But before becoming a Scout, you must pass the Tenderfoot Test. This is a simple test just to show that you are worth your salt and mean to stick to it. The requirements for this are not very difficult and you will find all you want to know in this book.
When you have satisfied your Scoutmaster, the man in charge of your Troop, that you can do all the things and do them properly, you will be invested as a Scout and be entitled to wear the Tenderfoot Badge.
Scout Law
The Scout Law contains the rules which apply to Boy Scouts all the world over, and which you promise to obey when you are enrolled as a Scout. The Scout Law is on the inside front cover of this book. Study it carefully so that you understand the meaning of every point.
Scout Promise
At your investiture as a Scout you will make the Scout Promise in front of the rest of the Troop. The Scout Promise you will find on the inside front cover. This Promise is a very difficult one to keep, but it is a most serious one and no boy is a Scout unless he does his best to live up to his Promise.
So you see, Scouting is not only fun, but it also requires a lot from you, and I know I can trust you to do everything you possibly can to keep your Scout Promise.
Scout Motto
The Scout Motto is: BE PREPARED
which means you are always in a state of readiness in mind and body to do your DUTY.
Be Prepared in Mind by having discip lined y ourself to be obedient to every order, and also by havin g thought out beforehand any accid ent or situation that might occur, so that y ou know the right thing to do at the right moment, and are willin g to do it.
Be Prepared in Body by making yourself strong and active and able to do the right thing at the right moment, and do it.
Scout Badge
The Scout Badge is the arrowhead which shows the North on a map or on a compass. It is the Badge of the Scout because it points in the right direction, and upwards. It shows, the way in doing your duty and helping others. The three points of it remind you of the three points of the Scout Promise.
This arrowhead has come to be the Badge of the Scouts in almost every country in the world. In order to distinguish one nationality from the other, the country’s own emblem is often placed on the front of it. You see this, for instance, in the United States where the eagle and the national shield of America stand in front, backed by the Badge of the world-wide Scout Brotherhood. The same is the case in many other countries.
Under the arrowhead is a scroll with the Scout Motto, “Be Prepared”. The scroll is turned up at the ends like a Scout’s mouth, because he does his duty with a smile and willingly.
Beneath the scroll is a cord with a knot tied in it. This knot is to remind you to do a good turn daily to someone.
The three points of the Scout Badge and the three fingers o f the Scout Sign remind a Scout of the three parts of the Scout Promise.
Scout Sign and Salute
The Scout Sign is made by raisin g your right hand, palm to the front, thumb resting on the nail of the little finger, and the other fingers up right, pointing upwards. The three fingers remind a Scout of the three parts of the Scout Promise. The Scout Sign is given at the making of the Promise, or as a gr eeting. When the hand held in this way is raised to the forehead, it is the Scout Salute.
When to Salute
All wearers of the Scout Badge salute each other once a day . The first to see the other Scout is the first to salute, irrespective of rank.
Scouts will always salute as a token of respect, at the hoisting of the Flag; at the playing of the National Anthem; to the uncased National Colours; to Scout Flags, when carried ceremonially; and to all funerals. On these occasions, if the Scouts are acting under orders, they obey the orders of the person in charge in regard to saluting or standing to the alert. If a Scout is not acting under orders he should salute independently. In all cases, leaders if covered should salute.
The hand salute is only used when a Scout is not carry ing his staff, and is always made with the right hand. Saluting when carrying a staff is done by bringing the left arm smartly across the body in a horizontal position, the fingers showing the Scout Sign just touching the staff.
When in uniform a Scout salutes whether he is wearing a hat or not, with one exception, namely at religious services, when all Scouts must stand at the alert, instead of saluting.
The Meaning of t he Salute
A man once told me that “he was just as good as any body else; and he was blowed if he ever would raise a finger to salute his so-called ‘betters’; he wasn’t going to be a slave and kow-tow to them, not he!” and so on.
That is a churlish spirit, which is common among fellows who have not been brought up as Scouts.
I didn’t argue with him, but I might have told him that he had the wrong idea about saluting.
A salute is a sign between men of standing. It is a privilege to be able to salute any one.
In the old days freemen were all allowed to carry weapons, and when one met another each would hold up his right hand to show that he had no weapon in it, and that they met as friends. So also when an armed man met a defenceless person or a lady .
Slaves or serfs were not allowed to carry weapons, and so had to slink past the freemen without making any sign.
