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The Boy's Game
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Immediately upon arrival at a camp site, a Troop’s Patrols establish their "duffel-lines."  The Troop Leaders’ Council gathers and makes a survey of the site for the purpose of giving their Patrol Leaders a chance to select campsites for their Patrols.  As soon as the selections are made, the Patrol Leaders are dismissed, each Patrol Leader leads his Scouts to their site, and they go to work – while the Scoutmaster and the other Troop Leaders keep hands off, possibly going into a huddle about special activities to take place later.

You—the Scoutmaster—and your assistants should be present to advise, but you should not volunteer any.  And most important of all, you should not go near the Patrol set-ups until after the Patrol Leaders come to you and announce: "Camp completed, sir!"

Your fingers may itch on the first few camping expeditions to help the various Patrols put up the tents properly, or to rearrange the stones of the primitive fireplaces produced by the Scouts.  But, please, don’t! This is the boys’ game.   Let them do their best.  Then, after they have done the job, you may aid them with friendly advice and suggestions that will help them do even better the next time.

When tents are being put up for the leaders to sleep in, you will naturally give a hand.  Otherwise be a free but exceedingly interested onlooker.  You will have a chance as never before to study your Patrol Leaders at work, to find out how well they distribute the jobs, to see with what willingness the boys follow them and perform the duties assigned to them.  Make written notes of points which may be bettered, and have friendly talks with the Patrol Leaders later suggesting how they may prove your leadership—by not pitching in to do work which honestly is none of your business.

To make such smooth sailing possible, the Patrol Leaders must, of course, have received proper training in advance.

Hillcourt Essays

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