Prepared for what?” “For any old thing,” was the reply. And certainly it applied with them, for a South African constable was called upon at any time alternately to train a horse, to vaccinate a baby, to build his own barracks, to expound the law for a Boer farmer and his tenant, to exterminate' locusts, to settle disputes, to peg out mining claims, to act as fireman, soldier, first-aid doctor, etc. And whatever it was he usually did it well; simply through carrying out the principal of “Being Prepared.” Ten years later the Boy Scout move; ment adopted the same words as their motto, as did also the Girl Guides, for a better aim one could not find. IT MEANS WORK! To be prepared for any eventuality means the possession of character, health and competence. These can only be acquired by personal self-develop-ment, so it rests with a Scout himself to prepare himself. It means work, of course—but work comes light when we look on it as a game, where we are players in a team, each playing in his place, all playing together for the good of the side. Accidents are continually happening, and as Boy Scouts and Girl Guides you continually have chances of giving assistance at first-aid —if you are prepared. We all think a great deal of a man who, at the risk of his own life, saves someone else’s. He is a hero. Boys especially think him so, because he seems to them to be a being altogether different from themselves. But he isn’t. Everybody has just as much chance of being a life-saving hero if he chooses to prepare himself for it. It is pretty certain that nearly every one of you will some day or another be present at an accident where, if you know what to do, and are able to do it promptly, you may win for yourself the lifelong satisfaction of having rescued or helped a fellow-creature. The great thing for you, as scouts, to bear in mind is that wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, you should constantly be thinking, “What accident is likely to occur here?” and “What is my duty if it occurs?” You are then prepared to act. BE IN FIRST. / And when an accident does occur remember that, as a scout who is pre,pared, it is your business to be the first man to go to the rescue; don’t let an outsider be beforehand.

Suppose for instance that you ars standing on a crowded platform at a station waiting for a train. You think to yourself: “Now, supposing someone falls off this platform on to the rails just as the train is coming in, what shall I do? I must jump down and jerk him off the track on to the far side into the six-foot way —there would be no time to get him up on to the platform again. Or if the train were very close the only way would be to lie fiat and make him lie fiat too, between the rails and let the train go over us both.” Then if this accident ‘occurred you would at once jump down and carry out your idea while other people would be running about, screaming, and getting excited and doing nothing, not knowing what to do. It is not only being prepared by knowing what to do, but being prepared to act quickly and at once, that is essential for a Scout.

SCOUTS AND THE EARTHQUAKE.

I suppose the last thing the Boy Scouts of New Zealand - were thinking of, when making their preparations for big rallies last February, was an earthquake. And yet, before they knew where they were, many of them were in the midst of that terrible earthquake which devastated Napier and Hawke’s Bay and brought ruin to so many homes. What did the Scouts do? Well, through being prepared, they were able to give help in every kind of direction, in first-aid and ambulance work, in averting panic and in assisting the destitute people in many ways. They have given a fine example of preparedness, which other Scouts may well take notice of and follow.

So don’t forget it—“Be Prepared and don’t be scared By difficult work or play. To play the fife or save a life Is all in the work of t-bo.. .day.”