Scout Group

This term saw the publication of the radical proposals intended to modernize the Scout Movement. We have welcomed these proposals enthusiastically, and look forward to putting them into effect over the next few years. The proposals will produce marked changes in our uniform and in our methods of training, but probably one of the biggest changes will come about through the abolition of the Rover and Senior Scout sections and the formation of Venture Scouts. In the future, Scouts will remain in the Scout Troop until the age of sixteen and will then move on to the Venture Scout Troop where they will train for a much stiffer Queen's Scout award. As this can be gained up to the age of twenty, it will mean that many of our older members will not complete their training until after they have left school. At the same time our Scout Troop will inevitably be larger and most boys will remain in it for a maximum of three years.

The changes will not be very sudden and, for a time at least, we expect that older members of the Group will continue to take out warrants as assistant scoutmasters. This enables them to put something back into the Scout Group, and means that full use can be made of our older members.

ROVER CREW

This Crew was remarkable in that it was probably the last which will ever be formed in the School Scout Group. Its seven members have contributed greatly to the training of the Group as a whole and we are very gratdful to them for refencing the training compound by the scout room. The old fence had had to be moved when the first fifteen field was enlarged, but a newer and much more durable fence was constructed towards the end of term.

SENIOR SCOUT TROOP

Another busy term saw the completion of a number of training courses, particularly for the Ambulance, Senior Pioneer and Rescuer badges and J. R. (Dizzy) Wood is to be particularly congratulated on gaining his Queen's Scout badge. A successful field day was held, the majority of the Senior Scouts going to Scarborough with Mr. Duncan to use the opportunity offered to train in whalers. This was a most successful outing and we are very grateful to Scarborough College for lending us the equipment and to Mr. Nightingale for arranging the programme for us. The rest of the Troop remained behind to help in preparations for refencing the training compound. No Senior Scout camp was possible this year, but many members of the Troop borrowed equipment and went off on their own expeditions. Three members of the Troop, P. R. H. Blackford, A. S. Medlycott and J. R. Wood, travelled to Abergavenny to assist Mr. Craine with the running of a very successful scout camp.

We say farewell to a number of Senior Scouts, and we should particularly like to thank W. R. Pickersgill for all that he has done in arranging the year's programmes.

We arrived at camp to hear the tragic story of Mr. Craine's van. Having passed through four trains we travelled in a horse-box to the site where we settled down to pork pies and chips. The horse-box had been kindly lent by Major Whitehead, a local farmer and father of a Peterite. With relatively few mishaps camp was set up in sunny weather.

WEDNESDAY, 27th JULY.

This was the only completely dry day and was used, as usual, to make useful pieces of apparatus to add what possible comforts to camp life. It was on this day that the World Cup' started, an inter-patrol soccer competition. Each patrol played four games of six-a-side. This was difficult for Otters as there were only four members of this patrol. Throughout the time at camp soccer scored higher than such menial tasks as washing-up, something that somebody else will always do.

THURSDAY, 28th JULY.

The major part of this day was taken up with a visit to The Abergavenny Agricultural Show, where it proved that wearing shorts could get you in at half-price. We went to the show by coach, in a coach which only just fitted the width of the road.

FRIDAY, 29th JULY.

The day of the voluntary-if-willing-compulsory-if-not walk. 'We started up a steep path, having crossed a log bridge, from the Welsh to the English side of Grwyne Fawr, which had not, I'm sure, been used for some time. This path took a sharp turn and we climbed and then skirted the valley after the party had divided. The more adventurous reached a small stretch of forest and almost tumbled down to the valley below, losing one member of the party on the way. We surmounted the valley a short way and lightened the shoulders of the person carrying the lunch by eating sardines, only liked, for some reason, by only a few members, and "Ryvita" spread clumsily with hard butter. After this excellent meal topped with an orange and "pop", the party again divided. Some decided that the climb to our goal was too much for them and returned by way of the road to camp. The cream of the party ascended Pen y Gader-Fawr with great speed, now that the slower members had departed. Having met the wild wind and some members of a C.C.F. camp further up the valley we returned as fast, or even faster than before, and came down onto the road not far from the camp.

SATURDAY, 30th JULY.

Saturday was also marked by a walk. This was one of the series of nature trails dotted around the British Isles. The walk in the Mynyddle Forest was not altogether successful, as only two of the many members has covered more than a few hundred yards. We could not do anything out of camp in the afternoon as we were reminded by many transistors relaying the "World Cup" (proper) to our ears. There was great rejoicing at the result and this inspired Otters to win the "Mini World Cup" with Foxes second, despite their absent goalkeeper. Saturday also saw the departure of Mr. Allen, who left camp early in the morning to catch the train from Abergavenny, ten miles away.

SUNDAY, 31st JULY.

Traditionally a day of rest but against tradition we were not able to attend church because there was not one within easy reach. Some unfortunate members had the task of cooking a roast in an oven. One patrol had neglected to make an oven and so with the help of one of the 35