Rover Squire's Reception

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Rover Squire's Reception
Rover Squire's Vigil
Rover Squire's Investiture

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The Reception of a Rover Squire ceremony is only used where the candidate has joined the Crew from another Group, or is new to the Movement.

The Crew stands in a horse-shoe formation, Rover Squires in the rear. The Rover Skipper (RS), in the center is faced at 6 paces by the Candidate’s Sponsors. The Candidate is led by the Presenter to a position midway between the RS and the sponsors, facing the RS. If the Candidate has come up from another Group, then he should be presented by the former Scout Leader or Senior Scout Leader. All other candidates should be presented by the GSM. A Candidate who has not previously been a Scout must have passed the Tenderfoot tests to the satisfaction of the GSM. 

Positioned in the opening of the Horseshoe should be a small table, about 3' x 2'. This should be covered by the St. George’s Rover Flag in the manner of an alter cloth. On the flag are placed two lit candles.  

PRESENTER: I present to you [ name ], a candidate for reception as a Rover Squire.

Rover Skipper: Are you satisfied that he/she is trying (* will try) to act up to a Rover’s obligations, including the doing of Good Turns, and is likely to become a worthy member of this Crew?  

PRESENTER: I am.

RS: (To Candidate) Rovering is a Brotherhood of the Open Air and Service. In seeking to join that Brotherhood, are you are ready to improve your knowledge of practical Scouting and to pursue the open-air life?

CANDIDATE: I am.

RS: Are you willing to train yourself for future Service to the community?

CANDIDATE: I am.

RS: Do you accept the way of life set forth in the Scout Promise and Law?

CANDIDATE: I do.

RS: Thus assured, I now ask you to renew (* or make) the Scout Promise as a token of your sincerity and to mark your reception as a Rover Squire.

CANDIDATE: Repeats the Scout Promise. Left hand should be placed on the Rover Flag serving as an altar cloth, and the right hand should make the Scout Sign.

RS: I trust you on your honor to do your best to keep that Promise. I now receive you as a Rover Squire [taking the candidate by the left hand](*and admit you to the World-wide Brotherhood of Scouts). I invest you with this shoulder knot of yellow and green, the colors of the TimberWolf and Scout Sections of the Brotherhood. That of the Rover is missing, to remind you that it is now your duty to prepare yourself for full membership in the Crew; to which end I now entrust you to your Sponsors, who will assist you in your efforts.

The Sponsors step forward, the senior sponsor on the new Rover Squires right, the junior on the left. The proposer steps back. The senior sponsor welcomes the Squire to the fellowship of the Crew, and then they march to join the other Rover Squires, who also offer their own greeting of welcome in appropriate fashion.

The words marked (*) in brackets are used if the Candidate has not previously been invested as a Scout.

The Traditional Rover Handbook