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A Short History of Scouting |
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The birth of an idea |
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Baden-Powell returned to England a national hero, after defending the town of Mafeking for seven months from the besieging Boer troops, the first real British triumph in the Boer War. When he returned to England, he discovered that many boys and young me were avidly reading his book Aids to Scouting. This book was intended as a military training manual, teaching soldiers techniques such as observation, tracking, initiative... |
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B-P. published Scouting for Boys in 1908 after a camp on Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, Dorset, where B-P. tried out his ideas on four patrols of boys from London and Bournemouth.
Boys bought the book, and set themselves up as Patrols of Scouts, and quickly found themselves leaders to train them. It was soon realised that some form of organisation was required to support these Scouts.
Scouting for Boys is now in fourth place in the all time best sellers list, behind the Bible, the Koran and Mao-Tse-Tung's Little Red Book |
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The start of a movement |
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In 1910 B-P. retired from the Army to devote his time, effort and money (all his royalties from Scouting for Boys were ploughed back into the movement) into Scouting. This year also saw the first census of Scouts in the UK, indicated over a hundred thousand Scouts in the UK. So, in less than three years, Scouting had a firm footing. After a trip to South America, Scouting started in Chile, and it was already crossing the channel into Europe.
In 1909, an American business man, William Boyce, was lost in the fog of London, when a small boy approached him, and offered to take him to his hotel. Once there, the boy refused any offer of money for the service, saying that it was his good turn as a Boy Scout. Joyce was intrigued by this and tracked down B-P. When he got back to the U.S.A. he went about setting up the Boy Scouts of America and by 1930 there were a million US scouts. |
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Me too! |
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By 1909 younger brothers wanted to join in the fun so the Wolf Cubs were set up in 1916 and in 1909 at the Crystal Palace Rally, B-P. came across a Patrol, who claimed to be Girl Scouts. Initially B-P. was in favour of allowing girls to become Scouts (in separate troops), but had to change his mind due to the pressures of Edwardian society. He established the Girl Guides in 1910, with the help of his sister, Agnes, and wife, Olave.
For Scouts over 18 B.P. invented the Senior Scouts (called Rover Scouts). |
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Review and modernization |
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The Association was modernized in 1967 and is again undergoing major changes. Wolf Cubs became Cub Scouts and Rover Scouts became Venture Scouts for young men and women. Beavers (aged 6-8) were introduced in 1986 and there were new badges for the Cubs and Scouts. Girls were allowed in in the 1990’s and many groups are now mixed: for boys and girls. Sealion Troop became mixed in 2005. |
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The new challenges |
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The new Challenge badges have been developed to extend Scouts' skills and experience. The Challenges are optional and continue throughout the Sections providing continuity from 6 to 25. They supplement the 70 Activity badges and the Chief Scouts Gold Award: the top award for a Scout. They were introduced in 2002.
You will also get a Participation Award for every year that you have been a member of the Group. |
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