Robert Robert - Scouting for Boys

Perhaps you don’t see how a mere small boy can be of use to his country. but by becoming a Scout and carrying out the Scout Law every boy can be of use.

“My country before myself”, should be your aim. Probably, if you ask yourself truly, you will find you have at present got them just the other way about. I hope, if it is so, that you will from this moment put yourself right and remain so always. Don’t be content, like the Romans were, and some people now are, to pay other people to play your football or to fight your battles for you. Do something yourself to help keep the Flag flying.

If you take up Scouting in that spirit, you will be doing something. Take it up, not merely because it is good fun, but because by doing so you will be preparing yourself to be a good citizen not only of your country but of the whole world.

Scouts learn endurances in the open. Like explorers, they carry their own burdens and “paddle their own canoes”.

Then you will have in you the truest spirit of patriotism, which every boy ought to have if he is worth his salt.

THE ELSDON MURDER

(The following story, which in the main is true, illustrates generally the duties of a Boy Scout.)

A brutal murder took place many years ago in the North of England. The murderer was caught, convicted, and hanged chiefly through the scoutcraft of a shepherd boy.

Woodcraft—The boy, Robert Hindmarsh, had been up on the moor tending his sheep, and was finding his way home over a wild out-of-the-way part of the hills, when he passed a tramp sitting on the ground with his legs stretched out in front of him eating some food.

Observation—The boy in passing noticed the tramp’s appearance, and especially the peculiar nails in the soles of his boots.

Robert Hindmarsh, the boy, noticed the appearance of the tramp, without attracting much attention from the man.

Concealment—He did not stop and stare, but just took in these details at a glance as he went by without attracting much attention from the man, who merely regarded him as an ordinary boy.

Deduction—When the boy got near home, some five or six miles away, he came to a crowd round a cottage. The old woman (Margaret Crozier) who inhabited it had been found murdered. All sorts of guesses were made about who had done the deed, and suspicion seemed to centre on a small gang of three or four tramps who were going about the country robbing and threatening death to anyone who made any report of their misdeeds.

The boy heard all these things. Then he noticed some peculiar footprints in the little garden of the cottage. The nail-marks agreed with those he had seen in the boots of the man on the moor, and he naturally deduced that the man might have something to do with the murder.

Chivalry—The fact that it was a helpless old woman who had been murdered made the boy’s chivalrous feeling rise against the murderer, whoever he might be.

Pluck and Self-discipline— So, although he knew that the friends of the murderer might kill him for giving information, he cast his fears aside. He went at once to the constable and told him of the footmarks in the garden, and where he could find the man who had made them—if he went immediately.

Health and Strength—The man up on the moor had got so far from the scene of the murder, unseen, except by the boy, that he thought himself safe, and never thought of the boy being able to walk all the way to the scene of the murder and then to come back, as he did, with the police.

So he took no precautions.

But the boy was a strong, healthy hill-boy, and did the journey rapidly and well, so that they found the man and captured him without difficulty.

The man was Willie Winter, a gipsy.

He was tried, found guilty, and hanged at Newcastle. His body was then brought and hung on a gibbet near the scene of the murder, as was the custom in those days.

Two of the gipsies who were his accomplices were caught with some of the stolen property, and were also executed at Newcastle.

Kind-heartedness— But when the boy saw the murderer’s body hanging there on the gibbet he was overcome with misery at having caused the death of a fellow creature.

Saving Life—However, the magistrate sent for him and complimented him on the great good he had done to his fellow countrymen, probably saving some of their lives, by ridding the world of such a dangerous criminal.

Duty—He said: “You have done your duty, although it caused you personally some danger and much distress. Still, you must not mind that. It was your duty to help the police in getting justice done, and duty must always be carried out regardless of how much it costs you, even if you have to give up your life.”

Example—Thus the boy did every part of the duty of a Boy Scout.

He exercised—Woodcraft; Observations without being noticed; Deduction; Chivalry; Sense of Duty; Endurance; Kindheartedness.

He little thought that the act which he did entirely of his own accord would years afterwards be held up as an example to you other boys in teaching you to do your duty.

In the same way, you should remember that your acts may be watched by others after you, and taken as an example, too.

So try to do your duty the right way on all occasions.

The Scoutmaster shows the boy the way to become a Scout and helps him on the Scouting trail.

CAMP FIRE YARN NO. 3

BECOMING A SCOUT

Tenderfoot Test - Scout Law. Scout Promise. Scout

Sign and Salute. Investiture - Scout Uniform

To be a Scout you should join a Scout Patrol or a Scout Troop in your neighbourhood, with the written permission of your parents.

But before becoming a Scout, you must pass the Tenderfoot Test. This is a simple test just to show that you are worth your salt and mean to stick to it. The requirements for this are not very difficult and you will find all you want to know in this book.

When you have satisfied your Scoutmaster, the man in charge of your Troop, that you can do all the things and do them properly, you will be invested as a Scout and be entitled to wear the Tenderfoot Badge.

Scout Law

The Scout Law contains the rules which apply to Boy Scouts all the world over, and which you promise to obey when you are enrolled as a Scout. The Scout Law is on the inside front cover of this book. Study it carefully so that you understand the meaning of every point.

Scout Promise

At your investiture as a Scout you will make the Scout Promise in front of the rest of the Troop. The Scout Promise you will find on the inside front cover. This Promise is a very difficult one to keep, but it is a most serious one and no boy is a Scout unless he does his best to live up to his Promise.

So you see, Scouting is not only fun, but it also requires a lot from you, and I know I can trust you to do everything you possibly can to keep your Scout Promise.