Page:Scouting for girls, adapted from Girl guiding.djvu/259

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METHOD
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to guarantee to parents that reliable officers are in charge of their girls to ensure fairness of standard in awards, and to secure efficient training by having efficient Scouters.


Method

Method.—Our method of training is to educate from within rather than to instruct from without; to offer games and activities which, while being attractive to the girl, will seriously educate her morally, mentally, and physically.

Our aim is to promote "not so much the acquisition of knowledge as the desire and capacity for acquiring knowledge."

In other words, the Captain's job is to enthuse the girl in the right direction. By acting on this principle she will save herself considerable trouble in reaching her goal and in producing smart, keen and capable girls.

It is the means by which the modern schoolmistress scores over her more old-fashioned sister, since she develops a girl to be efficient rather than scholarly, to have character rather than erudition—and that is what counts towards success in life nowadays.

By "efficiency" I don't mean mere money-making skill, but a general intelligence and capability to live a free, prosperous and happy life.

To preach "don't" is to incite the doing of wrong. Rather infuse the right spirit; as powder is to the shot, so is spirit to action.

Moral Instruction.—Direct moral instruction—like drill—produces a pleasing veneer, but unless there is