of the Boy Scouts Association of the Netherlands, in Amstelveen, was named after the well-known naturalist and educator Jacob P. Thijsse. He was the author of several card-albums published by Verkade in the 1910's, a.o. Texel, Friesland, De Vecht and Dunes.

On November 1, 1947, my first day as a boyscout, the Scoutmaster was "Hopman" Wittkamper, the Assistant Scoutmaster Wim Vink, and there were two "patrols": the Eagles and the Sparrows, each with about 8 scouts. All winter, we worked fixing up our 'new' club-house in the "De Braak" park, a five minute walk from my house. I also passed numerous tests in knots and splices, signalling, first aid, camping, etc.

Other projects I recall are participation in the 700th anniversary of Amsterdam, and the Coronation of Queen Juliana in 1948, a detailed mapping project in the dunes of Bloemendaal, tours to Schiphol, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, acting as guides and interpreters at the Second International Congress for the Education of Maladjusted Children (July,1949), hosting a mixed troop of French scouts (boys and girls) and attending the Nationaal Kamp-Jamboree in Ommen - de Brink, in 1950. (below) : visit of H.M. Queen Juliana to Ommen, 1950