Scouting
Scouting is a worldwide youth organization. Its aim is to develop young people physically, spiritually and mentally so that youth may take a constructive place in society. This is achieved through non-formal education with emphasis on practical activities in the outdoors, the so-called Scout method. The Scout Movement was founded in 1907 by Robert Baden-Powell, a retired Lieutenant General in the British Army. He was also at that time a good friend of William Alexander Smith, Founder of the Boys' Brigade. Currently Scouting and Guiding have over 38 million members in 217 countries and territories represented through several different Scouting associations at the international level. The works of Ernest Thompson Seton and Daniel Carter Beard were very influential in the early development of the Scouting movement as well as the basis of the Traditional Scouting movement that has become very significant in the last several years.
Origins
Lt-Gen. Sir Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in 1907 in the United Kingdom. He also introduced the parallel movement for girls, the Girl Guides in 1910 with the aid of his sister Agnes Baden-Powell. The Guides are known as the Girl Scouts of the USA in the United States.
The seeds of the idea of Scouting began during the Siege of Mafeking, South Africa, during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, where Baden-Powell served as the commanding officer. Baden-Powell defended the town against the Boers (later known as Afrikaners), who outnumbered his troops eight to one. Volunteer boys in the town were formed into the Mafeking Cadet Corps, to help support the troops, carry messages, freeing up men for military duties and keeping the boys occupied during the long siege. The boys acquitted themselves well, helping in the successful defence of the town (1899–1900) over several months. Each Cadet Corps member received a badge, a combination of a compass point and a spearhead. This logo was similar to the fleur-de-lis, which Scouting later adopted as its international symbol.
As a result of his status as a national hero, acquired as a result of his determined and successful defence of the town of Mafeking, Baden-Powell's military training manual, Aids to Scouting (written in 1899) became something of a bestseller and was used by teachers and youth organizations.
In 1906, Ernest Thompson Seton sent Baden-Powell a copy of his book entitled The Birchbark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians. Seton, a British-born Canadian living in the United States, subsequently met Baden-Powell and they shared ideas about youth training programs.
Baden-Powell was encouraged to re-write Aids to Scouting to suit a youth readership. By 1907 he had finished a draft called Boy Patrols. The same year, to test some of his ideas, he gathered together 21 boys of mixed social background and held a week-long camp, beginning August 1, on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England. His organizational method, now known as the Patrol System, a key part of Scouting training, allowed the boys to organize themselves into small groups with an elected patrol leader.
In the autumn of 1907, having his draft publication and a successful camp behind him, Baden-Powell went on an extensive speaking tour arranged by his publisher, Pearsons, to promote his forthcoming book. Beginning in January 1908 it initially appeared as six installments in a boys' fortnightly magazine. The parts were subsequently published in book form as Scouting for Boys, now commonly considered the first version of the Boy Scout Handbook.
At the time Baden-Powell intended that the book would provide ideas for established organizations, in particular the Boys' Brigade in which he assisted their founder William A. Smith for some time. However, boys spontaneously formed Scout patrols and flooded Baden-Powell with requests for assistance. He encouraged them, and the Scouting movement developed by the weight of its own momentum. As the movement grew Sea Scout, Air Scout and other specialised units were added to the program options.
Baden-Powell could not singlehandedly advise all the youth who requested his assistance. To provide for adult leadership, proper training was required. The Wood Badge course was developed to recognize adult leadership training. In 1919 Gilwell Park near London was purchased as an adult training site and scouting campground. Baden-Powell also wrote a book for the assistance of Leaders entitled Aids to Scoutmastership, and others for the use of new sections that were formed later, such as Rovering to Success for Rover Scouts in 1922.
Early history
The members of a small number of Scout groups have the right to wear a green scarf/neckerchief in recognition of their membership of those groups founded in 1908.
Scouting began to spread throughout Great Britain and Ireland soon after the publication of Scouting For Boys. The Boy Scout movement swiftly established itself throughout the British Empire. The first recognized overseas unit was chartered in Gibraltar in 1908, followed quickly by Malta. Canada became the first overseas Dominion with a sanctioned Boy Scout program, followed by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Chile was the first country outside of the British Dominions to have a recognized scouting program. The first Scout rally was held at the Crystal Palace, London, in 1910. It attracted 10,000 boys, as well as a number of girls, who turned out for this exhibition of scouting. By 1910 India, Singapore, Sweden, Denmark, France, Russia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Mexico, Argentina, Greece and the United States had Boy Scouts.
Conceptual Influences
Many elements of traditional Scouting have their origins in Baden-Powell's own personal education and military training. However, it must be remembered that the ideas that he promoted were revolutionary at the time. He was unique, a 55-year-old retired army general who was nevertheless able to inspire and enthuse thousands of young people, hailing from all parts of society, to get involved in activities most of them had never contemplated. The only comparable organization (in the English-speaking world), the Boys' Brigade, has never been able to match the development of the Scouting movement.
Some aspects of the Movement have been criticised as being too militaristic. Such things as military-style uniforms, badges of rank, flag ceremonies, and brass bands were commonly accepted in the early years because they were also a part of normal society, but many of those attributes have been watered down or abandoned in later times. Many other popular youth movements have also adopted similar attributes successfully.
Local influences have also been a strong part of the Movement. By adopting and modifying local ideologies, the Scouting Movement has been able to find acceptance in a wide variety of cultures. In America, for example, Scouting uses images drawn from the U.S. frontier experience. This includes not only its selection of animal badges for Cub Scouts, but the underlying assumption that American Indians are more closely connected with nature and therefore have special wilderness survival skills which can be used as part of the training program. British Scouting, by contrast, makes use of imagery drawn from the Indian subcontinent, because that region was a significant focus in the early years of the Scouting Movement. Baden-Powell's personal experiences in India led him to adopt Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book as a major influence for the Cub Scouts; for example, the name used for the Cub Scout leader, Akela (whose name was also appropriated for the Webelos), is that of the leader of the wolf pack in the book.
The name "Scouting" seems to have been inspired by the important and romantic role played by military scouts performing reconnaissance in many of the wars of the time. In fact, Baden-Powell's original military training book, Aids To Scouting, was written because he saw the need for improved training of British military enlisted scouts, particularly in the areas of initiative, self-reliance and observation skills. The book's popularity with young boys surprised him. When he adapted the book for youth in Scouting For Boys, it seems natural that the movement adopted the names Scouting and Boy Scouts.
Relationship to Military Scouting
Boy Scouts were and remain an ingenious organization but they have unquestionably departed in concept from what they were set out to be. The military scouts of Southern Africa, on which the international Scouting movement was based, were first and foremost warriors whose business it was to face their enemies with both valor and good cheer. Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder, was a brilliant outdoorsman, a distinguished cavalry officer, and reportedly the finest pig sticker in India (To kill a sprinting wild boar with one lance thrust from the back of a galloping horse is a notable achievement for any scout). For quite a while Baden-Powell had the high score of consecutive one-thrust kills throughout the British Empire. The young Boy Scouts envisioned in Africa by Baden-Powell and the Chief of Scout's Major Frederick Russell Burnham was one of fighters first and social workers afterward.
Military scouts of late- 19th century Southern Africa were trained in ground and cover, movement from cover to cover, map reading, rifle marksmanship, observation, and accurately reporting the results of his observation. Note the special emphasis on rifle marksmanship. A scout had to be a good shot - a good practical shot, and an excellent hunter. These scouts would act alone or in small groups to perform reconnaissance beyond lines to determine the location and operational conduct of the enemy. Scouts also acted as assassins when the occasion demanded, but that was not its primary definition. In one notable example of this, Major Burnham undertook the assassination of the Matabele enemy leader Mlimbo, which turned out to be a remarkable success for the British campaign in Rhodesia. Thus, the military scouts fighting in Southern Africa were frontiersmen but only coincidently.
Scout uniform and distinctive insignia
The Scout uniform is a specific characteristic of the Scouting movement, in the words of Lord Baden-Powell at the 1938 World Jamboree, "it covers the differences of country and race and make all feel that they are members one with another of one World Brotherhood". The original uniform, which has created a familiar image in the public eye, consisted of a khaki button-up shirt, shorts and a broad-brimmed campaign hat. Baden-Powell himself wore shorts as being dressed like the youth contributed to reducing distances between the adult and the young person. Nowadays, uniforms are frequently blue, orange, red or green, and shorts are replaced by long trousers in areas where the culture calls for modesty, and in winter weather.
Distinctive insignia for all Scout uniforms, recognized and worn the world over, include the Wood Badge and the World Membership Badge.
Scouting symbols
- Individual national or other emblems may be found on the individual country's Scouting article, and/or at Gallery of Scout and Guide national emblems.
Scouting has two internationally known symbols: The fleur-de-lis is used by membership organizations of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), the trefoil by the members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).
These badges are part of the official uniform of Scouts and Guides in all parts of the world, whose national organization is a member of the respective world organization.
The WOSM membership badge is a purple, circular badge with a fleur-de-lis in the center, surrounded by a piece of rope tied with a reef knot (also called a square knot). The fleur-de-lis is an ancient symbol, originally used by Baden-Powell for the enlisted scouts of the British Army and subsequently adopted and modified for the Scout Movement. The arrowhead represents the North point on a compass, and is intended to point Scouts on the path to service and unity. The three points on the fleur-de-lis represent the three duties, to God, self and others. The two five-point stars stand for truth and knowledge, with the ten points representing the ten points of the Scout Law (see below). The bond at the base of the fleur-de-lis shows the family of Scouting. The encircling rope symbolises the unity and family of the World Scout Movement. Historically in the United States, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) used this symbol as an award called the World Crest. It was given to Scouts and Scouters who had participated in an international Scouting event, such as a World Jamboree. In 1991, the BSA made it part of the uniform for all Scouts. [1]
The Symbolism of the WAGGGS World trefoil is nearly the same: The three leaves represent the three duties and the three parts of the promise, the two five point-stars stand for the promise and the law and the vein in the centre represents the compass needle showing the right way. The base of the trefoil stands for the flame of the love of humanity and the colours blue and gold represent the sun shining over all children on the world. [2]
The swastika was also used as an early symbol by the Boy Scouts in Britain, and worldwide. According to "Johnny" Walker, [3] the earliest Scouting use was on the first Thanks Badge introduced in 1911. Lord Baden-Powell's 1922 Medal of Merit design added a swastika to the Scout fleur-de-lis as good luck to the person receiving the medal. Like Rudyard Kipling, he would have come across this symbol in India. During 1934, many Scouters requested a change of design because of the use of the swastika by the National Socialist German Workers Party. A new British Medal of Merit was issued in 1935.
Scouting around the world
Following its foundation in the UK, the Scouting movement started to spread around the globe. The first association outside the UK was opened in Malta. Today the World Organization of the Scout Movement is the governing body for the mainstream of the Scouting Movement. In addition to being the governing policy body it organizes the World Scout Jamboree every four years.
Today, there are over 28 million registered Scouters around the world, participating from 216 different countries and territories.
Top 15 countries with Scouting, sorted by membership. Full table on List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members.
| Country | Membership | Joined WOSM | Scouting Founded | Admits Boys/Girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia | 8,054,968 | 1953 | 1912 | Both |
| United States | 4,347,159 | 1922 | 1909 | Both (Venturing only) |
| India | 2,423,686 | 1938 | 1909 | Both |
| Philippines | 1,870,625 | 1946 | 1923 | Both |
| Thailand | 1,240,609 | 1922 | 1911 | Both |
| Bangladesh | 721,635 | 1974 | 1920 | Both |
| Pakistan | 516,891 | 1948 | 1947 | Boys only |
| United Kingdom | 440,250 | 1922 | 1907 | Both |
| Kenya | 262,106 | 1964 | 1910 | Both |
| Korea, Republic of | 202,668 | 1953 | 1922 | Both |
| Japan | 165,544 | 1922 | 1913 | Both |
| Canada | 133,478 | 1946 | 1909 | Both |
| Germany | 122,844 | 1950 | 1910 | Both |
| Italy | 100,640 | 1922 | 1912 | Both |
| Uganda | 92,919 | 1964 | 1915 | Both |
Scout Promise (or Oath), Law, Motto, and Slogan
Since the birth of Scouting in 1907, all Scouts around the world have taken a Scout Promise or Oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribe to the Scout Law.
The form of the promise and laws have varied slightly from country to country and over time, but must fulfill the requirements of the World Organization of the Scout Movement to qualify a National Scout Association for membership.
The Scout motto, Be Prepared, has been used in various languages by millions of Scouts since 1907.
Less well known is the Scout slogan, 'Do a good turn daily'.
Breakaway and nonaligned organizations
Scouting is first and foremost an educational game, one that benefits any youth that would learn from its method. Between the first publication of Scouting for Boys and the creation of the first supranational Scout organization, WOSM, fifteen years had passed and millions of copies of the appealing handbook had been sold in dozens of languages. By that point, Scouting was the purview of the world's youth, no longer containable by any one school of thought.
Many groups have formed since the original formation of the Scouting "Boy Patrols." Some are a result of groups or individuals who refuse to follow the original ideals of Scouting but still desire to participate in Scout-like activities. Others maintain that the WOSM of today is far more political and less youth based than ever envisioned by Lord Baden-Powell. They believe that Scouting in general has moved away from its original intent, because of political machinations that happen to longstanding organizations, and seek to return to the earliest, simplest methods.
There are at least 520 separate national or regional Scouting associations in the world. Most have felt the need to create international Scouting organizations to set standards for Scouting and to coordinate activities among member associations. Six international Scouting organizations serve 437 of the world's national associations, and the largest two organizations, WOSM and WAGGGS, count 362 national associations as members, encompassing the vast majority of the world's Scouts.
Breakaway and nonaligned organizations can be divided into four categories:
Scouts-in-Exile
Scouts-in-Exile groups formed overseas from their native country as a result of war and changes in governments. For the Scouts-in-exile groups, serving the community outside their homelands, there is resentment that they were not recognized during their nations totalitarian periods. These groups often provided postal delivery and other basic services in displaced-persons camps.
Independent Scouts and Scout organizations
The first schism within Scouting occurred during November 1909, when the British Boy Scouts (later the Brotherhood of British Scouts, and known internationally as the Order of World Scouts) was formed, initially comprising an estimated 25 percent of all Scouts in the United Kingdom, but rapidly declining from 1911 onward. The organization was formed by Sir Francis Vane because of perceptions of bureaucracy and militaristic tendencies in the mainstream movement. With several smaller organizations, such as the Boy's Life Brigade Scouts they formed the National Peace Scouts federation. The British Girl Scouts were the female counterpart of the British Boy Scouts.
In 1916 a group of Scoutmasters in Cambridge, led by Ernest Westlake and his son Aubrey, who believed that the movement had moved away from its early ideals and had lost its woodcraft character, founded the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry. The order survives to this day in England.
In the years following the First World War, the Commissioner for Camping and Woodcraft John Hargrave, broke with what he considered to be the Scouts' militaristic approach and founded a breakaway organization, the Kibbo Kift, taking a number of similar-minded Scoutmasters and troops with him. This organization was the direct antecedent of the Woodcraft Folk.
Baden-Powell Scouts were formed in 1970, initially in the United Kingdom but now also elsewhere, when it was felt that the "modernisation" of Scouting was abandoning the traditions and intentions established by Baden-Powell. Another modern breakway group is the Christian American Heritage Girls, formed in 1995 in response to the perceived growing liberalism in the Girl Scouts of the USA.
In Canada and to some extent in the United States, there is a Traditional Scouting movement, seeking to take Scouting back to the way it was in Baden-Powell's days.
Other independent multinational Scout organizations include
Among independent single-country Scout associations are the Éclaireurs Neutres de France.
Scout-like youth organizations
There are also some similar organizations linked to movements such as organised churches, such as Adventism's Pathfinders, the Nazarene Caravan and the pentecostal Royal Rangers. Other groups such as the Camp Fire USA, YMCA, YWCA, Sokol, Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade also have similarities with Scouting, although some of those actually predate the foundation of Scouting. The TUXIS and Trail Rangers movements were similar organizations which originated about the same time as Scouting; however, these organizations were unable to recover from the disruption of World War II and post-war competition with the Scouting movement. The Future Farmers of America and 4-H are also sometimes seen as scout-like organizations.
South Africa's Voortrekkers are an Afrikaner youth movement founded in 1931 as the Dutch Africans found it difficult to belong to a movement founded by their Boer War opponent, Lord Baden-Powell.
Political youth organizations
Scouting has been banned and currently is banned in certain nations. The USSR banned scouting in 1922, creating a separate Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union, which gave birth to the Pioneer Movement, still existing in some fashion in the People's Republic of China, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam, and have been turned into a nationalist movement in Tajikistan; the King Somoni Inheritance. Thus, some of the former Soviet allies and other countries still have their own youth movements that are not considered part of the Scouting movement; whereas some of them totally banned Scouting. Currently, there are no Scouting organizations in Cuba, North Korea, Laos, Myanmar, and the People's Republic of China (except Hong Kong and Macau, which each have a Scouting organization). and have been turned into a nationalist movement in Tajikistan; the King Somoni Inheritance.
Other politically based youth movements still in existence include Fianna na hÉireann, an Irish republican youth movement. Andorra, which is a parliamentary democracy, also does not currently have Scouting, but it is not banned there.
Military youth organizations
Prior to World War II, Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary and Romania disbanded Scouting. Germany created the Hitler Jugend (Hitler Youth) organization; Mussolini had a fascist youth organization, the Balilla; and Romania under the Iron Guard had the Străjeria. In parts of Europe existed the socialist Red Falcons.
Sections in Scouting
A Section in Scouting is an age grouping of members in order to provide suitable Scouting activities and training for that designated age group. The age division has varied over time in member organisations of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) to adapt to their culture and environment.
Scouting was originally developed for young adolescents. In most member organisation, the Scout Section is designated to this age group. Later, it extended to childhood, with the Cub Scout Section. And, later it extended to post-adolescence, with the Rover Scout Section. Post-adolescene section were also introduced under a number of different names such as Venture Scouts and Explorers (Explorer Scouts). Some member organisations also have a section for children around 6.
In some countries, Scouting is organised into neighbourhood Scout Groups, which contain one or preferably more sections. Under the umbrella of the Group will exist subgroups divided according to age, each with their own terminology and leadership structures. Within any Group there may be more than one subgroup at each age division, depending on the demand among the local population. In other countries the different sections run independently of each other, although they may be chartered or sponsored by the same organisation such a Church.
Pre-cub section
This section goes under different names in the different countries that have it. Generally it is for boys, and sometimes girls, aged 6 - 8. In the United States they are called Tiger Cubs . In the United Kingdom and Canada they are called Beaver Scouts. In Australia, they are Joey Scouts. In New Zealand they are called Keas. This section has no formal hierarchy. The group acts as one unit, under the guidance and instruction of one adult leader and possibly a number of assistant leaders and members of sections for older members.
Cub Scouts
This section for boys, and sometimes girls, aged 7-11, is formed into Packs and in some countries are identified by Dens, each of which will have its own leaders. All adult leaders at Cub Scout level are usually referred to by the name of an animal character from The Jungle Book series, by Rudyard Kipling. The Pack leader is often Akela, with their deputy often being Bagheera. Other names are used on a more ad hoc basis, but Grey Brother is usually reserved for the Pack Senior Sixer (see below) or a regular assistant from the older Scouting groups. In American Cub Scouts, the pack leader is referred to as the Cubmaster, and any adult leader is "Akela". Given the cubscouts young age group, in some countries many Packs or Dens were led by one of the member's mothers called a "den mother."
Within the Pack, Cubs are subdivided into groups of six. The leader of each Six is referred to as the Sixer, and their deputy as the Second. Occasionally, when a Sixer reaches a level of experience where their influence may be useful to the whole Pack, that Sixer may be promoted to Senior Sixer, who will have a more general role within the group.
Scouts
This section for boys, and sometimes girls, aged around 10-15 or in some countries to 18, is organized into Troops, reflecting Baden-Powell's military background. Each Troop will be lead by a Scoutmaster or Scout Leader, supported by assistant adult leaders who are usually simply referred to by their own names.
The subdivision of a Scout Troop is the Patrol. Each Patrol will be formed of 5-8 Scouts, lead by the Patrol Leader (PL), who is deputised by the Assistant Patrol Leader (APL). As with Cubs, on occasion it is possible that one member of a Troop will be promoted to Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) or Troop Leader, who will act to advise and lead across the entire Troop. There may also be one or more Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders.
Explorers or Venturers
This section for those aged around 14-18, in some countries comes between Scouts and Rover Scouts. In the US, Venturing extends to age 21. They are usually organised into units which are free collectives of older scouts, reporting to one advising adult leader. This group structure reflects both the older, more mature nature of the members of this section, and the less structured reward scheme at this level. Whereas younger Cubs and Scouts will be working toward badges and awards with specific attainment criteria, awards at this level are more geared towards stimulating the creativity and self-motivation of this older group. Inter-group collaboration is actively encouraged, and many units can have a number of major activities all happening at once. The Venture program is also coed.
Rover scouts
Traditionally, Rover Scouts were the section for those over 18. In most countries that retain Rovers the upper age is now 25. Some countries no longer have this section. In the United Kingdom, the section was discontinued, but recently a new very informal section called Scout Network has been introduced.
Adult leadership
Scout groups are generally operated by adult volunteers. These may be parents, former Scouts, students, or community leaders such as teachers or religious leaders. Leadership positions are often divided between 'uniform' and 'lay' positions. Uniformed leaders have received formal training such as the Wood Badge and received a warrant for a rank within the organisation, while lay members range from part time roles such as meeting helpers, parents committee members and advisors, to a small number of full-time professionals in the Scout organisation.
Within a group are uniformed positions such as Scoutmaster and assistants. The names of these positions vary from country to country. Groups are usually supported by lay members ranging from meeting helpers to members of a parents committee.
Beyond the group are further uniformed positions (sometimes called Commissioners) at levels such as district, county, council or province, depending on the structure of the national organisation. They also work along with lay teams and professionals. Training teams and other related functions are often formed at these levels. Some countries appoint a Chief Scout as the most senior uniformed member.
Scout shop
Scout shops sell uniforms, Scouting literature, badges, and other items such as camping equipment for local Scouts, and Scout souvenir items for visiting foreign Scouts. The shops are usually located at the local branch office of the Scout organization and may be run professionally or by volunteers.
Scout shops initially sprang up in England because of the rapid growth of Scouting and the fact that uniforms were not available in department stores. When Scouting spread to the United States, Scout shops were opened, known as "Scout Outfitters". Scout uniforms also became available in American mail order catalogs. Both Sears and Montgomery Ward offered Scout uniforms as did J.C. Penney later. Scout shops now operate in most countries around the world.
Coeducational Scouting
At the international level, there are two separate umbrella organizations for coeducational and boys-only organizations, the (World Organization of the Scout Movement), and for organizations for girls only, the (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts). Historically, the early success of the Boy Scouts attracted girls, but the mores of the times did not allow a coeducational programme. Scouting for girls was started by Baden-Powell in the form of the Guide movement, with the aid of his sister Agnes who was the first Guide Commissioner. Later, his wife Olave took the leading role and became the Chief Guide of the World.
Worldwide there have been different approaches to coeducation. Some countries (such as the USA) have maintained separate Scouting organizations for boys and girls. In other countries (mainly in Europe), Scouting and Guiding have merged, and there is a common organization for boys and girls, which is a member of both WOSM and WAGGGS. In still others, the national Scout association has opted to admit both boys and girls, while the national Guide association has remained as a separate girls-only movement. Where a national Scout association admits both girls and boys, local groups may or may not be co-educational.
In the UK, The Scout Association has been co-educational at all levels for many years, but this has been on an opt-in basis for individual sections or groups. Since 2000 any new sections that have opened have been required to offer provision for female Scouts. The Scout Association in the UK have decided that all Scout Groups should become coeducational by 1 January 2007 - Scouting's centenary.
In the United States, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are still male only, however, for youths age 14 and older, the Venturing program is coeducational. Adult leadership posistions in the Boy Scouts of America are open to both men and women.
Extension Scouting
Extension Scouting is a section for handicapped youth in many national organizations, in compliance with Baden-Powell's mandate that Scouting should be "open to all." Sometimes constituted in special units, under the sponsorship of specialized institutions, young handicapped Scouts may also join standard units. In recent years, local and national Scout camps have been making their facilities and campsites more accessible toward this goal.
Scouting in film and the arts
As a facet of culture throughout most of the 20th century, Scouting has been portrayed in numerous films and artwork. It is especially prevalent in the United States, where Scouting is tied closely to the ideal of Americana. The works of painters Norman Rockwell and Joseph Csatari and the 1966 film Follow Me, Boys! are prime examples of this idealized American ethos. Scouting is often dealt with in a humorous manner, as in the 1989 film Troop Beverly Hills, and is often fictionalized so that the audience knows the topic is Scouting without there being any mention of Scouting by name.
See also
- Air Scout
- Eagle Scout
- Eagle Scout (Philippines)
- List of World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts members
- List of World Organization of the Scout Movement members
- Philmont Scout Ranch
- Oldest Scout Groups
- Pioneering
- Queen's Scout
- The Scout Association of the UK
- Sea Scout
- Wood Badge
- The Woodcraft Folk
- Scout prayer
- Scouts Australia
- List of notable Scouts
Footnotes
- ^ "The World Crest Badge...(and why do we *all* wear it?". Black Eagle.net. Retrieved January 24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The World Trefoil". wagggs.org. Retrieved March 30.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Early Badge use". Scouting milestones. Retrieved January 10.
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References
- The World Scout Emblem
- Scouting Frequently Asked Questions
- Milestones in World Scouting
- Scouting Milestones - UK Scouting History site
- László Nagy, 250 Million Scouts, The World Scout Foundation and Dartnell Publishers, 1985
- J.S. Wilson, Scouting 'Round the World, London, 1959
External links
- Scouts on Stamps Scouts on Stamps Society International
- World of Scouting, describes history of Scouting organizations.
- Aids to Scoutmastership
- CMScout A content management system for Scouting, designed so that Scouting related Groups can easily and simply create a website, without the need to know any programing
- Questions on Age Sections (WOSM)
- The Boys' Brigade – The World's Oldest Voluntary Uniformed Youth Organisation