[English] SHORTAGE OF SCOUTMASTERS. RELYING ON THE CLOTHES AMAH. INTERESTING REFERENCES IN SCOUT COMMISSIONER'S LETTER.

SHORTAGE OF SCOUTMASTERS.

RELYING ON THE CLOTHES AMAH.

INTERESTING REFERENCES IN SCOUT COMMISSIONER'S LETTER.

The Commissioner of the Hongkong Boy Scouts Association (the Rev. G. T. Waldegrave) refers to the shortage of Scoutmasters, and also the local habit of relying on "amahs" to look after clothes, as compared with practice at Home, in his letter in the June number of the Silver Wolf.

Extracts taken from his letter read:-

"We are all keen to make a big advance, but this cannot be accomplished without an increase in the number of Scoutmasters, and it is just the shortage in that respect which forms our greatest hindrance. Of late several old scouts have come forward as Scouters, and where any Scouters have left or gone on leave, others have been found to take their place, but we want Scouters to start new troops as well as to carry on already existing ones.

"The loss to be sustained by the Sea Scouts when Lieut.-Comdr. C. R. D. Harvey leaves is mentioned in Troop Notes.

"I am glad to be able to say that Sergeant-Major Instructor Hollingdale is taking over the Murray Troop and will be assisted by A-S-M. Sell, and Maynard an old scout of that troop who is applying for an A-S-M.'s Warrant. So I am hopeful that the call for Scouters voiced by His Excellency (the Governor) will not pass unheeded, and that the advance will be made.

"WOLF CUB" POINTS.

"The Wolf Cub Packs have decreased in number, largely because the cubs have grown up and joined the Scouts and the coming supply is still too young. All the same there are very few Chinese Cubs, and one or two Chinese troops have in the patrols scouts who judging from their diminutive size would be far happier in a Pack. In starting a Pack, I should warn Scouters, they must remember that a Cub Pack is not a small boys' Scout Troop. The method of working a Pack differs in very many essentials from the way in which a Scout Troop is run, just in the same way as Rovering has features which distinguish it very markedly from Scouting. Cubs are not usually of an age to appreciate responsibility and need much more personal attention than Scouts. The training is given even more through games than it is in Scouting. Camping does not play the real part in cubbing, whereas great stress is laid on the cub's usefulness and behaviour in his own home. One of the tests for a Two Star Cub (the Pack equivalent to the Scout 1st Class Scout) is boot-blacking, clothes folding, and laying and lighting a fire in a fire-place. Only a day or two ago a Cub said to me "I never fold my clothes. My amah always does that." Yet in England for instance a Cub would almost certainly have to do that and more about the house. It is never too early to make a start in training up a youngster in the way in which he should go, and if we neglect the Cub side of the Scout Movement, we must not be surprised if we do not have a steady supply of boys coming into the Scout Troops...

Source:

1. Page 5, "Hong Kong Daily Press", Friday, 2nd July, 15th Year of the Republic of China

   • 23rd Day, 5th Lunar Month, Bing-yin Year

   • Friday, 2nd July, 1926 Common Era