In 1928 the Court of Honour of the 7th Cambridge minuted
‘Barrett also suggested that the excellent practice of regular examination of teeth be continued in the future. The difficulty then arose as to who should examine the teeth. It was suggested that Barrett himself assume this office.’
Barrett did pick up this role at the following meeting. No other record of this examination has been located. It should be noted that the 7th was the County School and, it may be assumed, the children were largely not from families with poor eating habits.
‘Barrett’ was Arthur Max Barrett, recently named T/L and possibly the Max mentioned in some entries. Later his sons would attend the County and become Scouts, one, Roger who adopted the name Syd. Max became a noted medical Doctor at Addenbrookes and Cambridge University.
Other than the general health benefits of being an active Scout, badges from this era included Healthy man, Public Health and Missioner (care of the sick). Elsewhere it was suggested that showers in Scout HQs would be of service. At this time the Bath House along Mill Road forfilled just that role – the chimney for heating the boilers stills stands. The caretakers house attached to the District HQ in Paradise/ Grafton Street had no internal bath house or lavatory.
The unsmiling Scouter above is the Rev Sadd (see People/ Individuals/ Scouters up at Cambridge). I do not know what his teeth were like but he is unlikely to have been sent to the Gilbert Islands with inadequate gnashers. Despite appearances he was not (sad).
JWR
Cambridge District Scout Archive 