Rangoon Chinese National Primary School in Burma was founded in 1919. The Chinese educator Huang Yanpei presented the school with a calligraphed signboard, and the old-style charitable school was turned into a formal school. In 1930, the school was reorganized and its administration reformed. Enrollment rose from a little over thirty students to more than ninety.
To take part in that year’s Double Tenth National Day parade, the school organized a Boy Scout troop. When it was first formed, it had only a little over thirty members, enough for one unit. But this marked the beginning of Boy Scout organizations in Rangoon’s Chinese schools.
In the following years, whenever overseas Chinese associations held important gatherings, staged theatrical performances to raise funds, or organized holiday parades, the Scouts were often invited to provide service at the events and received praise from the community. Because of this, Chinese Girls’ Middle School and Overseas Chinese Girls’ Middle School also organized Scout units to serve the Chinese community.
As the Scouts of Chinese National Primary School gained recognition throughout the community, the school began training them in knowledge and practical skills in order to improve the quality of their service. It also added Scout supplies and equipment. But school funds were limited, so teachers’ family members were mobilized to organize a “Scout Uniform and Supplies Department.” They designed and made the items themselves, continually improving them and trying to make them as good as possible.
Eventually, the department not only supplied the school’s own Scouts but also made items for other Chinese schools. Military-style flags, shoulder badges, unit insignia, water bottles, ration bags, and other Scout equipment made by tailor shops throughout the city followed standards, patterns, and production methods supplied by this department.
As Chinese National Primary School expanded and enrollment rose year after year, the Scout troop also needed to grow. In 1938, the school prepared the required Scout documents and submitted an application for registration to the General Association of the Boy Scouts of the Republic of China. The application was approved, and the troop was officially registered as “Chinese Boy Scout Troop 3676.”
On October 24, 1938, a grand ceremony marking the establishment of the troop headquarters was held in the auditorium of Rangoon Chinese National Primary School. The troop leader, instructors, Scouts, and others took their oaths of office. Shen Zuzheng, the Chinese consul general in Rangoon, attended in person to supervise the ceremony.
At that time, seventy-six Scouts at the school had certificates issued by the national Scout association. They were organized into three units.
During the various national-salvation movements of the War of Resistance, Scouts from Rangoon’s Chinese schools were very active. They took part in fundraising, charity sales, performances, propaganda work, and other activities, making a definite contribution.
On September 7 of that year, Jawaharlal Nehru, leader of the Indian National Congress, arrived in Rangoon by train from Lashio. His party supported China’s resistance against Japan, boycotted Japanese goods, and raised funds to aid China. For this reason, the Chinese community sent Scouts from Chinese Girls’ Middle School and National Primary School to take part in the welcoming ceremony.
Nehru arrived at the station at one in the afternoon. Because the Indian crowd was disorderly and packed tightly together, people pushed and shoved, and several Scouts were unfortunately trampled and injured.
The following morning, Nehru came in person to visit the injured and express his apologies. This was the second time since the founding of the National Primary School Scout unit that Scouts had been injured while carrying out public duties.
The first had occurred on August 2, 1933, when Burmese Chinese held the First All-Burma National-Salvation Representatives Conference at the Central Heaven Theater. Arguments over proposals became intense, order in the hall broke down, and three Scouts who were maintaining order were trampled and injured.
Scouting was highly regarded in the Burmese Chinese community. Whenever Scouts appeared on Rangoon’s Guangdong Street, overseas Chinese residents crowded around to watch. Their ranks were neat, their formation impressive, and their appearance filled the whole street with excitement.
On October 29, 1940, Dai Jitao, vice chairman of the General Association of the Boy Scouts of China, arrived in Rangoon. All of the Scouts from Chinese National Primary School posed for a commemorative photograph with Vice Chairman Dai.
In 1942, the Japanese invaders entered Burma. Chinese schools closed and overseas Chinese fled. All of the materials stored by Troop 3676—including equipment, supplies, and records—were destroyed.
The successive instructors of Boy Scout Troop 3676 were Xie Shuming, Chen Mingliang, He Mingfu, Ouyang Zhi, Chen Jianchang, and Fu Mingji.
After the Second World War, Chinese National Primary School reopened under difficult conditions in 1946, beginning classes on June 1. Scout activities resumed as well.
I entered the upper primary grades there at that time and joined the Scouts. I wore a garrison cap, a yellow khaki shirt and shorts, bright shoulder badges, black leather shoes, and carried a Scout staff. When I marched, my steps snapped sharply. I thought I looked very impressive.
I studied at the school for one year and then transferred to Overseas Chinese Middle School. From then on, I had nothing more to do with Scouting.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Burma established diplomatic relations with China, the Nationalist consul general in Rangoon went over to the new government, and the overseas Chinese community gradually turned toward New China. The various associations and Chinese schools also gradually changed direction.
By then, the Scouts naturally disappeared.