The First Caribbean Jamboree, held at Briggs Park, Up Park Camp, Jamaica, was a landmark event celebrating scouting, unity, and international brotherhood. The Jamboree not only showcased the skills and spirit of scouting but also reinforced the importance of friendship, cultural exchange, and service.

Published Thursday, March 6, 1952

Great crowd at Jamboree opening

‘Hope of the world in you’, governor tells Scouts

A tremendous crowd at Briggs Park, Up Park Camp, yesterday witnessed a magnificent march-past of scouts drawn largely from the West Indies but including representatives from Canada, the United Kingdom, Central America, and the United States. They also heard His Excellency, Sir Hugh Foot, governor and chief scout of Jamaica, announce:
“I have the honour to declare open the first Caribbean Jamboree.”

Taking the salute at the grandstand was Lord Rowallan, KBE, MC, TD, chief scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire, who presented the Silver Acorn to  Donald Fitzritson, island commissioner for Scouts, Jamaica, for his "years of devoted service to the Boy Scouts of Jamaica".
Behind Lord Rowallan were notables from the army, Church, State, and the judiciary, including Major General D.C. Spry, deputy director of the International Bureau of Boy Scouts; P.B. Neville, leader of the UK Contingent and headquarters commissioner for grants; the officer in charge of Caribbean Headquarters; the heads of the Church of England and Roman Catholic churches in Jamaica; the president of the Legislative Council; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the minister for social services; the chief justice; the attorney egneral of British Honduras; the American consul general; the Cuban consul; Privy Councillors and their wives.

TWO CHEQUES

Mr Neville presented two cheques totaling £460 to Mr Fitzritson on behalf of Scouts in the United Kingdom, to help repair hurricane damage in Jamaica.
The first cheque, for £25, came from the 15th Finchley Scout Group in England and was raised, said Mr Neville, by the boys themselves collecting waste paper and selling it. The cheque for £435 was donated from the 'Relief Abroad' fund at Scout Headquarters in Britain.
Mr Fitzritson, after accepting the gifts and expressing gratitude, introduced the governor.

FRIENDLY GREETINGS

Sir Hugh, welcoming the scouts to the Jamboree, said:
"In the name of Jamaica, I wish to extend to Lord Rowallan and to every Scout contingent at this great Jamboree a real Jamaican welcome.

"Our welcome to Lord Rowallan is no mere formality. We know of his outstanding record and the lifetime of service he has given to the Scout Movement. We welcome him as chief scout of the British Commonwealth, but we also welcome him because we know his personal qualities  —his infectious enthusiasm, his good humour, and his amazing energy.

"In the name of Jamaica, we send our friendly greetings to every country represented here today, and welcome every Scout who has come to Jamaica for the Jamboree with the same happiness and comradeship with which we welcome the chief scout himself."

"Lord Rowallan is going to speak to you shortly, and I shall not keep you long before I declare the Jamboree open and call upon him to address you.

"When I was a boy, home from school, I enjoyed watching football matches. I used to go to Home Park in Plymouth with my brothers, all of us wearing our school caps — which entitled us to get in at half price.

I have always remembered the cries of the crowd, and one cry particularly stuck in my mind. When the first team was doing badly and everything seemed to be going wrong, the crowd would roar in good-humoured rebuke:
"Bring out the reserves!"
The reserves were the second team.
I have always remembered that cry, and sometimes when I look at the state of the world and so much seems to be going wrong, I like to sustain my faith by going to see the boys and girls in schools and Scouts and Guides in particular.

When I see their cheerful, keen faces and sense their confidence and enthusiasm, I feel that they will do a much better job than their elders are doing, and I remember the old cry:
"Bring out the reserves!"

The hope of the world is in you, the younger generation, and we pray that, as you take on the affairs of the world, you will bring to the task the cheerfulness, comradeship, and unselfishness that you have learned from the Scout Movement."

His Excellency, accompanied by Brigadier Jackson, Lord Rowallan, Leslie Mordecai, and Mr Fitzritson, stepped down from the stand and, with four Scouts, lit the four Jamboree lamps, officially declaring the Jamboree open.

Countries represented on the parade were: Cayman Islands, Grenada, Barbados, British Honduras, British Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Bermuda, Cuba, Curacao, Haiti, Canada, the United States and United Kingdom. Other contingents were expected.

Presenting the Silver Acorn to Mr Fitzritson, Lord Rowallan told him:
"In pinning this Silver Acorn on your shirt, I want to thank you and wish you many years of happiness, which can only be derived from service to others."

Addressing the gathering, Lord Rowallan said:
"I wonder why you people think we are holding this Jamboree. You won’t hear a great deal of talk among boys here about brotherhood; we are not here to talk — we are here to see it at work.
"Many people believe that all you need to do is destroy national spirit, and out of that will somehow come the brotherhood of man. Believe me, no such thing ever came from the destruction of the soul of the people. There is no shortcut; it must be built up by stages, with each stage firmly founded before moving to the next.

"The first step is loyalty and love for our families. If we do not have family spirit among those with whom we share close ties, how can we hope to get along with those with whom we have none? But, when love of family is firmly established, it is only a small step to extend it to the community to which we belong."

To the governor, Lord Rowallan said:
"Sir, you spoke of Jamaica's pride in hosting this great gathering. I have a special pride in seeing you here, opening this Jamboree. It was only a few short years ago that I saw a great rally in the city of Plymouth — when your father, as Lord Mayor, welcomed me there.

And so I am delighted that you should welcome me to this island and to know that you are as much loved by the people of this island as your father was in his native city of Plymouth.
You told us that you have never been a Scout, but I think you have always been one. It is not the wearing of the uniform that makes a Scout, but the spirit of service to God, country, and fellowmen. And, of that spirit, you have been an outstanding example."

The end of His Lordship’s speech was greeted by loud cheering and three "Izicaahs" from the Scouts. 

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