Author: stepol

“Fitting News”

The Gilwell Gazette

WOOD BADGE COURSE S7-602-12-1, HEART OF VIRGINIA COUNCIL

SDM3 Saturday Edition
Today, Clear. High 52F. Winds from the East at 5-10 mph. Tonight, Clear. Low 32F. Winds from the East at 5-10 mph shifting to the WNW after midnight. Tomorrow, Clear. High 64F. Winds less than 5 mph.

VOL. SVII-DCII-XII-I. . No. i

SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2012

Priceless

BSA Handbook Is More Than Just An Outdoor Guide

A GUIDE TO LIFE

IRVING, TX — More than ever, the current edition of The Boy Scout Handbook is not just a guide to the outdoors - but a guide for life. The Boy Scout Handbook, now in its 12th edition, addresses issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, respecting others, and using the Internet appropriately.
A current section, "Preparing for Life," brings together advice to boys that covers a spectrum of social issues. Boys are encouraged to read books, help around the home, listen with respect to others, prepare for responsible parenthood and be sexually abstinent until marriage.
"Scouting has always been about preparing boys for life," said Chief Scout Executive Jere B. Ratcliffe. "Through the Scout Oath and Law, almost 99 million youngsters have learned to help and respect other people, exercise their minds and bodies, and know right from wrong. The handbook connects those basic tenets of our beliefs and practices more directly to the situations boys face today."
Recent BSA research has shown that 75 percent or more of Boy Scouts believe the program teaches them right from wrong, helps them feel more self-confident and provides them with new skills.

DAVID A. PRESTIA / GILWELL GAZETTE

Staff Preparations
Move Forward at SDM 3 Meeting

Onwards and forward the brilliant staff of Wood Badge course S7-602-12-1 assembles once again at the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation, this time seeking perfection in the delivery of Wood Badge knowledge, as one staffer declared “we are putting the finishing polish on the hearth”.
After accommodations at camp were achieved for all, the staff was greeted to a warm welcome, and then they proceeded to the work at hand of team updates, presentations, and support issues.
The staff has been reminded that the 56 participants (the largest class to date) will be carrying back to their respective Packs, Troops and Crews the enthusiasm we provided them throughout this course. This daunting endeavor can be difficult to achieve, but not one unobtainable by the talented staff of Wood Badge S7-602-12-1. Dually noted is the leadership of course director Mark Larson, whose vast knowledge is only an understatement to that of his title Doctorate of Commissioners Science.
Yes, there is a Doctor in the house, The Doctorate of Commissioners Science Award, recently earned by our course director Mark Larson, recognizes his completion of a standardized program leading to the completion of a thesis or project and the award of the Doctorate of Commissioner Science from a College of Commissioner Science.
As most Wood Badge staffers know, the commissioner is the mainstay for Scouting program administration. It is commissioner service that ensures that units are healthy, productive, and assist in the growth of the program.
We applaud Mark in his achievements with the College of Commissioner Science, his education, through a series of training classes, followed by work experiences over a number of years, will truly ensure a quality Scouting program in the Heart of Virginia Council, National Scouting, and World Scouting.

Open Hearth

CENTERPIECE FOR WARMTH, FACINATION AND FELLOWSHIP

Wood Badge S7-602-12-1 theme is “Hearth” which will serve as our metaphor for the responsibilities that we have in Scouting. In definition, the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature. It has been with great care, that the architecture of S7-602-12-1 designed and built by our course director Mark Larson is themed by the hearth. During our passage in this course, Mark will be revealing the special meaning of the “Hearth”, as it relates to Scouting.

“The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.“
- Douglas Adams

OPINION A2
Practice Makes Perfect
An ancient Zen story of archery skills teaching us something today about the importance of practicing our skills in all circumstances

SCOUTING LORE A6
World Beads
Wood Badge is the only Scouting training course that is conducted by all WOSM organizations. Check out the other countries’ information.

FIELD NOTES A8
Our Aim
Baden-Powell knew from his experience in the military that there is a danger in losing sight of your aim while training your recruits.

Get social with us online!
http://wb2012.org
scribe@wb2012.org

THE GILWELL GAZETTE EDITORIALS/LETTERS SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2012

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The Gilwell Gazette
Mark Lawson, S7-602-12-1 Course Director

BILL HUDSON, (1976)
KENNY DAVIS, (1978)
JIM COCHRAN, SE-422 (1986)
TED MAJEWSKI, SE-499 (1989)
GEORGE CRUTCHFIELD, SE-547 (1990)
JIM COCHRAN, SE-594 (1992)
BETTY COCHRAN, SR058 (1994)
MIKE OXFORD, SR172 (1996)
JOE PEACE, SR267 (1998)
BOB RASMUSSEN, SR373 (2000)
JOHN TURNER, SR501 (2002)
STUART DUNN, SR604 (2003)
RANDY HARRIS, SR677 (2005)
GARY BRYANT, SR769 (2006)
KARREN STREAGLE, SR809 (2007)
CHUCK SMITH, SR917 (2008)
CRAIG BRITT, SR966 (2009)
AL BEST, S7-602-11-1 (2011)

The Scribe Staff
DAVID ANDERSON, Scribe & Logistics Geek
DAVE PRESTIA, Associate Scribe & Wildaboutlife
CHARLIE FLEET, Techno Scribe
The Business Management
BILL EGGLESTON, Asst. Scoutmaster for Program
THOMAS CLAYTON, Asst. Scoutmaster for Support
REY HALLION, Asst. Scoutmaster for Troop Guides
CHARLOTTE PEMBERTON, Senior Patrol Leader
LES THORPE, ASPL & Chaplain’s Aide
JASON SMITH, Professional Staff Advisor
CRAIG BRITT, Course Mentor

The Quartermaster Staff
DAVE ESTES, Friendly Quartermaster
JOHN BLACKMORE, Quartermaster Staff
TINA CHRISTIAN, Quartermaster Staff
ROBBIE PATTERSON, Quartermaster Staff
ED BEACH, Quartermaster Staff/Food
The Troop Guides
MARK BERNAS, Bear Patrol
SHAWN COFFEY, Owl Patrol
LOWERY HOLTHAUS, Bobwhite Patrol
STEVE HUTCHINSON, Antelope Patrol
CHRIS LEECH, Beaver Patrol
JOHN MAGRUDER, Fox Patrol
STEVE SMITH, Eagle Patrol
WENDY STARKE, Buffalo Patrol

Practice Helps Us Use Skills in Many Scenarios

After winning several archery contests, a young and rather boastful champion challenged a Zen master who was renowned for his skill as an archer. The young man demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency when he hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and then split that arrow with his second shot. "There," he said to the old man, "see if you can match that!" Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old fellow's intentions, the champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached a deep chasm spanned by a rather flimsy and shaky log. Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and certainly perilous bridge, the old master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. "Now it is your turn," he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground. Staring with terror into the seemingly bottomless and beckoning abyss, the young man could not force himself to step out onto the log, no less shoot at a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the master said, sensing his challenger's predicament, "but you have little skill with the mind that lets loose the shot."
Learning is most powerful when your knowledge is tested under many different circumstances. The young archer was skilled under very specific conditions, but he was unable to apply that skill in an unfamiliar environment. Our practice at SDM meetings over the past few months is preparing us to teach in all circumstances.

Where’s the Letters?

To the Editor:
I would like to invite all to send letters to the editor which the Scribes will publish in the editorial/opinion page.
Scribe Staff
The Scribe Staff would like you to visit your Wood Badge website at wb2012.org, we make changes to the pages weekly, perhaps you have seen your biography printed on the web.

“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. “
- Douglas Adams

Editorial Observer / SIR ROBERT BADEN-POWELL

The Spirit of Brotherhood

From 1909 to 1941, Baden-Powell wrote a column titled “Outlook” for The Scouter, the British version of Scouting Magazine. They were popular for BP’s conversational writing style which reflected the same style he used in his instruction. This particular article is from March of 1926.
WHEN I was in Tunis a good many years ago I made the acquaintance of a wonderful brotherhood, the White Brothers of the Sahara. The late Cardinal Lavigerie had organised them. They were a kind of revival of the Knights Crusaders. Recruited mainly from the best families in France these young men were a military force of Monks, missionaries prepared to fight in defence of the peaceful folk of their faith if need be. Their territory bordered on that of the Senussi, a race of armed fanatics. Thus, like was set to meet like. The fact that they were warriors as well as monks gave them a double bond of brotherhood where they gave themselves voluntarily, in an ascetic law and dangerous life, to the service of others and to the service of each other. They were a living example of what is possible on a small scale in the direction of goodwill and co-operation, which we want to bring about more generally in the world to-day.
The White Brothers, like the Scouts, were a movement rather than an organisation. That is, they came into it of their own desire to do something for their kind without thought of reward. So long as that spirit is there the Brotherhood is all right. But, mind you, self slips in unexpectedly sometimes; maybe it takes the form of a feeling that one is blessed with a gift for making a specially fine troop, or one is keen to show one's patriotism to be greater than one's neighbour's; or one rather fancies oneself in a backwoodsman's kit, and so on. Harmless weaknesses, but giving expression to Self.
Search yourself and see that you are free from it. Otherwise there is bound to follow some little sense of rivalry, some little difference of ideals with your neighbours, from which springs, if not envy or dislike, at least aloofness. In other words, not quite the right spirit is engendered.
Brothers we are to our boys, brothers to each other we must be, if we are going to do any good. Only the other day I saw a letter from a Scouter who had been having a hard struggle to carry on his Troop single-handed in a poor slum, and his spirit had been depressed not by his difficulties but by his "utter isolation and the very little spirit" of fellowship "shown by those around him who might" have given a helping hand.
Whose fault it was I don't know, but such aloofness or jealousy could not exist where there is the true ideal of brotherhood. What we need, and what, thank God, we've got in most places in our movement, is not merely the spirit of good-natured tolerance but of watchful sympathy and readiness to help one another. We not only need it but we've "got to have it" if we are going to teach our boys by the only sound way, that is through our own example, that greatest of principles — goodwill and co-operation.

Patrol Reports

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The Gilwell Gazette

BEAVER PATROL
Here we sit like
birds in the wilderness
birds in the wilderness
birds in the wilderness
Here we sit like
birds in the wilderness
Waiting on the Beaver patrol
Waiting on the Beaver patrol
Waiting on the Beaver patrol
Here we sit like
birds in the wilderness
Waiting on the Beaver patrol
<crickets chirping>

BOBWHITE PATROL
The Columbia Encyclopedia states that “Bobwhite” is the “common” name for an American “henlike” bird related to the family of Pheasants and Partridges. Common! I being of sound mind (even though it is only the size of a pea), do hereby protest! How can any creature from the species Colinus Virginianus be remotely common? The mere fact that I can lay 12 to 20 eggs in a season is an uncommon feat in itself. Not to mention that we are well know for sleeping in coveys. Obviously demonstrating that we are living up to the Scout Oath of “being prepared” for the possible attach from other not-dared mentioned critters, who can only dream of preening their crests. .

EAGLE PATROL
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Till I'm free
Oh, Lord, till I’m through my Ticket

BEAR PATROL
The bear is the biggest carnivore in North America and that pretty much means that they are at the top of the food chain of all Wood Badge critters”
“But you know Bears sometimes do get a bad rap. I mean lets look at this for a minute. They are really big fuzzy and lovable. Actually kind of cuddly looking ( Hence the Teddy Bear) They only kill to survive. However if they get backed into a corner they do get aggressive and you want to stay out of their way”.

OWL PATROL
As you make your final preparations for the SR602 Wood Badge Course, look forward to experiencing a milestone in your life. During the two weekends and the weeks between the weekends you will be immersed in an intense, sometimes hectic, coordinated experience that will leave you a better Scouter.
You will develop relationships with new friends that will last long past this Wood Badge course. You will laugh, perhaps shed a tear or two, learn new skills, sweat, be exhausted, be inspired, act like you probably haven’t done since you were a kid, wonder how you will ever get it all done, be surprised and satisfied when you do, and write something called a Ticket.
Come expectant, open-minded, and ready for new experiences.

FOX PATROL
The cunning Troop Guide for the fox patrol waits patiently for others to join her in her den. The planning and preparing is just about complete. She is looking forward to the arrival of her new friends, and then the hunting can begin. The anticipation of a whole new covey of Bobwhites is almost more than she can take. It is very interesting to be the predator and not the prey for a change.
I have been looking forward to staying up late at night, plucking at the Bobwhite Patrol and while I can be sly, I am also a very good listener. I have to admit though that I have never played Tetris. I am not a redhead, but raiding chicken coops sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

BUFFALO PATROL
Various myths have been brought up about buffalo mannerisms. The often depicted image of buffalos is of a slow and lethargic animal that couldn’t outrun a human and therefore, poses no danger. Well, even with their average weight approaching 1,500 pounds, they can easily outrun a human. Another myth that has brought down the glory of the American Bison (buffalo) is that they are lacking in the hygiene department. Again, totally bunk. The buffalo often patronizes the local wallow to groom by rolling around in a soft bed of meticulously procured dirt and sometimes a light sprinkling of water. Other explanations for this behavior have related “wallowing” to thermoregulation and relief from insect bites. The buffalos would also like to thank the State of Wyoming for their recognition of the bison family on their state flag.

ANTELOPE PATROL
We are an even toed ungulate ruminant group, actually comprised of almost a hundred different species, surprisingly none of which reside in North America. True Antelope are of the Bovidae family, North American Pronghorns are of the Antilocapridae family.
The Pronghorn sheds its horns annually, whereas a true Antelope does not, we are, let’s see, hmn, um, with horns year round, right. We are distinguished from other Wood Badge critters in that our horn is a notable symbol for Wood Badge, none others can boast of that. We are fleet footed critters that prefer the fellowship of the herd, the wide open vastness of the savannah, with most of us being grazers.
A group of Antelope will occasionally eat insects, small mammals, and birds. And although we leap and bound across the prairie’s of the world, some of us are not known as good dancers.

Today’s Photos

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The Gilwell Gazette

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Scouting Lore

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The Gilwell Gazette

WOOD BADGE ELEMENTS
Wood Badge Around the World
By now the staff of SR602 has become familiar with some of the Wood Badge history in the United States. But every country that has a Scout organization has its own Wood Badge history where leaders come together with other volunteers for the benefit of their country's youth.
By the time the United States held its first course in 1936, Scout Leaders in Australia, Austria, Finland, France, and the Netherlands had been enjoying the opportunity to be part of Troop 1 for a decade or more. Some Asian countries, like Singapore and China, have been offering Wood Badge since the 1950s, while the tiny island nation of Maldives, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, started teaching Wood Badge in the 21st century, not just for the 21st century.
For former Soviet countries in Eastern Europe, Wood Badge is once again being offered to a new generation of Scout Leaders after half a century of these Scout organizations operating mostly in exile.
Even Scout groups belonging to The World Federation of Independent Scouts, (like Baden-Powell Scouts of Ireland) who follow Baden-Powell's traditional scouting principles and methods but are not recognized by the World Organization of Scouting Movement, hold Wood Badge courses for their leaders.
Gilwell is truly for every Scouter.

History of the BSA Handbook

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) recognized from its founding the value of a comprehensive handbook for its members, publishing its first permanent Handbook in August, 1911. Even during the year it took to standardize the American program, the BSA hurriedly printed a temporary handbook, combining Chief Scout Ernest Thompson Seton's Birch-Bark Roll and Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys. Since 1910, the BSA has published this one temporary Handbook edition (which they call the Original Edition) and twelve permanent Handbook editions.
The Handbook has changed greatly since 1910, but much of the content of the early handbooks is still recognizable in today's edition. It is fascinating to examine the similarities and differences among the editions, what made each edition unique, and the trends that developed over the Handbook's history.
Boy Scout Handbooks often had three different titles: one on the title page, another on the cover, and yet another on the spine. Usually, the wording on the title page shows the most complete and accurate title, and that is the title used in this study. Until 1959, the Handbooks used some variation of the title Handbook for Boys. Since then, they have used some variation of the title Boy Scout Handbook.
Before 1959, each section of the Handbook was written by an expert in that field, sometimes a BSA employee and sometimes an outside expert. (Experts also contributed chapters to the Original Edition, though Seton and Baden-Powell wrote most of it.) A BSA editorial committee maintained full control over content and direction of all the permanent Handbooks, although this control was generally minimal and often careless through the first four editions (frequently allowing errors to go undetected for many years and sometimes allowing the contents of one section to contradict the contents of another section). Since 1959, a single author has written each Handbook (William "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt wrote three of these six editions, and Robert Birkby has written the last three Editions)
Defining "edition" is not as easy as it might seem. You'd think a new edition would differ from a previous edition in major ways. But the BSA has changed editions three times without rewriting the Handbook. And sometimes, there have been greater changes between successive printings of the same edition than between two editions. The BSA says that, "Except for the first and second editions, changes in the requirements for advancement have been the primary reasons for changes in the editions of the Handbook." But advancement changes often produced only minor modifications. More recently, BSA practice has been to revise the Handbook. about "every eight or nine years to include the latest information about Scouting and outdoor adventures."

DID YOU KNOW?
Richmond Scout Gave Life to Save Others
In late 1918, Richmond Boy Scouts were on duty 24 hours a day with such endeavors as ambulance service to help victims of the Spanish influenza epidemic. With many doctors serving abroad during WWI, those at home were hard-pressed. The disease struck 38,000 Richmonders, leaving more than a thousand dead.
A newspaper summary for the Scouts’ silver anniversary notes that “tragically enough the Scout who is credited with thinking of this service and who was probably among the most active during the epidemic died in the performance of this ’good turn’ and today in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church there is a memorial window dedicated to the memory of John Langborn Williams III, Troop 5, who in the ministry of mercy to others at the emergency hospitals at John Marshall High School and other places where hundreds lay ill, contracted the disease which proved fatal to him.”
Scouts Give Richmond It’s Own Statue of Liberty
In 1950, Boy Scouts in the Robert E. Lee Council raised over $400 to purchase and erect a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Chimborazo Park where it still stands today.
The project was the brainchild of Kansas City businessman, J.P. Whitaker, who was then Scout Commissioner of the Kansas City Area Council. It was part of the BSA’s “Strengthen the Arm of Liberty” crusade.

Lifestyles

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The Gilwell Gazette

Critterscopes

Today’s Crossword

Beaver
You will soon be unwillingly forced into a flurry of activity when your patrol is chosen to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Bobwhite
Everything that you love and hold dear will soon be lost when a tray of peanut butter cookies is accidentally dropped on the ground.
Eagle
Don't be afraid to take risks and try new and unpredictable things this week. Instead, be very afraid.
Fox
Paranoid fears that the entire world is out to get you will be proven false this week when only the FBI, the CIA, seven state police departments, and an international task force agency are found to be on your trail.
Owl
You will realize who your real friends are this week when a local doctor finally prescribes you some much-needed antipsychotics.
Bear
Drained both physically and emotionally, you will find comfort this week in the arms of a rather spacious leather couch.
Buffalo
You'll have a tough time putting this Thursday's shocking scene into words, but then, that's what the police department keeps an oversized Pictionary pad around for.
Antelope
A conflict between responsibility and self-indulgence is resolved when you remember that you can always retake a class, but you can never relive a party.

ACROSS
1 Scientist's office
4 Topical
9 Reduce
14 Reduced (abbr.)
15 Ancient Greek marketplace
16 OA Founder E. _____ Goodman
17 Shop
18 _____ of the Arrow
19 God
20 Slip by
22 Scotsman
24 What you stand in
25 Cat
27 Varsity unit
31 Satiate
32 Brass instruments
33 Atmosphere
34 Sheds tears
36 Staves off
38 State capital
40 Expands
42 Number of beads worn by staff
43 Smooth
44 Three
45 Information
47 Middle East dweller
51 Otherwise
53 Large African river
54 Magma
55 Green Gables dweller
57 Thomas Clayton’s ASM job
59 Ridge
62 Jump
65 Gall
66 Toothbrush brand
67 Painter Richard
68 Employ
69 The B in BP
70 Greatest Zulu Leader
71 Put
DOWN
1 Dubs
2 Loss of ability to make decisions
3 SR769 Scoutmaster
4 Country in SE Asia
5 Giant
6 Fish
7 Is
8 ASM for Program
9 Coupe
10 Course Director
11 Picnic pest
12 Oolong
13 Gray sea eagle
21 Shrimp
Nervous system
25 Pronghorn, for short
26 Tax agency
28 Royalty
29 BP book: _____ to Scoutmastership
30 Married woman
32 That woman
35 Before, poetically
36 Petite
37 Strong chemical base
38 Day-time tv's Mr. Donahue
39 Part of the eye
40 Veer
41 Damper
42 Men's neckwear
43 Scott, for short
45 Lodge
46 They make you an aunt
48 Wheel spoke
49 Loath
50 Basketball goal
52 Smitties patrol
56 Compass point
57 Nerd
58 __ Major (Big Dipper)
59 Throw
60 Time period
61 Mom's partner
63 Fire remains
64 School group

Fort Moultrie Flag
The first American flag displayed in the South
This flag was flown over the fortifications on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, as they battled a British invasion. It was inspired by the American forces defending the fort who wore a silver crescent on their caps emblazoned with "Liberty or Death." When the flag fell during the course of the battle, it was lifted by Sergeant William Jasper, who held it until a new flagstaff could be improvised, claiming, “We cannot fight without a flag.” But they fought valiantly with the flag, fending off the British fleet and felling their commander, Sir Peter Parker. This decisive battle was the first British loss at sea in years, and prevented them from the capacity for a Southern invasion for a long while afterward
"On Sept. 13, 1775, Colonel Moultrie received an order to take Fort Johnson, South Carolina. He had this flag made, for the troops wore a silver crescent on the caps inscribed 'Liberty or Death.' 'This was the first American flag displayed in the South,' he said. On June 28, 1776, the crescent flag, with LIBERTY across it, was raised at his defense of Sullivan's Island, later Fort Moultrie."

Schedule & Field Notes

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The Gilwell Gazette

Staff Development Meeting 3 Saturday Schedule

7:00am		Invocation & Breakfast	Les/FQM’s	Gilwell Hall
7:30am		Logistics for Day One 7:30-9:30 / Staff in their places and with stuff	Bill, Les, Dave E / All	Gilwell Hall
8:00am		Practice First Gilwell & Kudu Try Out	Bill, Les et al.	Gilwell Hall
8:50am		Generations / Feedback	David A / All
9:50am		Break
10:00am		Blue & Gold	Les	Gilwell Hall
10:30am		Coaching & Mentoring / Feedback	Wendy & Mark B / All	Gilwell Hall
11:30am		Staff Photos	All/Bennie Good	Gilwell Hall
12:00pm		Lunch and Team Huddles	Ed & Staff	Gilwell Hall
12:45pm		Self-Assessments / Feedback	Chris & John M / All	Gilwell Hall
1:25pm		Presentation of Staff Project / Both groups of TG’s present / Feedback	TG’s / All	Gilwell Hall
2:25pm		Patrol Presentations	TG’s	8 tables in Gilwell Hall
2:25pm		Stages of Team Development (concurrent) / Feedback	Dave P	Cub Administration
3:15pm		Visit to Camp T. Brady Saunders	All Able
4:00pm		First Troop Meeting	Charlotte	Handicraft
5:00pm		Day Two Review / Wood Badge Game Show / Game of Life	Bill	Handicraft
5:30pm		Comments / Stop, Start, Continue	Charlotte	Cub Administration
5:55pm		Scoutmaster’s Minute	Mark	Cub Administration
5:56pm		Back to Gilwell	Charlotte	Cub Administration
6:00pm		Dismiss	Charlotte	Cub Administration

Baden-Powell on “Our Aim”
IN the Army we have certain points to aim for in training our men; but in the long course of years the steps in training have become so absorbing and important that in many cases the aim has come to be lost sight of.
Take, for instance, the sword exercise. Here a number of recruits are instructed in the use of the sword in order to become expert fighters with it. They are put into a squad and drilled to stand in certain positions and to deliver certain cuts, thrusts, and guards on a certain approved plan. So soon as they can do this accurately and together like one man — and it is the work of months to effect this — they are passed as efficient swordsmen, but they can no more fight an enemy than can my boot. The aim of their instruction has been overlooked in the development of the steps to it.
I hope the same mistake is never likely to occur with us in the Boy Scouts. We must keep the great aim ever before us and make our steps lead to it all the time.
This aim is to make our race a nation of energetic, capable workers, good citizens, whether for life in Britain or overseas.
The best principle to this end is to get the boys to learn for themselves by giving them a curriculum which appeals to them, rather than by hammering it into them in some form of dry-bones instruction. We have to remember that the mass of the boys are already tired with hours of school or workshop, and our training should, therefore, be in the form of recreation, and this should be out of doors as much as possible.
That is the object of our badges and games, our examples and standards.
If you would read through your Scouting for Boys once more, with the Great Aim always before you, you will see its meaning the more clearly.
May 1910

Solution to last issue’s puzzle