SCOUTING THROUGH PHILATELY

Yasitha Abeywardena

Student Chairman, Philatelic Club, Royal College, Colombo 7.
Since almost the advent of scouting in 1907, scouts have been depicted on the postage stamps of almost every nation during different times of their political development. Stamp collecting and scouting go hand in hand in that both these activities have similar aspirations and aims and more over most of the scouts are stamp lovers. 'Stamp collecting builds a better citizen' is a popular slogan in America. Objective of scouts is also the development of good citizenship among the community.

Lord Baden Powell was the founder of the Scout movement (fig.1). The first scouting movement was the camp that Lord Powell ran for a group of 21 boys of mixed social background on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour in August 1907. He wrote a book on 'Scouting for Boys' which later provided the bases for scouting (fig.2). In 1982 Sri Lanka issued a 50c stamp to celebrate Lord Powell's 125th birth anniversary (fig.3). There are four stages of a Boy Scout career; Cub Scout, Junior Scout, Senior Scout and President Scout (fig.4).

The Girl Guide Movement commenced in 1910 (fig.5). In 1912 Lord Powell married Olive St. Claire who was elected the World Chief Guide in 1930 (fig.6).
