SCOUTING TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE O.T.C.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Nearly all old Public School boys are enthusiastic regarding the many good points of the Public School system, but most will agree that exclusiveness is a real and serious drawback. Surely, as one or two correspondents have suggested, if Scouting were to become an institution at Public Schools it would be a good step in the right direction. One can imagine two advantages :—(1) There is a crying need at present for Men to run Troops of Scouts all over the country, and especially in the big towns, and an old Public School boy would probably be more inclined to take up this work and less shy in doing so if he had himself been a Scout at school, and learnt the attractions of the game. (2) Scouting would provide a better meeting-ground between Public School boys and other boys than exists at present.
There are, however, obviously difficulticl in the way. There is said not to be room in the time-table for Scouting in addition to the O.T.C., and this sounds reasonable. There i3 also the danger, which must be avoided, of Scouting being regarded as only the small boy's occupation. This is, one feels, inevitable if Scouts are only run in place of the O.T.C. for the small boys—until they are old enough to join the Corps.
Surely the solution is for Scouting to be substituted for the O.T.C. . This suggestion sounds at first perhaps rather a scandalous one, in view of the excellent work the Officers Training Corps has undoubtedly done. The value of the Corps lies, one would think, not so much in the military know- ledge that is acquired, but in the scope it gives tor the exercise of powers of leadership and command, discipline, &c.
It is suggested that Scouting, if properly run, contains all the important advantages inherent in the O.T.C. training, and very many others besides. It would be interesting to hear some criticisms from schoolmasters on this point.—I am, Sir, &c.,
. D. HEATHCOAT AMORY.
Knightshayes Court, Tiverton, North Devon.
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