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How it All Began
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Chapter I

The principles of the Patrol System were first introduced by the Founder, Baden-Powell, when he was with the British Army in India. The system he devised enabled soldiers to operate in small groups and use their own initiative within the overall plan of campaign.

To advance the idea within the Army B-P wrote a small book Aids to Scouting. It was so novel and at the same time practical that many members of the teaching profession adapted these principles to teaching.

When the Movement was founded and Scouting for Boys was published, the Patrol System became one of the basic elements of Scouting. The Patrol System not only gave a real adventure aspect to the program and responsibility to boys themselves, but it also blended perfectly with the natural desire in boys to form into gangs in their neighborhoods and schools. It was these very gangs which met in the streets who spontaneously formed themselves into Patrols and started Scouting.

What was it then which so appealed to boys and accounted for the phenomenal growth of the Movement? It was a combination of the appeal of real adventure offered by the program, coupled with the challenge it offered to the "Gang" to plan it's own activities and to be responsible to itself for discipline, without interference from adults.

The Patrol System on its own will not work because of itself. For the Patrol System to have meaning, adventure must be supplied also.

The Patrol System allows boys to form themselves into self-selected gangs and allows members of the Patrol to choose their own boy leader.

The Patrol and the Patrol Leader carry a responsibility to plan and conduct the activities and to take care of discipline within the Patrol. Your Patrol must know the fun of planning and executing its own adventures, it must make its own decisions and learn to profit by its own mistakes.

Thus, collectively, the Patrols are responsible for Troop standards and behavior. Responsibility for this falls squarely on the shoulders of you, the Patrol Leader, although each member of the Patrol must play his part.

When the first Scout Patrols were formed, there was no such thing as a Scoutmaster, but boys soon found they needed help and advice from someone older in order to carry out the more adventurous activities.

It is important that your Patrol makes its own plans and works out its own problems; turning only to the Troop Scouters for advice, new ideas and guidance: someone who can do things for you which are beyond the Patrol's powers.

Patrol Spirit

The Patrol System

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