Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-24
BOY SCOUTS FOR AMERICA
One Corps at Springfield, Mass, and
Another Planned
PLAN OF THE ORGANIZATION
Idea that Has Enlisted 10000 BOys
In England Brought 20 America
-scout Law ss Framed by
Hero of MafekInE.

America from England, where 10000 boys
are enrolled IN the order. Springfield,
Mass has adopted the idea and Syracuse
Is getting ready 10 institute IL in the COM
ing summer or fall. The boy scout with
his khaki shirt and woolen stockings, may
he as ubiquitous here as he is in Eng
land
At about 10 years Of age every healthy
minded youngster becomes imbued with
the spirit Of adventure. The boy scout
plan Is to take advantage OF this interest
and train the lad in a wide field OF wood
craft and military knowledge, and, above
all 10 instlll i'm him at this impression
able age practical twentieth century
spirit Of chivalry. The Young Mems
Christian association directors and the
school men Of England are unanimous in
their praise Of the practical working out
OF the scheme.
The scout is taken at the age when his
surplus energy is seeking some outlet, and
he is taught to do most OF the simpler
things known to soldiers, sailors, police
men, fremen. first aid graduates, fisher
men, hunters woodsmen campers and de-
tectlves. A battalion of these young
scouts in khaki shirts and stout shoes
and stockings marching down the street
for an hours practice and play at the
edge Of the town presents an alert, self
reliant, well-disciplned appearance seldom
seen in boys Of their age.
Going Through Probation.
Every patrol Of boy scouts is named
after some bird or animal, so the first
thing the boy does is to learn the cries
and calls OF his particular totem. He Is
then admitted into the organization on
months probation as a tenderfoot In
this month ii is his duty to pick up prac-
tical information, for at tho end of his
probation he must pass several tests be-
fore he receives his second-class scouts
badge.
lie must have an elementary knowledge
Of first aid to the wounded and of bandag-
ing He must know the Morse alphabet,
so that he can signal by 1t. He must
also be able to pass along street. look
in four store windows. a minute at each
window, and then tell with reasonable ac-
curacy the contents Of each.
When the boy scout has won his second
class badge he begins at once to prepare
for the first class degree. To pass he
must, among other requirements, be COM
petent to carry verbal messages and to
compute the height of buildings and short
distances by sight with not more than 25
per cent error. He must also be able to
track a party of the enemy and to run
mile in twelve minutes.
All this secures for him the general first
class degree. There are also special first
class badges, such as the seaman's badge.
The scout who gains this has really
good deal of nautical knowledge. Besides
skill in swimming. he can quickly tie
eight difficult knots blindfolded or in the
dark. and can row boat single handed.
First Class Qualifications.
For the first class signalIers badge the
boy scout must stand tests In sending and
receiving messages semaphore and Morse
at the rate of twenty letters a minute.
He must be versed in the fascinating art
OF sending smoke and flame signals with
fires, and must be able to transmit cor
rect information in regard to the move
ments of the enemy
Special medals OF honor are given for
such deeds as stopping runaway, horse
or saving life. There are twenty medals
OF this class.
In with ali this training are mixed the
pastimes that boy delights in, the sl1ulk-
ing on hands and knees through long
grass after the imaginary enemy, the
building OF Indian camps by riversides
and the flashing OF messages from hilltop
TO hilltop.
But valuable as Is such practical train
ing while the boys mind is fresh and most
eager to receive Il. It is still only the
lesser part of the good the boy receives
from being a scout Behind It all stands
a code OF honor. definite pledges that he
must make and must live UP to il he
would remain In the order. His motto is
BE prepared" and the boy scout is pre-
pared for emergencies. physical and moral
This is the scout oath, designed, OF course,
for English boys:
ION my honor l promise that 1 will do
my best ID TO do my duty to God and the
king "a to help other people at all times;
90 to obey the scout law"
Scout Law.
This is the scout law which the boy has
promised to fulfill: y
l. A scouts honor is 10 be trusted. II a
scout says, 'On my honor 1t is So" that
means that It is So just as much as II he
had taken a most solemn oath Similarly
II a scout officer says to a scout, Il trust
Is bound to carry out the order 10 the very
best of his ability and to let nothing in
terfere with his doing SO. II q scout breaks
his honor by telling a lie or by not carry
his honor to do 30 he may be directed TO
hand over his scout badge and never wear
Il again He may also be directed 20 cease
10 be q scout.
2 A scout is loyal to the king ana to his
officers, to his parents, his country and his
employers. He must stick TO them through
thick and thin against any one who is their
enemy or who even talks badly of them
3 scouts duty 10 20 be useful and to
help others. And he is to do his duty be-
fore anything else even though he gives up
his own pleasure or comfort OF safety 20
do Il. When In difficulty to know which
OF two things TO do no must ask himself
(which IL duty2'-that Is (which Is best
for other people ?'-and do that one He
must be prepared at any time to save
life or help injured persons And he must
try his best TO do good turn TO somebody
every day.
4 A scout r. a friend to all and a brother
to every other scout Thus II a scout meets
another scout, even though a stranger to
him, he must speak TO hun and help him
In any way that he can, either to carry out
the duty he 10 then doing or by giving him
food, or as far as possible anything that
he may be in want OF. A scout must never
ha q snob. A snob Is one who looks down
upon another because he Is poorer, or who
10 poor and resents another because he Is
rich, A scout accepts the other man as he
finds him. kim" the boy scout was
called by the Indians Little Friend OF All
the World" and that is the name that
Svery scout must earn for himself
g. A scout must be courteous; that is, he