Happy 100th birthday, Scout Movement! And here's to the next 100 years!
Posted by: JWM on 31 July 2007
At 8am on 1st August 1907, Scouting’s Founder Robert Baden-Powell blew his kudu antelope horn on Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, to open the world’s first Scout camp, with 20 boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds.
At 8am on 1st August 2007, Scouts of every age from around UK will join with 28 million Scouts from around the world to celebrate the dawn of a new Century of Scouting. It will be the biggest gathering of young people that has ever happened in the World.
As part of this worldwide ‘Scouting Sunrise’, 40,000 young people from all over the world will be taking part in this ceremony and renewing their promise together at the World Jamboree at Hylands Park, near Chelmsford. And there will be other local versions in this Country and around the globe at 8am (local time).
This 2007 Anniversary is an opportunity both to celebrate the achievements of 100 years of Scouting and to promote the relevance of 21st Century Scouting for 21st Century young people. With 28 million members worldwide, with around ½ million in the UK, Scouting is the world’s (and UK’s) largest youth movement. And it involves girls and boys, men and women from every race, religion and culture, and nearly every country (in all but six).
If you were a Cub, Scout, Brownie or Guide, perhaps you too would like to pause at 8am on 1st August (local time) to give thanks, and to think about your Promise.
*On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God and to the Queen
to help other people and to keep the Scout Law.
(*obviously this is the UK version of the Promise! The heart is the same, but there are some local variations to suit the circumstances in each country.)
Good wishes,
James
(An Assistant Group Scout Leader)
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by acad tsunami
I was a cub scout and scout but I got thrown out for fighting.
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by Officer DBL
Hi James,
You got me thinking about the Scout Law:
A Scout is to be trusted.
A Scout is loyal.
A Scout is friendly and considerate.
That is as much as I can remember, but it was 40 years ago!
Rob
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by Bruce Woodhouse
quote:
it involves girls and boys, men and women from every race, religion and culture, and nearly every country (in all but six).
quote:
*On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God and to the Queen
to help other people and to keep the Scout Law.
quote:
I was a cub scout and scout but I got thrown out for fighting.
I know this is going to seem churlish when it is the Scouts special anniversary but I'm afraid I too was thrown out of the Scouts-however I was asked to leave because I refused to make a religious oath in which I had no belief.
I found the religiosity of The Scouts unpleasant nearly 30 years ago. I truly hope it has moved on to be a rather more flexible and inclusive movement. The persistence of the Promise above would appear to suggest otherwise!
Bruce
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by acad tsunami
Bruce,
I admire your stance, I can't say I believed in God either but I took the oath. I got thrown out for thumping an older boy who was bullying the smaller boys. He was a nasty piece of work as was his father the scout leader! I don't think religion should be a part of scouting either. Other than that its a great organisation.
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by garyi
Wait, I'll get my banjo.
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by Unstoppable
Never liked the Scout, the Linn Basik blows it to bits..
All IMHO, of course
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by u5227470736789439
I was volunteered for the Scouts, and I got out after six weeks, as a twelve year old. The Scout Master and I shared a mutual dislike of each other. I was also only in the Choir for a few weeks as I was so terrified of him [he was an important master at my school] that I lost the will to sing all too fast with him in charge. He either liked people or not. Not a sutable man to let be loose with young boys in my view. He was a vindictive man.
ATB from Fredrik
Posted on: 31 July 2007 by PJT
quote:
Originally posted by JWM:
At 8am on 1st August 1907, Scouting’s Founder Robert Baden-Powell blew his kudu antelope horn on Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour, to open the world’s first Scout camp, with 20 boys from a wide variety of social backgrounds.
At 8am on 1st August 2007, Scouts of every age from around UK will join with 28 million Scouts from around the world to celebrate the dawn of a new Century of Scouting. It will be the biggest gathering of young people that has ever happened in the World.
As part of this worldwide ‘Scouting Sunrise’, 40,000 young people from all over the world will be taking part in this ceremony and renewing their promise together at the World Jamboree at Hylands Park, near Chelmsford. And there will be other local versions in this Country and around the globe at 8am (local time).
This 2007 Anniversary is an opportunity both to celebrate the achievements of 100 years of Scouting and to promote the relevance of 21st Century Scouting for 21st Century young people. With 28 million members worldwide, with around ½ million in the UK, Scouting is the world’s (and UK’s) largest youth movement. And it involves girls and boys, men and women from every race, religion and culture, and nearly every country (in all but six).
If you were a Cub, Scout, Brownie or Guide, perhaps you too would like to pause at 8am on 1st August (local time) to give thanks, and to think about your Promise.
*On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God and to the Queen
to help other people and to keep the Scout Law.
(*obviously this is the UK version of the Promise! The heart is the same, but there are some local variations to suit the circumstances in each country.)
Good wishes,
James
(An Assistant Group Scout Leader)
James
All the best with the weather for your Sunrise Ceremony.
Here in Christchurch our ceremony was in the form of a 40 minute campfire, starting at 7:00am, and the kudu (konch shell actually) was sounded at 7:42 (Official Sunrise). National Television cut to us live for the renewal of the Scout Promise.
Luckily for all the weather was mild yet overcast so sadly the sunrise could not be witnessed.
"On my honour, I promise to do my best
to do my duty to my God,
to the Queen and my Country
to help other poeple
and to live by the Scout law".
Pete
(Akela - Cub Leader Avonhead Scout Group)
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by BigH47
I was in the Cubs and Scouts and had a great time. First camp with a blanket and kilt pin to make a sleeping bag still sends the chills though. My 2 youngest were scouts my daughter changing to Scouts when the troop voted to allow girls in, she said the Guides didn't do enough exciting things, caving,canoing,rock climbing etc. They have made friends for life I think as most of them still go around together even after leaving the movement.
Happy 100th Scouts everywhere.
Howard
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by JWM
Thanks for correction on kudu, Pete!
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by JWM
Extract from Baden-Powell's inaugural speech 100 years ago, read again by a Scout at
Brownsea Island today:
"Our aim is to bring up the next generation of useful citizens with a wider outlook than before and thereby to develop goodwill and peace in the world with comradeship and co-operation."
This would be "in place of the prevailing rivalry between classes, creeds and countries which have done so much in the past to produce wars and unrest."
Mariama Irele, 17, from Senegal, said of the Dorset event: "Two days ago I arrived here on a boat with 300 strangers - now they are all my friends.
"If young people around the world can repeat what has happened here, then we really can help build a more friendly world."
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by JWM
quote:
Originally posted by JWM:
Thanks for correction on kudu, Pete!
Dunno, just seen the TV coverage of 08:00(BST). The Chief Scout Peter Duncan kicked the whole thing off by blowing the original kudu horn, looked pretty much like and antelope horn to me. So I went off and double-checked. Yes, definitely antelope.
Later picture at Gilwell Park:
Posted on: 01 August 2007 by PJT
quote:
Originally posted by JWM:
quote:
Originally posted by JWM:
Thanks for correction on kudu, Pete!
Dunno, just seen the TV coverage of 08:00(BST). The Chief Scout Peter Duncan kicked the whole thing off by blowing the original kudu horn, looked pretty much like and antelope horn to me. So I went off and double-checked. Yes, definitely antelope.
Later picture at Gilwell Park:
JWM,
I tried to say that for the Christchurh ceremony a konch shell was used.
Posted on: 02 August 2007 by JWM
Thanks for reclarification! (Must have been my bleary eyes, the morning after the night before!)
James
