Boys' Life/Volume 1/Number 1/The Boy Scout Movement—What It Is
THE BOY SCOUT
MOVEMENT
WHAT ARE THE BOY SCOUTS?
The BOY SCOUTS is an organization, the purpose of which is character-building for boys between the ages of twelve and eighteen. It is an effort to get boys to appreciate the things about them, and to train them in self-reliance, manhood, and good citizenship. It is Peace-Scouting these boys engage in, living as much as possible out of doors; camping, hiking and learning the secret of the woods and fields. The movement is not essentially military, but the military virtues of discipline, obedience, neatness and order are scout virtues. Endurance, self-reliance, self-control and an effort to help someone else are scout objectives. Every activity that lends itself to these aims is good Scout-craft.
THE BOY SCOUTS IN AMERICA
The Scout idea has sprung up spontaneously all over America. In Canadian cities the Boy Scouts are in the thousands. In the United States, towns and cities are being swept by the idea. Gangs of boys are to be seen on every hand doing their best at Scout-craft, "doing a good turn every day to someone," and getting fun out of it. Prominent business men and our leading educators are behind the movement, and a popular organization that needs no equipment is filling a big gap in the recreational education of the boyhood of America. Great as has been the success of the Boy Scouts in England, America with its vast stretches of territory, woods and streams, furnishes a promise for a greater.
THE AIM OF THE BOY SCOUTS
The aim of the Boy Scouts is to supplement the various existing educational agencies, and to promote the ability in boys to do things for themselves and others. The method is summed up in the term Scout-craft, and is a combination of observation, deduction and handiness or the ability to do. Scout-craft consists of First Aid, Life Saving, Tracking, Signaling, Cycling, Nature Study, Seamanship and other instruction. This is accomplished in games and team play, and is pleasure, not work, for the boy. The only equipment it needs is the out-of-doors, a group of boys and a leader.
HOW TO TEACH SCOUTING
The first point is to get men to take up the instruction of the boys in the art of peace-scouting. The men I have in my mind as the best qualified and able to do this are schoolmasters, clergymen, Legion of Frontiersmen, officers of Cadet Corps, Boys' and Church Lads' Brigades, Rifle Clubs, ex-army officers, telegraph-masters, etc. These could carry out the training of a few boys apiece, with very little expense of time or money, by devoting, say, Saturday afternoons and Sundays to the work, which, I can promise them, they will find a pleasure rather than a labor in practice.
My suggestion to them would be for each to select a party of six or eight youths or smart boys, and carefully instruct them in the details of peace-scouting. These boys could then act as assistant instructors or "patrol leaders" in training each five or six more in the same art. For their assistance I propose to give in detail a progressive course of instruction out of the handbook called "Scouting for Boys," which will be a self-educator and will enable any man, although hitherto unacquainted with scouting in any form, to carry out a course of instruction.
It is also written in such a way that a hoy can read it and understand it for himself. The subjects of instruction could form each the theme for a week-end; work thus taking eight weeks for the complete course which could then he consummated by a week in camp when circumstances permit.
THE BOY SCOUTS
1. Is not opposed to existing organizations.
2. Is not sectarian.
3. Is not military.
4. Does not depend on drill.
THE BOY SCOUTS
1. Is educational.
2. Stands for good citizenship.
3. Engages in peace-scouting activities.
4. Is character-building through well-defined, altruistic effort.
5. Uses every means for development: First Aid, Life-Saving, Manual Training, Tracking, Signaling, Nature Study, Woodcraft, Military Tactics, etc.
SCOUTING NEW COUNTRY
To the majority of the Boy Scouts the country will be new. But that is just the thing for them, as it will stimulate them to individual effort and put them upon their own resources in the scouting games. In going to different places for field work the scouts are gradually becoming acquainted with every neighboring town, with the roads and mountain trails, with the car lines that take them in all directions, and with the peculiarities of each district.
The lessons learned and knowledge gained, together with the healthful exercises and character-building games indulged in, are invaluable to every mother's son and of recognized value to the community. There is not a boy in the whole organization who, after a day's outing of this kind, does not return home with some new and interesting experience to tell.
In every game that is played in the open and under the guidance of reliable scout-masters the lads in khaki learn to use their senses in such a way as to make them efficient in many practical things that could not otherwise be learned. Such experiences make them strong and moral. They are shown how to breathe and how to use their thinking powers; new life is instilled into their muscles and brains and everything is made enjoyable and safe.
THE SCOUT'S OATH
Before he becomes a Scout a boy must take the scout's vow, thus:
"On my honor I promise that I will try to do my best:
"1. To do my duty to God and my country.
"2. To help other people at all times.
"3. To obey the Scout law."
HOW TO ORGANIZE A LOCAL COMMITTEE
Call together the leading men of the town or city, the prominent business men, the leaders of the various religious bodies, the principals and teachers of the schools, Sunday-school superintendents and teachers, representative military men, leaders of boys' club.
THE SCOUT MASTER
The Scout-Master is the adult leader of a troop. A troop consists of three or more patrols. The Scout-Master may begin with one patrol, He must have a deep interest in boys, be genuine in his own life, have the ability to lead and command the boys' respect and obedience and possess some knowledge of boys' ways. He need not be an expert on scout craft. The good Scout-master will discover experts for the various activities.
GENERAL BADEN-POWELL
Founder of the Boy Scout movement
HOW TO ORGANIZE A PATROL
Get together eight or more boys, explain to them the aims of the Boy Scouts, have them elect a leader and corporal from their own number, and take the Scout Oath as a tenderfoot. Then get to work as their Scoutmaster.
NOT IN OPPOSITION TO EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS FOR BOYS
The scheme is not in any way intended to be in opposition to any existing organization. On the contrary, we want amalgamation rather than rivalry, and scouting is only intended to be used as an additional attraction by those in charge of boys' organizations of any kind. If scouting is taken up by several it may prove a bond between all. Where such organizations do not exist it can supply a particularly simple and effective one for catching a number of boys who would otherwise have no hand to guide them.
(Concluded on bottom of page 36)