I want to take a few moments & get a bit philosophical about Scouts.
Scouting was invented by General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. B-P for short. His military time showed him that effective scouting was a key to success for his troops. He wrote several books on the matter & trained British Army Soldiers in the ways & means of scouting.
B-P also learned that some of the recruits that he received were not used to the hardships that war can beseech upon a person. At this point in history, most of the recruits were urban / city kids. A lot of the farm kids had moved to towns for better jobs and hence were not used to being in the wilderness. They had never learned those woods & wilderness skills.
During the siege at Mafeking, South Africa; He used the Cadets Corps boys as an auxiliary force. They stood guard, carried messages, assisted in hospitals, and so on. This freed up men to fight as soldiers. His ideas about scouts were that the scouts were to think independently, use their initiative, and survive in the wilderness. B-P then wrote a book Called AIDS TO SCOUTING to help train new recruits to be better soldiers & scouts.
So in August of 1907 and at a place called Brownsea Island, England, Scouting, as we know it, began with about 20 boys.
Somewhere along the line, a phrase started being used. Scouting is a game with a purpose. Think of the games Hide & Seek, or Foxes & Hounds. Apply that to scouting out the enemy for an army. Tug-of-War applies to physical fitness and team building. Knot relays and Kim’s Game both help you understand your personal skill sets and weaknesses. Ever played Hot Isotope blindfolded or handicapped?
Weaknesses are not to be frowned upon! Do not be afraid of weaknesses. They are to be discovered, then strengthen, and then applied most vigorously.
Let me fast-forward to today. Scouting is not about spoon-feeding you. You as a Scout. You are an individual. You have all that you need to be an Eagle. But you have to do it. You have to put in the time, effort, energy, and learning. I suggest 30 mins. a day.
It is up to you to take the initiative to try, to learn, to advance, and to get credit for what you have accomplished. You have a wonderful set of resources at your disposal. EVERY leader is here to help you. Ask anyone of us if you need help.
Every Scout Skill that you learn – you can & will use the rest of your life. Many lives have been saved by Scouts using Scout Skills.
I can only coach, help, and encourage you,
Gaither