SCOUTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 138, 13 June 1931, Page 8

SCOUTING

(By “Lone Wolf.’’) Headquarters Jottings. I was mentioned at the recent meeting of the local association that the Taihape Troop now numbered 40. It was also mentioned that members of the troop had recently passed about 70 badges. The Westmere Troop is now ten strong. IDistrict Scoutmaster W. Minnell has received a letter of thanks from the Wanganui Horticultural Society for the efforts of the local Scouts in delivering dodgers for their recent flower show. The executive decided to assist the Welcome Week committee in any way possible. Provisional permission has been granted to Scouter Barber to take a party of Scouts to Christchurch during the coming holidays. A Game. Scouting is not a science to be solemnly studied, nor is it a collection of doctrines and texts. Nor again is it a military code for drilling discipline into boys and repressing their individuality and initiative. No! It is a jolly game in the out-of-doors, where men and boys can go adventuring together as older and younger brother, picking up health and happiness, handicraft and helpfulness. The collection of rules is merely to give guiding lines to help us in a difficulty; the training courses are merely to show us more rapidly the best ways of applying methods and gaining results.” Does not this warning apply sometimes to us here in New Zealand. Let our scouting become better and more joyous every time we meet instead of tying it up tighter with “red tape.’’ This of course does not mean to break away from our rules, or disobedience of them, but a fair and square viewing of them. Make each week a week cf better, brighter scouting. Sea Scouts.

We have now taken up our new floating headquarters on board the Waione at Bates Street corner. Any boys wishing to join must come along on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. The troop will soon be full, so hurry up and join. The company is divided into port and starboard watches, each consisting of two crews and a mate, and between them and the skipper a good evening’s work it put through. The parade on King’s Birthday was a great success. We paraded at the boat and then marched over to Mitchell’s Point, via the river. Here we indulged in tracking, stalking, firelighting, cooking, football, and also numerous other things. We had tea and then a bonzer camp-fire, everyone contributing items. After putting out the lire we camo home along the new airport road and between the hangar and town we sang every seng we could think of, and it didn’t half give the little chaps a leg al/, ng, who were pretty tired after the day’s work. But they all remembered the law, ”A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties”; only they sang as we could not see the smiles in the dark and the whistles were not musical ones. Well, we’ll turn in now, hoping to see new faces next week. Why Boys Should Become Scouts. Many boys never think of joining our world-wide movement. Why? Because they are ignorant, of its wonderful benefits. Some think it is a plaything, but what organisation has not hours of play. Perhaps those who are readers of this column and not members of the movement will quite realise the importance of the movement once they have read these six points:— 1. Scouting turns selfish boys into good comrades. Inculcates the spirit of scouting, which boasts the comradeship of all classes. The scout forgets self and becomes a copyist of Him who was the little Friend of all the world. 2. The shiftless, careless lad becomes a conscientious craftsman. A spirit of «

jolly rivalry is created by the sight of another scout’s badge-decorated arms, and so the tenderfoot covets his comrade’s honours, and thus acquires, by careful study, the necessary useful information which enables him, too, to obtain the cherished decorations. 3. The disrespected youngster studies chivalry and courtesy. Irrespective of parentage or social environments, the boy, on becoming a Scout, must, to hold his own, act like his fellows, and, carefully matured by a kindly scouter, realise the honour and dignity of chivalrous manhood. 4. Tho small boy early in life is taught to play a straight, clean game. There is no shiftiness in scoutcraft, and a boy is loved for the honesty and trustworthiness of his actions at work or play. The standards set for a good Scout is a high one, and to become a scout in truth a boy must understand the meaning of honour. 5. A scout learns the necessity of becoming clean both within and without. His appearance must be smart and alert, and in word, thought, and deed he would be pure and clean. 6. The boy loses his sulky looks and bad temper. The trade-mark of scouting is a smiling face, and he will learn how to keep that smile indelible; it must not wash off in bad weather. In all difficulty and danger the Boy Scout must preserve a smiling face Io a wondering world. An Important Item. The Chief Scout writing recently says: “A fellow asked me one day to give him a few hints about camping, and said, ‘Now what is the most important thing to think of in camping?’ ” I. replied: “The most important is what you do coming away from camp. You must remember to leave two things behind you: (1) Nothing. That is, nothing in the way of rubbish or damage to show that, you have had a camp there. (2) Your thanks. Too often fellows after enjoying a good days’ outing forget to thank the owner of tho property, through whose kindness they have been able to get their fun.”