Old Troop 611 Court of Honors from 2003
A look into the first
Boys Brigade at Brownsea Island, the birth place of Boy Scouts. June 1907.
It should be remembered that the camp on Brownsea Island was an experimental
one; we must not expect to find there all the characteristics that now
distinguish a Boy Scout camp from other types of camp. It is surprising,
however, how many of the fully developed activities and methods are to be found
in use at that first camp.
Brownsea Island is in Poole Harbour, about twenty miles west of the isle of
Wight, off the south coast of England. The island is about a mile and a half in
length and some three quarters of a mile wide. It is well wooded, with healthy
clearings towards the center. An empty cottage on the shore is a landmark still
for those who visit the site.
Baden Powell decided that he wanted a mixed company of boys to see how they
would get on together; so he formed his party out of sons of his own friends and
some boys selected by the Boy's Brigade officers of Poole and Bournemouth.
In a long letter to the parents of the boys he invited, Baden Powell described
the scheme of training he proposed to follow at the camp: this was under the
headings of Woodcraft, Observation, Discipline, Health and Endurance, Chivalry,
Saving Life, and Patriotism. He gave the daily timetable with list of the
personal equipment each boy would need.
News of the camp had gone about, and the newspapers were soon looking for copy,
but Baden Powell put them off.
One newspaper did publish a description of the camp site, but the facts for this
were gathered before the camp had really opened. A few of boys had arrived, and
with Baden Powell and Major Maclaren were helping to pitch the tents. These were
bell tents; this was the almost the only type available at that time and for
some years to come. Scouting and the rising interest in camping helped to make
the ridge tent know.
Each patrol had its own tent. The boys did not wear an uniform; some who came
from public schools wore similar clothes. they did, however, have Patrol
shoulder knots of colored wool: blue (Wolves), green ( Bulls), yellow (Curlews)
and red (Ravens). Each Patrol Leader had a flag with the animal represented on
it.
Each boy was given a brass fleur-de-lys badge which was fastened on to his coat;
when he had passed a few tests ( knots, tracking, the Flag) he was given another
brass badge to fasten below the first, a scroll with the words "Be Prepared" on
it. Kaki scarves were also issued.
The daily program was as follows:
6:00 a.m. Turn out, air bedding, milk and biscuits
6:30 a.m. Exercises
7:00 a.m. Notices of day's activities with demonstrations
7:30 a.m. Clean camp
7:55 a.m. Parade. Flag break followed by Prayers. Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Scouting practices
12 noon Bathing
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1-2:15 p.m. Rest
2:30 p.m. Scouting practices
5:00 p.m. Tea
6:00 p.m. Camp games
7:15 p.m. Rub down and change
8:00 p.m. Supper
8:15 p.m. Campfire yarns. Short exercises ( breathing,etc.)
9:15 p.m. Prayers
9:30 p.m. Turn in. Lights out.
Baden Powell used the Koodoo horn (captured in Matabeland in 1896) to rouse the
camp and for signals; several shorts notes meant "Rally"; a long call meant
"Ready". This horn was sounded by Baden Powell at the opening of the Coming of
Age Jamboree in 1929.
The exercises used morning and evening were simple ones rather on the lines of
those given in Scouting for Boys.
Bathing included water games and the use of two boats.
The rest after lunch was strictly enforced.
The campfire yarns were mostly of Baden Powell's own adventures, many of them
were incorporated in Scouting for Boys. No one recalls that they did any singing
other than the Eengonyâma Zulu chant.
Baden Powell was very keen on getting the boys accustomed to night conditions;
hence the night picket, when Baden Powell himself might try to get into the camp
from outside the boundaries. One day he told the boys that he was going to
"invade" the island and they were to stop him. As he passed under a big tree, a
command "Halt" came from above, and there was Donald Baden Powell, who thus had
the distinction of capturing his uncle. Baden Powell used this incident as a
good example of the wisdom of looking up as well as around.
There were various competitions, some between the Patrols and some for an
individual price. Thus a prize was given for the best collection of leaves of
trees with their names. Another was given for observation tests. Many different
practices and competitions in observation were carried out; indeed Baden Powell
seems to have put most stress in the training on observation, tracking, stalking
and similar forms of Scouting.
On a whole day each patrol went off on its own with uncooked rations, and had to
look after itself, knowing that, at some time during the expedition, they would
come under Baden Powell's observation. They had previously had practice in
making fires and in making dampers. For this last job they had been taught to
mix the dough on the insides of their jackets. This evidently appealed to them,
for one of the survivors recalled that on his return home he started to do this,
but had to stop owing to his mother's strong and understable objections!.
In some notes, Baden Powell said: " The troop of boys was divided up into
"Patrols" of five, the senior boy in each being Patrol Leader. This organization
was the secret of our success. Each patrol Leader was given full responsibility
for the behavior of his Patrol at all times, in camp and in the field. The
Patrol was the unit to work or play, and each patrol was camped in a separate
spot. The boys were put "on their honour" to carry out orders. Responsibility
and competitive rivalry were thus at once established, and a good standard of
development was ensured throughout the Troop from day to day. The troop was
trained progressively in the subjects of Scouting.......We found the best way of
imparting theoretical instruction was to give it out in short installments with
ample illustrative examples when sitting around the campfire or otherwise
resting, and with demonstrations in the practice hour before breakfast.
The practice was then carried out in competitions and schemes.
Discipline was very satisfactory indeed. A "court of honor" was instituted to
try any offenders against discipline, but it was never needed. In the first
place the boys were put 'On their honor' to do their best; in the second place,
the seniors boys were made responsible for the behavior of the boys forming
their patrol. And this working perfectly well."
In his draft report he noted how easily boys of such contrasted social
conditions had mixed. This experience impressed him deeply; out of it grew the
basic idea of the fourth Scout Law.
