Scouting

:For professional sport scouts, see Scout (sport).

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.

Related Topics:
Robert Baden-Powell - 1907 - United Kingdom - Girl Guides - 1910 - Agnes Baden-Powell - Girl Scouts of the USA - United States

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The seeds of the idea of Scouting began during the Siege of Mafeking, South Africa, during the 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. He formed the Mafeking Cadet Corps to help support the troops. The Corps consisted entirely of boy volunteers. Baden-Powell trained the boys and they 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.

Related Topics:
Siege of Mafeking - South Africa - Boer War - 1899 - 1902 - Boer - Afrikaner - 1900 - Fleur-de-lis

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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 organisations.

Related Topics:
National hero - 1899

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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.

Related Topics:
1906 - Ernest Thompson Seton - Canadian

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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 Method, a key part of Scouting training, allowed the boys to organize themselves into small groups with an elected patrol leader.

Related Topics:
1907 - August 1 - Brownsea Island - Poole Harbour - Dorset

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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 instalments 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.

Related Topics:
1907 - Publisher - 1908 - Scouting for Boys

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At the time Baden-Powell intended that the book would provide ideas for established organisations, in particular the Boys' Brigade in which he held the position of Vice-President 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.

Related Topics:
Boys' Brigade - Sea Scout - Air Scout

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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 The Rover Scout Handbook for Rover Scouts in 1919.

Related Topics:
Wood Badge - 1919 - Gilwell Park - London - Campground - Rover Scouts

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