THE SCHOOL SCOUT TROOP - THE 1st SOHAM
from the Soham Grammarian, Summer 1965
The School Scout Troop is a large one, numbering 51 boys in all. The year 1964-65 has proved to be one of intense activity with notable progress being made by a large number of the troop. We now have 17 first class Scouts (331/3%) which is a very long way above the national average. In addition to these a further 25 Scouts have passed their second class badge - again well above the national average.
We place especial emphasis on camping and even though we still have two major camps to come Scouts have already completed 170 nights camping this year. Before this year is over we will have passed last year's total of 700 nights. During the period August 1964-July 1965 camps were held at Broadstone Warren (Sussex), Sandringham (Norfolk International Jamboree), Soham Grammar School (Leadership training camp and also beginners' training camp), Gilwell Park (the Scout "Mecca") and Chippenham Park (County Camp).
Two of these are worthy of special mention. The Norfolk jamboree was a gathering of over 2,000 scouts and one of the lst Soham Patrols (Ravens) gained the top award - a valuable hike tent - by winning a Scouting Activities Competition. In addition both Patrols present gained a certificate after completing a further very challenging list of activities (these included amongst other things entertaining two guests to a meal, going on a discovery hike and doing a Patrol good turn.)
The County Camp this year saw the Troop represented by five patrols who all managed to finish in the top nine out of 29. (Kestrels were second and Ravens third.) Proficiency badges are another target for Scouts to aim at and here our list is impressive. Badges have been gained in no less than 20 different activities. These range from Backwoodsman to First Aid, Cook to Swimmer, Starman to Firefighter and Music Maker to Pioneer. In addition badges in no less than 9 different Senior badge subjects have been gained.
One of our achievements this year of which we are especially proud is our Second Troop Dinner. Here a small band of six Scouts cooked a full scale meal for 140 parents and friends.
If we try to teach a boy how to fend for himself we also try to encourage him to care for others and this year as a "Good Turn" we are sending all the used stamps we can to Canada to provide money for handicapped Scouts and this desire to help others is also shown in countless small ways.
Scouts have taken part in numerous district activities. A team of Scouts in fact won the District Senior Scout First Aid competition and came within one point of winning the County Senior Scout First Aid competition. We hold the District Scouts' Athletic Trophy. We have taken part in First Aid, Pioneering and Cooking competitions with a neighbouring troop. Visits have been made to an RAF aerodrome, the London Gang Show and the Camping Exhibition. We also took an active part in our own Valentine's Fayre and sold "hot dogs" at last year's Open Day and Summer Fair.
Our future plans? Within a few days we shall be heading deep into the West Country for our Summer Camp in Cornwall. All the signs are that this will be a camp of, above all, exploration.
We hope to act as hosts in September for a District Leadership Weekend. We hope to visit again the London Gang Show and already plans are being made for our third Troop Dinner. We feel that Scouting at Soham Grammar School is flourishing and places before the individual boy something which has truly been called "a way of life".
LRH
source
not named, Thursday July 1, 1965The 'Lion's den' at Scouts' weekend campMr LR Hart, Scoutmaster of the 1st Soham troop, outside the Lion's Den at the Cambridgeshire Scout camp at Chippenham with a group of Scouts. (Photo: John Slater) |
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SENIOR SCOUTS
from the Soham Grammarian, Summer 1965
The Autumn and Spring terms have seen much activity. During the Autumn term three Seniors attended a leadership Training Course at the County campsite, Abington; they had a thoroughly enjoyable, hectic weekend under the watchful eye of Field Commissioner John Sweet. Four Seniors went on a Venturer Badge Course later in the term at Dalham under the guidance of Troop Leader Langley and Mr Rennison. The Easter holidays saw four Seniors on a night hike to Abington, three of whom had returned from a strenuous week with the School party in the Lake District only two days previously.
All but three Seniors, and they only failed by a narrow margin, passed the Ambulance Badge. Thanks must be given to Mr Ford for ably setting the questions and arranging incidents; the pass mark was necessarily high at 65%. A similar high percentage of passes was attained in a Despatch Rider test held in conjunction with neighbouring troops. During the Spring term Robinson ran a meteorological badge course; Mr Speed marked the papers and even with a high pass mark of 60% only four failed.
Allen, Dunham and Fernie were presented with their Queen's Scout Badges at the Senior Prize Giving by the Assistant County Commissioner, Mr Arthur, who also presented Nicholas with his Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award.
Camp. July 25th-August 4th, 1964
A dozen Seniors camped for ten near-perfect days at Llangollen, Denbighshire. The site was dominated by a magnificent limestone escarpment, the Creigiau Eglwyseg, which we climbed to reach a plateau. Here we walked admiring the view and also practised (in mist) walking on bearings using prismatic compasses kindly lent by the ACF.
Everyone went hiking. Hikes ranged from twenty mile Venturer hikes to those of fifty miles for the Explorer badge. One of our ways of "letting off steam" was on an improvised quoits court, the sheep occasionally interfering with the field of play. One evening we had just retired to sleeping bags when strange noises were heard from the store tent and a sheepdog was discovered enjoying himself; we were awoken one morning by a pony methodically knocking pots off a camp dresser and obviously taking great enjoyment in his pastime.
We all greatly enjoyed the camp and are looking forward to this Summer's camp in Scotland.
The Jamboree. August 6th-15th, 1964
Six Seniors went to the Sandringham Jamboree where we helped (?) on the Transport Control side of Administration. As we were Admin, meals were provided and they were so good that we volunteered to help the female kitchen staff wash up.
Activities included a Wide Game with twelve "invaders" from the Essex Jamboree, and a campfire every night. On Thursday Sir Charles Maclean, the Chief Scout, arrived by helicopter and shook hands with almost everyone on the site.
Returning home we learned that we had been filmed on both ITV and BBC TV
RNR Dunham, L.VI Arts
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last updated 20 Nov 2007