Groups:4th Halifax Highland Scout Troop: Difference between revisions
From ScoutWiki, For Everyone, Everywhere involved with Scouting and Guiding...
Groups:4th Halifax Highland Scout Troop (view source)
Revision as of 19:27, 11 June 2011
, 12 years agono edit summary
(Modified page recovered from Wikipedia pending merge/partial deletion of content) |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
In addition to trying to increase the troop's numbers and wishing to invest in new equipment, Sutherland also made organizational changes which were designed to foster pride amongst troop members, but which did not accord with the standards of Scouts Canada. For example, much to the displeasure of Scouts Canada, in the late 1970s the 4th Halifax created the unique position of Troop Scouter, which was first given to A. Murray MacKay. This honourary position, which was not one of the official Scout troop positions designated by Scouts Canada, was created by John Sutherland as a means of both honouring a distinguished member of the community who had a connection to the troop, and allowing that individual to inspire the young members of the troop to be active, responsible, and resourceful citizens. | In addition to trying to increase the troop's numbers and wishing to invest in new equipment, Sutherland also made organizational changes which were designed to foster pride amongst troop members, but which did not accord with the standards of Scouts Canada. For example, much to the displeasure of Scouts Canada, in the late 1970s the 4th Halifax created the unique position of Troop Scouter, which was first given to A. Murray MacKay. This honourary position, which was not one of the official Scout troop positions designated by Scouts Canada, was created by John Sutherland as a means of both honouring a distinguished member of the community who had a connection to the troop, and allowing that individual to inspire the young members of the troop to be active, responsible, and resourceful citizens. | ||
With the death of MacKay, Sutherland began to search for another distinguished Nova Scotian who had made significant contributions to his society to fill the role of Troop Scouter. He eventually approached | With the death of MacKay, Sutherland began to search for another distinguished Nova Scotian who had made significant contributions to his society to fill the role of Troop Scouter. He eventually approached Admiral Desmond William Piers who had been a Scout in the 4th Halifax troop between the wars before embarking on a distinguished naval career. Sutherland and Piers had met previously when both had served on the 1982 Pan-Am games board. Sutherland was able to convince Piers to take on the position after explaining that, as a former member of the troop and a Canadian of significant stature, he would make a valuable role model who could inspire the troop's members to fulfill their Scout promise to love and serve their Queen, country, and fellow man, and to live by their Scout law in both youth and adulthood. | ||
With the changes made to the troop, its structure, and its resources, under Sutherland's tenure as Scout Master the troop grew to as large as 65 Scouts and 15 leaders by the late 1980s and into the 1990s. In addition, the troop benefitted from its location in a part of Halifax where there were many families with young children. Regardless, this growth was an anomaly during a time when membership in Scout troops across the country was falling.<ref>Much of the information regarding the establishment of the 4th Halifax troop taken from the Andrew MacKay fonds, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.</ref> | With the changes made to the troop, its structure, and its resources, under Sutherland's tenure as Scout Master the troop grew to as large as 65 Scouts and 15 leaders by the late 1980s and into the 1990s. In addition, the troop benefitted from its location in a part of Halifax where there were many families with young children. Regardless, this growth was an anomaly during a time when membership in Scout troops across the country was falling.<ref>Much of the information regarding the establishment of the 4th Halifax troop taken from the Andrew MacKay fonds, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management.</ref> | ||
