After a debate or two they get greater confidence, and are able to express themselves coherently. They also pick up the proper procedure for public meetings, such as seconding a motion, moving amendments, obeying chairman’s ruling, voting, according votes of thanks to chair, etc.
Mock Trial
In place of a debate a mock trial may be of interest as a change.
For instance, the story of the Elsdon Murder given in Yarn No. 2 might form the subject of a trial.
The Scoutmaster acts as judge, and details boys to the following parts:
Prisoner . . . William Winter.
Witness . . . Boy, Robert Hindmarsh.
Witness . . . Police Constable.
Witness . . . Villager.
Witness . . . Old woman (friend of the murdered woman).
Counsel for Prisoner.
Counsel for Prosecution.
Foreman and Jury (if there are enough Scouts).
Follow as nearly as possible the procedure of a court of law. Let each make up his own evidence, speeches, or cross-examination according to his own notions and imagination, along the lines of the story, but in greater detail. Do not necessarily find the prisoner guilty unless the prosecution proves its case to the jury.
In summing up, the Scoutmaster may bring out the fact that the boy, Hindmarsh, carried out each part of the duty of a Scout, in order to bring home the lesson to the boys.
Unprepared Plays
The plot of a short, simple play is given, and each player is assigned his part, with an outline of what he has to do and say. The Scouts act is, making up the required conversation as they go along.
This develops the power of imagination and expression.
Play acting is good fun. It doesn’t matter what kind of voice you have so long as you get out your words clearly and distinctly.
HINTS TO INSTRUCTORS
In all games and competitions it should be arranged, as far as possible, that all the scouts should take part, because we do not want to have merely one or two brilliant performers and the others no use at all. All ought to get practice, and all ought to be pretty good. In competitions where there are enough entries to make heats, ties should be run off by losers instead of the usual system of by winners, and the game should be to find out which are the worst instead of which are the best. Good men will strive just as hard not to be worst as they would to gain a prize, and this form of competition gives the bad man most practice.
Scout War Songs
The Scout’s Chorus. This is a chant that the African Zulus used to sing to their Chief. It may be shouted on the march, or used as applause at games and meetings and camp fires. It must be sung exactly in time.
Leader: Eengonyama—gonyama.
Chorus: Invooboo. Ya-Boh! Ya-Boh! Invooboo! The meaning Is— Leader: “He is a lion!”
Chorus: “Yes! he is better than that; he is a hippopotamus!”
The Scouts Rally. To be shouted as a salute, or in a game, or at any other appropriate time.
Leader: Be Prepared!
Chorus: Zing-a-Zing! Bom! Bom!
(Stamp or bang something at the “Bom! Bom!”)
The Scout’s Call. For Scout to whistle to attract attention of another Scout,
Scout’s War Dance
Scouts form up in one line with leader in front, each holding his staff in the right hand, and his left on the next man’s shoulder.
Leader sings the Eengonyama song. Scouts sing chorus, and advance a few steps at a time, stamping in unison on the long notes.
At the second time of singing they step backwards.
At the third, they turn to the left, still holding each other’s shoulders, and move round in a large circle, repeating the chorus until they have completed the circle.
They then form into a wide circle, into the centre of which one steps forward and carries out a war dance, representing how he tracked and fought with one of his enemies. He goes through the whole fight in dumb show, until he finally kills his foe. The Scouts meantime sing the Eengonyama chorus and dance on their own ground. As soon as he finishes the fight, the leader starts the “Be Prepared” chorus, which they repeat three times in honour of the Scout who has just danced.
Then they recommence the Eengonyama chorus, and another Scout steps into the ring, and describes in dumb show how he stalked and killed a wild buffalo. While he does the creeping up and stalking of the animal, the Scouts all crouch and sing their chorus very softly, and as he gets close to the beast, they simultaneously spring up and dance and shout the chorus loudly. When he has slain the beast, the leader again gives the “Be Prepared” chorus in his honour, which is repeated three times, the Scouts banging their staffs on the ground at the same time as they stamp “Bom! bom!” At the end of the third repetition, “Bom! bom!” is given twice.
