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J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center celebrates scouting

By Chaplain Johnny Phillips | The News Herald

Published: June 18, 2009

In the first decade of the 20th century, one of the few British heroes of the Boer War discovered that a book he had written ('Aids to Scouting'), for the purpose of explaining how his unique military concepts could be employed to enhance the camping experiences of civilians, was actually being used by boys for outdoor activities. Moved by this realization, General Robert Baden-Powell rewrote what had been intended to instruct army scouting to soldiers for peace scouting for boys. He also re-titled it to become 'Scouting for Boys.'
In 1907 he tested the ideas of his book on a group of boys on the Brownsea Island, and with that experiment was born the revered institution we know of today as the Boy Scouts.
The concept spread across the oceans and around the world. In the United States, several individual organizations that already existed and were entitled with names like The Woodcraft Indians, Lone Scouts of America, U.S. Boy Scouts and Sons of Daniel Boone soon joined together under the one banner of the Boy Scouts of America.
Today among the 192 independent nations in this world, 185 have scouting programs that trace their origin to Sir Robert Baden-Powell and Brownsea Island.
Normally churches and other religious institutions celebrate during the week in which the Sunday falls closest to Feb. 8 as Scouting Sunday, Scouting Sabbath or Scouting Week.
At the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, for our own reasons, we will celebrate scouting this Sunday. It may surprise some in the Burke County community that the Riddle Center sponsors a S0cout troop. In truth, we are quite proud of these fellows. Our guys have earned badges in pet care and in fire safety as well as pottery, leatherwork and building, golf and gardening. Not surprisingly one of the most enjoyable areas in which they have earned their merit badges has been that of model car designing and building.
Few other programs for young people enjoy the reputation as does scouting for building character, preparing one for adult citizenship or for contributing to the well-being of the community and world, but scouting does and does so deservingly.
For our Scouting Recognition Sunday, our men will lead us in the expected portions of the service such as saluting and pledging the American Flag and singing a verse of "America," and the public, especially scouts, scout leaders and former scouts, are welcomed to attend the 10:45 a.m. program in the Covenant Center Chapel at the Riddle Center.
But more importantly, they will remind us all of the truth we all need to nurture. That is, regardless of the talents with which we are blessed, their nature, extent or limitation, each of us possesses an ability to positively influence the world about us, and that in turn gives to each one of us the responsibility "... To do my duty for God and my country."

Johnny A. Phillips is the Clinical Chaplain of the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center.