The begining of Scouting

Luis Valds Figueroa

Agenda

So who is a "Scout"? Robert Baden Powell Mafeking Siege

The birth of an idea Scouting for boys World Scouting The start of a Movement Expanding horizons Me too!!! Last Message Promise

Mafeking The Place of stones Baden-Powells game of bluff Mafeking Cadets the first Boy Scouts Warner Goodyear a Scout at Mafeking Impeesa the wolf that never sleeps Baden-Powell the hero of Mafeking

So who is a "Scout"?

The words "scout" and "scouting" are fairly broad terms that are used by many organizations. And there are non-Scouting organizations that include "scout-like" activities such as camping, hiking, and outdoor skills (some even wear a Scout-type uniform). For simplicity, I include in "Scouting" any organization that labels itself a Scouting program and which bases its program on Baden-Powell's Scouting concepts and ideals. I include both males and females in the definition of "Scout", and I include male-only, female-only, and coed associations in the definition of "Scouting". There are a number of individual Scout groups (especially in Germany) that operate their own local program independent of any national or regional association. These are difficult to find and track, and they frequently go into or out of existence when leadership changes. So I list the unaffiliated single groups I have discovered separately, and do not count them in the "organization" totals.

Robert Baden-Powell

Robert Baden-Powell (1857-1941) was a military officer who helped protect Britain's imperial empire for over 30 years. He was especially talented in military scouting. Baden-Powell was a prolific writer who often chose his military experiences as the subjects of his works. He is best known for starting a worldwide scouting movement.

Mafeking The place of Stones

Its

name means literally place of stones It was an important railway siding. Obj: Defending the frontier and keep the enemy occupied and away from from the main British forces

Baden-Powells game of bluff

The

butterfly hunter Warning: landmines Many Searchlights Two More Guns Barbed wire

Mafeking Cadets the first Boy Scouts

`We had an example of how useful Boy Scouts can be on active service, when a corps of boys was formed in the defence of Mafeking, 1899-1900.

He quickly formed a Cadet Corps of 18 boys, aged 9 and older. He chose a young leader to be the sergeant-major of the cadet corps, Warner Goodyear.

Warner Goodyear a scout at Mafeking

Warner Goodyear was appointed Lieutenant before the siege was raised, and in writing of him after his death at the early age of 26, Lord Baden-Powell said "Goodyear's memorial will be of permanent value since it will record the case of a boy who in serving his country with bravery and distinction, showed that the right boy can be trusted with responsibility just as well as any man, and has just as fine a sense of duty."

 the

beast that does note sleep, but walks about at night, tribute to his reputation as a watchful military scout. At Mafeking, a cannon built during the siege was called The Wolf in his honour.

Impeesa the wolf that never sleeps

Baden-Powell the hero of Mafeking

Baden

Powell returned to England a national hero, after defending the town of Mafeking for seven months from the Boers troops.

The birth of an idea

When

he returnes to England, he discovered that many boys and young men where avidly reading his book Aids to scouting. This book was intended as a military training manual, teaching soldiers techniques such as observation, tracking , initiative

Scouting for Boys

Here are the contents of the original edition of Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys, published in 1908: Part I. Scoutcraft and Scout Law, giving the Duties of Boy Scouts, their Secret Signs, Laws, Badges, War Dance, etc. Part II. Observation and Tracking Woodcraft and Knowledge of Animals Part III. Campaigning and Camp Life Pioneering and Resourcefulness Part IV. Endurance and Health Chivalry and Brave Deeds Discipline Part V. Saving Life and First-Aid Patriotism and Loyalty Part VI. Scouting Games, Competitions, and Plays Words to Instructors

World Scouting
First

Camp at Brownsea Island in 1907 4 Patrols (blue (Wolves), green ( Bulls), yellow (Curlews) and red (Ravens). Each Patrol Leader had a flag with the animal represented on it)

The start of a movement

It is a movement, because it moves forward. As soon as it stops moving, it becomes an Organisation, and is no longer Scouting. -B-P

Expanding horizons
As early as 1908 Scouting was starting in many of the British outposts of the Empire. After a trip to South America, Scouting started in Chile, and it was already crossing the channel into Europe. The big step across the Atlantic, and into the United States came more by chance. 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. before he left London to discover more of this. When he got back to the U.S.A. he went about setting up the Boy Scouts of America. By 1918, its numbers had risen to 300,000, and had reached the million mark before the end of the twenties.

Me too
Originally

B-P. had envisaged Scouting as a movement for boys between the ages of 11 and 18. As early as 1909 Scoutmasters were facing the problem of younger brothers wanting to join in the fun. Some just turned a blind eye to the age of some of the boys, others formed Patrols and Troops of Junior or Cadet Scouts. The problem wasn't just confined to younger brothers, but also to sisters as well

Last Message
B-P.'s health deteriorated to the point that in 1938 he moved to Kenya to spend the last days of his life in Africa. He finally passed away on January 8th 1941. In his belongings was his last message to Scouts throughout the world:

Last Message

Dear Scouts - if you have ever seen the play 'Peter Pan' you will remember how the pirate chief was always making his dying speech because he was afraid that possible, when the time came for him to die, he might not have time to get it off his chest. It is much the same with me, and so, although I am not at this moment dying, I shall be doing so one of these days and I want to send you a parting word of goodbye. Remember, it is the last time you will ever hear from me, so think it over. I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have a happy life too. I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness does not come from being rich, nor merely being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence. One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so you can enjoy life when you are a man. Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things God has made the world for you to enjoy. Be contented with what you have got and make the best of it. Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy one. But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. 'Be Prepared' i this way, to live happy and to die happy - stick to your Scout Promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it. Your friend, Robert Baden-Powell B-P. was the first and only Chief Scout of the World after that no one person held that responsibility. The United
Kingdom has seen seven Chief Scouts since B-P.:

Promise
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best, To render service to my country; To help other people, And to keep the Scout Law.

The End