AS Scouting reaches out to influence the boys of rural districts, its organization procedure may be changed to fit the distinctive needs of the youth to be served.

Boys Want To Be Scouts

It is up to us who believe in Scouting to make it possible for their wish to come true, wherever they may live. To accomplish this, our Movement provides several workable plans for reaching the rural boy. Leaders need only find the boys, analyze their local conditions and use the particular organization plan most applicable to them on the basis of their home, school, church, grange and neighborhood needs.

Possibly a rural Troop can be organized to accommodate the boys in the town, but it is probable that some other plan of organization may better suit the boys on farms and in the villages.

These other plans are:

1. The Neighborhood Patrol, consisting of from two to eight regularly registered Scouts under the leadership of a Scoutmaster, who has been approved by three parents of the boys.

2. The Lone Scout Tribe, consisting of not less than five boys registered as Lone Scouts under a Tribe Scoutmaster, and sponsored by an institution or directly by the Local Council or District Committee.

City boys have certain needs, boys of the rural community others, and boys who live in the open country have still a different set of factors on which their needs are based. So when a rural Troop or a Neighborhood Patrol or Lone Scout Tribe is organized, there is necessity for rural understanding on the part of the leader, in planning the activities of his boys.

Throughout this Handbook for Scoutmasters a variety of activities suggestions are presented so that every Scoutmaster-of Troop, Tribe, or Neighborhood Patrol -will find practical helps to meet his programming needs.

The Neighborhood Patrol

The conditions under which a Neighborhood Patrol may be established are described in the By-laws of the Boy Scouts of America (Art. XI, Sec. 1, CI. 10):

"In rural or sparsely settled areas where it is impracticable to organize a standard Troop, a Neighbor ^ hood Patrol may be organized, provided the Patrol agrees to be merged with other Patrols when organized, to form a Troop. The Patrol may be attached to a Troop in another community, with the approval of local Scout authorities involved.

Advancement is a steady progress with the Rural Scout. He finds time for study between chores.

"No charter shall be granted for a Neighborhood Patrol. Formal application to organize shall be made upon a blank provided by the National Council for that purpose.

"No Neighborhood Patrol may be organized with less than two or more than eight boys."

This plan makes possible the immediate start of Scouting in a small community, since only two boys are required to get it underway. It plays fair with the boys by making it possible for them to become Scouts and get the benefits of Scouting without waiting for the registering of a larger group.

Yet this does not interfere with the boys' Scouting growth. On the contrary, in some cases it means the building of a Troop in a simple, natural way, since "the Patrol agrees to be merged with other Patrols when organized, to form a Troop." In other cases, the one small group may grow to meet the requirements of a Troop with reference to numbers.

And still, if this expansion is not possible in any particular place, the boys may still enjoy all the thrills and joys of Scouting in their permanent Neighborhood Patrol.

Leadership

The adult leader of the Neighborhood Patrol is a Scoutmaster and meets the requirements for this office, as described in Chat 9. He has the same standing, opportunities, privileges as has any Scoutmaster.

"He shall be approved by not less than three fathers or guardians in the community. The Scoutmaster's guarantors shall have no other responsibility than to see that he justifies their guarantee, nor shall institutional sponsorship be required." (By-Laws, Art. XI, Sec. 1, CI. 10).

Where To Meet

The Patrol may meet in the homes of its members or in a public place in the community, such as a church, school, Grange hall, community house, creamery, warehouse or club house.

A Lone Scout, with his dog, drives by on his hay rick. He is dreaming of tha Lone Scout Pow Wow when their Tribe will camp together.

The Program of the Neighborhood Patrol

In planning the program of the group, the emphasis is naturally placed upon the fact that it is truly a Patrol, although it is under direct adult leadership. For this reason the Scoutmaster of a Neighborhood Patrol will find valuable aids in the Handbook for Patrol Leaders which is definitely designed to provide program material for small groups, and to give help for meetings, hikes, camps, stunts, games, handicraft and so on.

Many of the suggestions in that Handbook are directly applicable to the Neighborhood Patrol, although a rural emphasis is always desirable.

The Lone Scout Tribe

Before discussing the Lone Scout Tribe, it is necessary to define a Lone Scout.

The Lone Scout

"A Lone Scout is a boy who follows the Scout Program as an individual, under the leadership of a Lone Scout Friend and Counselor, because for satisfactory reasons he cannot affiliate with a Troop or a Neighborhood Patrol or Ship. Lone Scouts in the territory of Local Councils having Lone Scout service come under the jurisdiction of the Local Council; Lone Scouts in other territory carry on their program by correspondence under the supervision of the [Rural Scouting Service in the] Operations Division [of the National Office]." (By-Laws, Art. X, Sec. 5, CI. 1.)

"The Lone Scout Friend and Counselor is an adult Scouter who meets the same requirements and has the same privileges as other Scouters, and serves as the personal friend and leader of a Lone Scout, who with the consent of his parent or guardian, secures his Friend's registration to serve in that capacity. He acts as examiner for the Scout in his advancement requirements and otherwise functions as do Scoutmasters for individual members of Troops." (By-Laws, Art. X, Sec. 5, CI. 2).

The Lone Scout plan thus permits boys under their own home conditions to become members of the Boy Scouts of America without affiliation with any organized Scout group; or he may, with his friend and counselor, join a Tribe of Lone Scouts.

The Lone Scout Tribe

Most boys experience more fun and enjoyment by working with other boys in their activities. For this reason and to help the boys to achievement in Scouting, the establishment of Lone Scout Tribes is encouraged on a county or district basis.

The conditions for this are the following (By-Laws, Art. XI, Sec. 1, CI. 11):

" (1) Lone Scouts in territory under Council supervision who are so located that a local Troop, or Neighborhood Patrol is impracticable, may be organized into Lone Scout Tribes upon approval of the Local Council. Lone Scouts in territory not under Local Council supervision may be so organized upon approval of the National Council.

"(2) The membership of the Lone Scout Tribe shall be not less than five, nor more than thirty-two Lone Scouts, except with the approval of the Local Council, or of the National Council if the Tribe is not under Council, provided that in their judgment adequate additional leadership is enrolled.

"(3) Lone Scouts in territory not under Local Council supervision if living adjacent to Council territory may, upon approval of the Local Council, be affiliated with Tribes, Patrols or Troops within the Council territory.

"(4) When there is a sufficient number of Lone Scouts in any given community, the Local Council may organize these Lone Scouts into such Scout unit as conditions permit, a minimum of two boys being required for a Neighborhood Patrol, five boys for a Lone Scout Tribe, and eight boys for a Troop.

" (5) A Lone Scout Tribe may be sponsored directly by the Local Council, or, as otherwise provided for a Troop, be chartered annually and be under the supervision of a Tribe Committee, as provided for Troops.

"(6) The active adult leadership of the Tribe shall be designated as Tribe Committeemen, Tribe Scoutmaster, and Tribe Assistant Scoutmaster. They shall be appointed and commissioned in the same manner as are Troop Scouters. These Scouters shall be required to meet the same membership requirements and leadership responsibilities and shall have the same privileges and opportunities as provided for all Troop Scouters."