The Woodcraft Folk

The Woodcraft Folk¹ is the name of the Pioneer organization in England. Its members are children from workers' families. The or­ganization was founded in 1925. Boys and girls from six years up to twenty-one can join it. They all wear green suits with a badge. On the badge you can see a little green fir-tree².

The Woodcraft Folk have three groups. The largest group are boys and girls who are eleven to sixteen years old. They are called Pioneers. Another group are boys and girls who are six to eleven years old. They are called Elfins ³. There is also a group of big boys and girls who are sixteen to twenty-one years old. They are called Kins ⁴,

The Elfins are not Pioneers; they are too young for that. In the Woodcraft Folk organization they sing and dance, play different games, go in for sports. When they are eleven years old, they become Pioneers. In summer Pioneers live in camps in the country. They learn how to make a fire⁵ and how to make tea on it. They also study trees and flowers, and pick berries. They must know how to find their way in the forest. They also play games and go in for sports.

The Woodcraft Folk sometimes work in the fields or in the gar­dens for money. In towns and cities they organize concerts also for money. They sing, dance and read poems. With the money which they earn⁶ they buy things for their life in camps.

There are ten members in a section of Pioneers or Elfins. At the head of a section is a Kin, he or she is the leader of the section. The Kin organizes the Pioneers and the Elfins, helps them in their games and studies.

The Woodcraft Folk have pen-friends in other countries. They write letters to children of other countries. They want to know how children and young people live there, how they learn and how they play.

The Woodcraft Folk are also fighters for peace in the world. Kins and the Pioneers often take part in meetings and demonstrations.

Дата добавления: 2015-08-03