Taking care of situations

One thing that cannot be ignored if you are going on your own is the need to practice how to handle medical situations and it appears in this picture these two scouts are being shown a procedure. 

There are something you can treat yourself  but knowing when you have reached your limits and need professional help is vital.

Inspection

These cubs certainly know how to make the salute correctly although I'd have a word with the one on the right regarding the state of his neckerchief as it should be fitted around his neck and then gathered in for the knot to secure it rather than draped over it in very careless fashion.

B.P. set out in Scouting For Boys  the essence of Scouting and in particular what he felt was correct attire which certainly included shorts even if they need not be a short as school  shorts were in the 1970's and early 80's.

As a Cub in spirit I always wear shorts out when Scouting with mine fitting neatly just above the knee with good quality long socks.

There is honestly no reason  what so ever for longs or 'combat fatigues' to even be considered in this country.

Chopping wood

Source: faucontrav
Repeated for people at the back: A boy NEEDS to use hand tools correctly in order to look after himself, as part of the tasks thereof and to know the safe use of .
This fine young boy knows how to hold the hammer correctly to chop the wood without either the hammer hurting him or the wood flying up causing injury.
There is nothing like a Man who knows how to do stuff and we start by teaching them as Boys.

Parade with Tall Ships

At the dockside, a parade of Scouts is taking place with everyone in line with traditional tall ships with rigging that young boys of fifteen to seventeen would have to climb in the background.

At the far left a Mom is holding onto a young boys hand as she looks  ahead. With any luck she might explain that those boys are doing and just maybe introduce him to them.

Taking time to show younger children activities they could get engaged in at an appropriate age is time well spent I feel.

St. Georges Day

The Patron Saint of Scouting is St. George whose day is traditionally marked on April 23rd in England often with Scouting parades on or at the weekend nearest it.

God bless St. George.

Boy Scout Shoes

For what I would regard as actual Scouting rather than hut based learning or other 'rainy day' activity the importance of good quality footwear cannot be underestimated not just for looking good at inspection suitably cleaned and fully polished.

It is about being hardwearing because the terrain is a bit abrasive, may well contain stones and waterproof as you can almost guarantee when think the going has been good the heavens will open with a deluge of precipitation as it is today actually and your feet need to be dry.

The fit also matters as they will be on your feet for several hours where lesser footwear will be able to rub against your skin or get sweaty which is no good for foot hygiene. 

BBS Rover Scouts

Two Rover Scouts, the program for those over 17 in the British Boy Scouts, a part of the Order of World Scouts (OWLS) in their traditional uniform including shorts and green garters for the grey long socks.

The contrast between those groups independent of the Scouting Association and them when it comes to both uniforms and the maintenance of Baden-Powell's traditional programs couldn't be greater.  

The Cub Parade

One common enough encounter with the world of Cub Scouts was through parades that my folks, yes the ones you read about at the start of this blog who just didn't get me in unlike my siblings would take me to.
When I think back to that era it's this style of uniform I have in mind where generally the boys as this was well before girls were admitted wore school trousers usually shorts although as you can see here there are three sets of covered legs that reflected the trend in upper juniors to misguidedly put them in longs and call them 'big boys' even though they clearly were not that mature at ten or eleven even.
It interesting to note in that context the boy in glasses who is very tall for his years is in shorts although I feel they'd benefit from being a bit longer on him.

Bonds in scouts

A few posts back on the post about Girls in scouting while talking around single gender  spaces, I mentioned about the closeness of bonds boys form in such settings and how that aids them.

This picture is one I feel sums it up perfectly being tight knit pack who are clearly comfortable being in and around each other at close proximity enjoying that time.

Priceless.

Taking a rest

Taking a deserved rest after a hike with all your kit, everyone has to carry something although I don't envy the boy on the left having the standard  to carry securely although they appear to have enjoyed the experience.

Both boys look tidy although one has a badged jumper  on and the other the traditional thick dress  shirt with neckerchief on display.

Scouting for girls

While the focus of this blog is not on Girl Guiding (UK) or the Girls Scouts (US), nontheless they do play an important role within scouting as a movement and here is a vintage picture of a pack of girl guides well before the heavily criticized uniform changes of the 1990's and early 2,000's.

Girl Scouts USA - Cadettes, Seniors, Juniors, Brownies - 1970 again before the push into cargo type shorts or long trousers that keeps a clear separate identity for the female side of the movement.

Although Girl Guiding was clearly seen from the outset as the outlet for girls who wished to be in scouting, being the responsibility of Agnes and then Olive Baden-Powell in 1918 and currently is structured into Rainbows/Rainbow Guides for 5 to 7 year olds, Brownies/Brownie Guides for 7 to 10 year olds, Guides for 10 to 14 year olds and Rangers for 14 to 26 year olds, there is a difference in  the extent to which The Scout Association and BSA have by allowing females to join have undermined the role and purpose of Girl Guiding/ Girl Scouts.

The Scout Association and BSA today feel they need to be seen to be inclusive including gender inclusive whereas The Guiding Association and Girl Scouts feel very strongly that when girls increasingly share spaces at school and in sports there is a need for an all girl space lead by adult females to help raise girls. They also feel it is an attempt to bolster Scouting Association/BSA  membership and participation.

My own view on this are written naturally from a male perspective which is while I would agree sharing resources such as camps and taking part in joint activities makes sense as part of the same movement, I feel something is being lost and not just for girls in this trend to eliminate gender specific spaces.

I feel boys have a need to spend time together learning about and from each other and by doing this through the Scouting programs form powerful bonds that aid their transition in  capable young men in tune with adventure but also able to take care of themselves.

Boys let their guard down more and are generally less likely act up when in their own company supervised by men who know what boyhood is about cos they actually had one. Just the presence of a couple of females alters that whole dynamic in any group. 

I also agree with the Guiding Association/Girl Scouts that this clearly is muscling on their territory which was understood by all.

There has and is criticism from time to time that their programs are too timid, lack adventure and maybe seem stuck in a homely feminine environment but the answer to such concerns is for them to consult with the young people involved  and make the programs more rugged while keeping the all girl ethos.

This said the one criticism I would make of modern guiding is a preoccupation with 'girl power' and trying too hard to be a trendy campaigning feminist organization which I don't honestly feel most girls really are that into and says more about the current leadership than traditional scouting for girls.

Learning about things

Of course camp isn't just about time being away, it is an opportunity to learn about new things and maybe even give them ago such as traditional glass blowing as ably demonstrated here by this scout who is doing well at it having seen this for myself.

The international family

A delegation of scouts and leaders with some differences in uniform but for me the one that stands out is the one fifth from left with the wide brimmed hat who's almost a deadringer for a young B.P. himself.

Scouting is a World-wide thing that originated here in Great Britain that, when the political changes occurred in Europe with the ending of the Cold War, saw it take the place of the former Communist youth movements.

While I'm sure much good work was done within them, no youngster should be subject to political indoctrination and propaganda.

Lending a hand

Carrying on a bit with the theme of the last post here we have a simple but necessary task being undertaken, taking and setting out the folding chairs so people can sit and rest as well as putting down sheeting for people to sit and eat on.

These ten to fourteen year olds are learning to take on role and to perform it properly which is an important part of growing up to be the next generation. 

Carrying your weight

Being a part of a team means more than just the being at an event, enjoying it but also part of the organizing, taking an appropriate level of responsibility for delivering it.

In Scouting at all levels you learn and are expected to carry your own weight allowing for any real limits you might have because having some like I do isn't an excuse not to do something and well.