AROUND THE CAMPFIRE.

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15359, 6 October 1923, Page 20 (Supplement)

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE.

BOY SCOUT NOTES. (By Pathfinder.) I have been Bitting staring into the fire for half an hour wondering what to write about. The coming rally seems to be overshadowing every other subject just now, “honest injun" I do not feel inclined to discuss rally matters to-night—one- can get too large a help of* pudding—and lam a trifle surfeited with rally details, so by way of giving it and myself a brief spell r will hark back to "the days that were" when 1, a small boy was first attracted to scouting. Some fourteen or fifteen years ago rumours of scouting percolated to our neighbourhood, and a chum and I decided to become scouts. We found a home patrol numbering six, which eventually was registered. We scouted. I can truthfully say that, with perhaps a very few exceptions, I have never come across any troop, which scouted so really as we did —and I say it not in a spirit of braggadocio, but in sorrow. It was not a case, I believe of even' goose appearing a swan “when all the world was young". We simply worked on the lines of the one book available, the book which had attracted us—“ Scouting for Boys", the hook which fired our imaginations. We did more, tracking then than 1 have ever known done by any troop since. The other day 1 asked a boy who wanted to join the scouts what he wanted to do In them, “Tracking", he replied. Yet scoutmasters seen to have carefully avoided this aspect. We went out as knights errant to do. good turns —and well I remember bow the tenderfoot (since dead) did the best ones. In fact we were so keen that we had great discussions yhether what a. scout was asked to do, could be counted a good turn. We saluted one another with the secret sign even in church. We were quite worried as to whether we

should salute policemen.' I remember a great fight one of our numbers had for the honour of the scouts against a non-scout. I recollect the pride we felt on purchasing staves (broom sticks at 3d each). But they were not broom sticks to us; they transformed us into backwoodsmen and other wonderful things. We were proud of them in spite of chaff the like of which is now unknown. We played the games mentioned in "Scouting for Boys”. We used our patrol call. We worked as a patrol and went in patrol formation and knew staff drill. We did not make our bow-linos of string, but with them lowered ourselves from trees. We decorated our clubroom (a cellar) with scout, charts. The punishment for the least swear word was rigidly enforced. When a scoutmaster came to us and the patrol grew to a troop, it was with mixed feelings wo observed how the tests were hurried over, how frying a little bacon was sufficient for the se-

cond-class test, how slackly “scout pace" was tested, when we had practised to do it within a few seconds of (he required lime. -What was possible (hen, with us .boys averaging 12 years and without a scoutmaster, is possible now. It is.not. only possible hut il is what appeals lo (he boy, and is really scouling. Boys unless contaminated by the bad example of seeing other boys slurring over their tests do not want to slur through them. They want to learn things, to ( feel themselves more like backwoods-' men. if you set up a standard, however high, they will reach it. Our pride on getting (he tenderfoot badge (which we passed with a distant scoutmaster): was such that we telephoned home the result. Docs the tenderfoot test mean so much to the

boys to-day? It am afraid not. Let us get back lo fundamentals and try to adhere rigidly to "Scouting for Boys." Let us scout I All the time 1 have been writing the above I have been thinking of the things 1 ought lo tell you about the rally and Ihc mailer that is uppermost in my mind is the housing of our visitors. About Those Billets. Wc anticipate that over 200 boys and scouters will visit Hamilton during the week-end of October 20 and wc have undertaken to billet them free. The only way we can carry out this scheme successfully is by the earnest co-operation of all local scouts and old scouts, parents and oilier friends who realise that the boy scout movement really requires their support. We therefore, will be grate-

ful to all who advise us that they can accommodate a scout or scouts. Of course scouters are really scoutmasters, so that it will be necessary to distinguish between the two when estimating that accommodation can be provided for either boy or man. Those willing to assist in this matter, please advise local scoutmasters, members of the executive or send a post card to P.O. Box 83, Hamilton. Troop Topics.

First Church Cubs were the winners of the Ladd Banner last Saturday, and I want to extend to them my heartiest congratulations. They are a lusty pack. Southern Cross troop retain the Ladd shield hut this achievement does’nt merit special congratulations, for under the existing rules which govern this competition the result was never for a second in doubt. i would like In sec the conditions of Ibis compolilion amended slightly in order lo give, younger troops' a; chance—and 1 ame sure the Southern Cross fellows would he the, first to fall in with Ibis suggestion—fop they cannot derive much satisfaction from winning a competition that is a walk over. I do want however, in congratulate Ihc Southern Cross boys for sticking to their iroop, fop nothing pleases me more than to observe boys sticking to the movement loyally and as well as some of those Southern Cross chaps arc doing; some of them are almost due for their five, year star. '

The rally—here it crops up again arrangements are well in hand and it is safe to prophesy a record week-end Or should I say that records are going to be broken, in number of entries, number of visitors, variety of events, and so on. Don’t forget to ask your neighbours, youp pals, and the visitors that come to your house if they wall do a scout good turn and lake in—don't misunderstand me—some of the fellows who are coming for the week end.