1959 In January 1959, because of growth in scout numbers, patrols were asked to create patrol dens at various houses. Dens were generally in someone's garage and some of dens were fairly impressive with libraries, knot boards, progress charts recording progress to second class and first class and proficiency badges. Den logbooks were kept and there was a prize for the best logbook at the end of the year. The system of patrols and their dens fostered ingenuity with competitions and wide games between dens. In a sense the system operated as a type of franchise and relied on patrols to be self-inventive.

Den nights were usually on two Friday nights a month with a combined meeting at the scout hut on the other Fridays. Hilary introduced patrol leaders and seconds meetings as his house on the last Thursday each month, and the scouts were instructed in planning, drawing up agendas and taking minutes.

There was an increase in scouting and cubbing personnel and assistance from parents. Ron Justice, who had become a Queen's scout in the Northern Cape in 1953, became an assistant scout master as did Basil (Scotty) Scott and Harold Robinson, who had been a scout with Hilary Griffiths in Durban. John Yates was also an assistant scoutmaster until he left to farm near Heidelburg. In cubs, Mrs Lottering had been a cub mistress and was succeeded by Wanda Meano and Mrs Olive Scott.

Bob-a-Job week took place in the July school holidays. Scouts wearing uniforms and carrying their pre-printed Bob-a-Job cards would canvas households for jobs like watering gardens, sweeping leaves and painting picket fences, for which they would be paid one bob (10 cents). Some housewives would regard this as a nuisance and pay the bob to get rid of the scout. Unfortunately, an hour later another scout would appear and lo and behold yet another soon afterwards. Strafford Damon won the award for the highest total for the second year in a row by collecting ₤2.10 shillings (R2.50). Considering that a chocolate bar like a Kit-Kat was 5 cents, the equivalent today would be about R400 – no mean feat.

In December 1959 after Christmas, Harold Robinson and Scotty, nobly volunteered to run a scout camp at Winkelspruit on the South Coast. So about 20-30 scouts from 1st Wychwood and a handful from 1st Bedfordview set off by train to Durban and then by road to Winkelspruit. On the train, some scouts ate contaminated sardines and suffered from mild food poisoning.

In Winkelspruit, four scouts, in an attempt at daring and excitement and to supplement their diets, raided a nearby banana plantation and set off back to the camp with a large bunch of very green bananas. Unfortunately the farmer was waiting for them at the end of the road with the police, who transported them back to camp. The farmer, police and scouters were not so much dismayed by the daring raid but by the sheer stupidity of stealing green bananas, which would have taken weeks to ripen. The guilty scouts apologised to all and were put on permanent kitchen duty. A feature of the times was the daily allowance of half-a-crown or two shillings and sixpence (25 cents, which would be equivalent to about R40 today) per scout was sufficient for a daily supply of cokes, sweets and ice-creams and was funded by parents.

1960 In 1960 the patrol den system continued and so did the increase in scout numbers. By the end of 1960, Hilary decided to move senior patrol leaders and seconds to a senior scout patrol called the Wingate patrol, named after Orde Wingate who led the Chindits in Burma in the Second World War. At about the same time, George McLean, who was an Assistant District Commissioner, started the rovers for scouts who had reached the age of 18. The rovers were active in community projects like assisting at blood donations. George was a fencing enthusiast, and under his guidance, rovers became adept at the epee and saber and eagerly displayed their fencing skills at scout gatherings and parents' evenings. Unfortunately army conscription gained momentum after 1961 and most scouts were called up after schooling, depriving rovers of their supply of recruits.

Harold Robinson, who had a keen sense of adventure, took the senior scouts and rovers climbing and abseiling in the Roodepoort Hills. His grey panel van would be loaded with ropes, carabiners, belts, food and drink and scouts. The activity was extended to potholing and spelunking in the limestone area, which was said to run from Roodepoort to Pretoria, including the Sterkfontein caves where Mrs Ples was found by Robert Broom in 1947. Some of the holes had sheer drops of about 30 metres, but the team soon got the hang of belaying, leopard crawling, climbing narrow chimneys and using special headlamps. Some of the grottos were as big as churches, with stalagmites and stalactites and were often linked by tall narrow chimneys or passages less than a metre high. This created a sense of claustrophobia and required a great deal of reliance and confidence in team members. Unfortunately this was brought to an end by the local health authorities after cases of histoplasmosis from bat droppings were reported in the Northern Transvaal and the authorities feared outbreaks in the local area.

In July two scouts represented 1st Wychwood at the Jamborally in Barberton. There were interesting visits to the old stock exchange, historical mines in the area and other events organised by the Barberton Town Council. They also had a surprise visit from Hilary. By all accounts the most exciting event was the major food fight on the train back from Barberton to Pretoria. The three Bain-Venn brothers, Victor, Robert and Michael distinguished themselves by being awarded their first class badges at the same troop meeting.

In October four scouts became Queen Scouts and were invested at Gilwell in Florida in early December. They were Anthony Mayne, Keith Rae, Rodney Jee and Bruce Hill (Keith later became an Assistant Scoutmaster at 1st Wychwood). The four added to Pieter Lansberg and Stanley Winer, who had become Queen Scouts in 1955 and 1957 respectively. In the 70 years from 1949 to 14 May 2019, 1st Wychwood produced 23 Queen/Springbok scouts.

In December 1960 after Christmas, Harold, not having learnt from the perils and misfortunes of the previous year, took a group of 1st Wychwood scouts camping at the B-P Scout Camp at Morningside in Durban North. Their favourite beach was the North beach and the favourite restaurant/beach café was the Sunkist, until a scout dropped half-a-dozen stinkbombs in the restaurant. The restaurant had to be evacuated and the scouts were banned by the management, depriving them of their supply of coke-floats and ice-creams. Although there was a sneaking admiration from his peers for such cunning, the culprit underwent a “borseling” back at camp. At camp, we were glued to Springbok Radio to listen to “It's the Surf Show Pick-a-Box” hosted by Bob Courtney. Hilary and Molly Griffiths had been selected as married contestants and we were hoping they would win a car by choosing the winning box or a high cash prize. They did well, winning R100.

1961 1961 saw 1st Wychwood staging its own Gang Show. Hilary had participated in a previous Gang Show performed in Johannesburg and drawing a cast from many groups. So he mooted the idea of 1st Wychwood doing its own show. The group didn't hold the rights, and so decided on the title “Sing as we Go” and received permission from the Ralph Reader organisation to use some Gang Show material. The local Gang Show organisation kindly lent some costumes including the lavish Can-Can costumes.

Joe Jee who was a lecturer in metalwork and engineering at John Orr Technical College and had his own lathe and machinery, handled technical details like lighting, backdrops, set construction and scene changes. Leland Mayne an accountant, dealt with financial issues, planning and logistics, permissions to perform and copyright issues and Harold Robinson, who had had input from the Gang Show in London, with multiple tasks. Hilary was key in organising the troop and scout logistics. Mr Annandale the principal of Primrose Hill Primary School, kindly allowed the troop to use a classroom for rehearsals and his wife Betty, who was an artist, was persuaded to paint some sets and backdrops. A small orchestra under Renier music teacher from Primrose, who could play multiple instruments and a drummer were recruited. Mrs Winifred Reynolds became the pianist of choice.

The key act was to be the Can-Can from Offenbach's 1890 Paris, so an attractive 21 year old ballet teacher, Joy Cooper, who had a studio in Primrose Hill, agreed to teach the boys the Can-Can. The prospect of being taught by a cool young ballet teacher meant that there was no shortage of applicants for the role of dancer, but the selection procedure and physical demands and practice hours were too arduous for some and so a core of about 10 scouts was selected. Parents were allocated to each act to help with the learning of lines and performance and a producer, who had been involved in repertory theatre in England, provided expert advice. After months of rehearsal, by the end of May, the troop was ready to perform.

A large billboard at the entrance of Germiston's Commissioner Street was rented, which read “Sing as we Go, a Scout Show by 1st Wychwood Scouts”. The Germiston City Hall was rented for three nights and sets, backdrops, tickets, transport, lighting and support staff and an arts reviewer from The Germiston Advocate were organised. Mothers and sisters were roped in for make-up duty and to apply cold cream after the show.

The show began with two 11 year old scouts, Keith Finniss and David Stewart sitting in front of the closed curtains wondering what it would be like to have a scout show. The curtains opened with the cast singing “Sing as we Go” (and let the world go by; singing a song we'll march along the highway…). The show stopper was a pastiche of the 1890's Offenbach's Can-Can in Paris, with the Maurice Chevalier hit from Gigi (Thank heavens for little girls) and the Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren song “Doctor I'm in trouble, well goodness gracious me,…, boom, pooty boom, pooty boom boom boom)”. These were expertly lip-synched and acted by Paul and Ian Records, in top hats and tails and Sophia Loren drag. The Can-Can followed to rapturous applause.

Other hits were The Baby Show, Four Red Indians and a sketch by a bard tracing campfire singing from ancient times to the present day. The show closed with the nostalgic “These are the times we will dream about (and we'll call them the good old days)”.

South Africa became a Republic on 31 May 1961 and Hilary presented Dennis Wescomb with the first Springbok badge for 1st Wychwood on the Germiston City Hall stage. The Germiston Advocate reviewer kindly wrote that the show was the best variety show ever.

The show then went on tour and performed at the recreation hall at the Modderfontein Dynamite Factory followed by a performance at the MOTH hall in Johannesburg.

It took a while to return to normal scouting activities. The troop won the district inter-troop football contest in Primrose. A 1st Wychwood scout also won the inaugural Bata 50 mile hike competition for Transvaal also coming second in the country (see graphic below). In December 1961 Harold again took scouts camping to the B-P camp in Durban, this time without incident. By now conscription had become a reality and many of the scouts, eager to get good matric results before spending 9 months in the army, left scouts during grade 10 or 11 in 1961 and 1962.