Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Requirements for Boy Scout 1st Class Rank...in 1911

A friend sent me this. Notice the requirement for training another boy (#10). Excellent stuff, very different expectations!

First Class Test. (1911)
1. Swim fifty yards. (N.B.-This may be omitted where the doctor certifiesthat bathing is dangerous to the boy's health, in which case he must passthe test for the Stalker's badge.)
2. Must have one shilling at least in the savings bank.
3. Send and receive a message in either semaphore or Morse, sixteen lettersper minute.
4. Go on foot, or row a boat, alone or with another scout to a point sevenmiles away, and return again, or, if conveyed by any vehicle (railways notallowed) or animal go a distance of fifteen miles and back. He must write ashort report of the journey.
5. Describe the proper method of dealing with two of the following accidents(allotted by the examiners); Fire, drowning, runaway carriage, sewer gas,ice-breaking, electric shock. Bandage an injured patient, or reviveapparently drowned person.
6. Cook satisfactorily (over camp fire if possible) two out of the followingdishes, as may be directed: Porridge, bacon, hunter's stew: or skin and cooka rabbit, or pluck and cook a bird. Also make a 'damper' of half a pound offlour, or a twist' baked on a thick stick.
7. Read a map correctly, and draw an intelligible rough sketch map. Pointout a compass direction without the help of a compass.
8. Use an axe for felling or trimming light timber, or, as alternative,produce an article of carpentry or joinery or metal work made by himselfsatisfactorily.
9. Judge distance, size, numbers, height and weight within 25 per cent.error.
10 Bring a tenderfoot trained by himself in the points required for aTenderfoot Badge. (This may be postponed when recruits are not immediatelydesired, but must be carried out within three months of it being required,or the badge withdrawn.)

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