February 2000 Turn Back The Clock

Advancement Ceremony - Scouting History

EQUIPMENT: Awards for the Boys

ARRANGEMENT: Cubmaster in front of the audience

CUBMASTER: Robert Baden-Powell was a British army officer who was stationed in India. He found his men didn't know basic first aid or elementary means of survival outdoors. He felt a need to teach his men resourcefulness, adaptability and the qualities of leadership demanded by the frontier. He wrote a small military handbook called "Aid to Scouting". Boys in England started using the book to play the game of Scouting and in 1907, Robert Baden-Powell took 20 boys and 2 men to Brownsea Island, off the coast of England. This was the beginning of Scouting.

Later Baden-Powell wrote a book "Scouting for Boys." The book set in motion the movement that would affect the boyhood of the entire world. Baden-Powell brought on the beginning of Boy Scouting. The Bobcat badge starts the beginning of the Cub Scout trail. (Call the boys who are to receive their Bobcat badge and their parents forward. Present the badge.)

In 1909 a Chicago businessman, William Boyce, was lost in a London fog. A boy appeared and helped Boyce to his destination. When Boyce tried to tip the boy for his kindness, the boy refused. He said he was a Scout and could not accept money for a good turn. Boyce asked the boy questions about being a Scout and asked to see Baden-Powell. After his visit to England, Boyce returned to America captured by his dream and in 1910 Boyce incorporated the BSA.

William Boyce brought Boy Scouting to the United States. He took the next step in bringing Scouting to our boys. The next step on the Cub Scout Trail is the Wolf badge. (Call forward the boys who are to receive their Wolf badge and their parents. Present the badge.)

Back in England the younger boys were eager to join the older Boy Scouts. Baden-Powell designed a program based on Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book. The Jungle Book helped to bring the Scouting program to the younger boys creating Cub Scouts. In 1930, Cub Scouting was formally launched in America. This was the third step in spreading the Scouting movement around the world. The next step for the Cub Scout Trail is the rank of Bear. (Call forward the boys to receive their Bear badge and their parents. Present the badge.)

The American style of the Cub Scouting program is home- and neighborhood-centered. The program suggests a wide variety of interesting things for a Cub Scout, his den, and his family to do. The thrust of all the Scouting program, including Cub Scouting, is to help promote citizenship, character development, and physical fitness, while all the time being done in the spirit of fun. Tonight we have boys who have done all kinds of activities in the Cub Scout program and who have grown from their experiences. (Call forward the boys who are to receive their Webelos Badge and their parents. Present the badge.)

After the death of Baden-Powell a letter was found that he had written to all Scouts. It said: "Try and leave this world a little better than you found it." These words are a fitting epitaph setting a great example for all of us to follow.