Pathfinder camp geometry

Basic Axioms

  1. When Guiders work together with girls, their varied individual approaches to Guiding must satisfy the following equation: Guiding is for fun and challenge, or G = F + C.

  2. For every Pathfinder P, there is an equal and opposite Pathfinder P’, whose attitude and behaviour is 180 degrees different.

  3. In every Pathfinder group, there is at least one girl who is extremely mature for her age. The converse is also true.

  4. If a certain Pathfinder, P, forgets her uniform or other items on a certain day, she will forget similar items on other days also.

  5. A camp quartermaster provides food for Pathfinders and their leaders. Each day at camp, breakfast, lunch and dinner are greater than or equal to three square meals.

  6. The number of socks brought home from camp by any Pathfinder is greater than or less than, but never equal to the number of socks she packed before leaving.

  7. Both the rewards (R) and pitfalls (P) of volunteering as a Guider for a group of Pathfinders is greater than the sum of their parts.

    Ratios and Proportions

  8. The noise generated by thirteen 13-year old girls together is greater than the sum of the noise generated by each of these same girls alone.

  9. The puberty variable forms an inverse ratio with the attention span, which drops as puberty hormone levels rise.

  10. Let the Pathfinder Guiders be A and B. On the return journey from camp, the sum of the energy of A and B is less than one quarter the sum of their energy on the outward journey.

    Prime Numbers

  11. Thirteen Pathfinders is a prime number for creating mischief.

  12. A Guider must be equal to practically anything.

    Camping Weather Laws

  13. If a girl forgets to bring her boots to camp, the probability that it will rain or snow rises exponentially.

  14. If the camp takes place in cabins, there is a high probability of fine weather.

  15. If the camp involves setting up and sleeping in tents, there is an extremely high probability of rain or snow.

  16. The more a girl enjoys Pathfinders, the higher the probability that she will encourage her friends to join. However, there is a certain critical maximum beyond which a unit cannot rise. If numbers rise beyond this limit, the Guiders will go crazy.

I am indebted to Stephen Leacock for the inspiration of “Boarding House Geometry.”

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