Scouts, often referred to as the Scout section to differentiate itself from the wider movement and its parent organisation, is a section of Scouting run by The Scout Association for ten and a half to fourteen year old young people. The section follows on from Cub Scouts (8-10½ year olds) and precedes Explorer Scouts (14-18 year olds). Since 1991, the section has been coeducational and today the Scout section accepts young people from all backgrounds, faiths and genders.
The Scout section is run locally by Scout groups and is led by a team of volunteer youth leaders. In addition to the general programme of outdoor and adventurous activities, learning new skills and connecting with the world and local community some Scout troops specialise to follow the Sea Scout and Air Scout training programmes to develop a more nautical or aeronautical feel to their troops.
It is a direct descendant of the original Boy Scout patrols and troops formed following the introduction of a Scouting programme in 1908 making it the oldest Scouting section in the world. The early section programme was based heavily on Scouting for Boys, published in 1908, and the regular resources and manuals that followed and received no major change until the publication of the Advanced Party Report in 1966 which saw controversial changes to the programme, uniform and name. The programme was re-launched in 2002 as part of the 6-25 progressive programme and refreshed most recently in 2015.
Scouts wear a uniform of a green shirt or blouse, navy blue activity trousers or skirt, group neckerchief and scout belt and earn badges for skills learned and challenges overcome which are sewn onto their uniform shirt.
History
Origins: 1907-1914
The Scout section emerged from the ideas of Scouting's founder Robert Baden-Powell for a training scheme for boys based on the skills learned in the army. Before these were published the format was tested at an experimental camp on Brownsea Island in Dorset in August 1907 lasting eight days and attended by 22 boys for a range of class backgrounds in London. Concepts still key to the movement, such as the patrol system, ceremonies and scoutcraft emerged from this camp.
In January 1908, the tested ideas began to appear in Scouting for Boys, published fortnightly in six parts, which contained Baden-Powell's Scout training scheme, a series of tests intended to build character and good citizenship in boys aged 11 to 18 years, as well as suggestions for organisation based around the patrol system established at Brownsea Island. The book was a runaway success and was reprinted six times in 1908 alone and was translated into a number of other languages including French, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese and Hebrew. While the original intention was for the scheme to be used by existing youth groups, groups of boys from across the UK took it upon themselves to form into Boy Scout Patrols and to seek adult leadership, resulting in the formation of local Boy Scout Troops, each of several Patrols.Moynihan, Paul (2006), An Official History of Scouting, Hamlyn, (pp. 30 and 39)
The movement began to develop over the next few years: the first Scout camp at Humshaugh took place in August–September 1908, the Sea Scout branch was formed to provide specialist nautical training in 1909 and badges and tests began to appear from around this time as well with 33 available by 1909. The same year saw the first National Scout Rally at the Crystal Palace attaracting 11,000 Scouts and the formation of a headquarters support structure for the fledgling movement.
War and peace: 1914-1945
The outbreak of World War I saw the scouts contribute on the home front and through organising welfare facilities on the western front. At home Sea scouts performed cast-watching duties, Scouts acted as messengers and guarding key points on the railway network and worked the land among other tasks.
The war also saw the expansion of the movement for the first time as Scouting in the UK became more than just the core section we know as the Scout section today. 1916 saw the launch of the Wolf Cubs for younger boys which fed into the Boy Scouts and 1918 saw the launch of Rover Scouts for young adults which they could complete after the Boy Scouts. The first worldwide gathering of Scouts, the 1st World Scout Jamboree, took place in England in 1920 and began a precedent that continues to this day. Equally a separate branch of the section for those with additional needs was created in 1925, the Special Tests Branch, to include others into the movement.
With the close of the 1930s and the outbreak of World War II Scouts once again helped on the home front with older Scouts helping as messengers supporting the ARP service, erecting home shelters, working as telephonists, assisting the Home Guard and helping as first aid orderlies. In 1941 the rise of air services led to the formal creation of the Air Scout branch that focused on aviation and aeronautical activities.
However January 1941 also saw the death of Baden-Powell with Lord Somers becoming Chief Scout. The following year a post-war commission was established to review the movement and which led to the publication of The Road Ahead in September 1945.
Post war: 1945-1966 The end of the Second World War had hit the Scout section and the movement as a whole hard with numbers drastically reduced with leaders, Rovers and older Scouts being drafted up for war service. In particular the post-war commission noticed in particular it was difficult to keep older boys in the Scout Troop and The Road Ahead, published in 1945, recommended the creation of a Senior Scout Section with the section officially commencing in October 1946.Moynihan pp.176-177 Scouts over the age of 15 could stay in the Troop, join a Senior Scout Patrol within the Troop, or join a separate Senior Scout Troop which was to consist of at least two Senior Patrols.Balsillie, Melville (1964), Running a Senior Scout Troop, The Boy Scouts Association (p. 11) The end of the war and post-war period also saw a few amendments to the tests and badges first outlined and unchanged since Scouting for Boys in 1908; in January 1944 the tests for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class scouts were revised, October 1946 saw the revised scheme of proficiency badges published and 1958 saw a refresh of the badge tests required.Moynihan pp.176 and 180
Scouts during this time took part in a number of high-profile events, in addition to Jamborees, that helped to boost the image of the movement. These included the 1948 Summer Olympics, as markers for the marathon, in support roles for the games and one even carried the banner for Belgium in the opening ceremony as well as the 1951 Festival of Britain and assisting with crowd control and programme selling at the 1953 Coronation of Elizabeth II. Additionally a small change to the uniform was made in 1954 to allow Boy Scouts, Senior Scouts and Rover Scouts to opt for a beret as headwear instead of the traditional campaign hat.
The high-point of the 1950s was the Golden Jubilee celebrations for the movement in 1957 which included a Jubilee World Scout Jamboree in Sutton Coldfield attracting 35,000 Scouts from 90 countries.
Change and modernisation: 1966-2002 Similar to the post-war commission which began following Baden-Powell's death, another period of reflection in the movement occurred from 1964 until the publication of the radical Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report in 1966. Among the 38 recommendations for the Boy Scout section included a change of title to the current Scout section, a revised Scout Law and Promise, a new uniform and a new three staged Progressive Training Scheme, intended to allow new entrants to advance more quickly. The uniform in particular included a modernised shirt style, the replacement of shorts and long socks with brown trousers and the replacement of the campaign hat with the beret. The Senior Scout section was also abolished and the age range amended to 11 to 16 years with Scouts now moving up to a new Venture Scout section.Gordon, Alan and Brooks, Peter (editors) 1982, 75 years of Scouting: A history of the Scout Movement in words and pictures, The Scout Association, ISSN 0263-5410 (p. 42) These changes were implemented in October 1967,Moynihan pp.180-181 causing a split in the movement, but was considered a success as it led to a growth in members and helped reposition the section as a modern movement.
Following the Advanced Party Report the programme and awards were overhauled. The badges used prior to 1966 were deemed difficult and expensive to administer as there were so many and standards were deemed low in some areas, phrased as 'the present badge scheme, while successful in some troops, produced depressingly low results in far too many cases.'Advanced Party Report, p.28. Instead a wider range of interests were included with specific interest, pursuit, service, instructor and collective achievement badges introduced. Meanwhile, the programme was encouraged to be more flexible and that a 'dramatic increase in the amount of camping and outdoor activities' took place.Advanced Party Report, p.33.
The formal training scheme that previously consisted of Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class tests was replaced by the Scout Badge, Scout Standard, Advanced Scout Standard and Chief Scout's Award. the rationale for this was that the previous system was 'drawn up in such a way that a boy is not fully trained until he is First class, this means that by far the greater part of our Scouts are untrained and incapable of undertaking challenging Scouting activities...while part of this situation is attributable to poor leadership, outdated and unattractive tests are major contributing factors.' Furthermore, it was noted that boys left 'disappointed and disillusioned without finding the challenge or excitement they seek' especially around the age of 12-13 which was described as 'particularly disquieting and [a] gross loss'.Advanced Party Report, p.31. It was also noted that only 10% of Scouts achieved the First class top award, an additional 20% the Second class test (30% total) with less than half of Scouts able to achieve the beginner tenderfoot test.Advanced Party Report, p.32.
The seventy fifth anniversary of the Brownsea Island camp was marked in 1982 and deemed 'The Year of the Scout' and marked by a House of Commons reception by the Speaker, series of postage stamps and activities involving the number 75 such as tidying 75 square yards of land or a party of 75 elderly people. Two years later, the training scheme was again revisedMoynihan p.183 where the Scout badge, Scout standard, Advanced Scout standard and Chief Scout's Award were replaced with the age-based progressive Scout Award, Pathfinder award, Explorer award and Chief Scout's Award.
In February 1990, it was decided in principle that the Association would become fully co-educational, leading to individual Scout Groups being able to decide to accept girls into Scouts and the other sections. This was formally allowed from July 1991 when the Scout Association's Royal Charter was amended. As of January 2020, female Scouts make up 27% of Scouts across the UK.
Relaunch: 2002-2015