E. E. Reynolds, Boy Scouts, 1944

Baden-Powell with some Rhodesian Scouts

PRINCIPLES AND METHODS

The aim of the Movement is to provide opportunities for developing those qualities of character which make the good citizen-a man of honour, self- disciplined and self-reliant, willing and able to serve the community.

There is nothing new in the aim; long ago it was stated by Plato as "education in virtue from youth upwards, which makes a man passionately desire to be the perfect citizen, and teaches him how rightly to rule and how to obey."

Scouting is distinguished by its methods. These are based on the normal desires of the boy. By giving practical and attractive outlets for them, Scouting turns them to socially valuable purposes. The boy is unaware of much that lies behind his training; to him it is a great game played with his comrades as campers, pioneers and frontiersmen.

The boy is set a standard of conduct for his guidance. This is stated in the Scout Law :

This Law is not a series of "DONT'S," but a positive statement of decent behaviour. When a boy becomes a Scout he promises to do his best to live up to this standard. The full Promise is as follows

"On my honour I promise that I will do my best

(1) To do my duty to God, and the King. (2) To help other people at all times. (3) To obey the Scout Law."

The order of these is important. "Duty to God" is the basis of religion, and while the Scout Movement itself is not committed to any one creed, the boys are encouraged to fulfil their obligations if they are already Church 'members, or to accept such obligations by becoming members. In camp, arrangements are made, where possible, for attendance at Church or Chapel, and where this is not practicable, -a Scouts' Own is held in camp. This policy has been approved by the leaders of the Churches who have welcomed the co-operation of the Boy Scouts Association.

"Duty to the King" sums up in a phrase that sense of responsibility to the community which it is the aim of Scouting to develop.

King George V with Lord Baden-Powell inspecting Boy Scouts, 1920

The "Daily Good Turn" is the first step towards learning how to help other people at all times. By this simple means it is hoped that a habit of thinking unselfishly may be formed, and the fact that this is perhaps the best known feature of Scouting proves its effectiveness. How successful this has been is fully shown by the long list of varied kinds of National Service undertaken by many thousands of Scouts. The Law and Promise are not taught so much by word of mouth as by the whole scheme of practical training. Boys learn by doing more than by listening, but all the activities of Scouting are directed by the spirit of the Law and Promise. The boy disciplines himself in striving to attain the ideal set before him.

Our Youngest Line of Defence Boy Scout to Mrs. Brittania:  Fear not, Gran'ma, No danger can befall you now, remember I am with you. Pen drawing by Sir Bernard Partridge, from Punch, 1909

Scouting in practice assumes that the boy can, and should, be trusted. Once he has taken his Promise, he is trusted to carry it out to the best of his ability. The distinctive method of Scouting is known as the Patrol System. The boys of a Troop are divided into small units or Patrols of six to eight boys each under a Patrol Leader who is given considerable responsibility in the training of the members of his Patrol, and with the other Patrol Leaders, in the general organisation of the Troop. All the Patrol Leaders form a Court of Honour which meets regularly to plan the Troop's activities, to discuss finance, and to watch over the general progress made by the Scouts.

It should also be noted that the Patrol System satisfies that gang instinct which leads boys to combine together in "secret societies" sometimes harmlessly but sometimes with bad results. Scouting canalises this instinct and turns it to socially useful purposes.

"The gang" is not looking for mischief, but for romance and adventure, and Scouting offers these with its uniform and its outdoor activities. The uniform is well known but the accompanying explanatory picture may be useful; it was designed for outdoor life to give the maximum of freedom with that smartness of appearance and touch of colour which appeals to the growing boy. It was, in 1908, a daring, and even revolutionary, kind of dress.

Scouts making a shelter.

A scheme of badges lures the Scout on from one practical achievement to another. As a result of following this trail, he should develop into a fellow on whose word others can rely, one able to look after himself, resourceful in any emergency and able (not merely willing) to help others. There are two groups of badges—those for efficiency and those for proficiency. All Scouts have to undergo the tests for efficiency, but each may make his own choice of the proficiency badges.

There are three efficiency badges-Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. Some idea of the scope may be gathered from an outline of the tests for First Class. The Scout must have had good experience of camping, and must be able to swim, to deal with common emergencies and accidents, and send messages by Morse or Semaphore. He must show his powers of observation and deduction by a tracking test, and he must have some knowledge of trees and birds. His pioneering knowledge includes knotting, lashing and splicing, tree felling and trimming. His final test is a 24-hour journey of at least fourteen miles during which he must find his way by map, pitch his tent, cook his meals, and all the time keep a log of his journey which must include a sketch-map of his route.

Sea Scouts practising lashing.

In addition to taking these tests of efficiency there are a number of Proficiency Badges. Certain of these are known as King's Scout Badges as they are particularly intended as Public Service training : the most important of these are Ambulance Man, Handyman, Pathfinder, Public Health Man, and Rescuer. Another group of badges encourages the Scout to specialize in those outdoor activities which are particularly distinctive of Scouting; such badges are the Explorer, Stalker, Tracker, Forester, Naturalist, Pioneer, and Weatherman.

The rest of the Proficiency Badges are intended to encourage each boy to develop a skill or hobby which may or may not help him to choose a livelihood, but which will certainly provide him with pleasant leisure time pursuits; only a few can be given here as examples : Artist, Book- binder, Camper, Carpenter, Cook, Electrician, Engineer, Gardener, Musician, Photographer, Prospector, Starman and Wireless-man.

Throughout the training great attention is given to health, and each Scout is made personally responsible for his own health and physical development. This is not done so much through formal P.T. as through the training in healthy habits, camp life, Scouting games and other outdoor activities. A simple system of six exercises is taught, and these the boy is encouraged to practise each morning on getting out of bed. He is not expected to develop big muscles or to perform complicated exercises, but is shown that health is a matter of good bodily habits, natural exercise, with simple food and sound sleep. Camp life underlines the value of these things.

	Chapter 3: Expansion
	Introduction and Table of Contents
	The Baden-Powell Library

Return to the Pine Tree Web Home Page

Your feedback, comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Please write to: Lewis P. Orans


Copyright © Lewis P. Orans, 1998
Last Modified: 10:17 AM on February 24, 1998