Boy Scouts 75th Year

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Cachet: The cachet shows a large silver foil fleur-de-lis, the international symbol of Scouting, taking up most of the left side of the cover. At its centre a springbok head is embossed in outline, flanked by two small silver stars set within the outer petals of the emblem. Below the fleur-de-lis the dates "1907" and "1982" bracket a bold red "75", marking the milestone anniversary, with "Boy Scouts of South Africa" and "Padvinders van Suid-Afrika" printed beneath in plain black type.

Info card

BOY SCOUTS The Boy Scouts Movement is proud of South Africa's close association with its founder, General Sir Robert Baden-Powell (later Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell), during the formative years of Scouting. Only seven months after Baden-Powell's experimental scouting camp on Brownsea Island in 1907, Scout troops were active in the Cape, Transvaal and Natal. The Boy Scout Movement grew out of Baden-Powell's experiences as a boy and as a soldier, particularly those he had during reconnaissance work in the Drakensberg area in 1884, the campaigns in Zululand (1888) and Matabeleland (1896), and during the Siege of Mafeking (now Mafikeng) in the Anglo-Boer War. Baden-Powell himself declared on occasion that Scouting originated in South Africa to a great extent. The success of the Mafeking Cadet Corps during the Siege convinced him that boys would accept responsibility if given the opportunity. The original Scout uniform was very similar to that of the South African Constabulary — a force raised and commanded by Baden-Powell — and the wood badge worn by trained adult Scoutmasters is a copy of a neck-ornament that once belonged to King Dinizulu. From 1909 to 1922 Scouting in South Africa developed on a provincial basis. An advisory Union Scout Council was set up in 1923 and in 1936 a new constitution gave autonomy to South Africa, the first Commonwealth country to achieve this status. On the advice of Baden-Powell four parallel Scout Associations were created for the various population groups — for Whites in 1908, Blacks in 1919, Indians in 1931 and Coloureds in 1934. In 1937 South Africa became a full autonomous member of the World Scout Conference. From 1960 the Chief Scout-in-Council, with representation from all four Associations, operated as the top policy-making body. In 1977, under a new constitution, all four Scout Associations combined into the Boy Scouts of South Africa. Therefore Scouting is now in the unique position to contribute towards the building of bridges between the people of South Africa, and the creation of better relations in her complex society. The aim of the Movement's training programme is to encourage the spiritual, mental, social, and physical development of boys and young men by developing their character, training them in citizenship, and developing their personal fitness, so that they may take a constructive part in the community. The programme is designed to provide an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training based on the Scout Law and Promise, and admittance as members of a voluntary brotherhood which, under adult leadership and guidance, is increasingly self-governing in its successive age groups by means of the Patrol system. A feeling of achievement is attained through advancement through a graded series of tests and proficiency badges, and emphasis is laid on the importance of service to others. There are approximately 48 000 uniformed Boy Scouts in South Africa. PADVINDERS Die Padvinderbeweging is trots op Suid-Afrika se noue verbintenis met die stigter, generaal sir Robert Baden-Powell (later lord Baden-Powell van Gilwell), gedurende die wordingsjare van Padvindery. Slegs sewe maande na Baden-Powell se proefpadvinderkamp op Brownsea-eiland in 1907 was Padvindertroepe reeds in die Kaapprovinsie, Transvaal en Natal op dreef. Die Padvinderbeweging het uit Baden-Powell se jeug- en krygservaringe gegroei, veral dié wat hy tydens verkenningswerk in die Drakensberge in 1884, die veldtogte in Zoeloeland (1888) en Matabeleland (1896), en gedurende die Beleg van Mafeking (tans Mafikeng) in die Anglo-Boereoorlog beleef het. Baden-Powell het self by geleentheid gesê dat Padvindery in 'n groot mate in Suid-Afrika ontstaan het. Die welslae van die Mafeking-kadetkorps tydens die beleg het dié oortuig dat seuns verantwoordelikheid sal dra wanneer hulle die geleentheid daartoe kry. Die oorspronklike Padvinderuniform het heelwat ooreenkoms getoon met dié van die South African Constabulary — 'n polisiemag wat deur Baden-Powell op die been gebring is en aangevoer is — en die houtkenteken wat deur Padvinderleiers gedra word, is 'n kopie van 'n halsversiering wat oorspronklik aan koning Dinizulu behoort het. Van 1909 tot 1922 het die Padvinders in Suid-Afrika op 'n provinsiale grondslag ontwikkel. In 1923 het 'n raadgewende Unale Padvinderraad tot stand gekom en in 1936 het daar in 'n nuwe konstitusie outonomie aan Suid-Afrika verleen, die eerste Statebondsland om dié status te verwerf. Op advies van Baden-Powell is vier parallele Padvinderbewegings in Suid-Afrika gestig — vir Blankes in 1908, Swartes in 1919, Indiërs in 1931 en Bruines in 1934. In 1937 het Suid-Afrika 'n volwaardige outonome lid van die Wêreldpadvinderkonferensie geword. Sedert 1960 was die Hoofpadvinderraad, waarin al vier Padvinderbewegings verteenwoordig was, die hoof beleidmakende liggaam. In 1977 is 'n nuwe konstitusie opgestel en het die vier Padvinderbewegings saamgesmelt in die Padvinders van Suid-Afrika. Padvindery verkeer dus nou in 'n besondere posisie om by te dra tot die bou van brûe tussen die mense van Suid-Afrika en die daarstelling van beter verhoudinge in dié komplekse samelewing. Die mikpunt van die beweging se opleidingsprogram is om die geestelike, intellektuele, maatskaplike en fisieke ontwikkeling van seuns en jong mans te bevorder deur hul karakters te ontwikkel, hulle op te lei in burgerskap, en persoonlike fiksheid aan te moedig sodat hulle 'n opbouende aandeel in die gemeenskapslewe kan hê. Die program is ontwerp om 'n genotvolle en aantreklike progressiewe opleidingsstelsel, gebaseer op die Padvinderwet en -belofte, daar te stel, met toelating as lede van 'n vrywillige broederskap wat, onder volwasse leiding en begeleiding, toenemend selfregerend in die opeenvolgende ouderdomsgroepe word deur middel van die spanstelsel. 'n Gevoel van prestasie word aangekweek deur die bevordering langs die weg van gegradeerde toetse en vaardigheidskentekens, en die belangrikheid van diensbaarheid aan andere word steeds beklemtoon. Daar is ongeveer 48 000 uniformde Padvinders in Suid-Afrika.

Additional information

This cover is postmarked on 22 February 1982 in Cape Town, marking the 75th anniversary of Scouting in South Africa. The stamp depicts Robert Baden-Powell in South African Constabulary uniform, the force he himself raised and commanded before founding the Scouting movement. South Africa's connection to Scouting runs deep, as Baden-Powell drew much of his thinking on youth responsibility from his experiences during the Siege of Mafeking, where young cadets took on real duties during the Anglo-Boer War. Scout troops were active in the Cape, Transvaal and Natal within seven months of Baden-Powell's first experimental camp on Brownsea Island in 1907, and the wood badge still worn by trained Scoutmasters today is modelled on an ornament that once belonged to King Dinizulu.

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