Scouts and Scouting
During a war, a soldier is chosen to go ahead of an army in order to find out where the enemy is and he will report back to the Commander all the information he has gathered about the enemy. Such a solider is known as a ‘scout’.
Lord Baden Powell, the founder of scouting was himself an army scout. During a war in South Africa when soldiers were not easily available, he selected a few boys wilt, worked as scouts. He discovered that scouting could be a game for boys even in peace time. Thus the scout movement spread throughout the world.
The scouts all over the world salute one another with the first three fingers of their right hand. Each finger stands for a promise made by them. Their first promise is to do their duty to their god and country. Their second promise is to help other people at all times and the third promise is to obey the scout law.
The boys are taught to be honourable, loyal, helpful to others and friendly and courteous to all. A scout must be brave and cheerful, disciplined and obey orders and kind to animals.
A scout must smile and sing at all difficulties. He is expected to do a good deed to some one every day. It may be a simple act such as helping an old man to cross the street or even helping his mother in the house.
A scout also learns not to waste his money and above all to be pure in thought word and deed.
The boys of a scout troop may belong to different communities, castes, creeds or nationalities but as scouts they are members of one brotherhood.
A good scout is always alert and active. He knows how to render help to others in an accident and also what to do in a critical situation. In fact the scout’s motto is “Be prepared”.
Camping is an important part of the scout programme. The scout learns a number of things during camping. He learns how to be useful to his country.
There is no doubt every boy would like to help his country.
One of the easiest ways of doing this is by becoming a scout for scout training develops these qualities which makes a person a good citizen.
Thus what was considered as useful during was time has flourished all over the world into a great movement rendering service in peace.
On school scout