The best-known introduction to the history of Rover Scouting, can be found at this location on the internet, the work of a British Scouting enthusiast known as "Johnny Walker":
http://www.scouting .milestones. btinternet. co.uk/rovers. htm The English writer named Gilbert Keith Chesterton once wrote, that a man who married the spirit of the age is soon left a widow. To put it another way, those who attempt to stay "up to date" are just as often OUT of date. It is not uncommon for Scouting programs, particularly in the older age groups, to be reinvented every ten years or so. One must wonder how much of the reinvention is necessary, to the extent that human nature tends to change very little over the course of a century. Be that as it may, the "older boy" problem is as old as Scouting itself. The participants in the original 1907 Brownsea Island would inevitably grow up, and a third of them died fighting for King and Country in the great World War. In the USA, Rovering reached its peak by 1939, and never recovered after World War II. It was eventually absorbed by the old "Explorer Scout" program (now known as Venturing) during the "post-war" years. There are some aspects of a Rovering program that require adjustment to the times. B-P could not have anticipated the large percentage of young men (and eventually women) who would leave their hometowns for college or otherwise seeking their fortunes, never to return. In the UK, "Rover Clubs" were a phenomenon on college campuses. This role has largely been replaced in the USA and Philippines, by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity. Influences outside of home, family, community, and church, play a greater role in the influence of those who come of age. On the other hand, one can see what has NOT changed. Girls and boys grow up to be women and men. While they develop social relationships and participate in activities with each other, sometimes leading to marriage, there is still a time and place for the camaraderie of one's one gender. The saying that "outing is three-fourths of Scouting" is still honored by the passing of time, and outdoor skills remain a means of developing self-reliance for those of all ages. While being part of a uniformed organization may not be perceived as fashionable among peers outside of the program, it still fosters esprit de corps from within. It seems to me, that to maintain the long-term stability of a Scouting program, requires the proper distinction between genuine cultural trends, and the cosmetic nature of fads or fashion. David L Alexander, OA '69, Eagle '71, RS '05 International Commissioner, USR Chief Commissioner, RSA
