The Cadets. 

The Van Groningens. Trowel & Sword, September 1965

Preamble: Four week’s ago we published “Jesus Christ Lord of Life and Cadets” by Prof. George van Groningen, which appeared in T&S in November 1967. It was a passionate defence of the Cadet movement introduced into Australia two years earlier, also by Prof V.G. This article tells the story of how it all came about – at the suggestion of one of his sons. It is interesting to note that the churches across “the Ditch” in New Zealand had beaten Australia to the punch (again) and already had Cadets up and running when van Groningen started Cadets in Geelong. It would be interesting to know how and when Cadets started in New Zealand. Does anybody know/remember?

The Cadets.

Geelong youth leaders made four attempts in the past seven years to plan and develop a programme of instruction, youth activities and fellowship for the boys and girls.

The first attempt was the Saturday Morning School. This received the backing of the parents, good support from the session. The Saturday Morning school is still functioning.

The second attempt was to form a Junior Youth Club. The club was intended for boys and girls from 10-15 years of age. Bible study, craft (hand work), games, outings, etc. were on the schedule. A few leaders worked hard. But slowly on attendance dropped and ere long there were more leaders present at a meeting than boys and girls.

A third attempt was made. It was an attempt to revive the afternoon club. Junior choir practice was added as a feature. However, this new attempt did not succeed either. For a few years the youth aged 10-15 had nothing in the way of Christian fellowship and specific youth activities. The two Saturday afternoon clubs were, it seems, patterned too much after the Senior youth clubs, emphasis on study, discussions, etc. “The youth were expected to act older than they were”, might be a way to sum the matter up. Probably it is still better said this way: “The former attempts did not properly allow for the broad range of interests that 10-15 year old boys and girls have.

In 1963, when we visited in the U.S., our boys visited Cadet clubs. They were enthused about the meetings. One of our sons said as we were preparing to return to Australia, “I’d be completely ready to go back if we had Cadet meetings in Australia.” As parents we resolved to see what could be done to satisfy the boy’s desires.

We made a visit to the Cadet Headquarters in Grand Rapids. (200 Commerce Ave.; S.W. Grand Rapids, Mich, U.S.A.) We learned there, and subsequent to that visit, that the Cadet Corps is both international and interdenominational, though it is and remains a strongly Reformed youth movement. Cadet clubs were functioning in the U.S.A., Canada, Argentina and New Zealand. We learned that an Australian Council could be formed. As a Council the Australians would be part of the greater international Corps, drawing supplies from the headquarters in the U.S. The Council would be allowed latitude and freedom to develop the Cadet work in such a way that the Cadet programme would best suit Australian needs and yet remain within the broad framework of the Cadet Corps.

Soon after our arrival in Geelong in 1964 we called the parents together to discuss the possibility of organising a Cadet club. The parents were enthusiastic. In mid-winter the club was formed. Nineteen boys became Cadets. Four counsellors began to prepare for the meetings. In September ’64 the Geelong club became members of the Cadet Corps – club No. 440. A special Council patch – with the Kangaroo on it – was prepared in Grand Rapids specifically for the Australian Cadets.

Tasmania folk heard of the attempt in Geelong and ere long a Cadet club was formed in Kingston. Meanwhile a Cadet club was (also) formed in Brisbane.

The specific emphasis of the Cadet Corps is to train boys for Christian leadership. To do this, the spiritual, social, physical and cultural aspects of a boy’s life are combined into a beautifully balanced programme. Bible study, hikes, discussions, hand work, games, outings and projects are all included in the schedule.

Good leaders are very necessary as counsellors. Requests for a Cadet and Calvinette leaders meeting has been suggested. Some preliminary discussion is now being held about a long weekend camp for leaders. This “training camp” , if it is held, will be in Victoria late January or early February 1966.

The Cadet movement thus is geared to fill a real part in the boy’s life. The Cadet Corps received strong support from the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church (U.S.) in 1951. A synodical committee made a study of the Boy Scout movement and found it to be thoroughly humanistic, even if it was adjusted to a church organisation or sponsored by a local congregation. The committee also heard that young boys who became enthusiastic scouts while young were often lukewarm and cool to the church as they grew older. These factors may well apply in Australia also.

Some parents, when they first hear of the Cadet programme, think it quite expensive. In Geelong we have found that 36 sh(illings – $3.60) per boy, as an initial outlay, provides each boy with a kerchief and slide, a cadet guide book, cadet emblem, council patch and recruit stripe. A Cadet flag for the club was purchased. One shilling and sixpence (15 cents) per week after that pays for general expenses and the CRUSADER, the monthly boys magazine – containing Bible studies, stories, craft helps, merit badge explanations, jokes, etc. The uniform is the plain grey twill shorts and shirt, grey socks and plain shoes.

In the first year of operation, the Cadet club in Geelong has been enthusiastic, lively and most helpful. The Cadets have cheerfully paid their dues to date and all have been able to pay their initial expense. Truly, they paid little money compared to the immense benefits they received in spiritual growth and fellowship and in terms of plain good boys’ fun and activity.

The Calvinette programme is organised somewhat differently. An article on Calvinettes will appear in a later issue. 

The van Groningens

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