The Monroe journal., 1910-08-23
THE BOY SCOUTS.
High Class Organization that Is
Training Thousands OF Boys TO
Be Noble. Brave and Always
peady

DC iNOOfCs draw anu away
Ready.
From a splendid article in The
Outlook, the Literary Digest com
piles the following interesting facts
about the Boy Scouts:
More than ten years ago Nr. Er'
nest Thompson Seton, believing that
the gang spirit which asserts itself
so strongly in the average boy could
be utilized as force for education
and human service, organized the
first tribes" Of Seton or WoOdcraft
Indians. Although this movement
spread until more than a hundred
thousand boys were enrolled, its
growth was less rapid than that OF
younger organization, the Boy Scouts,
founded in England two and hall
years ago by Sir Robert S. S. Baden
Powell with Mr.. Seton's cooperation.
Ii is now announced that the two
movements, which are essentially
the same in purpose and organiza-
ton, have been merged, the Seton
Indians to be known henceforth as
the Boy Scouts Of America.
From the official handbook, pre-
pared by Mr.. Seton and Sir Robert
Baden Powell, we CLEAN the follow
ing facts about the organization OF
the movement. Scouts, who must be
between the ages Of twelve and eigh-
teen, are listed in three ratings, ten
derfoot or probationary, second-class,
and frst-class, for each of which GER
tain definite practical tests have to
passed to gain the rank and its In
sigma. Each group of six or eight
scouts forms a patrol, with patrol
leader and corporal. Three or more
patrols form troop which is head
ed by "scout-master," usually
young man older than the lads in
the troop. There are also local CON-
mittees of scout-masters and others
interested in work among boys, city
and State councils, and the national
president, the Chief Scout.
THE Scout never comes to the
end of his lessons. Having climbed
one height, another height always
rises before him. Before he may
wear a first-class badge he must sat
isfy examiners in ten matters: First,
he must be able to swim fifty yards
He must have a shilling in the
savings bank. He must be able to
send and receive message, either
in semaphore or Morse, sixteen let
tiers per minute As a test in self
reliance he is sent off on two-days'
journey by himself, or with only one
other Scout. On returning, he must
write an Ineligible report Of things
seen. Then he must know how to
deal with various accidents = ice
breaking, electric shock, drowning,
runaway carriage, and so on. He
must prove that he can make dam
per, cook a hunters stew, skin and
cook a rabbit, or pluck and cook
bird. He must read a map and draw
sketch-maps; use an axe for telling
timber; and Judge distance, area,
size, numbers, height, and weight
within % per cent error. Finally,
he must bring in tenderfoot, train
ed by himself in the points required
for tenderfoot badge.
From a frst-clasa Scout he may
rise higher and even higher by way
of badges Of merit. The Kings
Scouts win badges showing they
have passed tests in such branches
of Scoutcraft as seamanship, marks
manship, ambulance work, signal
ing, and the craft Of the guide.
Other badges Of merit are given for
proficiency in different kinds Of
work. The idea here is to encour-
age boys to do their work we'll. The
boy with engineering instincts builds
an aeroplane that will really fly, and
so wins the aviator's badge. The
explorer finds out every lane, by
path, and shortcut for at least two
miles in every direction around his
local headquarters in the country,
knows the general direction of neigh
boring towns for twenty-five miles,
and can tell a stranger offhand the
history Of any old castles, churches,
or mansions. He wins the path
finders badge. Others win badges
because they are clever gardeners,
cooks, surveyors, printers, plumbers,
or pipers. Employers Of labor rec