Figure 1.-- Sıtkı Sanoplu founded the Cub Scout program (1950). We are not sure why the Cub Program was so delayed in Turkey. Here we see a new Turkish Cub, we think in the late-1950s. Note how perfectly turned out he is. He even has a Cub belt. That suggests there was a substantial program functioning.

Turkish Scouting began in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. Gym teachers Ahmet and Abdurrahman Robenson had read about British Scouting. They were gym teachers at the Galatasaray and Kabataş high schools in Constantinople/ İstanbul l (1909). Nafi Arif Kansu and Ethem Nejat were also involved at the same time. They organized the first Scouting units. This was done at Darüşşafaka, Galatasaray, and İstanbul high schools. We see similar activity in the Arab provinces of the Empire (Lebanon and Syria). Additional units were founded during World War I. The Österreichischer Pfadfinderbund (Austrian Scout Assciation) was involved. The Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers which include the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. An Austro-Hungarian Scout unit was founded in Constantinople (1915). This unit was instrumental in founding Scout units, again in Arab areas, Damascus, Beirut and Aleppo. One source reports that only after the founding of the Republic of Turkey were further Scout units founded in Turkey (1923). We see Scouting units beginning to appear in schools (1926). In 1923, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In 1926, Scouting activities began to be organized nationwide in schools. After World War II, Ahmet Han, the Director of Scouting, and Muhittin Akdik, the Director of Education in İstanbuul, made a fact-finding tour of France, the United Kingdom and Switzerland to study the Scouting movenent (1946). They set out to renew the Turkish Scouting movement along Western lines. Sıtkı Sanoplu founded the Cub Scout program (1950). Cub packs were formed in the coeducational primary schools and were coed. The boys and girls were, however, grouped in separate sixes/dens. The Cubmasters/Akelas were mostly womem. Upon the disolution of the Soviet Union, some thought was given to to assist in the creation of Scout movements in the Turkic Central Asian republics -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (1991). Little was actually done. The current Scouting and Guiding Federation of Turkey was legally organized (1992). It was part of the General Directorate of Youth and Sport. The Federation becane an autonomous organization (2007). Turkey has an annual Scout week. It is called "The Scout - The Helper". Scouts and Guides participate in community service projects, helping in hospitals, the Red Crescent Association, and similar organizations. Others plant trees around villages in the countryside as part of a Ministry of Agriculture project. There is a Sea Scout mobement in Turkey, although we have only been able to find limited information. We notice some publicatioins. And we have found a portrait of a Turkish Sea Scout. It is undated, but looks like the 1950s to us.

Chronology

Turkish Scouting began in the final years of the Ottoman Empire. Gym teachers Ahmet and Abdurrahman Robenson had read about British Scouting. They were gym teachers at the Galatasaray and Kabataş high schools in Constantinople/ İstanbul l (1909). Nafi Arif Kansu and Ethem Nejat were also involved at the same time. They organized the first Scouting units. This was done at Darüşşafaka, Galatasaray, and İstanbul high schools. We see similar activity in the Arab provinces of the Empire (Lebanon and Syria). Additional units were founded during World War I. The Österreichischer Pfadfinderbund (Austrian Scout Assciation) was involved. The Ottoman Empire entered World War I on the side of the Central Powers which include the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. An Austro-Hungarian Scout unit was founded in Constantinople (1915). This unit was instrumental in founding Scout units, again in Arab areas, Damascus, Beirut and Aleppo. We note a photograph of a Scout group (1918). Unfortunately we know nothing else about the group. Only after the founding of the Republic of Turkey were further Scout units founded in Turkey (1923). We see Scouting units beginning to appear in schools (1926). In 1923, following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. In 1926, Scouting activities began to be organized nationwide in schools. After World War II, Ahmet Han, the Director of Scouting, and Muhittin Akdik, the Director of Education in İstanbuul, made a fact-finding tour of France, the United Kingdom and Switzerland to study the Scouting movenent (1946). They set out to renew the Turkish Scouting movement along Western lines. Sıtkı Sanoplu founded the Cub Scout program (1950).

Cub Program

Sıtkı Sanoplu founded the Cub Scout program (1950). We are not sure why the Cub Program was so delayed in Turkey. Here we see a new Turkish Cub, we think in the late-1950s (gigure 1). Note how perfectly turned out he is. He even has a Cub belt. That suggests there was a substantial program functioning. Cub packs were formed in the coeducational primary schools and were coed. The boys and girls were, however, grouped in separate sixes/dens. The Cubmasters/Akelas were mostly womem.

Central Asia

Upon the disolution of the Soviet Union, some thought was given to to assist in the creation of Scout movements in the Turkic Central Asian republics -- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (1991). Little was actually done.

Association

The current Scouting and Guiding Federation of Turkey was legally organized (1992). It was part of the General Directorate of Youth and Sport. The Federation becane an autonomous organization (2007).

Turkish Scout Week

Turkey has an annual Scout week. It is called "The Scout - The Helper". Scouts and Guides participate in community service projects, helping in hospitals, the Red Crescent Association, and similar organizations. Others plant trees around villages in the countryside as part of a Ministry of Agriculture project.

Sea Scouts

There is a Sea Scout Program in Turkey, although we gave only been able to find very little information anout it. We notice some publicationsm but nothing about the actual program. And we have found a portrait of a Turkish Sea Scout. It is undated, but looks like the 1950s to us. We suspect that there is information available in Sea Scoiting in Turkey, but mostly in Turlish and thus dies not show up in English on the internet.