Someone put me on to a great book: On Trails, by Robert Moor.
While reading the book, which I still am, I came across a passage:
"Naturally, he gravitated to the Boy Scouts, where he learned to hike, canoe, and camp out."
p171, On Trails, Robert Moor writing about Lamar Marshall in his youth, a conservationist and Cherokee trail mapper. It goes on to mention that he built a raft out of 55 gallon drums and sailed it down the Alabama River from Selma, Alabama to the Gulf of Mexico. Over 160 miles via road and about double that on the actual river.
I emailed this to the friend who put me on to the book as she is also a fellow Scouter with our Troop.
Another Scouter wants the Scouts to build rafts and hit the water in Kemptville. How serendipitous. (Is that the right word? Not sure. Maybe coincidental?)
It is very fortuitous, nonetheless. I was having several conversations on the weekend where I mentioned the crux of Scouting is outdoor pursuits and the crux of that is hiking, canoeing, and camping. Then I read that passage. I am not alone in my views! Of course there are other components to Scouting, but this is what most people associate with Scouting. For good reason, many a youngster begins to learn their outdoor skills in Scouting, Guiding, Cadets, or other youth oriented organisations. Often these young people carry on learning (and teaching) as Scouters, Soldiers (Sailors, Marines, and Airman too), Camp Councillors, and the like.
Personally, for me, my time in the Army Cadets and Army Reserve gave me the grounding in skills and confidence to pursue some of the adventures I have had in my life. Hiking up Mt. Fuji (at the wrong time of year and wrong time of day, but the skills and confidence I had saw me through). Taking an ancient tugboat in Russia to a remote camping ground to have a traditional Georgian barbecue and not losing my head when on the return trip the "Captain" and his "Mates" were not in the proper state to return, at night, but to continually assess the situation and keep everyone safe. Being on trails and in the back-country more than once with people who claimed they knew the area and possessed the skills necessary, but did not.
The outdoors makes us happier and healthier. We should encourage our youth to join organisations that help foster the skills and confidence to go out in the wild (safely). At the least, if we have those skills and can pass them on, we should be taking our kids out. For their own good, and ours. Who knows what that can lead too and what they can accomplish?
Food for thought? blbbl
Coincidentally, I read that chapter of that book last night. As BP said, Scouting is "a school of the woods".
ReplyDeleteOn Trails is a very interesting book.
Martin:
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding.
I have since finished the book. It is a great read throughout.
As I borrowed it from the library and had to return it right after reading the last page, I did not have time to make the notes I wanted to from various passages in the book and hurriedly took pictures of the relevant pages.
I do intend to read it again and will be keeping an eye out for a used copy, being the cheapskate I am.
Cheers,
the rooster