黃金十年
THE GOLDEN DECADE
1950年代在柴灣營地舉行之童軍木章訓練
Wood Badge training in early 1950s
1955年聖佐治日童軍大會操頒發嘉爾頓錦標
Presentation of Carlton Trophy at St George's Day Rally 1955
踏入1950年代，為15歲以上青少年而設的新童子軍支部 ─ 先進童子軍 (Senior Scout) 正式在香港推行。這原是1947年英國推出的計劃，將貝登堡勳爵創立童子軍運動時已訂出的年限12至18歲，應青少年的需求分開為兩個支部：12至15歲的童子軍支部和15至18歲的先進童子軍支部。香港第15旅(華仁書院)首先開辦試驗團，原本童子軍支部最高榮譽進度章 ─ 京童軍章 (King’s Scout Badge) 改為先進童子軍支部的奬章；同時威爾斯太子錦標則改為先進童子軍支部比賽，另設全港童子軍支部比賽，由副總監田家騰 (Carlton W. Tinn) 捐出奬旗並命名為嘉爾頓錦標 (Carlton Trophy)。首屆比賽於1951年舉行，優勝旅團為九龍第8旅。 羅浮童子軍亦於1950年代中改組，中文名稱改為音義較佳的「樂行童子軍」，並將年限下調為18至23歲，鼓勵更多年青人投入領袖行列。
Entering the 1950s, the Senior Scout section was officially launched in Hong Kong, with the first piloting Troop established in the 15th Hong Kong Group (Wah Yan College). The scheme first started in Britain in 1946 by splitting the original Scout age range into two based on the youth's needs: 12-15 years old (Boy Scout) and 15-18 years old (Senior Scout). While the King’s Scout Badge was made the highest award for Senior Scouts, the Prince of Wales Banner Competition at the same time became an event for Senior Scout Section. A new colony-wide competition for Boy Scout was instead established and named after Deputy Colony Commissioner Carlton W. Tinn. The first Carlton Trophy was held in 1951, with the 8th Kowloon Group as the winner. In the mid-1950s, a restructuring of the Rover Scout section was introduced. Not only was the Chinese name of “Rover Scout” changed, the age range was also narrowed to 18-23 years old as an attempt to encourage more youngsters to become Scouts.
英聯邦巡迴總監杜爾(Herald Dahl)在1951年初來港視察童子軍運動並作出建議，隨後得到執行委員會通過推行，將全港劃分為香港、九龍和新界區，將權力下放和成立分區委員會。候利華會督因工作須長時間停留廣州，故於1950年辭去香港總監職務並由副總監柯昭璋升任。這是香港童軍歷史上首位華人香港總監，其任內積極推行領袖訓練，在巡迴總監杜爾協助下，成立香港訓練組，並於同年委任盧孟煊為香港首位領袖訓練主任 (Deputy Camp Chief)。因應發展需要，於1952年將香港區再劃分為域多利亞區和黄泥涌區，新界分為南約和北約區。
In 1950, Rev. Halward resigned as Colony Commissioner for he had to stay long-term in Canton for missionary work. The then Deputy Colony Commissioner Quah Cheow-cheang was appointed as Colony Commissioner and became the first Chinese to hold the position. In early 1951, Travelling Commissioner Herald Dahl inspected the Hong Kong Scouts, and provided various suggestions to the Hong Kong Branch. As suggested by Dahl, the whole Hong Kong was divided into Hong Kong, Kowloon, and New Territories Districts and its own Local Association. In response to the increasing needs, Hong Kong District was further split into Victoria and Wongneichong Districts, whereas New Territories District was split into New Territories (North) and New Territories (South) Districts in 1952. During Quah's term, considerable progress was made in promoting the training of adult leaders. With the help of Dahl, Hong Kong Training Team was established in 1951; Loo Mang-hoon became the first Chinese being appointed as Deputy Camp Chief.
已晉升為香港防衛軍少校的柯昭璋於1953年卸任香港總監，由戰前的香港第2旅旅長陸榮生接任。1954年，位於九龍覺士道9號的新童子軍總部大廈在香港賽馬會和會長摩士爵士(Sir Arthur Morse) 大力支持下落成，取代1949年建成的花園道摩士小屋 (Morse Hut) 為總部。同年10月，英聯邦總監羅華倫勳爵 (Lord Rowallan) 來港訪問，期間在摩士大廈接見各級領袖、頒發女皇童子軍證書、探訪新界區的童子軍，並與駐港英軍組成的深海羅浮童子軍午膳，最後在香港足球會球場出席香港童子軍之歡送會，結束為期一周的訪問。
1950年代黃泥涌區總部
Wong Nei Chong District Headquarters in 1950s
1958年在將軍澳舉行之第1屆基維爾聯誼會中，香港總監高本先生與童子軍領袖們合照
The Colony Commissioner Mr. J.W. Cockburn and Scouters in the 1st Gilwell Reunion held at Junk Bay, 1958
1960年代在摩士大廈外集隊的童軍
Scouts gathered at the entrance of Morse House in 1960s
1960年代之摩士小屋
Morse Hut in 1960s
Upon promotion to Major in the Royal Hong Kong Defence Force in 1953, Quah Cheow-cheang left the office of Colony Commissioner, which was then taken up by D.W. Luke, the pre-war Group Scoutmaster of the 2nd Hong Kong Group. In 1954, with the generous support from Sir Arthur Morse and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Association relocated its headquarters to Morse House (9 Cox's Road) from Morse Hut, which was built on Garden Road in 1949. In October 1954, Lord Rowallan, Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire, visited Hong Kong and met with Hong Kong Scouts in the Morse House and presented Royal Certificates to the Queen’s Scouts. He also visited Scouts in the New Territories District and had lunch with the Deep Sea Rovers serving in the Royal Navy. The one-week visit was closed by a farewell party organized at the Hong Kong Football Club Stadium.
高本 (J.W. Cockburn)於1955年正式接任為香港總監，並於翌年舉辦「童子軍周」推廣童子軍運動。任職教育署的高本領導廣泛的擴展計劃，童子軍成員人數急速增加，由1954年的3,700多至1963年離任時已突破10,000名；同時由五個童子軍區發展至三個地方 (Area)和18個區，並且在1957年舉行首次全港童子軍大露營，慶祝世界童子軍金禧紀念；以及於1961年舉行「香港童子軍金禧紀念大露營」，招待2,000多名本地和海外的童子軍。 此外，總會在1960年獲得九龍飛鵝山的營地，並命名為「香港基維爾營地」，為急速發展的童子軍運動培養更多領袖。
In January 1955, British educationalist J. W. Cockburn assumed as the Colony Commissioner, and the Hong Kong Scout Movement entered a period of rapid expansion. In order to promote Scouting to the general public, a “Scout Week” was organized in 1955. Hong Kong Scout membership increased drastically from 3,700 in 1954 to over 10,000 in 1963. At the same time, the 5 Scout Districts evolved into 3 Areas and 19 Districts. In 1957, the Association held the 1st Colony Jamborette to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of world Scouting and the “Hong Kong Golden Jubilee Jamborette” was held in 1961 where more than 2,000 local and overseas Scouts took part. In addition, the Association was granted a site at Fei Ngor Shan (Kowloon Peak) and established the “Hong Kong Gilwell Campsite” where became an important training ground for nurturing leaders for the rapidly growing Scout Movement in Hong Kong.
童子軍運動並沒有忽略身體有障礙的兒童。1955年，黄泥涌區樂行童子軍為北角難民營內的盲童服務，同年8月在喜靈洲成立以麻瘋病人為對象的童軍旅團，並於翌年成立弱能童子軍支部，委任梁永耀為香港助理總監，專責弱能童子軍運動，並先後成立為盲童、聾啞和長期留院病童服務之旅團。1957年，更組織了弱能童子軍輔助團 (HANDIA)及弱能童子軍事業委員會，以服務身體有缺憾的兒童。
The Hong Kong Scouts did not neglect the needs of the physically-challenged children. In 1955, Rover Scouts of Wongneichong District went to serve the blind children in North Point Refugee Camp. In August 1955, a Scout Troop was established on Hayling Chau for leprosy patients. In 1956, a Scouting branch for Handicapped Scouts (renamed as Extension Scouts in 1967) was formally set up, with Hans Leung Wing-yiu being appointed as the responsible Assistant Colony Commissioner; the Handicapped Scout Committee was established in 1957. Since then, more groups serving the blind, deaf and dumb, and hospitalized boys were established.
喜靈洲麻瘋童軍
Hayling Chau leper Scouts
1955年大口環兒童醫院內之弱能童軍
Handicapped Scouts Meeting in the Sandy Bay Hospital in 1955
1960年代總領袖栢立基督憲及香港總監羅徵勤
Chief Scout Sir Robert Black and Chief Commissioner C.K.Lo in 1960s
1964年羅徵勤出任香港總監，面對經濟急速發展和人口增加，特別是青少年，香港童子軍面對的挑戰和社會責任亦相對加重。1967年夏季，應政府要求，總會為青少年提供暑期活動。在香港賽馬會的資助下，在飛鵝山基維爾營地及其他總會營地舉行夏令營，由童子軍帶領外界兒童組成小隊進行活動。此外，亦為外界兒童提供不同種類的戶內及戶外活動，這些活動皆由政府或賽馬會資助，收費低廉，頗受大眾歡迎。為外界青少年提供康樂活動的專門部門 ─ 「童軍知友社」因應需要於1969年成立，同時成立社會服務旅 (Scout Service Unit)，吸引外界男女青年和超齡的童子軍，和樂行童子軍及1965年成立的工廠輔助團相類似。 1972年，成立童軍社會服務總隊 (Community Service Unit)以取代社會服務旅，對象除了童軍青年成員和領袖外，亦招募外界17歲以上的青年加入，初期以應付各種社會服務為目標，如1972年6月因天雨成災，提供緊急服務，後來以儲備領袖人才為主要目標。
Lo Ching-kan took over as the Colony Commissioner in 1964. As the economy and population of Hong Kong grew rapidly, the Hong Kong Scouts were faced with more challenges and social responsibilities. Responding to the request from the Government, the Association, subsidized by the Government and Hong Kong Jockey Club, organized summer camps and various indoor and outdoor activities for non-Scout youngsters during the summer of 1967. The programmes were well received by the public because of the low fees. In order to support these initiatives, Service Scout Units staffed with overage young adults were created. They were later replaced by the Community Service Units, which recruited not only existing Scout members and leaders, but also non-Scout youngsters aged over 17. These units were originally set up to muster enough manpower for community service and emergency relief work, but later became a means to retain talents.
香港童軍運動發展半世紀有多，仍面對不少難題。為了迎合發展，英國童軍總會成立特別委員會進行研究，冀望能追上時代，迎合青少年的需求。1966年，委員會向總領袖提交《未來動態報告書》(The Chief Scouts’ Advance Party Report)，得到接納後，進行改革。 香港作為英國童軍總會海外分會亦無可避免進行改革，新制在1967年開始，首先是總會的中英文名稱由「香港童子軍總會」 (The Boy Scout Association Hong Kong Branch)，改為「香港童軍總會」 (The Scout Association Hong Kong Branch)。 隨後經過多方研討和修訂，各支部的訓練綱要、新款制服、徽章及組織架構等依次通過。 1969年，小狼(Wolf Cub)支部改為幼童軍 (Cub Scout)支部；其後是童軍支部，年限改為12至16歲；最後是深資童軍(Venture Scout) 支部的成立，年限為16至20歲，取代了舊有的深資童子軍 (Senior Scout) 和樂行童子軍支部。 新制推行後，對深資童軍支部影響最大，人數流失很多，令考獲榮譽童軍獎章的人數大幅減少。
Developed for over half a century, the Scout Movement always faced challenges and difficulties. As an attempt to modernize the Movement, Sir Charles Maclean, Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, formed his Advance Party in 1964 to conduct a survey to analyze the role and practice of Scouting. The Chief Scout’s Advance Party Report was published in 1966; the recommendations made by the Advance Party were mostly accepted and implemented in the subsequent years. Hong Kong, as an overseas branch of the Boy Scout Association, had to follow suit. First of all, the Hong Kong Association was renamed as The Scout Association, Hong Kong Branch (formerly The Boy Scouts Association, Hong Kong Branch) in 1967. After discussion and amendment, changes in various aspects of Scouting, such as the training schemes, uniforms, insignia, and headquarters organization, were implemented. In 1969, Wolf Cub Branch was renamed as Cub Scout section; Boy Scout Branch was renamed as Scout section (age range 11-16 years old); and lastly, Venture Scout section (age range 16-20 years old) was created to replace both Senior and Rover Scout Branch. Under the new schemes, members of the Venture Scout were most affected, and a dramatic decline was seen in the number of Venture Scouts as well as Queen’s Scouts.
羅徵勤總監另一艱巨任務是帶領香港童軍走向國際，首先在1964年派遣代表團以觀察員身份參加在馬來西亞舉行的「第四屆遠東區童軍會議」，並於1965年以英國代表團成員身份出席在墨西哥舉行的「世界童子軍會議」；更在翌年派出代表團出席於英國舉行之「第四屆世界童軍訓練會議」等。 另外，總會自1951年派出首個正式代表團參與世界童軍大露營後，除了1955年在加拿大舉行的一屆因過於接近1957年在英國舉行之「慶祝世界童子軍金禧紀念大露營」沒有派員外，差不多每屆都有派員出席。1967年夏季，雖然香港處於動盪不安的形勢，但依然派出小型代表團參加世界大露營，種種努力令香港童軍融入世界童軍大家庭。
Another challenge for Lo Ching-kan was to set Hong Kong on the road to greater involvement in world Scouting. Since 1951, the Association has sent contingents to every World Scout Jamboree except the 1955 one because of its proximity in time to the Boy Scouts Golden Jubilee Jamboree held in Britain in 1957. In 1964, a delegation was sent to attend, as an observer, the “4th Far East Regional Scout Conference” in Malaysia. In 1965, Lo Ching-kan went to the World Scout Conference in Mexico as a member of the United Kingdom's delegation. Moreover, the Hong Kong Scouts were also present in the “4th World Scout Training Seminar” held in the United Kingdom in 1966. All these efforts contributed to Hong Kong's integration into the world Scouting family.
1971年香港童軍慶祝60周年鑽禧紀念，連串的慶祝活動包括同年7月舉行之鑽禧大露營。營地位於新界青山，即現時的屯門大興邨，約5,000名本地和海外童軍參加，並吸引了兩個「風姐」來訪。 此外，郵政署更發行本港首套童軍紀念郵票，將香港童軍鑽禧慶典帶到本港和世界各國。 緊隨大露營而來的有「第二屆世界童軍公共關係研討會」和「第五屆英聯邦童軍會議」；另外總會亦派出近百人的代表團出席於日本舉行之「第13屆世界童軍大露營」。
The 60th anniversary of Hong Kong Scouting was celebrated with the one-week Diamond Jubilee Jamboree held in Castle Peak (the present Tai Hing Housing Estate) in July 1971, involving over 5,000 local and overseas Scouts. In addition, Hong Kong Post issued the first set of Scouts commemorative stamps. Soon after the Diamond Jubilee Jamboree, there were the “2nd World Scout Public Relations Seminar” and the “5th Commonwealth Scout Conference”. A contingent of over 100 members was also sent to attend the “13th World Scout Jamboree” in Japan.
由於本港童軍運動不斷發展，營地不敷應用，政府撥地給總會興建新的營地，包括位於港島東南石澳與龜背灣之間的大潭營地，以代替政府因發展柴灣為輕工業區收回的柴灣營地。 這個於1972年9月開放使用的營地，附設海上活動中心，為童軍提供了合適和安全的海上活動場地。 另位於大埔洞梓的營地原為大埔船灣淡水湖之後勤基地和工程人員宿舍，經改建為童軍營地，並定名為「香港童軍訓練中心」，於1975年3月啟用。
In the 1970s, a site between Shek O and Turtle Cove was granted to the Hong Kong Scouts in exchange for the then Chai Wan Campsite, which was designated for the development of light industry. The new Tai Tam Scout Centre, equipped with a sea activity centre, was officially opened in September 1972. In March 1975, the “Scout Training Centre” at Tung Tsz, Tai Po, was also opened for use.
戰前已出任童軍領袖和多次出任訓練總監的馬基於1973年接任為香港總監，任內最重要的是帶領總會脫離英國母會自立。1975年春天，英聯邦總監羅保爵士(Sir Marc Noble) 訪問香港時，指出香港童軍運動經多年的發展已相當成熟，可以自立，並建議總會加入世界童軍協會為獨立會員。 因此總會積極籌備，包括制訂《政策、組織和規條》、編訂新的訓練綱要及解決財政問題等。 終於在1977年4月16日晉身為世界童軍組織第111名會員，正式脫離英國童軍總會獨立，中文名稱仍為「香港童軍總會」，但英文名稱改為 The Scout Association of Hong Kong。1977年為英女皇伊利沙伯二世登基銀禧紀念，總會在聖佐治日舉行聯歡舞會，慶祝女皇登基銀禧紀念和晉身世界童軍組織的獨立會員。同年為外籍童軍設立直屬總會的銀禧區 (Silver Jubilee District)，以女皇登基銀禧紀念章為區章的基本設計。除了英語和啹咖旅團外，還包括越南難民營內的旅團。 翌年，總會舉辦了「第11屆亞太區童軍會議」，為成為世界童軍組織獨立會員後之首項國際活動。會議主題為「80年代之童軍運動」 (Scouting for the 80s )，來自區內19個會員國，共有300多名代表參加這為期七天的會議。
Henry Ma, a several-time Training Commissioner who had served as a Scouter since the 1930s, took over as the Colony Commissioner in 1973. The most important achievement during Ma's tenure was the independence of the Hong Kong branch. In late 1970, the British association believed that Hong Kong was well able to stand on its own feet and therefore should consider independent membership in the World Organization of Scout Movement (WOSM). In 1975, after another visit from the Commonwealth Commissioner, Sir Marc Noble, a working party was formed to take charge of all preparatory work for independence, including the drafting of a new Policy, Organization and Rules (POR), updating of training schemes, securing of financial resources, etc. On 16 April 1977, Hong Kong was accepted as WOSM's 111st full member, and the association was renamed as "Scout Association of Hong Kong". The year of 1977 also marked the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. A ball in commemoration of the Queen's Jubilee and the Association's independence was organized on the St. George’s Day 1977. In the same year, the Silver Jubilee District was founded under the headquarters to cater the non-Chinese speaking groups, including the Gurkhas and the Vietnamese refugees. In 1978, the Association hosted its first international event, the “11th Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference” with the theme “Scouting for the 80's”. The event lasted for 7 days and involved over 300 participants from 19 countries.