The Start of Scouting

Last year Scouting celebrated its Centenary and in that time the Movement has grown to span the world.  Indeed, currently twenty eight million are members, in approximately two hundred Countries.

It always pays to return to the beginning to appreciate how such a successful enterprise could sustain such acclaim. This  takes us  back to the mid-eighteen hundreds, when the Industrial Revolution was building up a head of steam and the British Empire was expanding

In 1857 ,Robert Stephenson Smyth Powell was born to Rev. Baden Powell, a Professor of Geometry at Oxford and his third wife Henrietta Grace Smyth,  Robert was the eighth child of this marriage and there were four surviving siblings from the earlier marriages. The family lived comfortably in London and Prof. Rev. Powell was a supporter of Charles Darwin and his theories, which caused unease in religious circles. However when Prof. Rev. Powell died (1860), his wife adopted the surname of ‘Baden-Powell’, which helped on the social scales !

Whilst his father and older brothers provided a background of academic study, his mother was a great influence in developing Robert’s artistic talents and caring nature. It was she who instilled the need to ‘do a good deed every day ’. Following home tutoring, his higher education was completed in Charterhouse and nearly ended in a career on the stage, as his efforts to join his brothers in University failed. Fortunately he turned to military service with his mother’s blessing and won a scholarship by gaining second place out of seven hundred plus applicants, to join the crack 13th Hussars.

At twenty Robert became a sub-lieutenant and would have normally expected to spend two years   at  Sandhurst. But the Army needed young officers in India and he was despatched to Lucknow. Over the next twenty plus years he saw active service in India, South Africa, Malta, Ireland and London and at each posting he was involved in the training of young soldiers and wrote many manuals on the theme of maximising their skills through instruction and placing of responsibility.   In 1899, as a result of the simmering Boer war, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Baden-Powell  was sent urgently as commander- in -chief    to raise two regiments and defend the borders of Rhodesia and Bechuananland.    The unit under his command was besieged at Mafeking by six thousand Boer troops.

 By a series of decoys and cunning, the disadvantaged garrison  held out until the following May, a total of 217 days until reinforcements arrived. A tremendous achievement, but it was not only credit to the military skills of the professional soldiers ,but also the supporting help provided by the town's  youths. Teams of 9 to 13 year olds under B-P’s direction, acted as messengers, first aiders, guards etc.., hence proved that his theories worked even with raw youths. The successful outcome caused jubilation in Britain and B-P became a national hero and was honoured by Queen Victoria and promoted to a General.

On returning to England, B-P put his tried theories to a domestic test by staging a camp on Brownsea Island for twenty school boys, drawn from Public Schools and local Boys Brigade Units. This was for eight days -1st to 8th August 1907.  Its undoubted success in terms of team spirit etc.. and its publication in six issues of 'Scouting for Boys '(illustrated by B-unched the Movement that we are proud of to-day.    Terry Rocke.  

 Parent Carers' Voice

Hold  regular bi-monthly meetings as well as the  special events we run.  The next one is on Tuesday July 15th at the Cedars 1015-12.00  This  is an open forum when all parent carers of children with special needs  are invited to come along and share their thoughts and worries.The parents who already meet are a terrific resource for the help  that is  available and are very supportive generally  All are very welcome.  Pam Hogan – TVS 14 Bridgeland St tel 459111

 Pam Hogan

Development Worker Parent Carers' VoiceTVS14 Bridgeland Street Bideford EX39 2QETel: 01237 459111