The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-11-10
OBJECT TO BOY SCOUTS
Catholic Clergy in Burlington Refuse
to Sanction Movement.

70 oduSlioH WONSWSHt'
The Burlington Free Press of We'd
nesday published the following:
"The bark of the Boy Scouts of
America just now asems to be sailing
on troubled waters. AT the meeting
for the purpose of organizing local
council for that movement held Sun
day in the Y. NJ. c. A. rooms, repre-
sentatives Of all religious faiths in
the city were elected to the council,
including several Catholic clergymen
and laymen.
In Yesterdays Free Press appear
ed letter from Father J. f. ellis,
disclaiming all connection with the
movement and calling the use of his
name as member of the council an
unwarrantable liberty. He also stat
ed that from the information he had
relative 10 the scouts he was decided
ly opposed to their having any Catho-
lie membership.
In letter printed below, Father
j. NJ. Cloaree, w. A. Plamondon and
w. p Crosby come out still more
strongly against the scouts. They
say that they are entirely opposed to
any of their people becoming mem
bers of a society which has such lit
tie regard for the use of our names
without any warrant
THE matter would seem to be in
the nature of a misunderstanding A
gentleman prominent in the move
ment said yesterday that during his
experience with the boy scouts in
Springfield, Mass, the organization
had many Catholic members and the
general support of the Catholics. He
also said that the movement was not
identified with the Y. M. C. A.
At the election Of officers Sunday
two places were left open on the exc
cutive committee in the belief that
they would later be filled by repre-
sentatives of Catholic and Hebrew or.
CARNATIONS. 1t was understood at
the time that the Catholics had the
matter of joining the movement under
consideration.
"B. y. Clark has recovered a letter
from p G. Orwig of New York, field
secretary of the Boy Scouts of Amer
lea, in which it was stated that the
Rev. Father Coyle of New Haven, CT,
has accepted a place in the local or
ganization of the boy scouts. Many
members Of the local council yester-
day expressed their deepest regret
that any controversy over the use OF
names had arisen. Prof. J. f. Mes
senger chairman of the local council
said.
Father ellis evidently has mis-.
understood what was done and lest
the public may also misunderstood ]
will attempt to explain,
a" At the time Colonel Wakefield
spoke In Burlington a committee was
appointed to arrange for a meeting
for the purpose OF organizing a loca
council. The committee invited rep
resentatives of al denominations anC
of all organizations known to be dir
ectly or indirectly interested in help
ing boys to become good citizens {
meet end organize In response e
the call fairly representative body
OF men and women met and elected
officers and additional members. Non,
OF those not present knew that the,
were elected but the secretary wal
instructed to notify them and ask 1
they would accept membership. Rep
resentatives of both daily paper
We're present and very naturally thu
proceedings of the meeting were pub
lished next day. | do not think II oc
CURED to any one that there woul,
be objection to this being done. 7
any one of those elected does no
wish to aid the movement he Is un
der no obligation to do so, but
should be sorry If any one took OF
Tense because his fellow citizens
show their high estimation Of him BY
asking him to become a member o
an organization the purpose OF which
is to advise concerning the interests
and welfare of boys.
The movement is in no way sec
tartan, nor even religious, except IL
broad sense The aim is to hell
to give boys an opportunity TO devel
op themselves into good citizens. 1
does not aim to dlsplace or compel,
with any organization now in exis
tence but hopes, rather, to assis
those organizations TO enlarge thei
respective fields OF usefulness
1.-THE letter signed by Fathers Cloa
rec, Plamondon and Crosby is as fo
lows:
ITO the Editor OF the Free Press:
We, the undersigned, priests o
the city of Burlington finding tina
our names have been used withou
any authorization whatever, in col
nection with the society of the 30
Scouts of America, wish to disclair
all participation in the organization
and TO protest against the gratuitou
enlisting of our names, as member
OF its local council Moreover we ar
entirely opposed to any Of our peopl
becoming members of a society whic
has such little regard for the use ,
our names, without any warrant.
Jerome NJ Cloarec, V. c..
Pastor Of ST Joseph's Church.
William A. plamondon,
ST. Anthony's Church
W. p. Crosby,
Aogtcfapt % "a.