A Day in the Jungle

Cambridge District Scout Archive

The Day in the Jungle was a catchall description of a Wolf Cub activity day away from base. 
It was a term used in The Scouter and often used for District events, most often for Wolf Cub events at Abington.

Records are missing for part of the 1950’s and the records are gathered from many sources. It does appear that this District event was the norm.

Cambridge Archives

1932    ‘Day in the Jungle’ event        Abington          64 Cubs

Abington campsite: the year of opening

1933    ‘Day in the Jungle’ event

1935    Can’t be at Abington

1936    ‘Day in the jungle’ at Uplands Great Shelford            courtesy of Miss Marguerite de Beaumont Akela 61st

1940    ‘Day in the jungle’ at the Gogs             ‘Sir Harold Gray granted the use of the Gogs’

1941    ‘Day in the Jungle’      Abington

1951    ‘Day in the jungle’ at the Gogs           ‘Sir Harold Gray granted the use of the Gogs’

1958    ‘Day in the Jungle’      Exning Park with Newmarket

1960    ‘Day in the Jungle’ 300 + attended

1961    ‘Day in the Jungle’ Abington 300+ attended

1962    ‘Day in the Jungle’ Abington

1963    ‘Day in the Jungle’ Abington

1964    ‘Day in the Jungle’ Planned where?

1965    ‘Day in the Jungle’ Abington

1966    ‘Day in the Jungle’      renamed Day in Space to fall in with Jubilee theme

1967    It was observed ‘A day in the jungle or any other name as we no longer have a jungle’.  It is possible that the undergrowth at Abington was severely altered at this time, however, see Advance report below.

The Advance Report

The 1966 Advance report recommended

            ‘That the Jungle Book theme be retained as the imaginative background to introducing Cub Scouting to 8 to 9 year old boys, but that after the ninth birthday this background theme be phased out and that certain techniques in common use be discontinued.’

            ‘The Jungle Book be used as stories in their own right…’

            ‘The Jungle Book is timeless, is used by 35 of the 48 Associations throughout the world as the framework of their activities…’

            ‘and the use of the terms Old Wolves. Palaver, Tenderpad, Council Rock and Leaping Wolf should cease.’

1968    Day at Abington          (very successful)

1969    Day at Abington

‘A Day in the Country’ was used to used to describe some jaunts before the
change of terminology in 1966/ 67.  The difference between ‘Jungle and ‘Country’ is not clear.

JWR Archivist 2019