Afternoon

The afternoon should be the high point of the day as far as special activities are concerned, and it should be planned accordingly.

It may be spent on a hike away from camp, at which such activities may be staged as were suggested in the Chat on "Hiking," including Hunting the Orchid, Hare and Hounds, Treasure Hunt, Lost Child Hunt, Signal Hike, Sealed Orders Hike, or a Wide Game suitable to the surrounding country (see Index).

Or the afternoon may be spent in camp with a specially planned Inter-Patrol feature, such as one of the following activities that will prove popular with the Scouts:

Special Activities

1. Olympic Games—Each Patrol draws lots from a hat for name of the country they are to represent. Following this they make up an entry blank for each participant in the following events. The exact nature of the events (except their names) should not be divulged until the events are actually run off: (a) Discus Throw (2 entries)—Contestants are called one by one by the starter and sail their plates for distance. All contestants and spectators must remain in their places until the judges have decided the places, (b) 100 Yard Dash (2 entries)—On starting signal entry No. 1 walks from starting line to finish line and back to starting line foot in front of foot, toe touching heel. At starting point he touches off No. 2, who completes the race, finishing at the starting line, (c) Standing Broad Jump (2 entries) —On starting signal entry No. 1 jumps to finish line and back using standing broad jump form. Returning to starting line he touches off No. 2 who completes the race. Finish at the starting line, (d) Steeple Chase (2 entries)—No. 1 ties left leg at ankle onto No. 2's right leg, with a neckerchief. They run up to finish line and return to starting line, (e) Hurdle Race (2 entries)—No. 1 leaps over No. 2, leap frog style, No. 2 over No. 1, etc., to finish line and back. Scoring: Team placing first, 5 points; team placing second, 3 points; team placing third, 1 point. Largest number of points decides the Olympic winner.

2. Fun Field Day—(a) Potato Race—Place, or pick up potatoes at even intervals, (b) Candle Race— Whenever candle goes out, return to base, relight and continue race from place it went out. (c) Obstacle Race—Have contestants creep through barrels, climb over fence, walk on logs, go hand over hand on stretched rope or sapling, (d) Egg Race—Place eggs (rubber, glass or real ones) on wooden spoon, (e) Bag Breaking Relay—Run to goal, blow up bag and break on chest of next man to run. (f) Match Box on Nose Race—Transfer from one nose to next, (g) Dizzy-Izzy—Run to goal, place finger on ground, turn while in this position six times and walk back, (b) Airplane Race—Two men hold a plank, a third man stands on this plank and a fourth man runs in front to steady the third man.

Rope Spinning provides an exciting afternoon activity that will interest and thrill Scouts of all ages.

3. Scoutcraft Contest—Each Patrol is given a section of ground and asked to drive a stake in the center with the Patrol name, and each Patrol Leader is given an envelope containing the following letter: "Directions to................Patrol. Time limit to finish project: 60 minutes. Problems need not be done consecutively. No coaching permitted, (a) Have a Scout follow these directions: Start at your Patrol stake, and go North Northeast 43 feet, then West 40 feet, then East Southeast 54 feet, then South 20 feet, then Southwest 35 feet, then North 14 feet and drive a stake, (b) Have a Scout collect, identify and list on paper ten different tree twigs (or leaves), (c) Have a Scout build a fire with natural wood material, using only two matches furnished by judges, and keep burning until told to extinguish by judges, (d) Make a twist on a stick of material furnished by judges, (e) Signal by some method the message enclosed in envelope, (f) Have the Scout who writes the message for the receiver in (e) do as message directs, (g) Have a Scout answer the questions on the attached sheet, (h) Tie eight different Tenderfoot knots around a stock four feet long, using a different rope for each knot. Leave knots tied until told to untie them by the judges, (i) Whittle a letter opener, (j) After finishing these problems be ready to line up your Patrol and when the judges arrive, have the Scouts recite the Scout Oath and Law."

The envelope mentioned in (e) contains the message "Find stone weighing four lbs. The sheet mentioned in (g) contains ten questions from Quiz Book for Boy Scouts or made up by yourself. Have all the material necessary present when the competition starts. Assign a judge for each part, making use of junior leaders.

4. Problem of the Wounded Scouts*—Patrols are out of camp on some activity and are told that when they return to camp they are to act as they think best. Patrols return to camp at intervals of, say, fifteen or twenty minutes. They find the camp disordered and evident signs of a struggle. Filling the foreground there is a Scout labelled: "Shot through the periphery ......dead." In not quite such an easily noticed position is another labelled: "Broken left leg......unconscious." Some distance off and well hidden (but with a spoor leading to him) is another labelled: "Bleeding to death......wounded in palm of left hand." At the camp fire there are three cups (this is the clue to the fact that there is a third Scout to be found). Marks awarded for: Patrols who put out a watch to prevent further attack. Patrols who realize that there is a third Scout—find and treat him. Patrols who treat broken leg on the spot and carry patient into a tent afterwards. Minus marks awarded for: Patrols who fuss around dead Scout. Patrols who carry Scout with broken leg before setting the limb or who tie granny knots on the wrong leg or who administer artificial respiration. Patrols who fail to realize that there is a third Scout.

*Adapted from A. W. N. Mackenzie.

Water Meet. Here the coming champs can test their "crawl," "backhand," or diving ability. Learning by doing they become experts.

5. Water Meet—(a) Diving. Front jack-knife, back, swan (two boys from each Patrol, (b) Twenty-five yard swim (one boy from each Patrol) and Fifty yard swim (one boy from each Patrol), (c) .Rescue for speed. Start from dock. Thirty yard swim to drowning person, with correct approach, returning with him to dock using any kind of stroke. (One swimmer and one patient from each Patrol), (d) Swim-paddle-run race. Swim fifty yards to canoe, crawl into it, paddle to shore, run fifty yards (two boys from each Patrol, starting and finishing together, with arm around each other's shoulder, (e) Hand paddle canoe race. Contestants kneeling in the canoe and driving it forward by the hands alone. (Four boys from each Patrol.) (f) Canoe tilting. (One tilter and one paddler from each Patrol.)

Afternoon Swim

It is recommended that the afternoon swim period be used for recreational water activities, part of which may be specially planned, and the other part free time under supervision.

"Birling"—or log rolling—may be a part of the afternoon's water meet. There will be spills and fun galore.

In Inter-Troop Camps where boats and canoes are available the boys are usually permitted their use after the afternoon swim.

Boating and canoeing should of course only be done in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down in the Swimming and Water Safety Manual.

Evening

After the evening meal is finished there are still a couple of hours of daylight. Part of these may be used for a couple of simple games, such as various tag games or Capture the Flag over a small area. Do not use instruction games or Patrol contests. It should be a free and easy time.

During the early evening, the Service Patrol will have been busy getting the wood and laying the camp fire, while the Program Patrol has been putting last hands on the program, securing the promise from each of the Patrols of special contributions, in the form of stunts, songs or games.