CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

In 1900, seven years before Baden-Powell founded the Scout movement, a cadet corps was formed during the Boer War in the besieged town of Mafeking.  Here our "grass roots" of Scouting really occurred because B.P. formed these boys into a uniformed messenger group and was impressed with their manly efficiency and cooperation under boy leadership.

During the long siege of 217 days, B.P.'s officers produced postage stamps to "amuse the garrison."  When discovered by B.P., he suggested that his boy messenger, Cadet Sgt. Major Goodyear, be pictured, not realizing that these local stamps would be recognized as actual postage stamps when the war ceased.  In later years B.P. referred to Goodyear as his "First Boy Scout."

 

 

SOSSI JOURNAL, Volume 43, Number 1, January 1994.
Updates and modifications by Keith Larson