WHY NOT AN "OLD SCOUT" MOVEMENT ?
[To TER EDTTOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.":1
Sin,—Having seen the article in the Spectator of July 27th advocating an " Old Scout " movement, I think it may interest
you to know that a movement, with much the same object in view, has already been started amongst the youths in the small town of Brechin, in Forfarshire. It is called the
"League of Patriots," and aims at dealing with young men. It is for those who are beyond Scout age, or who cannot give as much of their spare time as Scouting entails.
Any youth of sixteen years of age and upwards may join the League. The scheme includes monthly meetings, at which short lectures may be given ; or members may prepare papers to be read at the meeting. The lectures may be varied occa- sionally by social or musical evenings. Also, if possible, summer camps will be arranged.
The office-bearers of the League are an Hon. President, President, Vice-President, and Secretary, all to be chosen by the members. Any member wishing to withdraw is only required to send in his membership card to the President, when he is released from all his obligations to the League. On joining the League of Patriots members have to pledge them-
selves as follows : (1) " To abstain from any intoxicating liquor as a beverage ; (2) to attend Church once every Sunday ; (3) to join, if possible, the Territorial Force, or the Special Reserve of the Army or Navy; and (4) to live a pure, honest life, to speak the truth, to serve God and his fellow men faith- fully, and to do all in his power to advance the moral and physical welfare of the British nation."
The League of Patriots is an entirely lay movement, in fact it has purposely been started without the direct assistance of the clergy for two reasons. One is that many young men of the present day are shy of Church organizations, fearing to be branded as " goody-goody." The other reason is that the pro- moters of this movement wish to impress upon young men that to be a good Christian it is not necessary to be a clergy- man, and that a layman can, and should, live just as pure a life.
The League of Patriots has been started tentatively in the hope that it may carry on the good work of the Boy Scouts amongst older lads and young men. There is much yet to be done ; but judging from the response which was immediately made when the League of Patriots was suggested, and from
the keenness of the members who have joined it, few though they be, there is great hope that if it or a kindred movement were taken up by a man like General Baden-Powell it would be eagerly responded to by the young men of Great Britain.
What has prompted me to bring this tentative venture to your notice are the following sentences which I herewith extract from the article in question, and which excludes from the " Old Scout " movement all lads or men who have not had the opportunity of serving as or with Boy Scouts:— " Though it is a matter on which we should be very sorry to dogmatize, we are inclined to think that it would be better only to admit those who have passed through Boy Scout patrols, or
who have been regular members of the Boy Scout organization as Scoutmasters or other officers, or organizers of the movement. The mother-thought of the movement, as we see it, is to carry on into maturer life the Boy Scout ideals."
Should your view on this matter be endorsed by the British people, and the " Old Scout" movement be restricted entirely to Scouts and Scoutmasters, &c., you will no doubt agree with me that this small provincial organization of the "League of Patriots" may be worth developing in order to reach those who have not passed through Boy Scout training, and who, therefore, may be excluded from joining the "Old Scouts."—
I am, Sir, &c., M. C. E. DON.
Maulesden, Brechin, Forfarshire.
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