Scout: Difference between revisions

Boy Scouts are organized into [[troop]]s averaging twenty to thirty Scouts under guidance of a [[Scout leader]]. Troops subdivide into [[patrol]]s of about six Scouts and engage in outdoor and special interest activities. Troops may affiliate with national and international organizations. Some national Scouting associations have special interest programs such as [[Air Scouts]], [[Sea Scouts]], outdoor high adventure, Scouting bands and rider scouts. Some troops, especially in [[Europe]], have been [[co-education]]al since the 1970s, allowing boys and girls to work together as Scouts.

{{main|Scouting}}

Robert Baden-Powell founded the Boy Scouts as an organization in 1908, a few months after the first scout encampment at [[Brownsea Island Scout Camp]] in 1907.<ref>{{cite book| | author = Woolgar, Brian| coauthors = La Riviere, Sheila| year = 2002| title = Why Brownsea? The Beginnings of Scouting | publisher = Brownsea Island Scout and Guide Management Committee}}</ref> Baden-Powell got the idea from his experiences with the British Army in [[South Africa]]. To advance his ideas, Baden-Powell wrote ''[[Scouting for Boys]]'' for boy readership, which describes the [[Scout method]] of outdoor activities aiming at developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness qualities among youth.<ref name="notestobook2004">{{cite book | first = Elleke | last = Boehmer | title = Notes to 2004 edition of Scouting for Boys | year = 2004 | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = [[Oxford]] }}</ref> Many boys joined in Scouting activities so that the movement grew rapidly to become the world's largest youth organization.

While most Boy Scouts may join a troop after finishing Cub Scouts, this is not required. He may later join another affiliated program for older boys while simultaneously still being a member of a Boy Scout troop or a [[Scout Group]], such as Exploring or Venturing.

[[Image:ScoutFun.png|thumb|right|float|300px|Boy Scouts having fun at a campfire ring at summer camp]]

A Boy Scout learns the cornerstones of the Scout method, [[Scout Promise]], and [[Scout Law]]. These are designed to instill character, citizenship, personal fitness, and leadership in boys through a structured program of outdoor activities.<ref name="constitution">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = April 2000 | url = http://www.scout.org/en/information_events/resource_centre/institutional_documents/constitution_of_w_o_s_m | title = Constitution of WOSM | format = PDF | work = | publisher = World Organization of the Scout Movement | accessdate = 2006-07-10}}, p. 2-15</ref><ref name="goodturn">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1998 | url = http://www.scout.org/en/information_events/resource_centre/library/the_scout_library/adult_resources_and_management/scouting_an_educational_system | title = Scouting: An Educational System | format = PDF | work = | publisher = World Organization of the Scout Movement | accessdate = 2006-07-10}}, p. 9</ref> Common ways to implement the Scout method include spending time together in small groups with shared experiences, rituals, and activities; as well as emphasizing good citizenship and decision-making that are age-level appropriate. Cultivating a love and appreciation of the outdoors and outdoor activities are key elements. Primary activities include [[camping]], [[woodcraft]], [[first aid]], [[aquatics]], [[hiking]], [[backpacking]], and [[sports]].

For many Scouts and Scouters, the highlight of the year is spending at least a week in the summer as part of an outdoor activity. This can be a long event such as camping, hiking, sailing, canoeing, or kayaking with the unit or a summer camp operated on a council, state, or provincial level. Scouts attending a summer camp, generally one week during the summer, work on merit badges, advancement, and perfecting scoutcraft skills. Some summer camps operate specialty programs for older Scouts, such as [[sailing]], backpacking, [[canoeing]] and [[whitewater]], [[caving]], and [[fishing]].

All Scouting organizations have an advancement program whereby the Scout learns [[scoutcraft]], community service, leadership and explores areas of interest to him at an increasingly difficult level. The lower ranks focus mostly on basic Scouting skills. Requirements for demonstrating leadership, community service and learning about other topics, such as possible career areas, generally come in the middle and upper ranks. Scouts are recognized by being awarded ranks and badges of recognition, such as [[Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)|merit badges]], which are called proficiency badges in some countries. Merit badges are awarded for a variety of fields, such as mastering advanced scoutcraft, sports, aquatics, ecology, citizenship, and academics.<ref name="usscoutsadv">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://usscouts.org/advancementTOC.asp | title = Advancement Table of Contents | format = | work = | publisher = US Scouts.org | accessdate = 2006-07-26}}, p. 2-15</ref><ref name="advguidebsa">{{cite book | first = | last = | title = Advancement Committee Guidge: Policy and Procedures | year = 2004 | publisher = Boy Scouts of America | location = Irving, TX |id = ISBN 0-8395-3088-9}}</ref>

As Scouts get older, they often seek more challenging and diverse activities. To meet this demand, programs such as [[Air Scouts]], [[Sea Scouts]], [[Venturing (Boy Scouts of America)|Venturing]] and [[Exploring (Learning for Life)|Exploring]] in America, [[Explorer Scouts]] in the [[United Kingdom]], [[Rover Scouts|Rovering]] and Venturing.

The troop is the fundamental unit of the Boy Scouts. This is the group a Boy Scout joins and via which he participates in Scouting activities, such as camping, backpacking, and canoeing. The troop leadership, youth and adult, organizes and provides support for these activities. It may include as few as a half-dozen boys, or as many as seventy or more. Troops usually meet weekly. A troop is often sponsored by a community organization such as a business, service organization, school, labor group veterran's group, or religious institution. The chartering organization is responsible for providing a meeting place and promoting a good program. A key component of the ''Scout method'' is that troops are run by the Scouts under the advice and guidance of adult leaders.<ref name="commguide">{{cite book | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1990 | title = BSA Troop Committee Guidebook | publisher = Boy Scouts of America | location = Irving, TX | id = ISBN 0-8395-6505-4}}</ref>

Each troop is divided into patrols of six to ten Scouts and use the ''patrol method'', where the Scouts divide into smaller groups within the troop. A patrol's independence from the troop varies among troops and between activities. For instance, a troop typically holds ordinary meetings as a unit. Patrols' autonomy becomes more visible at campouts, where each patrol may set up its own cooking area. However, on a high-adventure trip which only a small part of the troop attends, divisions between patrols may disappear entirely. Patrols may hold meetings and even excursions separately from the rest of the troop, but this is more common in some troops than in others.<ref name="trooporg">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = April 2000 | url = http://usscouts.org/boyscouts/bstroop.html | title = Troop Organization | format = | work = | publisher = US Scouts.org | accessdate = 2006-07-26}}, p. 2-15</ref>

Some troops mix older and younger Scouts in the same patrols, so that the older boys can teach the younger ones more effectively. Other troops group boys by age, and may assign an older boy as a "troop guide" to mentor each of the younger patrols.

Every troop has two separate leadership structures: one consisting of Scouts and another consisting of adults. The adult leadership manages the logistics of troop activities, administers rank advancement and awards, maintains troop records and finance, and recruits new Scouts and adult leaders. The youth leadership keeps order and coordinates labor at activities. Scouts and adults cooperate to plan agendas for troop meetings, as well as the troop's schedule of outings.

The SPL is elected by the entire troop, from a list of candidates approved by the Scoutmaster. He then cooperates with the Scoutmaster to appoint the other troop-wide leaders. Likewise, each patrol elects a Patrol Leader (PL), who appoints his Assistant Patrol Leader(s) (APL). Many youth leadership positions require training. All youth leaders may serve six-month terms. Many Scouting associations have training programs for Scouts holding leadership positions within their troop.

{{main|Scout Group}}

In many countries a local organisation, a "Scout Group", combines different sections together into a single body. In other countries, the different sections are independent of each other, although they might be sponsored or chartered by the same organisation, such as a Church. Scout Groups can consist of any number of Scout Troops, Cub Scout Packs, and Beaver Scout Colonies. In some countries Rover Scout crews and Venture Scout crews can be part of a Scout Group.

One or more troops and one or more other sections or groups can form a district. These are troops or groups that are located near each other geographically and provide mutual support, advice and district level encampments a couple of times per year. In some countries, this is the first level at which the troop has contact with professional Scouters from its association. In some associations districts are organized into regions or councils. It is this level of an association that generally operates very large outings. Above these levels there is a national association. Most national association are member of the [[World Organization of the Scout Movement]] (WOSM) and/or the [[World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts]] (WAGGGS), some are member of the [[Order of World Scouts]], the [[World Federation of Independent Scouts]], the [[Union Internationale des Guides et Scouts d'Europe|International Union of the Guides and Scouts of Europe]] (UIGSE) or [[Confédération Européenne de Scoutisme|Confederation of European Scouts]] (CES) and others are non-aligned.

The Scout uniform is a specific characteristic of Scouting. In the words of Lord Robert Baden-Powell at the [[5th World Scout Jamboree|1937 World Jamboree]], it "hides all differences of social standing in a country and makes for equality; but, more important still, it covers differences of country and race and creed, and makes all feel that they are members with one another of the one great brotherhood".<ref name="uniform">{{cite web | last = Wade | first = E.K. | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 1957 | url = http://pinetreeweb.com/wade12.htm | title = 27 Years With Baden-Powell | format = PDF | work = Why the Uniform?, ch 12 | publisher = Pinetree.web | accessdate = 2006-07-24}}</ref> The original uniform, which has created a familiar image in the public eye and had a very military appearance, consisted of a khaki button-up [[shirt]], shorts and a broad-brimmed [[campaign hat]]. Baden-Powell himself wore shorts as he felt that being dressed like the youth contributed to reducing distances between the adult and the young person.

Scout shops sell uniforms, Scouting literature, badges, and other items such as camping equipment for local Scouts, and Scout souvenir items for visiting foreign Scouts. The shops are usually located at the local branch office of the Scout organization and may be run professionally or by volunteers.

* [[Ernest Thompson Seton]]

* [[World Scout Jamboree]]

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