FUN, FEED AND FIGHT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20106, 27 March 1928, Page 8

FUN, FEED AND FIGHT

THE LIFE OF A SCOUT ADDRESS BY CHIEF COMMISSIONER. The Chief Commissioner of the New Zealand Buy Scout movement, Briga-dier-General G. W. Andrew, visited Wanganui at the end of the week, and at the Y.M.C.A. addressed a meeting of troop committees of the Scout movement in Wanganui. The General commenced his address by stating that the Scout movement w as the finest teaching that a boy could nave, and that the idea was the greatest production of modern ideas for the improvement of boy life. Earlier in the movement there had been mistakes made, but through the administrative end. The idea had been that the Chief Commissioner appointed district commissioners and the district commissioners, and the district scoutmasters appointed scoutmasters and the scoutmasters appointed their assistants, in

this, manner not taking into considers tion the democratic spirit which exist

in the dominion. Dominion headquarters realised that there was something wrong because of the number of troops which were ceasing to exist and the different troubles cropping up all over the Dominion.

General Andrew was then asked if he would take an interest in the movement and make a comprehensive tour round the districts, and it was found that there were tombstones all over the country of defunct troops, and any amount of good gear going to waste. A scheme was then brought forward that before a troop could be formed it .oust have the barking of the boys' parents and the community, that they must form themselves into a committee and take upon themsejves the reponsiU'lity of appointing the men to lead and teach their boys in this movement. This also had the advantage of allowing the scoutmasters to concentrate their attention on the training of the Scouts, leaving them free of the responsibility of administration. The actual work of the troop committee was very small, but what there was, was vital to the healthy life of the troorHe sai'l that he had had complaints from parents about Scouts being out too late, and that this was one of the • juries of the troop committee, to see that Scouts were not later than 9 o’clock on parade. The financial end of the troop management should also be looked jf.er by rne troop committee. The General then went on to speak of the second point which he wanted To emphasise and which he called “ Boydum.'' He thought boys at Scout age were at an age when they were not understood. They were full of energy and if left alone would possibly misdirect this. A boy’s life at that age could put down under three headings, fun. feed, fight. They were always on to take risks, were nearly always noisy and frequently getting into trouble through not knowing what to do with themselves. The Scout movement filled a wonderful gap. The movement, instead of repressing a boy’s instincts ami desires, directed them into useful channels and this would ultimately train him to grow up to be a useful, worthy man and citizen. Mr Christie, the local commissioner, thanked the General for his remarks, pointing out that a fresh viewpoint on the matters under discussion was of great assistance. Assistant commissioner of Bulls. Miss Nancy Wilson, spoke for a few minutes giving some of her experiences at a refresher class in the Old Country for scoutmasters and assistant scoutmasters. Several members then spoke thanking the General and Miss Wilson for their remarks, and expressing their appreciation for the help that it would be tv the various committes.