Inter-Patrol Visiting

It is important that every Patrol should stand for something; it should know what it stands for. All the Patrols in the country should stand for the ten Scout Laws, but they should also stand as a unit that is able to do some collectively useful work. That is why the Chief recommends Patrol specializing. A Patrol should be a First Aid detachment, or should be able to build a bridge, or should be a section of cyclists, or should be a society of naturalists, or should be a handful of handymen, or should be a conglomeration of cooks.

They may also be a band of minstrels, a collection of clowns, or an assortment of Indian war dancers. If each Patrol tries to be something of this kind, the Scoutmaster has no difficulty in arranging a successful concert for the augmentation of Troop funds.

At the "Patrol in Council" the Patrol should from time to time review their work and consider exactly what they are collectively able to do. It is in this matter that Inter-patrol Visiting is found to be such a splendid stimulus to Patrol development.

The idea is this: - One evening the Crocodile Patrol of the 10th Timbuctoo pay a visit to the headquarters of the 1st Khassambara. It is rather a long journey, but on arrival they are warmly welcomed and are asked to give some performance. They open their program with the "Dance of the Crocodiles." Their hosts then give them a display of signaling and of trek-cart drill. The Crocodiles reply by showing how clever they are with the single-stick. Their hosts may finish the program by showing them one or two excellent games which are the special knowledge of the 1st Khassambara. 

After buns and ginger-beer the Crocodiles swim home. A week later the Khassambara Antelope Patrol will pay a return visit to Timbuctoo. They will give a display of splicing and of physical drill. Their hosts will then show them how to make Sahara Scout uniform. As this will not take long, they may cook their guests a little supper and join them in an informal concert before sending them home.

The object of Inter-patrol Visiting is two-fold, First of all it does much to develop the individuality of the Patrol, and secondly it increases the knowledge and enlarges the outlook of those Troops which practice it