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A Short History of Scouting.
Scouting was started by a man
called Robert Baden-Powell
As a boy, Baden-Powel enjoyed the
outdoor life and often went fishing, boating and camping. After
going to Rose Hill School in Tunbridge Wells, he gained a place
at Charterhouse School in Godalming in Surrey. Although he was a
talented artist, he wasn't very keen on his schoolwork. However,
he did manage to pass his necessary exams to become a Cavalry
Officer in the British Army and saw service at home and in
India, Afghanistan and Africa.
It was in South Africa, between
1899 and 1900 during the Boar War, that Baden-Powell found
himself in charge of a small number of soldiers whose job it was
to defend a town called Mafeking against much larger number of
Boer troops.
During the siege, many people back
home in Britain came to hear stories of Baden-Powells bravery
and ideas. When he came home we was welcomed as a hero.
Just before the siege of Mafeking,
Baden-Powell wrote a book called Aids To Scouting. In it he
described the training that he had used in the Army.
Unexpectedly, many boys brought the book and enjoyed trying the
activities in it for themselves.
 Following
the success of his book, Baden-Powell organised a camp on
Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, Dorset in 1907. Here he tried
out all types of activities for the boys, including games,
sports, swimming, boating, exploring, fire lighting and camping.
Baden-Powell then collected all the
ideas he used at this camp in a book called Scouting for Boys.
It proved to be a great success and soon boys all over Britain
were organising themselves into groups of Boy Scouts. The first
official Scout Camp was held at Humshaugh, Northumberland in
1908.
In 1914 there was an experimental
scheme for Wolf Cubs or Young Scouts as they were sometimes
called and in 1916 Wolf Cubs were officially formed. They are
now known of course simply as Cubs and are still going strong
and taking part in the same activities whilst having fun. |
