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Robert Baden-Powell (B-P) published his Aids to Scouting for the British Army in 1899 and there is little doubt that the germ of the idea of Scouting for Boys came to him during the Siege of Mafeking in 1899-1900. During the Siege of Mafeking, B-P was most impressed of the actions of the boys who had been formed into a Cadet Corps under their own (patrol) leader, the 13 year-old Sergeant-Major Goodyear.
In 1904, Baden-Powell was challenged to write a boy's version of Aids to Scouting by the founder of the Boys Brigade, Sir William Smith. Encouraged by the support he received for the idea, Baden-Powell mapped out a scheme and in 1907 held a trial camp at Brownsea Island in Dorset. This experimental Scout Camp proved an unqualified success and Scouting for Boys was published in 1908 in six fortnightly parts at four pence a copy. This approach brought the book to the boys, who purchased 16,000 copies in a fortnight. Spontaneously, small groups of boys formed themselves into a gang (patrol), elected a leader and later took the initiative of asking local men to become Scoutmasters. Scouting had started! He based much of the Cub Wolf pack off the Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling - hence why Cub Scout leaders have names from The Jungle Book.
We celebrate Founders Day each year on 22 February, B-P's birthday.
The cradle of Scouting in Victoria was the Tooronga Road State School, Caulfield; where in late 1907 one of the pupils, Roy McIndoe, received from a friend in England, who had been a member of the experimental camp at Brownsea Island, some pamphlets which had been issued by the Chief. These he showed to his mates who immediately got red shirts, their father's old felt hats, formed ‘patrols’ and ‘whooped round the place like Red Indians’. Later in 1908, when they received the first copies of Scouting for Boys, they settled down to genuine Scouting.
“The secret of sound education is to get each pupil to learn for themselves,
instead of instructing … by driving knowledge into (a person) on a stereotyped system.”
- Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting
World Scout Emblem
Baden-Powell included a design for the Scout's badge in his work, Scouting for Boys, which was a simple fleur-de-lis with the motto "Be Prepared" on a scroll below it. He reasoned that the fleur-de-lis was commonly used as the symbol for north on maps, and a Boy Scout was to show the way in doing his duty and helping others.
The plumes of the fleur-de-lis became symbols for Service to Others, Duty to God, and Obedience to the Scout Law. These three principles form the Scout Promise which is made by new Scouts as they join the movement. The fleur-de-lis was modified shortly after, to include the two five-pointed stars, which symbolize knowledge and truth. A "bond" was also added tying the three plumes together to symbolize the family of Scouting.
J. S. Wilson introduced an international Scout badge in 1939-a silver fleur-de-lis on a purple background surrounded by the names of the five continents in silver within a circular frame. The wearing of it was not universal, but was confined to past and present members of the International Committee and staff of the Bureau. A flag of similar design followed, the flying of which was restricted to international Scout gatherings.
The current emblem was released in August 2024 and is a refresh of a design introduced at the 8th World Scout Jamboree in 1955 by former Boy Scouts of Greece National Commissioner Demetrios Alexatos. The final design which is now worn on the uniforms of Scouts around the world includes a rope which encircles the fleur-de-lis and is tied in a reef knot at the bottom of the badge. The rope is there to symbolize the family of the World Scout Movement and the knot symbolizes the strength of the unity of the World Scout Movement. The colors chosen have heraldic significance, with the white of the arrowhead and rope representing purity, and the royal purple denoting leadership and service.
“"A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room."
- Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting
The White Scarf
The white scarf is given to children who have joined the Cub Scout Unit, and have not yet been invested.
The white scarf can best be explained to the Cub as being like the white paint that is put on Zulu boys when they are ready to prove that they are men, or warriors of the tribe. A boy is completely painted with white paint. He would be given a shield for protection and a small spear to hunt and obtain food. If he was seen by any other Zulu during this time the Zulu may capture and kill him, and that white paint would take about 6 weeks to wear off - it would not wash off.
And so, for a period of 6 weeks, the boy would have to hide in the jungle, and live as best he could. He would have to follow deer tracks and creep up near enough to spear the animal in order to get food and clothing for himself. He had to make fires to cook his food by rubbing two sticks, he had no matches with him. He had to be careful not to let his fire smoke too much, or it would catch the eye of Zulu hunters.
He had to be able to run long distances, to climb trees and to swim rivers in order to escape those chasing and hunting him. He had to be brave and stand up to a lion or tiger or any other animal that attacked him. He had to know which plants were good to eat and which were poisonous and how to cook them. He had, of course, to make his own cooking pots of the bark of a tree or of clay. He had to build himself a hut to live in, but well hidden. He had to care that he left no tracks which could be followed. He had to learn not to snore, to keep his mouth shut and to breathe quietly through his nose.
All this he had to do for 6 weeks, sometimes in burning heat, sometimes in cold rain, while the white paint wore off.
If the boy can survive until his paint wears off he can return to the tribe and is accepted as a man and a warrior.
So you can see Cub Scouts, the white paint test of Zulu boys is a pretty tough test. In presenting you with this white scarf, it means that you have to prove to us, yours leaders, that you are ready to become a Cub Scout.
The Scout Handshake
The left-handed Scout handshake is a formal way of greeting other Scouts and is used by members of Scout and Guide organizations around the world. The handshake is made with the hand nearest to the heart and is offered as a token of friendship. In most situations, the handshake is made firmly, without interlocking fingers, and many organizations only use this handshake when both people are in uniform. There are some variations of the handshake between national Scouting organizations and also within some program sections.
The 1935 Boy Scout Handbook says that
"By agreement of the Scout Leaders throughout the world,
Boy Scouts greet Brother Scouts with a warm left hand clasp."
There is a story that when Baden Powell entered Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti he was met by one of the Great Chiefs of the Ashanti, he saluted them and then offered his right hand out as a sign of friendship, but the Chief transferred his shield which he held in his left hand to his right which contained his spear and offered his left hand as a sign of friendship.
When asked why Baden Powell was told that by offering his left hand, which traditionally was used to hold a shield for protection he was showing his trust to his enemy or friend for with out the shield for protection he was open to attack.
Scout Salute & Sign
The three-finger salute is used by members of Scout and Guide organizations around the world when greeting other Scouts and in respect of a national flag at ceremonies. In most situations, the salute is made with the right hand, palm face out, the thumb holding down the little finger. There are some variations of the salute between national Scouting organizations and also within some program sections.
A "half-salute", known as the Scout sign, is also used in certain situations. The hand is still held palm facing out, and the thumb holding the little finger, but the hand is held at the shoulder instead. Other organizations with historical ties to Scouting such as Scouts Royale Brotherhood and Alpha Phi Omega use it as well.
Meaning of the three fingers
Scouts using the three-finger salute as the Scout sign. In his book, Scouting for Boys, Robert Baden-Powell chose the three-finger salute for Scouts to represent the three aspects of the Scout Promise:
Honor spiritual beliefs and country
Help others
Obey the Scout Law.
Salute or sign?
Originally, Baden-Powell intended for Scouts to salute each other in greeting when they first saw each other for the first time using the "secret sign", or half-salute. This was regardless of whether the Scouts knew each other or not. Officers, such as Patrol Leaders, Scoutmasters, or members of the armed forces, were to be saluted with a full-salute.
Full-salutes are also required at the hoisting of your country flag, the playing of the national anthem, or at funerals.
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