Figure 1.--This photograph from the First World Jamboree in 1920 shows Scouts fron the different countries in their destinctive uniforms.

The first Jamboree was quite an occasion, nothing like it had ever before been attempted, and it took a lot of courage by Lord Baden Powell and his team of organisers to make it the success it undoubtedly turned out to be. The 1920 Jamboree would bear little resemblance to the World Jamborees of today. The most outstanding difference would be that the first Jamboree was held indoors at Olympia in the heart of London. The Scouts taking part, 8,000 from 34 different countries, gave displays daily in the great Olympia arena which had to have a foot of earth and turf laid especially to enable the Scouts to pitch tents! A camp site in the middle of the metropolis is hard, if not impossible, to find, and a camp of 5,000 Scouts was, therefore, set up in the Old Deer Park at Richmond, whilst the rest slept at Olympia ready for the following days' performances. In the great side halls at Olympia, various exhibits were on show, even a tent was something of a novelty in those days, and demonstrations of handicrafts by Scouts and Wolf Cubs went on non-stop. So it was that the first World Scout Jamboree was more of a display and exhibition than a get-together camp. What had begun as a Scout celebration turned into a great demonstration of international goodwill. Towards the close of the Jamboree, a tribute was paid which was not a scheduled part of the programme. In the great arena packed with Scouts and in the presence of many thousands of spectators, B.-P. was spontaneously acclaimed by the boys as 'Chief Scout of the World'--a title which no government or King could confer and one which lapsed on his death.

The Idea

The Chief Scout, then known as Sir Robert Baden Powell, suggested in 1916 during the heighth of World war I that preparations be made for a real celebration of Scouting's 10th Anniversary in 1918. Plans were conditional on the ending of the War. But the War went on hrough most of 1918. After the Armistace in 1918, it was then decided to invite the Scouts of all nations to come to London in 1920 for a full week's Peace Thanksgiving and delayed birthday celebration. Invitations were sent out to all the organizations and got an enthusiastic response. Twenty-one nations answered: "We'll be there!"

The First Jamboree

The first Jamboree was quite an occasion, nothing like it had ever before been attempted, and it took a lot of courage by Lord Baden Powell and his team of organisers to make it the success it undoubtedly turned out to be. The 1920 Jamboree would bear little resemblance to the World Jamborees of today. The most outstanding difference would be that the first Jamboree was held indoors at Olympia in the heart of London.

Opening

And, then, on the thirtieth day of July, 1920, the First International Boy Scouts jamboree got under way. What an event!

Participation

When the jamboree opened, Scouts six thousand strong showed up for the ground-breaking event.

Location

The Scouts taking part, 8,000 from 34 different countries, gave displays daily in the great Olympia arena which had to have a foot of earth and turf laid especially to enable the Scouts to pitch tents! A camp site in the middle of the metropolis is hard, if not impossible, to find, and a camp of 5,000 Scouts was, therefore, set up in the Old Deer Park at Richmond, whilst the rest slept at Olympia ready for the following days' performances. In the great side halls at Olympia, various exhibits were on show, even a tent was something of a novelty in those days, and demonstrations of handicrafts by Scouts and Wolf Cubs went on non-stop. So it was that the first World Scout Jamboree was more of a display and exhibition than a get-together camp.

A big camp was put tip in Richmond Park, in the outskirts of London. Here we lived for a week through a real English climate of days with bright skies and days with cloudbursts which threatened to flood the park.

Exhibits

But the most exciting episodes of this jamboree did not take place at the camp. They happened in the heart of London, at "Olympia," a tremendous building for displays, with an arena about 120 yards long and 40 yards wide and capacity for almost 15,000 people. An Immense decoration ran lengthwise through the building. At one end of the arena was built a three-decker, a regular pirate ship, used by the Sea Scouts to demonstrate the rescue of the crew of a wrecked ship with the help of rockets and breeches buoys. At the other end was a two-story log house which "burned" twice a day and was the scene of a fire-fighting stunt that was nearly as thrilling as sliding backward down an escalator.

The March

The center part of the decoration showed a mountain and in opening the daily display we would appear at the top and march down into the arena. Those marches! Those processions of the nations! They provided one of the greatest thrills of the Jamboree. Led by the American Scout Band, the Scouts of the World, with flags and banners flying, made their grand entry. We marched down the mountainside in front of the thousands of applauding spectators who crowded "Olympia," round the arena and out through the pine forest which formed a part of the background decoration. For a moment the arena would be empty. Then suddenly it looked like a six-ring circus with trek cart demonstrations, national dances, pageants, tug-of-war, games, bridge-building, obstacle races, pyramid drills-hundreds of Scouts all over the place at once. As a London paper put it, "A visitor needed eyes all down his coat to see the whole arena's display."

Internationalism

What had begun as a Scout celebration turned into a great demonstration of international goodwill.

American Scouts

The American Scouts were there, too, 360 of them. And in grand style. The United States Government had realized the importance of the event and had placed the Army Transport ship Pocahontas at the disposal of the Boy Scouts of America. A few years previously it had transported more than twenty thousand troops overseas for war. Now it brought our Scouts to Europe for a gathering of peace.

Baden Powell Honored

Towards the close of the Jamboree, a tribute was paid which was not a scheduled part of the programme. In the great arena packed with Scouts and in the presence of many thousands of spectators, B.-P. was spontaneously acclaimed by the boys as 'Chief Scout of the World'--a title which no government or King could confer and one which lapsed on his death.

Major Events

Three major events stand out in the minds of most participants. First, the church service the first Sunday, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating. Second, the night when B. P. was proclaimed the Chief Scout of the World. Third, the night when the Jamboree came to a close.

Closing Ceremony

From his platform, Baden Powell had bidden us goodbye. He stepped down among its and the American Band struck up "Auld Lang Syne.'' All arms were linked in the spirit of brotherhood. Only B. P. stood alone. But just for a moment. Then he dove into the front row of the American boys and linked tip with us. As the song ended, a cheering arose. For fifteen minutes it lasted, while hats were thrown In the air and flags were waved. Then the roar abated, the nations marched out. The First World Jamboree was over.