International Boy Scouts, Troop 1

International Boy Scouts, Troop 1 (I.B.S.)

Japanese: 国際ボーイスカウト第一団

Headquarters

Yokohama

Country

Japan

Founded

1911 (1918)

Affiliation

World Organization of the Scout Movement

Website
http://www.troop1.net

International Boy Scouts, Troop 1 was founded in 1911 as Japan's first Scout troop and, despite its early multinational character, was originally registered with the London headquarters of the Boy Scouts as "British Scouts in Foreign Countries", which was the only option at the time due to the Boy Scouts' "nationality requirement" and no international Boy Scout office. The troop's character, and Scoutmaster, changed and it was recognized as a mixed-nationality, or "international" troop in 1918. After formation of the World Scout Bureau, Troop 1 became the first "mixed nationality" group to be registered directly be the Bureau. The troop has been continuously active since its foundation. The troop's "mixed nationality" charter dated October 30, 1925 was issued after the newly formed International Bureau received approval to directly register such "international" groups at the 3rd World Scout Conference. The charter was signed by Lord Baden-Powell.

In Japan, as early as 1908, Scouting came to the notice of a number of influential educators, some of whom adapted Scout ideas to their educational work. However, the first Boy Scout Troop to be established in Japan was begun in Yokohama by Clarence Griffin in 1911.

As an adult, Griffin was very active in the foreign community in Yokohama and decided to begin a Boy Scout troop in the fall of the 1911. The first meeting of the new troop was held in October of that year with 18 new Scouts: 12 English, 3 American, 2 Danish, and 1 Norwegian. On December 12, 1911, Clarence Griffin and the Scouts, mostly British and all students of Saint Joseph College, the primary and secondary school for foreign boys located on the "Bluff" in Yokohama, gathered at the Gaiety Theater on the Bluff to demonstrate Scouting skills and to officially celebrate the beginning of the troop. This is the troop that greeted Baden-Powell on his visit to Japan on April 2, 1912. B-P had not heard of any Scouting in Japan prior to his arrival and expressed surprise at being welcomed by a local Scout Troop.

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Wikipedia