Scout Group

thanks to the sustained efforts of some members of the Section looked very smart for the General Inspection and for an Exhibition arranged by Hudson on Speech Day.

The new entries have formed Nelson Division and have made a promising start on their C C.F. career. CAMP AT B.R.N.C. DARTMOUTH, AUG. 9th-16th.

Two cadet P.Os. were among about one hundred and forty C.C.F. Cadets who arrived on the afternoon of August 9th, for a week at the Officer Training College of the Royal Navy.

The week was divided into classes in a very comprehensive manner. There was hardly a spare moment during any day to relax. There was a lot of boatwork; the emphasis being on learning to sail R.N.S.A. dinghies (one of which was overturned by a certain St. Peter's Cadet) and the control of forty-foot twin-engined power-boats. A pulling regatta completed the very instructive boatwork periods. On the Sunday, the cadets and training officers set off in P.Bs., in convoy, for an afternoon on a nearby beach. The afternoon ended with most of the cadets being somewhat wet, and nearly all the officers having been thrown in the sea!

The cadets were divided into four divisions; the standard of the divisional spirit being very high. The food was not top quality, but most people were satisfied. This camp affords a very worthwhile insight into the type of training which officer cadets are required to endure.

R.A.F. SECTION

The influx of recruits at the beginning of the Summer Term raised the section to 57, with F/Sgt. Smith in charge, assisted by Sgts. Willcock and Rutherford.

Cadet Harrison is to be congratulated on the construction of the models of World War II aircraft. These were on show at the General Inspection and at the C.C.F. Exhibition at the end of term.

Senior cadets began the construction of a wind tunnel, one of the training aids recommended by Headquarters Air Cadets. The Section has also recently acquired a large dinghy which it hopes to put to good use early next term.

Air Experience Flying and Gliding will be resumed next term and it is also hoped that continuous gliding courses will once again be available in 1968.

Mr. J. Nix retired from the position of Group Scout Leader of the Chilman (St. Peter's Junior School) Group at the end of the term and we should like to record our appreciation of all that he has done for Scouting in the School over very many years. In addition to his active Scouting in the Junior School, Mr. Nix also looked after the Group equipment and was responsible for Group finances. Both these activities took a great deal of his time and many members and former members of the Scout Groups of the School owe him their thanks for all that he has done for them. We are very happy that Mr. Nix is continuing as a Scout Commissioner and Registrar of the York Scout Association.

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During the term more information filtered in about the new Scout training and at the end of term we were able to place orders for the new uniforms which will be available in October. Some of the new training manuals have now arrived and we look forward with interest and enthusiasm to tackling the new and exciting ideas in them.

We should like to pay a special tribute to last year's Working Party, most of whom left school at the end of the Summer Term. During the year they completed a number of very valuable jobs for the Group, culminating in the refurbishing of the Scout loft, mentioned in their account below. We wish them all well in saying goodbye to them and to the other members of the Group who left in July.

THE WORKING PARTY

Yet another year has drawn to a close and it must surely go down in history as one of the most interesting years for Scouting not only in the School, but also in the world. For the recommendations of the Chief Scout's advance party have to some extent been implemented in the group, and this was the reason for the formation of the working party which has proved so useful during the year.

Having successfully completed the first two tasks of the year, we started the major task of reorganizing the loft—a job which has needed doing for a long time. Firstly everything was removed to the scout hut, and this was completed with the aid of some Venture Scouts. The party then split into two sections, one was to take an inventory of the equipment, the other to start cleaning the loft. The latter sub-task proved more difficult than anticipated, as wood worm and dry rot were found—however, with parts replaced by Mr. Hawkins, we finished the job by the end of June. The equipment was then checked, and that which was found to be useless discarded, some was replaced, and the remainder was then left, as the equipment required for camps was to come from it.

The painting of the loft was then all that remained for the party, as the refitting was being done by the School and Mr. Hawkins. The colour scheme was chosen by the G.S.L., and applied by some of the party during the field day and at various subsequent occasions. The Venture Scouts were very willing in assisting with the painting, and members of the the working party completed the task after their examinations. The colour scheme is white ceiling with walls in jonquil, a yellow type of colour, the woodwork being a white gloss. This makes the loft very light, and with the new racks being fitted by Ms. Hawkins, it should be very useful to the future scouts in the group.

It has been decided to fit racks for canoes in the loft, and we hope that this reflects the true movement of the group—towards bigger outside projects rather than the former school-like methods of having to study for proficiency badges.

It only remains for us to say "thank-you" to the G.S.L. whose puns and witticisms have lightened some of the duller moments of our working. We thank him for letting the party get on in its own way and hope that the group will benefit from the hard labour and three tasks completed by what is the only working party known to the school—and under the new organization probably the only working party to be in the School. 36

We were happy at last to conclude work and examination for the British Red Cross certificate; 14 members gained the Adult Certificate, 7 the Junior. This is already an advance towards the first stage of the new scouting, which comes into force this year—the Venture Award.

Field Day activity was a return to raft-building. Good organization by the Committee produced some seventy drums and containers. The whole Unit, in teams, spent the morning constructing, and the afternoon navigating, their craft. The afternoons course was from Poppleton back to the School boathouse; times varied between 21 and 41 hours, and the sun shone brilliantly on the day's work.

Evening activities in the summer are minimal. One exercise was an attack/defence project on a derelict house by the R. Derwent.

In the last week of term a small party under the auspices of the Venture Scout Unit made an East to West crossing of the Lyke Wake Walk, camping at Ravenscar and completing the Walk in just under eighteen hours.

An experimental and un-uniformed year—yes. Mainly, we think, successful, because the bad has showed up with the good and we know now which way to turn.

SCOUT TROOP

Several new boys expressed a desire to join the Scout Troop but with the new scout uniform coming it has been decided to give all potential scouts a probationary period before they go to the expense of buying the new uniform. We hope to have the troop all equipped by the end of the term.

We continued to carry on as far as possible with the new ideas but until further information is available, due to be published in August, we have had to stick to the older scouting which will be present but modified in the new look.

The field day took its usual form with patrols dropped at various positions and walking over new territory and all finishing at Rievaulx Abbey, returning in the early afternoon for a meal cooked on individual patrol fires.

Next term will see the official start of the new scout training programme and we hope we can carry out all the new training schemes.

SCOUT CAMP, ISLE OF MAN, 1967

Tuesday, 25th 7uly

The train journey left us with time to spare before catching the 3.30 p.m. boat. This was profitably spent looking at the recently opened Roman Catholic Cathedral in Liverpool. After a calm crossing to Douglas we arrived at the rather exposed camp site about 8.30 p.m. and soon had the tents pitched and luggage unpacked. Wednesday, 26th 7uly

The first full day in camp was spent completing kitchens and 'gadgets to make the rest of the week as comfortable as possible. One member started the construction of his 'throne' which was to be a prominent feature of the camp. The afternoon saw the first visit to the beach but few ventured into the sea.

Thursday, 27th July

This was used to make a tour of the Island by coach. After passing through Ramsey and Douglas we stopped at Castletown, visited the Castle and had lunch there. The coach then dropped us near the coast and we walked round the rocky coast to be picked up at the most southerly point of the Island. After refreshments we returned to camp.

Friday 28th July

The first inspection scheduled for 10-30 a.m. had to be delayed until 11.15 as certain members of troop were still busy assembling kitchens and others had had difficulty in getting up. A second and longer visit was paid to the beach in the afternoon. Under the expert guidance of Scaife and Beckingham an aerial runway was soon constructed with the landing conveniently placed across a stream. One or two braver members of the troop tried it out successfully except for Plews. Mr. Allen only got his feet wet, but Mr. Craine followed Plews in being almost totally immersed. He refuses to believe that the brake rope "accidentally got caught round my foot Sir". Foxes were soon seen climbing up the sandy cliff faces and performing rapid descents down the steep slopes while the camera recorded many of the beach activities.

Saturday, 29th July

The trip to Peel was the main event of the day but the weather was poor and it soon was raining very solidly which prevented any boating activities in the bay. Many returned early to camp to cook and eat for the rest of the wet day.

Sunday, 30th July

Traditionally a day of rest. Several scouts went to communion in the Bishop's Chapel and the troop all went to evensong at 4.30 p.m. The weather was still drizzle until we came out of Chapel but remained dry enough for the roast to be done successfully in biscuit tin ovens.

Monday, 31st July

About 12 members of the party under Mr Allen undertook the long walk to the top of Snaefell for a full day trip. The remainder spent the morning in camp but did a shorter walk to the top of Slieu Curn in the afternoon.

Tuesday, 1st August

A final visit to the beach and then the task of dismantling the various kitchens etc. One fire was left for a camp-fire in the evening.

Wednesday, 2nd August

Activity started at 4.30 a.m. and most scouts were out and about by 5.30 a.m. Breakfast at 6.00 a.m. consisted of the unlikely mixture of Dates, oranges, porkpies, choc rolls, biscuits and orange juice. This was soon eaten without any later ill-effects and the tents were packed and labelled The troop left at 7.30 a.m. for Douglas and the long return journey to York arriving at about 5.00 p.m.