Boys' Uniformed Group: Activities--Meetings

Figure 1.--.
The Scouts almost from the beginning took an internationlist approach. This was the case eventhough in the early 20th century Europe and America where the first Scout groups appeared rather ugly racist and nationalist ideas were still common. While Scouting did little to encourage interaction with poor working class boys and the middle class boys that were domonated, they did reach out to other countries through Jamborees and other exchanges. In some countries where youth groups had become politicized, Scouts had more difficultties and there were some times fights between rival groups. Other Scout leaders had no interest in bringing boys together and the Scout movement was often organized on religious affiliation.

Countries

English Scouts in many ways set the principles for world scouting. American Scouting has become important, but in the early years of the movement

America

American seemed to take little interest in meeting with other groups. Early American youth groups such and the Woodcraft Indians and the Sins of Daniel Boone, that were incorporated into Ametrican Scouting, were highly nationalistic. The first American Jamboree did not occur until 1937. I'm not sure how segregation was dealt with, but the nartional jamborees were all head in the northern or western states. American Scouts did attend the world jamborees and U.S. Boy Scout Association (BSA) became the largest association world wide. American attitudes began to change after World War II (1941-45). The BSA now has an active international section and American jamborees are well atended by Scouts from all over the world.

England

Lord Baden Powell from the beginning of the movement pursued Scouting as an international movement. This probably was in part a reflection of Britain's extensive empire. I'm not atvall sure that if Sciouting had been founded in abny other country, that it woyld have taken this intetrnationl approach, certainly not America. Wgile English Scouting pursued international expansion, there appared little interest in expanding the essentially midd,le-class Scout movement to working class boys. There is some indication that this middle-class focus still continues in nglish Scouting.

France

No information available on France at this time.

Germany


Events

The principal events bringings boys from different groups and countries together are Scout jamborees. American jamborees are restricted to Scout groups, I am not sure the same is true of world jamborees.

Band competitiions


Jamborees

This section of the uniformed web sit provides views of Scout uniforms at various national and international jamborees. One of the most interesting aspects of national and international jamborees is the opportunity to compare notes with Scouts from many different places. One of the interesting topics is always the different uniforms as well as the varied badges and insignias.





Christopher Wagner




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Created: December 8, 2000
Last updated: December 8, 2000