Boys' Brigade

The Boys' Brigade (BB) is an international non-denominational Christian youth organization. The object of the Boys' Brigade is: "The advancement of Christ's kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness."

History

The first Boys' Brigade company was set up by Sir (then still Mr.) William Alexander Smith on 4 October, 1883 at Free Church Mission Hall, North Woodside Road, Glasgow, Scotland to develop 'Christian manliness' by the use of a semi-military discipline and order, gymnastics, summer camps and religious services and classes.

In the years following the establishment of the 1st Glasgow company, others were rapidly formed throughout Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom leading to a movement comprising thousands of boys: in the early 20th century there were about 2200 companies connected with different churches throughout the United Kingdom, the British empire and the United States, with 10,000 officers and 100,000 boys. Each company is normally affiliated to a Battalion encompassing several nearby companies, which in turn are organized at a district and then national level.

Being the earliest of all youth organizations, a simple rosette was worn as an identifying uniform, shortly being replaced by the simple use of a belt, haversack and pillbox cap (a popular military cap of the day) worn over the boys' everyday clothing. The pillbox cap was used into the 1960s, long after it had fallen out of use in the British Army, when it was replaced with a field cap.

The movement also pioneered camping for leisure, previously rarely used outside the military. Early admirers of the Brigade included Baden-Powell who as Vice President of the Boy's Brigade used it alongside initiatives in schools, particularly Eton, to promote the idea of scouting and outdoor pursuits based on those of the military for boys. At the time, he did not originally intend that any individual organisation would later arise from this aim in the form of the various Boy Scouts movements. Early examples of Scouting were seen in Boys' Brigade Scouting awards and even specialized Boys' Brigade Scout sections who wore a blue uniform with shorts and the distinctive Smokey Bear hat traditionally identified with Scouts, and still worn today by drill sergeants in the United States Army.

The Boys' Brigade motto is "Sure and Steadfast" and the logo is an anchor placed over a Greek Cross. Old images of the motto may be spelt "Sure and Stedfast". The anchor comes from a phrase in The Bible, from the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 6, Verse 19: 'Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast'. The Greek cross, sometimes referred to as the Geneva cross in the style of that used by the Red Cross, was added when the Brigade merged with the Boys' Life Brigade in the 1920s. The latter was one of many similar movements formed by the Boys' Brigade's influence, sometimes along denominational or religious lines, including the Church Lads' Brigade and Jewish Lads' Brigade. The merger also prompted the abandonment of dummy drill rifles that had been used in the Boys' Brigade, due to the Life Brigade's objection to use of weapons or their representations. For some time afterwards, the section covering members aged 8–12 years was known as Life Boys, before being restyled as the Junior section (see below).

Sections in the BB

There are five different age groups, known as sections within the organisation:

Anchors - 5 to 8 years
Juniors - 8 to 11 years (Number 1 Section in Australia)
Company - 11 to 15 years (Number 2 Section in Australia)
Seniors - 15 to 18 years (Number 2 Section in Australia)
AMICUS - 15 to 22 years (Note, this section also admits girls)

Whereas in Singapore, there are 3 Sections for different age group:

Juniors - 8 to 11 years old (Primary 3 to Primary 6)
Seniors - 12 to 16 years old (Secondary 1 to Secondary 4 or 5)
Primers - 16 to 19 years (Post-Secondary, Junior Colleges/ Polytechnics, girls are allow to join in this section)

Awards and ranks

Each section within the Boys' Brigade has awards that can be gained by fulfilling achievements. The Anchors can gain awards for Project, Sports and Scrapbook, among others. The Juniors award scheme was revised in 2004 and members of the section can now gain the Junior Target Award, followed by Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, by completing a variety of activities in the areas of Body, Mind, Spirit, Community and Creativity. The Company Section can gain one Target badge (reduced from two in an award reorganisation a few years ago) first, then five other badges (Interests, Adventure, Leadership, Physical and Community) with red and blue flashes around them. After (usually) three years work, the Boys will have gained all five badges with both red and blue surrounds. This enables the Boys to attend a Leadership Training Course and attain the President's Badge. This is a necessary prerequisite for the Brigade's highest award - the Queen's Badge (known as the Founder's Badge in Northern Ireland).

Leadership

Leaders are designated as Warrant Officers attaining the rank of Lieutenant only when having completed additional formal training in youth leadership. To avoid unnecessary leader hierarchy, all qualified officers are lieutenants. The post of Captain of a company is a brevet rank with those in the position reverting to Lieutenant when they cease to be in the position; similarly other positions such as the company Adjutant (second to the captain) are considered appointments rather than substantive ranks.

Older boys can be promoted to be an NCO (Non-commissioned officer). There are four levels of NCO, each being awarded when the boy reaches a good enough standard of leadership. The four levels are Lance Corporal (minimum age 14), Corporal (minimum age 15), Sergeant (minimum age 16), and Staff Sergeant (minimum age 17). NCOs often play an important role in the Boys' Brigade, helping the officers and other leaders with organising activities and awards classes. Based on the British Army, NCOs wear chevrons on their upper right arm, with the point down, except that staff sergeants wear four chevrons, pointing up.

Catholic imitation

In the UK, the Roman Catholic church also founded a Catholic Boys' Brigade, designed to unite Catholic boys as they leave the elementary schools, to keep them in touch with the Church and to provide in various ways for their spiritual, physical, and social well-being.