So it was the last night. The Scouts had been challenged to improve on their first week’s scores – and thus prove that they had got better over the weeks that we had practised. There was a curveball challenge in that the church had been pretty much let to a christmas function – effectively hemming us all into the one hall. This meant that many of the “standard” recording tools we had used – for example the stairs leading up to the first floor – were out of bounds to us; it also had the effect that the Scouts could (and did) distract each other. But it wasn’t all bad; I was able to encourage my patrol to show the others what they had worked towards and to try and reflect that we were serious about getting the badges – and the Scouts worked hard to beat their times when they realised that this was a ‘make or break’ test.
As a plus to the evening – all the Scouts that attended this evening made their improvements and so got the badge. Well done guys!!!
The problem solving challenge arrived in the format of the infamous “Kim’s game”. Unfortunately I don’t know how well the Scouts actually did – but I know that they had realised that as a patrol they had to divide up the table of items so that each Scout only had to remember a quarter (or a third) of the tables contents. Finally PATROL (Problem, Assess, Task, Responsibility, Off You Go, Lead) seemed to play its part….
We also played “Master, Jack” – a challenging game as it is a little confusing at the start – but quickly the Scouts got into the format of the game and didn’t want to end. If you’ve never played the game, I’ll try to explain:
1, Everyone sits in a circle. The first person is called “Master” (they may even sit in a chair to denote position), and then everyone numbers off “Jack 1″, “Jack 2″, “Jack 3″ etc. (typically sat on the floor)
2, The “Master” starts, by standing up and calling “Master to Jack” and a number, e.g. “Jack 5″. The “Master cannot call “Jack 1″ or the last “Jack” in the circle (i.e. those to either side). The “Master” then sits down.
3, The “Jack” called (using the example in (2) Jack 5) stands up and calls “Jack [number] to [x]” where [x] is not the person calling them, or the numbers adjacent to them. They sit down.
4, Step 3 is repeated until either the Scout calling makes a mistake (calls the person calling them, or their adjacent number) or doesn’t stand up within an agreed time (say 5 seconds). At that point the called Scout moves to the last place and everyone else moves up one place (and re-numbers accordingly).
5, The objective for each “Jack” is to become “Master”.
It is quite a complex game for what is a simple rule set; Leaders may find the situation when a “Jack” is called and the wrong “Jack” stands up… in which case BOTH the wrong Jack and the right Jack (typically still sat on the floor) are moved to the end.
I have seen variations of this game – especially when there are more than ten players – which have started Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - then 1,2,3, etc; or even “Major”, “Captain”, “Sergeant”, 1,2,3 etc; and I have heard elaborate opening statements and call and response versions… for example, I have heard a version that opens “The Priest of the Parish has lost his hat; some say this and some say that; but I say it was number [x] sir”… with the equally elaborate “Oh no sir, not I sir; I say it was number [y] sir”; with penalties for the incorrect call and response! But however you play it… it is a fantastic game to play….!
Finally, I did get three further responses for the Heritage badge challenge – which is great! My map would now be a very clear “World” map, with parents and grand-parents from all over the Eurasian continent! I hope that all the boys who have now provided me with the information have managed to learn a little bit more about their families – how did they end up in Harrow; what caused their parents (or grandparents) to move from India, Germany, Newcastle, Leicester, Newcastle so that they would be enjoying Scouting here – and now. There’s a lot that history classes can teach us – the industrial revolution, the invention of the motor car, the American Civil war – but there’s a lot more far richer history that we can learn; that of how we came to be here.
Next week’s blog will come after we visit the Panto (oh no it won’t; oh yes it will)…. so with foam fingers at the ready I’ll clear my throat to shout “IT’S BEHIND YOU!!!!!”
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