Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts Part 16

To Halt

To arrest the march in quick or double time: 1 _Squad_ (or if the full troop is drilling _Company_), 2 _Halt_.

At the command _Halt_, given as either foot strikes the ground, plant the other foot as in marching; raise and place the first foot by the side of the other. If in double time, drop the hands by the sides.

To March by the Flank

Being in march: 1 _By the Right (or left) Flank_, 2 _March_.

At the command _March_, given as the right foot strikes the ground, advance and plant the left foot, then face to the right in marching and step off in the new direction with the right foot.

To March to the Rear

Being in march: 1 _To the Rear_, 2 _March_.

At the command _March_, given as the right foot strikes the ground, advance and plant the left foot; turn to the right about on the b.a.l.l.s of both feet and immediately step off with the left foot.

If marching in double time, turn to the right about, taking four steps in place, keeping the cadence, and then step off with the left foot.

Change Step

Being in march: 1 _Change Step_, 2 _March_.

At the command _March_, given as the right foot strikes the ground, advance and plant the left foot; plant the toe of the right foot near the heel of the left and step off with the left foot.

The change on the right foot is similarly executed, the command _March_ being given as the left foot strikes the ground.

SECOND CLa.s.s DRILL

_Fall In._ (_Described in Tenderfoot Drill._)

_Count Off._

At this command all except the right file execute _Eyes Right_, and beginning on the right, the Scouts in each rank count _One_, _Two_, _Three_, _Four_; each turns her head and eyes to the front as she counts.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GIRL SCOUT UNIFORM--ONE PIECE]

Alignments

1 _Right (or Left) Dress_, 2 _Front_. (Described in Tenderfoot Drill.)

To preserve the alignment when marching; _Guide Right_ (_or left_). The Scouts preserve their intervals from the side of the guide, yielding to pressure on that side and resisting pressure from the opposite direction; they recover intervals, if lost, by gradually opening out or closing in; they recover alignment by slightly lengthening or shortening the step; the rear rank Scouts cover their file leaders at forty inches.

To Take Distance

(Formation for signalling or for setting-up exercises.)

Being in line at a halt having counted off: 1 _Take Distance at four paces_, 2 _March_; 3 _Squad (or company), Halt_.

At the command _March_, each Scout in succession starting at four paces apart and beginning with No. 1 of the front rank, followed by 2, 3, 4 and 1, 2, 3, 4 of the rear rank, marches straight forward until the order Squad, Halt is given. The command _Halt_ is given when all have their distances.

(Word to instructors: Where the floor s.p.a.ce is limited it is advisable to have the Scouts take the half step in executing this formation or move at two paces.)

If more than one squad is in line, each squad executes the movement as above simultaneously.

Being at distances, to a.s.semble the squad (or company):

1 _a.s.semble_, 2 _March_.

At the command _March_, No. 1 of the front rank stands fast; the other members move forward to their proper places in the line.

The Oblique March

For the instruction of the recruits, the squad being in column or correctly aligned, the instructor causes the Scouts to face half right and half left, points out to them their relative positions, and explains that these are to be maintained in the oblique march.

1 _Right (or Left) Oblique_, 2 _March_.

At the command _March_, each Scout steps off in a direction forty-five degrees to the right of her original front. She preserves her relative position, keeping her shoulders parallel to those of the guide, and so regulates her steps that the ranks remain parallel to their original front.

At the command _Halt_ the Scouts face to the front.

To resume the original directions: 1 _Forward_, 2 _March_.

The Scouts half face to the left in marching and then move straight to the front.

To Turn on Moving Pivot

Begin in line: 1 _Right (or left) Turn_, 2 _March_.

(This applies to the single squad; if the whole troop is drilling and is in column of squads, or twos, the command would be: 1 _Column Right_ (_or left_), 2 _March_.)

The movement is executed by each rank successively and on the same ground. At the second command, the pivot Scout of the front rank faces to the right in marching and takes the half step; the other Scouts of the rank oblique to the right until opposite their places in line, then execute a second right oblique and take the half step on arriving abreast of the pivot Scout. All glance toward the marching flank while at half step and take the full step without command as the last Scout arrives on the line.

_Right_ (_or left_) Half Turn is executed in a similar manner. The pivot Scout makes a half change of direction to the right and the other Scouts make quarter changes in obliquing.

To Turn on a Fixed Pivot

Being in line, to turn and march: 1 _Squad Right_ (_or left_), 2 _March_.

At the second command, the right flank Scout in the front rank faces to the right in marching and marks time; the other front rank Scouts oblique to the right, place themselves abreast of the pivot, and mark time. In the rear rank the third Scout from the right, followed in column by the second and first, moves straight to the front until in the rear of her front rank Scout, when all face to the right in marching and mark time; the other number of the rear rank moves straight to the front four paces and places herself abreast of the Scout on her right. Scouts on the new line glance toward the marching flank while marking time and, as the last Scout arrives on the line, both ranks execute _Forward March_ without further command.