1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

The result of all these kind services was that the payment made by eachscout in the camp did not exceed 75 öre (10 d.; 20 cents) per day.The various contingents of scouts began to arrive on the last daysof June and, during the next few days, the remainder of the boyscame into camp from all parts of the country. Those from abroadwere received by their Swedish comrades with banners and martial music,and were then taken, amid songs and instrumental music, throughthe leafy promenades of Djurgården out to the camp near the Canal.As the members arrived they were divided into bodies, each 50 strong,with one of the elder scouts as divisional chief. A special order ofthe day had been drawn up, so that the camp-routine should be conductedproperly, and of this the following details may be of interest.Reveille, 6 o’clock. Washing, dressing and tidying-up had to be finishedin half an hour, after which, some early refreshments were taken. At7 o’clock the Swedish flag was hoisted and saluted in proper boy-scoutway, gymnastic exercises following. After breakfast there was a free intervalof some hours, the time being used to view the sights ofthe town. Dinner was taken at 2 o’clock, the dining-room for thehundreds of boys consisting of the green slopes round Manilla, and, asbeautiful sunshiny weather prevailed during the whole time the camplasted, the dining-room did excellent service. After a couple of hours’rest after dinner, free exercises in gymnastics were taken, or the boyswere allowed to play and amuse themselves under the superintendenceof the leaders. The level ground at the foot of the camp swarmedwith boys, and one could see, for example, how the lads imitated thetug-of-war competitions at the Stadium by forming tug-of-war teams,often with as many as 200 boys on each side of the red, central ribbonof the rope. Supper was taken at 7 p.m., and after that time the publiccame to visit the camp in great crowds. The scouts’ own band providedthe musical entertainment, and afforded the visitors great pleasure.The day concluded with solemn evening prayers, after which the Swedishflag was lowered with a proper boy scout salute.As regards the assistance given by the scouts at the competitions,the various officials applied each day for the number of boys considerednecessary for the several competitions, on the supposition, ofcourse, that the scouts could be of any use in each special case. Atthe Stadium, for example, two reliefs of boy scouts were on duty everyday, the first body arriving in the morning and staying on duty until1 p.m., when it was relieved by the second division. The Stadiumneeded about 600 scouts for each day’s service. On the day of theMarathon Race, scouts were posted all along the route, in order, incase of need, to signal orders from one to the other of the officialsposted at various spots. At the Swimming Stadium, too, there werescouts on duty daily, and they also did service on the occasions of theCycle Road Race, the Shooting Competitions, etc. Every body remembersfrom the “Stadium-days” how the little, sun-burned, blueand grey boys ran about, selling programmes and fans, letting outcushions, procuring water, wiping the perspiration from the bodies ofthe wrestlers, recalling fainting ladies to consciousness, or going home815