SERVICE BEFORE SELF

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1931, Page 8

SERVICE BEFORE SELF

AIMS OF SCOUT MOVKMENi. GROWTH INI WELLINGTON. “Bnden-Powell is the greatest educationist of this or any other century.” This statement of Dr Sadler, one of England’s educational authorities, recently, was quoted by the Metropol-

itan Scout Commissioner, Mr H. Amos, in an address before the Wellington Rotary Club on Tuesday. “Scouting,” he said, “has been described as a revolution in education. Jt is not

that,' but merely a, suggestion thrown out at a venture for a jolly, wholesome, outdoor recreation, which has been found, to afford a practical aid to education. It may be taken as complementary to school training, ana capable of filling up certain chinks unavoidable in the ordinary school cirrieulum.

“There are far' too many self-seek-ing individuals competing with one another in unscrupulous rivalry for supremacy,” Mr Amos continued, “all to the detriment of national and international interests and unity. . . Therefore the aim. of Scout training is to replace self with service; to make our boys individually efficient, morally and physicinlly, with the object of using that efficiency for the service of the community and stimulating the practice of Christianity in every-day life and dealings.

“The. motto of the Seout movement is ‘Be Prepared.’ A Scout must always he prepared at any moment to do his duty, even to lace danger for his fellow-man. He must be prepared in mind by the , practice of self-dis-cipline and self-control, and he must be prepared in body by keeping lit and active.

“The training directs the national energies of boys; into such channels as not only to furnish wholesome pleasure, but to develop self-control, resourcefulness, endurance and courage; in fact, all that makes for real manliness.”

Mr Amos introduced Major-General Sir Alfred Robin, the Hon. Metropolitan Commissioner, who had take over in 1921 when there were fewer than 1000 Boy Scouts in the Wellington. district, and had seen the number grow to over 3000. Sir Alfred expressed gratitude for the great support the Rotary Club had given the movement during the seven years lie had been connected with it. The visits of members to various troops had provided the personal touch which counted for so much in the world. The increase in the number of Scouts, from under 1000 to over 31090 was largely due fto the manner in which the Rotary Club had stood at the back of the movement and himself during the last seven years.