Ó 26
The closing months of the year brought a great increase in the number of Scouts, the majority of new members being in the junior branch, the Wolf Cub. The Ashen Totem Pole, the Cub's equivalent to the Scouts' Prince of Wales Banner, had only two Packs competing for it, the winners being the Six attached to the 5th Troop of Scouts, but the end of the year found no less than six Packs either in existence or in process of formation.
The year began with eight Troops of Scouts, as going concerns, while on December 31st, ten troops were actively at work, and two were in process of formation, two more also being on the books as possibilities. Of these troops eight are attached to schools or college, three are supported by religious bodies, two are independent, and one is drawn from among the garrison boys. At the time of writing some 300 boys are receiving scout training.
It is probable that the year 1924 will see an increase in the numbers of lads belonging to the Senior Branch, the Rovers, for many Scouts are now of more than Scout age, and show by their keenness that they do not wish to lose touch with Scouting. If these boys join the Rovers they can be trained specially to assist with the Scouts as Instructors and eventually as Assistant Scout- masters, and Scoutmasters, and thus do much towards helping in the spreading of the Movement locally and in keeping it alive.
This report would not be complete without reference to the part played by Scouts in the Vaccination Campaign, during which by working in the evenings both ashore and afloat they dealt with some 14,000 cases, a small number when compared with the huge total reached in the whole Campaign, but distinctly useful, both in showing that the boys can be of public use, and also that the Authorities realise the genuine value of Scouting for Boys.
G. T. WALDEGRAVE,
Commissioner.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.