About the Scouts

Information:

• Árpád Rácz, Assistant Scoutmaster, etuscserkesz kukac gmail.com
• Csaba Keszei, Assistant Scoutmaster, csaba.keszei kukac gmail.com

Some information on the Hungarian Scouts based on the scouts laws of the Hungarian Scout Association in Exteris:

What is Hungarian Scouts?

The Scouting program is not an entertaining association, but rather one of promoting the growth and education of youth. The goal of scouts is to establish a healthy physical, mental, and spiritual lifestyle based on Christian morals. In addition to building good character the goal is to also build Hungarian identity. The scouting program helps the scouts grow in their service of God, Country, Fellow Man, and Hungarian Identity. In short the scout is to try to live according to the scout laws to the best of their ability. The scout laws encourage proper character rather than focusing on being prohibitive. The leadership also strives to lead the scouts according to the spirit of these scout laws, using “Leadership by Example” (Teleki)

Scout Law

The Scout Merit (Testing) System

The scouts goal is character building, and this is underlined by our merit system. The base of our merit system is the Bible, Hungarian culture, the scout laws, and general practical scouting skills. The scouting program aims to build the whole person and therefore follows the normal growth of individuals: learning, taking on responsibility, serving others and the faith. Areas of focus: character building, scouting skills, service of fellow man, knowledge of Hungarian heritage, and physical achievements. We aim to use a playful teaching method, so the process of learning does not seem tedious. We encourage the scouts to learn and incorporate honesty, promptness, respect, serving others, reliability, fitness, forgiveness, and uprightness into their lives. Every program seeks to grow character as it’s goal. We reach the most effective teaching environment when we are outdoors.

The Patrol System

Another part of the scouting system is the Patrol System. A Patrol is a small group made up of 4-6 scouts, led by a qualified teen scout. Within this patrol the scouts learn how to live and behave in a community. They learn the concepts of responsibility, accommodating and helping others, and focusing on the groups goals rather than individual just thinking of themselves. Through this process, they become useful members of society. The patrol leader is a youth themselves, helping insure that things are taught in a playful manner.

Leadership

A major part of the scout leaders have been born outside of Hungary. They are unpaid volunteers. On average, they spend about 40 days a year on their scouting, paying dues, for uniforms, and other scouting expenses. Their reward is knowing they have done a job well. The scout leader believes in the struggle for the scout ideal, in the strength of small groups that work together, wishes to serve others, is an individual and nurtures the growth of other individuals, and is willing to stand up against bad things. The scout leader strives to live a life according to the scout laws, and encourages the same in the scouts they lead.

Who can be a scout?

A Hungarian scout is a boy or girl who can speak Hungarian, has reached the age of 5, voluntarily accepts and lives according to the scouting ideals, accepts the rules and authority of the Hungarian Scout Association in Exteris. Naturally anyone who is against God or does not believe in God cannot be a Hungarian scout.

We welcome parents to take part in the parent support groups. We welcome those individuals for adult scout work that accept our goals and prerequisites.

History of Scouts Program

The Hungarian Scouting program was founded in 1910. Over the next 38 years, the Hungarian Scouts had branch offices throughout Hungary. Unfortunately in 1948, this program was abolished by the communists. After World War II, Hungarian Scouting began operating in Displaced Persons (DP) camps in Germany and Austria as the Paul Teleki Scout Association. In 1948 the organization was renamed Hungarian Scout Association. Hungarians in the West kept the prohibited youth move-ment alive and active. In 1950, the first troops were founded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Caracas, Venezuela. Over the next decade, additional Hungarian Scouting programs were established in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The Hungarian Scouting Program grew from about 1,000 members in the early 1950's to over 6,000 members in the late seventies. Today, over 4,500 Hungarian scouts are active in 70 troops in Western Europe, Australia, South and North America.

In the United States, there are Boys and Girl Scout troops in most cities with substantial Hungarian populations. They are closely affiliated with Hungarian weekend schools. The Association maintains an excellent leader-training program for patrol leaders, assistant scoutmasters and scoutmasters for girl guides, boy scouts and cub scouts. The work of the Hungarian scouts is based on their obligation to God, their adopted countries, their fellowmen and the Hungarian Nation.

In 1989, after the fall of the iron curtain, Hungarian Scouting was again legalized in Hungary. The Association’s original seal was returned to the newly formed Hungarian Scout Association. The Hungarian Scout Association abroad has close ties with the Hungarian Scout Associations in Hungary. Since the advent of democracy (1988), the Association abroad has trained almost 500 scoutmasters and assistant scoutmasters for these brother associations. Over $350,000 was raised to support the operations of the training camps in the United States, Austria and several countries in the Carpathian Basin. Funding also provided electronic equipment and funds to purchase land and equipment for scout leader training camps in other countries with active Hungarian Scout Troops.

The Hungarian Scouting Association in the San Francisco Bay area was founded in 1969 by the Hungarian House of San Francisco. They established the number 77 Béri Balogh Ádám (boys) and the N.43 Lósárdy Zsuzsánna (girls) troops. Initially, the boys and girls scouts met at the Hungarian House or Pannonia Club in San Francisco. In 1972, the Scout troops organized the Hungarian school. Through the help of Father József Jankovszky, the Scouts received permission to held scout meetings at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park. The Hungarian Scouts Program was so successful that it organized the first Hungarian Scouts Ball in the Mira Vista Country Club. Since then, the annually repeated Scouts Ball is a popular social event in the San Francisco Bay area. The Scout team’s main objectives from the beginning were to keep the Hungarian Scouting traditions alive, which remains to this day.

In 1984 the two scouts groups celebrated 15 years of existence. On this year, thanks to Benedictine Fathers, the troops moved to the Woodside Priory and held all their meeting and activities since. In 1990, a decision was made to move scout meetings from Saturday to Sunday. This served a great purpose, to bring the Scouts and Parents together and attend Sunday’s Mass, immediately followed by the Hungarian School and Scouts gathering.