SALUTING A CENTURY OF VERY GOOD SCOUTS
By Ben Farmer

Daily Telegraph/UK
02/08/2007

For the past five days, it has been an extraordinary international
celebration of youth and goodwill.

A rainbow of uniforms and flags has come together in a tented city
as thousands of Scouts from more than 160 nations have marked the
centenary of their movement.

A 100 years after Lt Gen Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouts with
an experimental camp of just 20 boys, 40,000 of their successors have
descended on his native country for a two-week jamboree remembering
him and his organisation.

Yesterday, exactly 100 years on from that first meeting, Scouts
travelled back to the original campsite at Brownsea Island in Poole
Harbour, Dorset, and renewed the promise that binds them together,
to build a tolerant and peaceful society.

The moment was witnessed simultaneously by many of their 28 million
colleagues – a third of whom are girls – around the world via
satellite link.

The movement was born in 1907 when Baden-Powell, hero of the Siege
of Mafeking, decided to use his Army experience to set up a trial
camp for 20 boys from different social backgrounds. He went on to
write his ideas in a book called Scouting For Boys and a worldwide
phenomenon was born.

A century later, the World Scout Jamboree that has filled Hylands
Park in Chelmsford, Essex, is testament to his vision that Scouting
could transcend race, religion and country. Scouting, however, has
changed somewhat.

The 1907 Scouts caught rabbits, cooked them on an open fire, and
listened to Baden-Powell’s tales of training boys to help hold Mafeking
during the Boer War.

Scouts at the centenary events have been learning to juggle, canoe
and have discussed slavery, women’s rights, Aids and environmental
problems.

Their camp fires have also been banned on Brownsea Island, which is
owned the National Trust, because they threaten plantlife and wildlife.

However, Chief Scout Peter Duncan, the former Blue Peter presenter,
said the original aims of friendship, good deeds and living in harmony
with nature made Scouting more relevant than ever.

"Scouts were probably the original environmentalists," he said. "The
idea that Scouting imposes its will on young people, it’s just
the opposite. We encourage young people and empower them to do
things." Yesterday, Scouts ranging from Armenia to Australia and from
Trinidad to Taiwan bore witness to that. As the sun rose over Essex,
Mr Duncan opened the ceremony with three blasts on the same kudu horn
as Baden-Powell had opened his first camp.

The gathered Scouts, two from each country, then recited their Scout
promise in their own languages before bursting into spontaneous
singing and dancing.

Alastair Frankl, a 16-year-old from the 401st Manchester Scouts,
said: "I have had an awesome time. I’m going to have international
friendships which are going to last me for my whole life. It’s not
dib dib dob dob any more.

Even the uniforms are quite cool now."

Overseeing the celebrations at Brownsea, the Hon Michael Baden-Powell,
grandson of the founder, imagined what his grandfather would have
said if asked to report on the centenary to his seniors – "100 years
not out. Team batting well. Declaration not on the agenda."

â~@¢ Hundreds of scouts took part in a giant exercise class in Glasgow
yesterday as the 100-day countdown to the Commonwealth Games bid
announcement began.

Several sporting heroes joined scouts as they braved the rainy weather
at a workout session, which also celebrated 100 years of the Scout
movement, in the city’s George Square. By Ben Farmer

Ten things you never knew…

â~@¢ Twenty-six of the first 29 astronauts were former Scouts

â~@¢ The only countries without Scouts are China, Cuba, North Korea,
Burma, Laos and Andorra

â~@¢ Famous former Scouts include David Beckham, Paul McCartney and
Steven Spielberg

â~@¢ The motto Be Prepared derives from founder Baden-Powell’s initials

â~@¢ Girls were first allowed to become Scouts in 1991

â~@¢ Dolly Parton, the country singer, became a Scout this year,
at the age of 60

â~@¢ Woggles, used to tie Scouts’ neckerchiefs together, were first
used in the US and were made from bone, wood or rope

â~@¢ There are more than 70 different proficiency badges

â~@¢ Last year the most popular badge was for information technology
with 48,069 given out

â~@¢ Each day 100,000 people in Britain take part in Scouting events

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