History
How it all began
In 1969, the scouts from the East-Brabant area (VVKS) asked to the former Louvain's scouts to help them to organize an exhibition over the history of scouting. The old scouts agreed with pleasure and start immediately the job.
They took contact with the former leaders, well and less known, and got together all what could represent the past and present of scouting and guiding.
Thus, their first exhibition was organized on 17th and 18th May 1969 on the occasion of the 50th birthday of scouting in the East-Brabant area (VVKS). It was a great success.
Why not to continue?
As they had collected a real treasure with all kinds of objects and documents -some were exceptional, unique or real ancient- the idea rose up to let this at the disposal of all the groups who wanted to organize an exhibition for their unit celebration or any else event.
During the next 10 years thus, about fifty exhibitions were organized, first around Brabant and afterwards in the whole country. The old scouts of Louvain constructed, transported and proposed their material. If asked, it was also possible to present an exhibition of recent documents.
Expansion
All the country has been visited to enlarge the collection. Little by little, a collaboration team was build. All of them came from Louvain's scouting units. A few names: Libert Rosseeuw, Charles Leribaux, Englebert Carleer, Jean Delcon, Wieke Janssens, Pierre Lefever, Gerard Marant, Albert Peleman, Roger Quintens, Emile Rayé and their wife's.
In the meantime, around 1975, under the direction of Charles Leribaux, the "Archives" began to be more and more independent. New collaborators joined the pioneers. Supports and collaborations came from the whole country and from the 5 scouting and guiding associations of Belgium.
Het Nationaal Scouts Archief (NSA)
The statutes of the "National Scouting Archives" were established on 1st October 1976 and published one year later, on 13th October 1977 inside the "Moniteur Belge/Staatsblad", creating the official association who's still managing them today.
The Managing Committee was compounded of :
Charles Leribaux, President
René Walgrave, Vice-président
Emile Rayé, Secretary
Roger Quintens, Treasurer
Today, preserve the past for the future
The NSA is now situated in a trend that confirmed her first vocation : set up and illustrate the history of scouting and guiding in Belgium –and over the world- with all kinds of documents.
The 11th April 1978, the "Interfédérale du Scoutisme et Guidisme de Belgique" ("the Hexagon") and his secretary Paul Baggerman recognized officially the existence of the ANS/NSA. This association became in 1979: "Guiding and Scouting in Belgium" (GSB) and unit still today the 5 associations for guiding and scouting of Belgium ; it represents them at WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) and WOSM (World Association of the Scout Movement).
One year later, on 14th March 1979, the ANS/NSA were recognized by the committees of old scouts and old guides: «Kontakt-Komite van Oud-Scouts en Oud-Gidsen van België», «Fraternité de Route / Fegaseg» (Fédération des Groupements d’Anciens Scouts et Guides), S.G.A.B./O.S.O.G.B. (Scouts et Guides Adultes de Belgique/Oud Scouts en Gidsen van België) and V.O.S.O.G. (Vlaamse Oud-Scouts en Oud-Gidsen).
Spring 1979: the first number of the quarterly magazine "Archief" came out of press for the Flemish members of the association. For the French-speaking members, the 1st number of "Archives" has been published in June 1982. In 1984, the first number of "Museum-Echo" for the Flemish spoken and "Les amis du musée du scoutisme" was published. This doesn't existing anymore.
Housing
The most important event of 1979 was the disposal by the City of Louvain of a workshop inside a technical school of Heverlee (Waversebaan). The library and the beginning of a "museum" could be developed: magazines, books and all kind of objects.
On the international side
In 1978, the ANS/NSA are present during the first meeting of the European Archivists for Scouting and Guiding, which were compound about 3 countries. The second meeting was held in Louvain with delegates from 9 European countries. On the occasion, the permanent exhibition has been enlarged. We began to speak about a scout's museum "under construction".
In 1983, during the 3rd meeting in Zwolle, a secretary ship for the "European Archivists for Scouting and Guiding" was erected and committed to Belgium, i.e. to the ANS/NSA.
Since October 1984, the ANS/NSA are responsible for the bilingual magazine A.M.S.E.-ECHO (French/English) «Archives and Museum of Scouting in Europe/Archives et Musées du Scoutisme en Europe».
The move
In the summer 1981, the ANS/NSA received an advice from the City of Louvain mentioned that the renting of the space in Heverlee would be finished on 1st December 1981. Another place was given at disposal from the City: the chapel of the Saint Gertrud's Abbey (Vaartstraat – Louvain). This conducted to a move of all collections, library and material. No less than 13 trucks were needed and the entire move happened with courage and good mood.
Installatie
During the winter 1981-1982, a lot of work was put into building the 3 parts of the museum :
- the documentation center: regroups all written witnesses of the Belgian pioneers of scouting and guiding, from the actual movements and the magazines from the 5 associations of our country.
- the library: more than 4,000 books about scouting and guiding in our country and elsewhere in different languages.
- the National Scouts Museum: shows the badges, the pictures and all kind of objects that illustrated scouting and guiding inside the country and all over the world.
Establishment
The 5th April 1982 was the day of the National Scouting Museum's inauguration, in the Chapel of Saint Gertrud's with a very interested public.
From numbers of visitors, this museum is certainly one of the most completed of Europe. Some says "the most completed over the world…" ?
"I have gone home"
The death of Charles Leribaux, on 20th January 1987, was for us a great lost. He was president of the ANS/NSA from the beginning until his death. He has, together with his collaborators, created a memorial "The National Scouting Archives" and "The National Scouts Museum". As he write himself: "in memory of the worlds founder of Scouting, Lord Robert Baden-Powell of Gilwell and as a tribute to all the national and international pioneers. Like this youth movement that was build with few but with a lot of enthusiasm and improvisation". His successor was René Walgrave who died on 21st February 2001. He followed the road of Charles Leribaux and, together with his team, looked further inside the 5 associations to get younger collaborators.
The visitors
The number of visitors fluctuates from year to year: peak of 3,200 people in 1989 for the ANS/NSA 20th birthday.Outside the groups and individuals visitors from Belgium and foreigners, the ANS/NSA welcome academic people who wants to study the movement and also people looking to the history of their units.
From 1969 until now, it represents 35 years of archives, exhibitions and it continue with a lot of enthusiasm…
