Читать книгу Scouting for Boys - Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell - Страница 18

It is not intended that boy scouts should necessarily form a new corps separate from all others, but the boys who belong to any kind of existing organisation, such as schools, football clubs, Boys' or Church Lads' Brigades, factories, district messengers, Telegraph Service, Cadet Corps, etc., etc., can also take up scouting in addition to their other work or play—especially on Saturdays and Sundays.

But where there are any boys who do not belong to any kind of organisation—and there is a very large number of such boys about the United Kingdom—they can form themselves into Patrols and become Boy Scouts.

For this purpose officers are necessary.

Officers: The head officer of all the boy scouts in the world is called the Chief Scout.

A Scout Master is an officer who has charge of a troop. A troop consists of not less than three patrols. Scouts address the scout master as "Sir."

A Patrol Leader is a scout appointed to command a patrol. A patrol consists of six scouts. Any lad or young man who learns scouting from this book can make himself a patrol leader and collect and train five or seven boys to be scouts.

A Corporal is a scout selected by the patrol leader to be his assistant, and to take command of the patrol when he himself is away.

A Scout is of two kinds—first-class and second-class.

First-class scout is one who has passed certain tests to show that he is able to scout.

Second-class scout is one who has passed certain easy tests in scouting.

A Tenderfoot is a boy who is not yet a scout.

A Court of Honour is formed of the scout master and two patrol leaders, or in the case of a single patrol by the patrol leader and the corporal. It decides rewards, punishments, and other questions.

Tests: To become a second-class scout and gain the motto badge, a boy must satisfy his scout master in the following details:

1. Tie four of the following knots in less than thirty seconds each knot: Bowline, fisherman's bend, reef knot, clove hitch, sheet bend.

2. Track a deer's "spoor" (made with tracking irons) or a horse's track for a quarter of a mile in not more than fifteen minutes; or, in a town, to describe satisfactorily the contents of one shop window out of four observed for one minute each.

3. Go at scout's pace for one mile in not more than thirteen minutes.

4. Know the scout's laws and signs.

5. Know the composition of the Union Jack, and the right way to fly it.

To become a first-class scout and gain the whole scout's badge, a boy must pass the following test—in addition to those for second-class scout (above)—before a Court of Honour. (N.B.—In the case of a new troop the Scout Master can act as the Court of Honour.)

6. Point out the direction of different points of the compass where he stands.

7. Make a journey alone of not less than fifteen miles from point to point by walking, riding, boat, or bicycle.

8. Describe or show the proper means for saving life in case of one (selected by the Court) of the following accidents: fire, drowning, runaway carriage, sewer gas, ice-breaking; or bandage an injured patient, or revive apparently drowned persons.

9. Be able to read and write.

10. Have at least sixpence in the savings bank.

11. Show that he has brought a recruit to the Boy Scouts, and has taught him to tie the six principal knots.

12. To lay and light a fire, using not more than two matches, and cook a quarter of a pound of flour and two potatoes without cooking utensils.

Badges and Medals: The scout's badge is this:

Scout Badge.

The scout's badge is the arrow head, which shows the north on a map or on the compass. It is the badge of the scout in the Army, because he shows the way: so, too, a peace scout shows the way in doing his duty and helping others.

The motto on it is the scout's motto of

BE PREPARED.

(B. P., my initials), which means that a scout must always be prepared at any moment to do his duty, and to face danger in order to help his fellow-men. Its scroll is turned up at the ends like a scout's mouth, because he does his duty with a smile and willingly.

The knot is to remind the scout to do a good turn to some one daily.

A scout's badge represents and is called his "life." It is given him when he passes the tests in scout-craft necessary to make him a scout.

He will be called on at some time or the other to risk his life, that is to perform some difficult task, and if he fails in it he loses his life—that is his badge. In such case a Court of Honour may allow him to remain in the patrol, but he cannot have his badge again, unless he performs some very specially good work.

If he breaks his word of honour, or otherwise disgraces himself, his life is taken (that is his badge), and he is expelled from the patrol.

The badge is worn by scout masters on the left side of the hat or cap.

The badge is worn by patrol leaders on front of the hat or cap.

The badge is worn by corporal on the left arm above elbow with a strip of white braid below it.

The badge is worn by scouts on the left arm above the elbow.

The badge worn by first-class scouts is the whole badge.

Only the motto part of the badge is worn by second-class scouts.

Badges of Honour are also given for certain tests. These are worn on the right arm below the elbow.

Signalling: ability to read and send Morse or semaphore message, twenty letters a minute.

First Aid: for passing the St. John Ambulance tests in First Aid.

Stalking: series of twelve photos of wild animals taken from life by the scout and developed and printed by himself.

Merit: for twenty good marks for various good deeds.

Medals are worn on the right breast, and are as follows:

Bronze medal with red ribbon: For gallantry in saving life, or attempting to save life at risk of own life.

Silver medal with red ribbon: For saving and helping to save life without risk of own life, but where life might have been lost.

Silver medal with blue ribbon: Meritorious service, or assisting police at personal risk.

These are only granted by the chief scout on special recommendation from the patrol leader or scout master, who should send in a full account of the case when applying.

Marks are awarded by scout masters, from their own knowledge or on recommendation of patrol leaders, or as marks for competition.

Two marks are given to any scout who brings a recruit whom he has already taught to tie the regulation knots. Such recruit must be in addition to the one who enabled him to qualify for his scout's badge.

"The Wolf."—The Red Indians of North America call their best scout "Grey Wolf," because the grey wolf is a beast that sees everything and yet is never seen.

And the fighting tribes in South Africa in the same way speak of a scout as a wolf.

In the Matabele War, 1896-1897, the enemy called me "The Wolf" for that reason.

Mr. Thompson Seton, the head of the "Red Indian" Boy Scouts in America, is called "Grey Wolf."

So in the Boy Scouts a special badge and title of "Wolf" will be given as a reward for very special distinction in scouting; not more than one will be granted in a year.

All medals and badges are only worn as above when scouts are on duty or in camp. At other times they should be worn on the right breast of the waistcoat, underneath the jacket.

A small arrow-head badge may be worn at all times in the button-hole.