A Letter to the Ventures (from AVSL Wong Kai Hong on 27 March 2003)

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Dear Ventures + auxiliaries,

Since I dun have much chance to tok to you all as a whole, perhaps I
should do so first via email. If you all have any questions, you all
can either ask me back here, or you can ask during our Court of Honour
meeting in Apr. Do take a few minutes to look through this long email
that I have wrote. Believe me, the few minutes is worth it.

Firstly, it's the thingy about the usage of 'Sec4' ventures or 'J1s'
or 'J2s'. Irregardless of whether you are in which level, I think we
should do away with these names. This will enable us to bridge the gap
between the different levels and to stop any misconceptions that J2s
are superior to sec4s. It does not matter whichever level that you are
in. A sec4 is a TCHS Ventures. A J2 is also a TCHS Ventures. Every
single one of you has the chance to get the PSA award. A Sec4 can get
it (if you are fast enough). A J1 can get it (Shaoyong has done it!).
And most of you will get it in PSA if you all worked hard for it.

So, as all of you are in the Ventures unit as a whole, perhaps we
should use 'junior' ventures --referring to the sec4s, and 'senior'
ventures (J1 and J2).

As part of the Scout Method, we emphasize self-learning and
progressive learning. i also hope dat as ventures, you all will take
the opportunity that you all have to try out as many things as
possible. Explore as much as you can while you all are still young.
And stick true to the Scout Law and Promise so as to live as a 'modern
knight'. Well, all of you made the Law and Promise on your Scout's
Honour, so too bad, you have to stick with it.

As such, I encourage you all (all junior and senior ventures) to plan
your activities together. Yes, the Venture Standard is important to
you juniors, BUT, the VS is only a progressive means as part of the
Ventures Scheme to make your Scouting Life more fufilling. Do go for a
variable of activities that will build up the Physical, Character,
Emotional, Spiritual, Social and Creativity Aspects of your life. From
what I see, your programs are quite 'sian' and lack colours. Do go for
more outdoor stuff such as hikes and kayaking. Try to enjoy your
activities and dun think about tests.

For the senior ventures (J1s and J2s), yes, you all are auxiliaries
who have to look after your juniors. But, dun forget that you are also
ventures of Chinese high. Do plan your activities together with your
juniors and enjoy the activities with them. Dun force your programs
onto them. There wun be very good results if they are not willing to
go through the activities.You can plan a simple program at East Coast
Park, or you can have a combined activities with guides, or even a
grand ball as a farewell near the end of your activities. How you want
to do it, where you want to do it, it is entirely up to you guys.

As you all are no longer small kids, I would like to remind you all
again that before whatever you all do, do think of others first before
self. Remember the Salute? The first finger means Duty to God. The 2nd
means Duty to Others. the last means Duty to Self. Why is the last
time Self? It is simple to understand. And while you all will have to
be considerate to others, do remember your duty to yourself. It means
being truthful, and doing your best. And remember, all of you are
ambassadors of CHinese High when you all are out of school. It does
not matter whether you are in uniform a not. You are a Venture of
Chinese High. Project a good image, and you will find that it will be
beneficial to others and to self.

Secondly, do read more about the Scout's movement. Scouting for Boys
is a good book to start with. For those who are done with Scouting for
Boys and would like to go further, Rovering to Success is a good one
too. I have both books, and I would not mind lending them out (free of
charge of course!) The HQ sell the Scouting for Boys for 42 bucks, and
I dun think it's worth it. I am sure many of you dun know what are the
ideals of Scouting, or the mission, for that matter. Or the history of
it. Read up on Scouting, and you will see Scouting in a different
light.

Thirdly, it is about time management. One of the Scout methods is the
Patrol System. Do you all understand how the Patrol System comes
about? BP found out that maximum efficiency is achieved when boys
worked in small group. It is easier to communicate and bonds are
stronger among patrol members.
True, in ventures, there are no patrols. You all work as a whole EXCO.
However, dunch you think that it is better to work in sections and go
for rotational activities during certain time? Take for example the
Lifeline test. While some of you all are taking the tests, the rest
are sitting on the floor and lazing around. Do plan more activities
and make better use of your time! You all can have some other
activities going on eg first aid revision? knottings revision? or even
games? Abt planning for games, a suggestion would be to separate into
two groups, and both groups will plan for each other. it can be
scavenger hunt, or orienteering games. Dun let the auxs do it for you.
Do it yourself, and have the auxs join in for fun. Now, dat's what I
call a gungho venture unit!

Fourth, It's about the PSA. Yes, It is the highest award in Ventures.
However, it is a beginning of a new journey. By wearing the badge, you
have committed yourselves in passing down your knowledge to your
juniors and to use your experience to help others. As for your
ownself, do continue your exploration of the vast world of education.
There are so many things to learn and to experience. And of course,
carry yourself well! It would not do if you disgrace yourself to the
public by being dishonourable. A thing to note, The PSA is just a
badge. It is the journey to it that is important. For those who did
not manage to get the PSA, do not be disappointed. Remember that you
have earned much valuable experience than those who did not even start
on the road. For those who got it, well, dun let the ppl who helped
you along the way down!

Lastly, I want to tok about punishment. After reading so many Scouting
books, and after going through so many courses and seminars, I am
began to see why Mr Lee disliked 'pumpin' so much. The Scout method
emphasize on self-learning and on individual progress. Corporal
punishment will only force onto them ideas that will 1) make them
dislike certain activities 2) have an counter-effect on individual
progress. Instead, we should counsel them and make them 'see light'.
If there is a must, perhaps you can make them clean up the den instead
or to have them organise some fun activities for you all. well, it's
just a suggestion. Footdrill has the same effect. BP once said that
drills will force the scouts to lose their individualism, and it is by
no means an education where they learn for themselves. Be warned
though, although I said not to lose your individualism, you all should
always be united, and this means helping each other when they are in
need, as well as offering support in every possible way.

Last lastly, although Scouting is important and have become a way of
life for some of you, do not ever neglect your studies. You would not
be a very good Scout if you let your parents worry about you. Study
hard. For those with problems, feel free to look for me, and I will
provide free tuition for you.

Well, dat's all I have to say. I will email you all again if I got
other stuff to tell you all. We shall see each other during our Court
of Honour meeting.

In the meantime, I wish you all good health and Happy Scouting!

Stay true to the Venture Scouts motto : Look Wide!


Yours-in-Scouting
Restless Wolf
Assistant Venture Scout Leader
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(follow-up message from ASL Tan Sheau Gang on 4 April 2003)

The words of Kaihong brought me back to the days when I was a Venture
Scout and subsequently as an Auxiliary and then AVSL. I have seen all
of you thru your Scout Section, and I hope that you shall not let me
down as you move up the Scouting ladder.

Some thoughts and comments:

1. Scouting for Boys - I believe I have left a photocopy of the book
with the PLC Secretary. Mingzhen should know best as he handed it over
to Roger Teo, the present Scribe. Pls get the copy from Roger and zap,
I'm sure you do not need 40 over bucks to do it.

2. "Junior" Ventures - While I agree that it is better to do away with
the reference terms for Sec 4s, JC1s and JC2s to reflect the unision
of the Venture Unit, I think a more suitable term would be Venture
Cadets, as you are still undergoing training for the VSS. You would
recall that for Rover Scouts, the term to describe a RS before he/she
obtained Rover Scout Standard is "Rover Squire". Until you gain the
VSS, a "Cadet" would be more appropiate to describe your status.
(Kaihong, as a commissioned SAF officer, I'm sure you know what the
meaning of OCT rank holds for you)

3. A Scout Group can only function well with a pool of capable leaders
and enthusiastic members. For our Scout Group, the pool of leaders
come from our alumni, trained for some six years in Scout craft and
understood basic aims of Scouting and an appreciation of Chinese High
Scouts' unique place in Singapore Scouting history and the school's
heritage. These leaders invariably come from the Venture Unit where
they gain at least the VSS (old scheme) or the prestigious PSA. A
strong Venture Unit would mean well qualified instructors for the
Scout Unit. In turn, a Strong Scout Unit would provide for a equally
capable Venture Unit. The dialectical comparison need not be
emphasisied here further. I hope everyone understand their key roles
here to play, and play it well. The leaders here are not to stay
forever, and there should always be people to take over and push it to
greater heights.