Grand Howl

The Grand Howl is a ceremony used by Cub Scouts and Brownies.[1][2][3][4][5] It was devised by Robert Baden-Powell, the author of the scouting guide Scouting for Boys, and is based on the Mowgli stories in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.[6] In the ceremony, Cubs act out the wolves greeting Akela, the "Old Wolf", at the Council Rock and are reminded of the Cub Scout Promise. Baden-Powell also created a Grand Howl for Brownie Guides, which was in imitation of an owl instead of a wolf. It has been used as an opening[7][8] and closing ceremony[9][10] as well as a method of conveying thanks or appreciation[11] by all sections of Scouting.[12][13]

Grand Howl
Baden-Powell's illustration in The Wolf Cub's Handbook (1916) showing how a Wolf Cub's squatting posture imitates a wolf at the Grand Howl, a ceremony based on The Jungle Book

Origin
Main article: The Jungle Book and Scouting

In the wild, wolves howl to assemble the pack usually before and after hunts, to pass on an alarm particularly at a den site, to locate each other during a storm or while crossing unfamiliar territory, and to communicate across great distances.[14][15] Grand howls had been part of social occasions since at least the 1850s.[16]

Five years after the founding of the Scout movement, Baden-Powell and others worked on a scheme for those who were too young to join the Boy Scouts at the age of 11, initially called "Junior Scouts". By the time of the launch of the scheme, Baden-Powell had obtained the approval of his friend and neighbor, Rudyard Kipling, to use the Jungle Book as a theme. Under the name of "Wolf Cubs", the 8- to 10-year-old boys would take part in basic versions of the activities enjoyed by the older Boy Scouts, but within a background of the jungle in the Mowgli stories of Kipling's 1898 book. The Cubs would act out scenes from the stories, and the adult leaders would adopt the names of characters from the book. For example, the leader in charge would be titled Akela, after the character Akela who led the titular Mowgli's wolf pack in Kipling's novel.

Baden-Powell book, entitled The Wolf Cub's Handbook, was published on 2 December 1916. In the first chapter, he describes the following scene in The Jungle Book and provides some additional context for the Grand Howl ceremony:

The wolves all sat round the council rock in a circle, and when Akela, the old wolf, the head of the pack, took his place on the rock, they all threw up their heads and howled their greeting to him. When your Old Wolf, Akela - that is your Cubmaster or other Scouter - comes to your meeting you salute him by squatting round in a circle as young wolves do, and giving him the Wolf Cub Grand Howl.[17]

— Robert Baden-Powell, The Wolf Cub's Handbook

Original Grand Howl
At the 1st World Scout Jamboree, 500 Wolf Cubs perform a Grand Howl in the arena at Olympia, London.

The original instructions for the Grand Howl, described by Vera Barclay and Baden-Powell in The Wolf Cub's Handbook.

Scouter: "Pack - Pack - Pack!" This calls the Cubs into a Parade Circle.[18]

The Cubs reply as they run to their places in the circle.

Cubs: "Pack!"

As the Scouter enters the circle, the Cubs squat down on their heels[19] with their "fore paws" on the ground between their feet and their knees out on either side.

Cubs: "Ah-kay-la! We-e-e-e-ll do-o-o-o o-o-o-u-u-r BEST!" On the word "BEST", the Cubs jump to their feet with two fingers of each hand at the sides of their heads, to resemble a wolf's ears.[20]
A Sixer: "Dyb - dyb - dyb -dyb" The word "dyb" means "Do Your Best"[21]

circle around leader DYB DYB DOB which is the first part of the Cub Promise and was the original Wolf Cub motto. On the fourth "dyb", the Cubs lower their left hands and the fingers of their right hands extend to form the Wolf Cub salute.

Cubs: "We-e-e-e-ll dob-dob-dob-dob", meaning "We'll do our best".[17]

National variants
A Grand Howl by German Cubs of the Bund Deutscher Pfadfinder in 1950

United Kingdom

In 1966, a complete review of the UK Scout Association, The Chief Scouts' Advance Party Report, recommended that less emphasis be placed on the Jungle Book for Wolf Cubs, who were to be renamed Cub Scouts. Although the Grand Howl was to be retained, it was revised, replacing the "dybs" with plain language to "make the significance clearer to parents and public".[22] The recommendations were accepted and began to be implemented in October 1966.[23] The revised Grand Howl is as follows:

Pack in circle.
Cub Scout Leader in centre, arms outstretched facing Sixer;
Cub Scout Leader arms down;
Pack squats.
Pack: "Akela! We'll do our best".
Sixer: "Cubs! Do your best".
Cubs: "We will do our best", giving the Scout salute (which had replaced the two-finger salute in the Cub Section).[22][24]

Following a further programme review between 2000 and 2002, the Grand Howl became optional, allowing Packs to adopt themes other than the Jungle Book - although local groups had always adapted the ceremony.[19][25]

The independent Baden-Powell Scouts' Association and British Boy Scouts and British Girl Scouts Association continue with the original Grand Howl.[26]

United States

The Cub Scout programme of the Boy Scouts of America and Brownies of the Girl Scouts of the USA[27] have used the traditional Grand Howl as a "special recognition ceremony" with the person being honoured (a guest, parent or member of the Pack), standing in the centre of the circle.[28] In addition, a Short Grand Howl can be used as follows:

Cubs make the two fingered Cub Scout Sign with both hands, fingertips touching the floor in a squatting position.
They howl; "Ah-h-kay-y-la! We-e-e'll do-o-o ou-u-r best!"
As they yell the last word, "best", they jump up with both hands above their heads in the Cub Scouts Sign.[29]

Canada

The Cub Scouts of Scouts Canada use the traditional Grand Howl.[30][31] The following version is used in French speaking Packs:

A-a-a K-é-é La-a,
De... no... tre... mieux!
De... vo... tre... mieux!
Oui, de... no... tre... mieux![32]

Australia

The Grand Howl used by the Cub Scouts of Scouts Australia is as follows:

Cub Scouts: "A-ke-la, we'll do our best."
Selected Cub Scout: "Do your best."
Cub Scouts: "We'll do our best."[33]

New Zealand Cubs prepare for a Grand Howl at the 18th National Scout Jamboree in Christchurch, January 2008.

New Zealand

The Grand Howl used by the Cubs of Scouts New Zealand is identical to the version currently used in the United Kingdom.[34]

Brownies

A junior section of Girl Guides started in 1914 in the United Kingdom, under the name of "Rosebuds"; this name was disliked by girls and it was soon amended to Brownies, being themed on the story by Juliana Ewing.[35] In Baden-Powell's 1918 book, "Girl Guiding: A Handbook for Brownies, Guides and Rangers", the Grand Howl is described as "the grandest salute a Pack (of Brownies) can give, and is only for very special occasions". Baden-Powell describes how the Brownies should begin in a squatting position, in the same way as the Cub equivalent, but repeating "Tu-whit, tu-whit, Tu-whoo-oo" three times, each time getting louder and rising higher, until at the end of the third repetition, the Brownies were to jump in the air and clap their hands above their heads.[36]

In the United Kingdom, the 1966 report called Tomorrow's Guide by a Working Party set up to revise and update the programme of the Girl Guides Association, recommended a reduction in the number of ceremonies used by Brownies;[37] the Grand Howl was not retained. The Brownie Grand Howl is still used by the Girl Guides of Canada.[38]

Cultural impact

A Wolf Cub Grand Howl takes place in George Orwell's A Clergyman's Daughter.[39]

See also

References
  1. "Cubs' birthday". Sunday Times. London. 1 December 1991. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  2. Gosling, Kenneth (18 December 1986). "70 years and still howling; Anniversary of the Cub Scout movement". The Times. London. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  3. "Cheshire Scouts Rally - Visit by Sir R. Baden-Powell". Manchester Guardian. 28 May 1928. p. 3. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "Princess Mary's Visit to Newcastle - Greeted with the "Grand Howl"". The Observer. London. 25 November 1923. p. 15. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  5. Lloyd, Davina (19 May 1992). "I love a girl in uniform; Parents". The Times. p. 4. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  6. Hildebrandt, Eleanor (6 February 2019). "10 Wild Things You Didn't Know About Boy Scout History". Popular Mechanics. traditions—like the "Grand Howl" and "Council Rock" meetings—in clear reference to events in The Jungle Book
  7. Gibson, Anne (8 June 2009). "Be prepared to make a comeback". New Zealand Herald. p. 5. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale Biography In Context.
  8. "Scout News - South Wolfstone Wolf Cubs". Innisfail Evening Advocate. Innisfail, Queensland. 6 September 1946. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  9. Forsyth, Ford, ed. (14 October 1932). "Once a Scout Always A Scout - 54 Present". Star-Phoenix. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. p. 19. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  10. "An English Day - The Jamboree Revisited - A tonic for Weather Weariness". Manchester Guardian. 7 August 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "Cub Pack 169 - Fourth Annual Blue and Gold Banquet Draws Record Guest Number Thursday Eve". Taylor Daily Press. Taylor, Texas. 10 February 1957. p. 3. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  12. "Court & Personal - The Prince in a Kilt". Manchester Guardian. 2 July 1928. p. 8. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  13. "The Boy Scout - A Manchester Demonstration". Manchester Guardian. 5 April 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  14. Lopez 1978, p. 38.
  15. Harding, Isabel (1 July 1999). "Silvercoat's Call". Stone Soup. No. July 1999. p. 4. Gale A55009552 General OneFile. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
  16. Bakken, Gordon Morris (2006). "2 - Legal Education and Literature". Practicing Law in Frontier California. University of Nebraska Press. p. 22. ISBN 0803262604.
  17. Baden-Powell, Robert (1916). "The Wolf Cub's Handbook" (PDF). www.thedump.scoutscan.com. Arthur C Pearson. Retrieved 24 October 2013. (pp. 12-13)
  18. Ray, Mark (1 May 2019). "World's Best: Five Volunteers bring their Scouting experience from other countries to the BSA". Scouting. p. 22. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale General OneFile.
  19. "In Manchester - By Staff Correspondents - "Bom, Bom, Bom "". Manchester Guardian. 7 February 1938. p. 11. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  20. "Of killer bees and jamborees". The Age. Melbourne, Australia. 20 June 2002. p. 3. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  21. "Scouts and Guides - The Grand Howl - Copying the Jungle Wolves. - Ceremony With Real Meaning". The Queensland Times. Ipswich, Queensland. 6 November 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  22. "The Advance Party Report '66" (PDF). www.thedump.scoutscan.com. The Boy Scouts Association. 1966. Retrieved 24 October 2013. (p. 20)
  23. "Design for Scouting" (PDF). www.thedump.scoutscan.com. The Boy Scouts Association. 1967. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  24. Firman, Michael (10 August 1995). "Cub's honour". Letter to The Times. p. 15. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  25. "Cub Scout Leader Start-up Kit" (PDF). www.1stcoggeshall.org.uk. The Scout Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2013. (p. 14)
  26. "2nd Goring and Streatley Wolf Cubs - Ceremonies". 2ndgoringandstreatley.org.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  27. "Valley Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts in Grand Howl, Camporette". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. 16 October 1956. p. 3. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  28. "Cub Scouts Vie In Varied Events At North Hollywood 'Grand Howl'". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. 28 April 1956. p. 2. Retrieved 17 September 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  29. Den Chief Handbook. 2004. ISBN 0-8395-3211-3. Retrieved 26 October 2013. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help) (pp. 79–80)
  30. "Cub Leader's Handbook: Chapter Five - Ceremonies" (PDF). wiki.scouts.ca. Scouts Canada. Retrieved 26 October 2013. (p. 4)
  31. Peate, Les (1 June 2005). "DYB-DYB-DYB!". Esprit de Corps. p. 43. Retrieved 18 September 2019 – via Gale General OneFile.
  32. "Fais le Grand Hurlement avec les autres louveteaux" (PDF). scoutsndip.ca. Scouts Canada. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  33. "The Grand Howl" (PDF). scouts.org.au. The Scout Association of Australia. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  34. "New Cubs Investiture Booklet" (PDF). smartscouts.co.nz. Scouts New Zealand. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013. (pp. 8-9)
  35. "Leslie's Guiding History Site - Brownies". lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  36. Baden-Powell, Robert (1918). "Girl Guiding" (PDF). www.thedump.scoutscan.com. Arthur C Pearson. Retrieved 2 November 2013. (p. 14)
  37. "Leslie's Guiding History Site - Brownies". lesliesguidinghistory.webs.com. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  38. "The Brownie Program In a Nutshell". girlguides.sk.ca. Girl Guides of Canada, Saskatchewan Council. Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  39. Orwell, George (1950). A Clergyman's Daughter. HMH. p. 182. ISBN 0547563841.

Bibliography
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