baden-powell – ScouterStan

What is Friendly, Courteous, and Kind?

Adult leaders and parents are NOT exempt from the Scout Law. Have you ever really thought about it. Also the number one question we should ask all Scouts.

Definition as to there meaning:

Friendly – A Scout is friends to all. Scouts are a brother to other Scouts. Scouts offer their friendship to people of all races, religions, and nations and respect them even if their beliefs and customs are different from their own. B-P wrote about similar wording however he diverted into a social class. “No matter what Social Class the Other Belongs.” B-P was from the late 1800s and must think of his times and his revolutionary thinking. Today we would say he was “woke”.

Courteous – A Scout is polite to people of all ages and positions. Scouts understand that using good manners makes it easier for people to get along. B-P had similar meanings in his writings however, he added the line “And he (the Scout) must not take any reward for being helpful or courteous.”

Kind – A Scout treats others as they want to be treated. Scouts know there is strength in being gentle. Scouts do not harm or kill any living thing without good reason. Originally, “Kind” was oriented only towards the treatment of animals. This has changed shortly after World War II to reflect kindness to all creatures including humans.

History – The original writings of Baden Powell in the first Handbook are conveyed Similarly. Historically there were only 9 scout laws outlined originally. However Later the British scouts added Reverent making it 10 scout laws. Do you know which ones were added to the 12 American Scout laws?

The scout law is an amazing principle for real Action in one’s life. Putting each one of the scout law into a daily meaning can literally change the outlook of a young person. As scout leaders, we need to be the example, not the exception. Never forget that we are all obligated to abide by the scout law.

The number one question that every Scout leader and parents should ask of their Scouts. “What do you think I most want you to be?” A. Successful, B. Good, C. Smart, or D. Happy. The correct answer is “B” Good. You cannot achieve any of the others without being good. This question also helps calibrate how we are doing as leaders and parents.

🔗LINKS:
🌐 What are the Scout Oath and Scout Law?: https://www.scouting.org/about/faq/question10/
🌐 Teaching Cub Scouts the Scout Law: https://scoutingmagazine.org/2012/02/tips-for-teaching-cub-scouts-the-scout-law/
📄 1910 Edition of the ‘Boy Scouts of America Official Handbook’ Pages 32-34 PDF: http://scouterstan.com/storage/1910-BSA-Handbook-Scout-Law.pdf
🎬 Who Created The Scout Law?: https://youtu.be/dqaKrXDnXSo
🎬 Dealing With Upset Parents: https://youtu.be/0cOjHNCZkqw

The Patrol Method?

Baden-Powell is accredited with developing the “patrol method” originally for the British Army shortly after his success at Mafeking. His military career was changing into more of a training officer, shortly before going into the “Scouting Scheme” (as he called it) full time.

Baden-Powell’s Definition from “Aids To Scoutmastership”: “The patrol method is working when the adult acts as a guide, mentor, and counselor to the youth, helping them by word and example to lead one another, to influence one another, to encourage competition and excitement so that the Scouts grow as a group and as individuals.”

“The patrol system is not one method in which Scouting for boys can be carried on. It is the only method.”
Lord Baden-Powell, Scouting’s Founder

Things to remember about Patrols:
✔ Troops can have as many patrols as the membership require (6-8 Active Scouts).
⫸ The limiting factor is usually equipment.
✔ Patrols will have it’s own name and logo, flag, and patrol yell.
✔ Many troops will have a “Green Bar” Patrol for the troop’s youth staff headed by the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL).
⫸ Youth staff in the PLC (Patrol Leaders Council) that are not a Patrol Leader already.
✔ Many troops will have a first-year patrol, that the other patrols can recruit from after 1st Class.
✔ It’s not recommended to restrict age grouping as in “Senior” or “Venture” Patrol. Without constantly mixing in new members. Otherwise, this type of patrol is setting its self up to phase out (age out).
✔ Make sure that tent sharing restrictions of YPT are kept in mind.
✔ The Scoutmaster conference is a good time to find out what the new Scouts opinions on patrols.
✔ The patrol assignment is recommended too and approved by the Scoutmaster or the appointed ASM.
✔ All patrols have a Patrol Leader, Asst. Patrol Leader, Grubmaster/Cook, Logistics/Engineering Specialist (Quartermaster), and my favorite… Morale Officer or Branding Specialist (Cheerleader).
✔ Patrols can go on activities and camp independently from the troop. (Everything must be approved by the Scoutmaster and within YPT of course.)

⚠️ Political Correctness Warning: The writings that are referred to in this video, may contain objectable material. Keep in mind that these materials were developed by individuals from the late 1800s. It would be unfair to put our current day judgment on Individuals and their writings from the past. Using common-sense you can still obtain enlightenment from their works.

📄 Aids To Scoutmastership PDF: http://www.whitestag.org/files/bsa_pubs/Aids_to_Scoutmastership.pdf

🎬 Who Was Baden-Powell?: https://youtu.be/OY9pv8iF4wg

What is Scouting? (Compilation of videos.)

Scouting is the world’s best hope for training youth to become productive leaders. For such an important organization it’s not understood widely. ScouterStan Has put together 3 videos that explain the origins and history of scouting. This is a good place to start finding out more information about scouting. This video is the first in a compilation series called “Heinz 57”… so you can “Catch-Up”.

🎬 How Did Scouting Start in America? https://youtu.be/mpyqSZFA8Hs

🎬 Who Was Baden-Powell? & How B-P Changed the World! https://youtu.be/OY9pv8iF4wg

🎬 Who Created The Scout Law? – Ernest Seton or Robert Baden-Powell? https://youtu.be/dqaKrXDnXSo

Who Created The Scout Law? – Ernest Seton or Robert Baden-Powell?

The 12 points of the BSA’s Scout Law was put together by Robert Baden-Powell and Ernest Seton. The first publication of ‘Scouting for Boys’ in 1908 Baden-Powell first proposed only the first 9 points of the Scout Law. The original 1908 Baden-Powell’s Scout Law was defined as; A Scout is…Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, and Thrifty.

When Seton started working on the “Boy Scouts of America Official Handbook” he collaborated with Baden-Powell on the Scout Law for the book. The original Baden-Powell 9 points of Scout Law was printed in the 1910 first edition on pages 32-34 (ref. Note & Link). Both of them worked out a 12 point Scout Law for the “second edition” published the following year. Using some inspiration from Seton’s Woodcraft Indian Law.

The Ernest Seton 1910 Woodcraft Indian Law was defined as; Obedience, Courage, Cleanliness, No Smoking, No Fire-Water, Wild-Life, No Wild-Fire, Kindness, Play Fair, Silence, Reverence, and Word of Honor.

Baden-Powell & Seton’s added 3 points from Woodcraft Indian Law to the BSA’s Scout Law in 1911; Seton’s Courage became Brave, Cleanliness became Clean and Reverence became Reverent.

⚜️ Note: The 1911 edition of the ‘Boy Scout Handbook’ claims to be the first edition. Many (including ScouterStan) consider the 1910 ‘Boy Scouts of America Official Handbook’ to be the first true edition. The 1910 edition is actually the 9th edition of Seton’s (1902) ‘Birch-Back Rolls’ combined with Baden-Powell’s (1908) ‘Scouting for Boys’. Tetnickly both books are the first editions in their own way.

📄 1910 Edition of the ‘Boy Scouts of America Official Handbook’ Pages 32-34 PDF: http://scouterstan.com/storage/1910-BSA-Handbook-Scout-Law.pdf

📄 1911 Edition of the Boy Scout Handbook (with all 12 points on pages 8-10): https://books.google.com/books?id=7bI5TJR9ONUC

⚠️ Important: Baden-Powell added “Clean” to the British Scout Law in 1911 making it 10 principles.

Who Was Baden-Powell? & How B-P Changed the World!

The history of B-P is naturally lengthy in detail. Knowing the brief history will help you gain insight as to the foundations of Scouting. Over 160 years ago on February 22nd (1857) Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell was born at home in London. His mother Henrietta Gace Powell and his father Professor Baden Powell an Oxford clergyman and academic lived in the Paddington area. By the time he was 8 years old, ‘Robert’ or ‘Stevie’ (Moms’ preferred name) wrote: “Laws for me when I am old”. B-P Loved nature and the outdoors. He was a pretty good artist and a resourceful student.

On September 11, 1876, B-P received his army commission. Deployed with 13th Hussars in northern India. For the next 20 years, he was deployed all over Europe, Asia, and Africa. Germany, France, and Russia where he was spying for Great Britain. He developed Reconnaissance and Scouting training for the military. In October of 1899, B-P was deployed with 1000 troops in the 2nd Anglo-Boer War (South African War) in South Africa. Stationed at Mafeking with 18,000 enemy Duch troops surrounding it. While at Mafeking the book “Aids to Scouting for NCOs & Men” was published back in Great Britain. A “Cadet Corp” was formed from boys over 9 years. This developed into the “Patrol System”. Mafeking was under siege for 217 days without relief. B-P became a hero and promoted to Major-General. Returning home a few years later he was surprised that “Boys’ Brigades” had formed based on his book. The Brownsea Island Camp Experiment started on August 1, 1907. 20 Boys with 8 Adults, 4 Patrols over 8 days. The rest of 1907 “Scouting Scheme,” wrote the Scout Law, the ‘Crusade’ lecture tour. In 1908 Scouting for Boys was published (6 issues at 2 pence each)…

As adult leaders in the largest youth movement in the world, we need to do some homework to fill out the rest of the Scouting story. Here is a timeline of events that were not covered in the video.

1909 The National Headquarters was set up in London, just ½ mile south of Buckingham Palace.
1909-1910 King Edward VII asked B-P to leave the army and do Scouting fulltime.
1910 The Boy Scouts of America became incorporated.
1912 B-P got married to Olave.
1912 King George V granted a Royal Charter to Scouting.
1914 The “Great War” started (First World War) Scouting helped the home front.
1916 Wolf Cubs started in England (known as Cub Scouts in the US in 1930).
1919 Gilwell Park was established (12 miles northeast of Buckingham Palace).
1920 First World Jamboree (3 miles west of Buckingham Palace).
1929 King George V conferred the title of ‘Lord of Gilwell’ on B-P
1932 Lord Somers appointed Chief Commissioner.
1937 World Jamboree (Netherlands) B-P gave the famous farewell speech.
1938 Moved to Nyeri Kenya for health reasons.
1939 B-P nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize along with others, including Hitler. The scandal led to no one being awarded that year.
January 8, 1941 B-P Pasted away and was laid to rest at St Peter’s Churchyard.
1941 Lord Somers became ‘Chief Scout of the British Empire’. Only B-P was the ‘Chief Scout of the World’.

🎬 How Did Scouting Start in America?: https://youtu.be/mpyqSZFA8Hs

🎬 Baden-Powell’s 80th Birthday Message to Scouts: https://youtu.be/54uwnb-42Os

🎬 Meet Baden-Powell: https://youtu.be/FW4OymlM8sM

🌎 Baden-Powell on World Scouting: https://www.scout.org/bp

🌎 Lord Baden-Powell Biography: https://www.biographyonline.net/humanitarian/baden-powell.html

🌐 Wikipedia on B-P: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Baden-Powell,_1st_Baron_Baden-Powell

How Did Scouting Start in America?

The history of scoutings beginnings and how scouting came to America is a fascinating subject. We first must understand the basics of youth organizations at the turn of the 20th century. In 1844, George Williams founded the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in England. The youth of the age ware struggling to establish there generation. George Williams organization was to help develop a healthy body, mind, and spirit. In 1900 Baden-Powel authored “Aids to Scouting For NCOs & Men”. This book was quickly picked up by youth groups all over England. In the United States, Ernest Seton in 1902 founded Woodcraft Indians. The book “The Berch-Bark Rolls of the Woodcraft Indians” was the foundation of their organization. In 1905 Daniel Beard founded Sons of Daniel Boone. Baden-Powell or ‘BP’ (as he preferred) conducted the Brown Sea Island camp experiment in 1907. B-P author “Scouting For Boys” that same year. By 1908 the first Scout Troops in Britain were well established.

At around that time William D Boyce an American newspaperman was lost in the fog of London when a Scout offered to help. This act of kindness (good turn) impressed him to research Scouting and bring it back to America. On February 8,1910 the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was incorporated. Boyce, Seton, Beard, Charles Eastman (YMCA – Dakota Native American) established the foundation. Boyce developed the organization with Edgar Robinson (YMCA) and Lee Hanmer (Later Camp Fire Girls 1912) In 1911 James West became the first Chief Scout Executive. The United States Congress passed a Congressional Charter in 1916 officially establishing The Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

The mission statement then and now is basically the same:

“To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”

🌎 About the Boy Scouts of America: https://www.scouting.org/about/

🌎 The Man Who Got Lost in the Fog: https://scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0110/d-wwas.html

🌐 Wikipedia – History of the Boy Scouts of America: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Boy_Scouts_of_America

🌎 Boy Scouts Movement Begins: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/boy-scouts-movement-begins

🌎 BSA Description and History: http://www.usscouts.org/aboutbsa/bsahistory.asp

🌎 BSA Mission & Vision: https://www.scouting.org/legal/mission/

Wood Badge is the Highest Level of Adult Scout Leader Training

♫ “Back to Gilwell O’Happy Land…
I’m Going to work my Ticket if I can.” ♫

Wood Badge is the highest level of adult Scout leader training available in the World. The first Wood Badge training was organized by Francis “Skipper” Gidney and lectured by Robert Baden-Powell and others at Gilwell Park in the UK in September of 1919. The first course in America was held at Schiff Scout Reservation in 1948. Scouters wanting to take the course must be fully position trained with current YPT. All levels of Scouts BSA are encouraged to take this high-level training. Wood Badge is set up as a 6-day course. One full week or two full weekends of training. After completing the course members of Troop 1 start working their “ticket” to complete the training. On completion, the Scouter is awarded the Gilwell Wood beads, neckerchief, and woggle. Warning, this is high-level training. I have seen it change people’s point of view of the world. Your critter and patrol members will become a special part of your scouting life.

🌐 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_Badge
🌎 Wood Badge Website: https://www.scouting.org/training/adult/woodbadge/
📄 https://scoutingmagazine.org/2014/02/wood-badge/

For additional information about Wood Badge, please contact your local council service center.