| Robert Baden-Powell was a hero of the British Army, the defender of the South African city of Mafeking through a 217-day siege in the Second Boer War (1899). During his years in the Army, he had written a book of training aids for new recruits called Aids to Scouting. Upon his return to England in 1903 he learned that his book was being used by some English school teachers to teach boys. |
In England, Baden-Powell was called upon to help the Boy’s Brigade incorporate some elements of Scouting into their program. And he was frequently called upon directly by boys themselves who sought advice from the hero. Ultimately, he decided to try a hands-on approach to see if boys could learn the lessons of Scouting.
Baden-Powell arranged for the use of Brownsea Island, an isolated island of a little more than 1 square mile, located 10 miles off the coast of southern England. He assembled a group of 21 boys from various social and economic backgrounds, gave them a list of gear they would need, and provided their parents with an outline of the training program he proposed to put the boys through.
 | At 8:00 AM, on August 1, 1907, Robert Baden-Powell blew his kudu horn to call to assembly the world’s first Scout camp. Throughout the week, he used the Kudu horn (captured in Matabeland in 1896) to rouse the camp and for signals; several shorts notes meant "Rally"; a long call meant "Ready". |
The first Scouts did not have uniforms, but they were issued khaki neckerchiefs to identify them as Scouts.
Here’s what happened at the First Scout Camp.
On the first day of camp, these first Boy Scouts formed four patrols: Wolves, Ravens, Bulls and Curlews. They made patrol flags and wore colored knots on their shirts to identify their patrols. They elected Patrol Leaders, who then received special instruction.
The next day the Scouts learned camping skills: knot-tying, fire-building, cooking, and sanitation. They did exercises to build up their endurance.
In the days following the Scouts learned tracking, studied animals, birds and plants, and watched the motion of the stars. They swore themselves to a code of honor, including the same unselfishness, courage, thrift, and loyalty that Scouts pledge today. They promised to do a "good turn" daily.
The Scout practiced emergency preparedness for fire emergencies, drowning, and street accidents. They learned First Aid. They learned the virtues of patriotism.
And on the last day of camp (day 8), the Scouts had inter-patrol competitions!
Here was the daily schedule at the first Scout Camp:
These first 21 Boy Scouts received awards as they advanced - A brass fleur-de-lis badge when they had passed a first set of tests, and a brass scroll with the words "Be Prepared" to hang below the fleur-de-lis when they had completed more advanced tests. The complete Scout Badge!
Baden-Powell’s ideas for Scouting contained many lessons he had learned from American friends, who in turn had learned many lessons from Native Americans. During the Boer Wars, Baden-Powell established a lifelong friendship with Frederick Russell Burnham, an American who was serving as a Scout in the British Army. Burnham later became known as the "Father of Scouting". Baden Powell also borrowed heavily from Ernest Thompson Seton, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, an organization for boys and girls very much like Scouts. The Woodcraft Indians became one of the organizations that formed into the Boy Scouts of America.
After the camp at Brownsea Island, Baden-Powell wrote the book Scouting for Boys that started the Scouting movement.
Although Baden-Powell thought that Scouting for Boys would be used by existing organizations to add elements of Scouting into their programs, independent Boy Scout Troops began forming all over England. Boys would form Troops and Patrols among themselves, then recruit adults to be Scoutmasters.
Scouting became a movement of its own, and it grew incredibly fast. By the end of 1908 there were 60,000 known Scouts in England. By the end of 1910 there were 100,000 Scouts in England alone, and Scouting had begun spreading around the world, including the United States where the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on February 8, 1910.
In 1910, Baden-Powell retired from the Army, on advice from King Edward VII, in order to devote all his time and resources to Scouting. At the outbreak of World War I, in 1914, Baden-Powell volunteered to return to the Army, but was refused, so important had the Scouting movement become.
In 1909 Baden-Powell met a Patrol of girls who called themselves Girl Scouts. Although he was in favor of having girls form Scout Troops like boys, English society of the time would not tolerate it. So he recruited his sister Agnes and his wife Olave to initiate a movement called "Girl Guides" in 1910.
Baden-Powell’s original Scouting program was for boys aged 11 to 18. But younger boys would also form Troops, calling themselves "Cadet Scouts". In 1916, Baden-Powell created a program for younger boys called "Wolf Cubs", based on the Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling, who was a friend of Baden-Powell.
Later, Baden-Powell set up a scheme for those older than 18, called "Rover Scouts". It was a program of outdoor adventure and service to others. Today, Venturing is the Scouting program for 18-20 year olds.
In 1921 Ernest Thompson Seton established a program for boys and girls aged 6 to 11, called "Brownies". The Brownies of the Girl Scouts USA sprang from this program.
 | 100 years after the first Scout camp at Brownsea Island, the Scouting movement continues to grow. There are more than 28 million Scouts in over 160 countries. What will the second century of Scouting bring? |
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| Wolves | Ravens | Bulls | Curlews |