But the connecting date is, of course, World Thinking Day on the 22nd February each year.
I became a Queen's Guide, and very proud of that fact I was, and still am, too. It took real determination to complete the requirements, and as I was doing my ‘A’ levels at the same time, I put it down as one of my achievements.
I did a quick google before sitting down to compose my abstract ramblings on the subject – and at first I was worried if I had it wrong. Perhaps it wasn’t old Baden-Powell (not rhyming with “fow-el” by the way – but with “Po –well) – Surely it couldn’t it have been some American geezer?
But digging a little deeper, I was re-assured, The Scouting Movement, and the Guide Movement that came out of it, was indeed, the brain child of Robert Baden-Powell (and watch that pronunciation please) and it had its beginning at the siege of Mafeking or Mafikeng as it is now known – some people have just got to mess up the spelling!
In 1876 he joined the 13th Hussars in India, and his subsequent military career makes Bond, James Bond, look like a patsy! Seconded to the Intelligence service, the tales of him disguising himself as a butterfly collector to sketch a military fort were still being told around the Corp with bated breath when I was a wide eyed youth.
In the 1880’s his regiment had been posted to the Natal province of South Africa where he became interested in the art of scouting (military style that is) and it is said that he honed his skills with the aid and support of the Zulu tribesmen. So successful did he become that he was mentioned in dispatches.
In the late 1890’s he brought out a small manual called ‘Aids to Scouting’ (still the military type) which was a summary of the lectures he had given to help train recruits in the art of Military Scouting.
He concentrated on encouraging the military scouts to think independently, and to use their initiative as well as survive in the wilderness.
Everything came together on the 14th October 1899 when the siege of Mafeking began. For a detailed account of the situation and the battles go to britishbattles where there is an extensive if somewhat disapproving description of it all.
Briefly, the outnumbered garrison withstood a siege by the Boers for 217 days; and their success was entirely due to the officer in charge of defence; Baden-Powell.
Using the ingenuity that he prized so much he created faked minefields; military personnel mimed avoiding non-existent barbed wire entanglements when moving in plain view between trenches.
But the one thing that still has such an impact on the world today was using a team of young boys to carry messages around the garrison and between posts. B-P was impressed with their courage and the attitude they showed in performing these tasks.
Cue howls of outrage!!
Of course, it wouldn’t happen today – I am sure someone would quote the Geneva Convention or some such to prove that we shouldn’t put young lads in such danger and threaten to have the murderous old idiot in front of a tribunal somewhere for war crimes.
But in reality, when B-P returned to England he found himself a national hero; and unlike today the press lauded his exploits. Here he found that his little book ‘Aids to Scouting’ had become something of a best seller and was being used by teachers and youth organisations to develop self-reliance in the young lads of England. The young lads themselves were organising their own groups of boys to put into practice the skills B-P had meant for the military scouts.
Remembering the courage and aptitude of the boys in Mafeking B-P realised that he was indeed on to something. In 1907 he took 22 boys of mixed social background on that famous camp on Brownsea Island to test out some of his ideas. It was such an outstanding success that ‘Scouting for Boys’ was published in six instalments through the popular press in 1908 and the rest, as they say is history. (In fact Scouting for Boys is still in fourth place in the all time best sellers list, behind the Bible, the Koran and that Little Red Book from you-know-who).
The Guide Movement came later when the girls make it quite plain that they were not going to be left out, and subsequently B-P was made World Chief Scout and his sister World Chief Guide. And another English footprint was put down and is still in evidence in the world today.
Then 22nd February (the founder's birthday) was instituted as ‘Thinking Day’ and a day – I was told – when we would consider (or think about) the brotherhood of Scouts and Guides throughout the world, united in the celebration of B-P's vision for youth. We stressed unity of purpose and peaceful cooperation through the ideals of Scouting and Guiding.
But what have they made of it today?
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts chooses a theme for each World Thinking Day and proposes related activities. But nowadays their themes look more like the Young Socialist society and include:
• 2005: Think about food - well OK every teenager thinks about food, but I don’t think that is what they meant.
• 2006: Think about, talk about and do something about adolescent health issues; often shortened to Think about adolescent health - no comment and put that fag out!
• 2007: Discover your potential by taking the lead, growing friendships, and speaking out; often shortened to Discover your potential - probably more in keeping with B-P’s ideas
• 2008: Think about water - er yes; and what do you mean I have to wash in it!!
• 2009: Stop the spread of AIDS, malaria and other diseases; often shortened to Stop the spread of diseases - singlehandedly I suppose – but this is the best:-
• 2010 Together we can end extreme poverty and hunger
As a good Queen’s Guide from way back; what on earth are you doing? Together we can end extreme poverty and hunger? Who on earth are you kidding? Governments can’t do it; the UN can’t do – what makes you think Scouts and Guides can do it?
This is nothing more than a good left wing lunatic agenda – B-P will be rolling in his grave.
Especially as today those initiatives that he laid down to encourage self-reliance; activities that were ruthlessly and joyously embraced by lunatic teenagers the world over are now being actively discouraged and put down as being down right dangerous.
It is no wonder extreme sport and stupidity are so attractive to youths of both genders.
It really doesn’t bear Thinking About!!
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