The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-05-24
OUR BOY SCOUTS.
Continued from Page One.)

there is a probability of the de-
nominatiolal element entering into
it to some extent later.
BOY Scout Organization.
"The boys who will compose the
/ first troop are from fourteen to
| seventeen years old. A troop is
| composed OF three patrols, each pa
| troll is composed of six to eight
scouts. Each patrol has its patrol
| leader, elected by the patrol, and the
troop is governed by scout master
and adjutant.
Every boy, before he becomes a
/ full-fledged scout, must pass certain
tests, when he applies for member
ship. lie is obliged to learn the
history of the flag, the scout law,
signs and signals, and to be able
to tie four standard knots. He
then takes the scouts oatn as fol-
| lows:
ION my honor l promise that
will do my best to do my duty to
God and the country, to help other
people at all times, and to obey the
scouts law.
He then receives his tenderfoot
badge, and is entitled to wear the
uniform.
"a tenderfoot must serve at least
one month before he is permitted to
take the tests for the second-class
scout badge. During this time he
learns elementary bandaging and
first aid to the injured. He is
trained in observation, in self-gov-
ernment, in signalling in the Myer
and Morse code, methods of saving
life in case of drowning, etc.
He must be able to cook porridge,
bacon, skin and cook rabbits, pluck
and cook birds, in the manner usu-
ally followed in the camp.
"He learns tracking, lighting and
care of fires, to know the sixteen
principal points of the compass, and
must have at least 81 in a bank.
after passing tests in these var
ious things he is awarded a second
class scouts badge.
ITO secure his first-class scout
badge, he must pass certain harder
tests.
THE idea underlying the award
of badges is to offer to the young
scout continual inducements to fur
ther improving himself. The object
is to instill into every boy and en-
courage an idea of self-improvement.
Can a boy do all this in a
month";" asked the reporter
NO." was the answer. He only
learns part of that in a month.
All that is required to secure a Sec
ond-class scout badge is an elemen-
tary knowledge of these subjects.
THE tests are mainly for the pur-
pose of wedding out the wasters
non-toilers, and disturbing ele-
ments.''
DO you lay down any physical
requirements for admission into
the ranks of the boy scouts?"
mo, except that a boy must be
able to take rather long hikes. He
must either be able to swim or run
mile in a comparatively short
time.
IF a boy who is not physically
able to do the work of the boy scout
and there is a place in which he
can be used as secretary or book
keeper, he may under certain con-
ditions become a scout. He can al
all events be a tenderfoot and have
his place in the patrol.
How often does the patro
meet?"
time or place of meeting but in mos
cases the patrol meets one evening
week for instruction, and thi:
instruction takes the form of talk!
and practical demonstrations by
competent physicians on first aid anC
bandaging, drills by captains OF
militia, in fact instruction in spec
ial subjects by men specially train
ed for that purpose"
''What does it cost a boy t.
join?"
Every troop can decide wha
fees there shall be. No scout. is al
lowed to beg. Every boy buys anC
pays for his own suit"
''Is it for poor boys, too?"
THE patrol is so conducted tina
a boy who is unable to buy his owl
suit will receive one, and will b'
given opportunities to pay for it a
his own convenience, or in somt
cases patrols buy the suits through
concerted action such as by enter
tainments."
How about a club-room?"
mo fixed meeting-place is re
quired, although the advantages of 1
club-room are self-evident While
it is the object of the scout move
ment to have the boys controk them
selves, it is also the purpose of thos,
in control of the movement to Sc,
that the meetings are both instruc
tive and entertaining and tha
nothing Objectionable can by an!
means be brought into the club
room"
The boy scout movement as tn,
reporter caught it is IAN attemp
to get close to nature"
''The primary idea" he was told