HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) i HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) Downloaded from: “The Dump” at Scoutscan.com http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com Editor’s Note: The reader is reminded that these texts have been written a long time ago. Consequently, they may use some terms or express sentiments which were current at the time, regardless of what we may think of them at the beginning of the 21st century. For reasons of historical accuracy they have been preserved in their original form. If you find them offensive, we ask you to please delete this file from your system. Page references in the Table of Contents, and within the body of the text, have been changed from the original version to correspond to the pagination of this e-edition. This and other traditional Scouting texts may be downloaded from The Dump. ii HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) THE BOY SCOUTS ASSOCIATION (Incorporated by Act of Parliament of Canada) Dominion Headquarters, OTTAWA ........................ Ontario. PROVINCIAL HEADQUARTERS For Prince Edward Island — The Boy Scouts Association, Charlottetown, P.E.I. For Nova Scotia — The Boy Scouts Association, Box 1122, Halifax, N.S. For New Brunswick — The Boy Scouts Association, 162 Prince William St., Saint John, N.B. For Quebec — The Boy Scouts Association, 1523 Bishop Street, Montreal, Quebec For Ontario — The Boy Scouts Association, 330 Bay Street, Toronto 2, Ont. For Manitoba — The Boy Scouts Association, 337 Somerset Block, Winnipeg, Man. For Saskatchewan — The Boy Scouts Association, 208 Darke Block, Regina, Sask. For Alberta — The Boy Scouts Association, 10076 - 100 Street, Edmonton, Alta. For British Columbia — The Boy Scouts Association, 705 Dominion Bldg. Vancouver, B.C. iii HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) REVISED HANDBOOK FOR CANADA of The Boy Scouts Association Copyright, Canada, 1930 By Canadian General Council of the Boy Scouts Association FIRST EDITION Originally Published by THE CANADIAN GENERAL COUNCIL of THE BOY SCOUTS ASSOCIATION (Incorporated by Act of Parliament of Canada) HEADQUARTERS — OTTAWA, ONT. iv HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) THE SCOUT PROMISE On my honour I promise that I will do my best, To do my duty to God and the King, To help other people at all times, To obey the Scout Law. THE SCOUT LAW (1) A Scout’s honour is to be trusted. (2) A Scout is loyal to the King, his country, his officers, his parents, his employers, and to those under him. (3) A Scout’s duty is to be useful and to help others. (4) A Scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout. (5) A Scout is courteous. (6) A Scout is a friend to animals. (7) A Scout obeys orders of his parents, Patrol Leader, or Scoutmaster without question. (8) A Scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties. (9) A Scout is thrifty. (10) A Scout is clean in thought, word and deed. v HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) WHAT SCOUTING MEANS To Boys — Good comradeship with other boys in out-of-door pursuits and games. Training and resourcefulness, observation and self-reliance. Instruction in handicrafts or hobbies, which may help them to make their way in life. A chance of being ready, when need arises, for any public service that a boy can render. To Parents — A safe outlet for boy energy and enthusiasm. Out-of-school education for their boys. Outdoor interests that make for their boys’ health, strength and happiness. The strengthening of boy character through the Scout Law and practice — under such influences the boy minds is more easily turned to the higher things of life. To the Nation — The conservation of boy life. The training of the rising generation in intelligent patriotism and earnest public spirit. A potent force for international peace and goodwill. vi HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) HIS EXCELLENCY VISCOUNT WILLINGDON, G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.C.I.E., G.B.E, etc. Governor-General of Canada Chief Scout for Canada vii HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) LORD ROBERT BADEN-POWELL OF GILWELL, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., LL.D. etc. Chief Scout of All the World viii HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) FOREWORD by LORD ROBERT BADEN-POWELL OF GILWELL Chief Scout of the World E PREPARED is the motto of the Boy Scouts. If you want to prepare yourself for getting the best value out of Scouting you have got to do a certain amount of preliminary study of its aims and B methods. You will find these given in this book with great clearness and conciseness by Canadians for Canadians; and they follow closely the lines of the original scheme which I have explained more fully in “Scouting for Boys.” But whatever alteration of detail may be necessary, to meet the conditions of different countries, one thing is universally essential to success and that is that the same spirit should pervade our wonderful Brotherhood throughout. For that reason I would emphasize the need for developing the same steps everywhere — 1st. The Promise and Scout Law as the guiding principle for Scouters as well as Scouts. 2nd. The development of self education from within in place of instruction from without. 3rd. The wholehearted use of the Patrol System with full responsibility placed on the Patrol Leader. 4th. The study of nature lore and woodcraft, camping and pioneering, etc., that is the jollity of the out of doors, as the important means of leading the boy to develop for himself his Character, Handiness, Physical Health, and using the efficiency thus gained for the good of others in the Community. With these points achieved you are on the high road to the best and happiest citizenship, so with all my heart I wish you Good Scouting. ix HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) PREFACE N presenting this Revised Edition of The Handbook for Canada of The Boy Scouts Association it is desired to pay tribute to the important work done in the compilation of the First Edition by the I Honorary Dominion Secretary, Mr. Gerald H. Brown. This original Edition, first published in 1920, and repeated in several impressions, had a wide sale, and played a most helpful role in spreading an understanding of Scouting throughout Canada. While making such modifications as were necessary in order to bring certain sections into conformity with later developments in Scouting, much of the original matter has been retained; and our thanks are again due to all those who contributed articles on Nature Lore and Woodcraft, or who placed illustrations and photographs and other matter at our disposal. Credit for such contributions is given in footnote where used. Sections deleted include chapters of interest only to Scoutmasters and which are now covered in our publication, “The Scoutmaster’s First Year,” “Minimum Standards for Troop Camps,” or which will be found in the forthcoming book, “The Scoutmaster’s Second Year.” x HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) CHAPTER INDEX PAGE I The Origin of Scouting ...…………………… 1 II Policy, Organization and Rules ……………... 3 III The Scout Law ………………………………. 79 IV Woodcraft …………………………………… 87 V Nature Lore …………………………………. 125 VI Camps and Camping ………………………… 193 VII Scoutcraft ……………………………………. 224 VIII Prevention and Treatment of Accidents ……... 249 IX Health and Endurance ……………………….. 277 X Patriotism and Citizenship …………………... 283 XI Scouting Games ……………………………... 285 Contents Index ………………………………. Not included in this e-edition xi HANDBOOK FOR CANADA (1930) CHAPTER I THE ORIGIN OF SCOUTING The origin of the Boy Scout Movement can best be described in the words of General Sir Robert Baden-Powell, its originator, as found in the Fifth Annual Report of the Boy Scouts Association. His statement is as follows: “It has been suggested to me that a few notes to show how the Boy Scout Movement originated might be of interest. “The idea of training boys in Scouting dates from 1884, when I applied it to recruits in my regiment, and, in revised form, from 1897, to young soldiers in the 5th Dragoon Guards. I had then found the good of developing the man’s ‘character’ before putting upon him the routine training of drill at that time considered necessary for a soldier. “When I came home, in 1902, I found my book, ‘Aids to Scouting’, being used in schools (and by Boy Organizations, etc.) for teaching boys. As this had been written for soldiers it was unsuitable for boys, and in 1908, I re-wrote it (after an experimental boys’ camp held in 1907). It was not then intended to have a separate organization of Boy Scouts, but that the Boys’ Brigade, the Junior Y.M.C.A., the C.L.B, and other recognized boys’ organizations would utilize the idea. “However, such a large number of men and boys outside these organizations took it up that we were obliged to form a directorate to control it. “This at first consisted of Major McLaren and myself, with Miss McDonald, as the entire Headquarters Staff, in a room given us by Mr. Arthur Pearson, who generously helped us to a start. Lord Strathcona also gave us a donation of five hundred pounds to put us on our feet. “The Movement grew up by itself, and assumed such proportions that in 1910 I gave up the Army and took charge of it. “The idea of the dress of the Scouts was taken from a sketch of my own dress in Kashmir in 1897 — in every detail. “The fleur-de-lis badge was that which I used for Scouts in the 5th Dragoon Guards; it was taken from the sign of the North Point of the compass, as shown in maps as a guide to their orientation. “The methods, aids and organization of the Movement underwent close examination by the Privy Council in 1910, and a Royal Charter of Incorporation was granted to it (1912).