Cub Scout
Cubs or Wolf Cubs are the section in the Scout organisations for boys between 7/8 and 12 years old who are too young to be Scouts and cannot make the Scout Promise. A participant in the programme is called a Cub, and a group of Cubs is called a "Pack".
The Wolf Cub programme was originated by The Scout Association in the United Kingdom in 1916 to provide a programme for boys who were too young to be Boy Scouts and make the Scout Promise. It was adopted by some other Scout organisations. Most Scout organisations, including The Scout Association, no longer use the Wolf Cub programme and have replaced it with other programmes but have retained the name Cubs. Others, including some Traditional Scouting organisations, maintain the original Wolf Cubs programme.
Originally, cubs programmes were open only to boys, while young girls could join the Brownies. Some Cub organisations are open to both girls and boys, although not necessarily in the same unit. A few organizations also operate a Sea Cub version of Cubs.
Foundation
Wolf Cubs was started by The Scout Association in 1916, nine years after the establishment of the Boy Scout Movement, to cater to younger boys who were too young to be Boy Scouts. During these first years, many troops had either allowed younger boys to join or had set up an informal junior or cadet Scout troops. In 1916, articles in a Scout leaders' journal, Headquarters Gazette outlined "Junior Scout" and then "Wolf Cub" schemes. However, Robert Baden-Powell wanted something quite different from a watered-down Boy Scout programme and recognised that too close of an association between the junior programme and the Boy Scouts would detract from both. Baden-Powell wanted a junior scheme with a name, uniform and other identity and programme distinct from the Scouts.In 1916, Baden-Powell published his outlines for such a scheme, it was to be called Wolf Cubs. Baden-Powell asked his friend Rudyard Kipling for the use of his Jungle Book history and universe as a motivational frame for the Wolf Cub scheme. The scheme was given a publicity launch at The Boy Scouts Association's Imperial Headquarters in Buckingham Palace Road, Westminster, on Saturday 24 June 1916. Baden-Powell wrote a new book, The Wolf Cub's Handbook, the first edition of which was published in December 1916. He collaborated with Vera Barclay in devising the Wolf Cub training programme and badges, which were published in the second edition. On 16 December 1916, a public display of the Wolf Cubs was held at Caxton Hall, Westminster, to which Kipling was invited; he was unable to attend but sent Baden-Powell a letter of apology, praising his work with the Scout Movement. Vera Barclay co-founded Wolf Cubs with Baden-Powell in 1916.
From the 1960s, many organisations varied or abandoned the Wolf Cub Jungle Book theme. Some organizations changed the name to Cubs, Cub Scouts or similar but retained the Jungle Stories and Cub ceremony as tradition—such as the use of Jungle Book names ; and the Grand Howl which signals the start and end of Cub Meetings. Other organizations kept the name but dropped the Jungle Book theme.
Originally, Cubs was open only to boys while the Brownies were set up as a parallel for young girls in Girl Guides organisations. This remains the situation in some places. Most World Organization of the Scout Movement member organisations admitted girls to Cubs while others have separate co-ed units with a different theme. Most International Union of the Guides and Scouts of Europe - Federation of Scouts of Europe member organisations have two single-sex units both named Wolf Cubs and both in the jungle theme.
Cubs has ideals of spiritual and character growth, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Cubs provides a positive, encouraging peer group, carefully selected leaders who provide good role models and a group setting where values are taught to reinforce positive qualities of character.
Organisation
Cubs are organised in packs, which are sometimes linked to a Scout group, providing all the age programs known as a "Scouting family". Adult leaders of Cub packs take the names of The Jungle Books main characters. In many countries the leader of the Pack is called Akela; subordinate leaders are named Bagheera, Baloo, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, etc., by how many sub-leaders the pack has. A few very big packs need so many sub-leaders that their names must extend to include Tabaqui and Shere Khan, but that tends to be the cue for the pack to split into two packs. Cubs have a distinctive two-finger salute according to the Jungle theme, in contrast to the three-finger salute of the Boy Scouts. However, in The Scout Association of the United Kingdom and some of its overseas branches, the two-finger salute was later replaced by the three-finger salute. Historically, Cubs wear a distinctive headdress, which is a tight-fitting green felt cap with green felt visor, yellow pipings, and an emblem at the front—although in some countries this has been replaced by more contemporary headgear or dispensed with entirely.Just as Scout troops are subdivided into patrols, Cub packs are divided into small teams. Baden-Powell named the team a Six, which refers to the six Cubs in each team. In most countries Sixes are mixed-age groups with the oldest as sixer. In Scouting America, the teams are called dens, with each den serving either boys or girls in the same school grade.
Youths from older age programs are actively encouraged to assist as Cub leaders. In The Scout Association in the UK and in its branches such as in Australia, these were originally called Cub Instructors. Scouts Australia now uses the term Youth Helper for such persons, whilst in the United Kingdom they are called Young Leaders. In Canada, a Scout who assists in the Cub programme is designated as a Kim. In the United States, the term Den Chief is used.
In many European countries, St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of Cubs, because of his relationship with wolves.
Cubs in national organizations
Australia
Baden-Powell Scouts' Association
The Baden-Powell Scouts' Association in Australia operate a "Wolf Cub" programme between its Koalas' programme and Boy Scout. Wolf Cub packs are themed on "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling, a friend of Baden-Powell. Wolf Cub packs are divided into Sixes, with each six being identified by a coloured triangular patch on the shoulder of the Cub's shirt. Each Six is led by a "Sixer" and a "Seconder", who have their rank indicated by horizontal yellow stripes sewn onto their left arm.[Scouts Australia]
In Scouts Australia, the Cubs program is open to all children ages 8–11. The uniform is a navy blue, button-up or polo-style, short-sleeved shirt with a yellow collar, sleeves and shoulders. Patrols are identified by a coloured band/ring worn around their scarf, above their woggle. Patrol Leaders wear a second band/ring on the other side of their scarf which is white with two blue stripes. They are supported by their Assistant Patrol Leader, who will step into the leadership role if the Patrol Leader is away, and will help at Unit Councils. They wear a white band/ring with one blue stripe.Together, the Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders from every patrol make up the Unit Council. They take a leading role in planning and running activities.
Austria
In Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen Österreichs Cubs is the programme for children between the ages of 7 and 10. The jungle theme is the symbolic framework. The first pack was started in the autumn of 1920 in Vienna. In the beginning, there were different symbolic frameworks: red Indians and Robinson Crusoe. In the 1930s the Jungle theme was introduced.Canada
In 1916, the Wolf Cubs programme was introduced as part of Scouts Canada with a programme following that of its UK parent organisation, The Scout Association. Cubs is open to youth of both sexes, ages 8 to 10 inclusive. Sixes wear a coloured triangular patch, rather than a distinctive woggle. The Cub motto is "Do Your Best" and the promise, the vow recited in opening ceremonies is:to do my duty to God and the King,
to keep the law of the Wolfcub pack,
and do a good turn every day."
Image:PolishCubScouts.jpg|thumb|right|Cub Camp, Crivitz, Germany, 2007