The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-02-09

about 100000 lads enrolled In the Boy
Scouts of America in 46 states. though
the organization is only few months
old Those who have been watching
the movement here say that nothing
has ever seemed to appeal SO strongly
to the boys of America.
Ten years ago Mr.. Seton organized
the Woodcraft Indians. About 1OO,-
600 boys became members, but soon
after Gen. Baden-Powell's organiza-
ton, begun only two years ago, at
tanned such quick and wide populari-
ty in England Mr.. Seton and those
working with him adopted its best
features and merged the Woodcraft
Indians into the Boy Scouts.
Every American boy hundred
years ago, he points out, lived either
on a farm or in such close touch with
farm life that he reaped it's benefits.
He had all the practical knowledge
that comes from country surround
ings; that is, he could ride, shoot, run,
swim; he was handy with tools; he
knew the woods; he was physically
strong, self-reliant, resourceful, well
developed, in body and brain. Ia ad-
dition, his moral training was got at
home, and it was good. He was re-
spectful and obedient to his elders,
and, as Mr.. Seton thinks constituted
altogether the best material of which
a nation could be made.
I'VE have lived" says Mr. Seton,
ito see an unfortunate change. Part
ly through the growth of immense
cities, with the consequent specializa-
ton Of industry, each individual has
been required to do one small special
ty and shut his eyes to everything
else, with the resultant perpetual mar
rowing of the mental horizon. Part
ly through the decay of small farming
which would have Offset this condi-
ton, each mixed farm was college
of handicraft And partly through
the stereotyped forms of religion los
ing their hold, we see very different
type of youth in the country today.
The new boy scout is tendeIfoot-
He is usually about Il years old. In
time he will become a second-class
scout, the next higher grade, and final
ly a first-class scout. To become a
graduate in this outdoor school boy
must do these things:
l. Swim fifty yards or run a mile in
minutes.
g. Must have so cents at least in the
savings bank.
g. Signaling. Send and receive a mes
sage either in semaphore or Morse, six
teen letters minute.
4. Go on foot or row boat, alone to
point seven miles away and return
again: or If conveyed by any vehicle or
animal, go to a distance of fifteen miles
and back, and write short report on 1t.
It Is preferable that he should take two
days.
5. Describe or show the proper means
for saving life in case OF two OF the fol-
lowing accidents (allotted by the exam
lners): Fire. drowning, runaway carriage.
sewer gas, ice breaking, or bandage an
injured patient, or revive apparently
drowned person.
6. Cook satisfactorily two out of the
following dishes. as may be directed;
Porrride, bacon, hunters stew; or skin
and cook rabbit, or pluck and cook a
bird. Also make Camper OF half
pound of -four or twist baked on q
thick stick.
Z. Read a map correctly and draw AN
intelligent rough sketch map Point out
q compass direction without the help OF
q compass
g. Use an ak for Telling or trimming
light timber: or as an alternative, pro-
duce an article Of carpentry or joirlery
or metal work. made by himself salts
factorily.
9. Judge distance, size numbers and
height within rs per cent error.
This first-class scout must also
know a lot of other things. He must
know how to fling life line, the DO
sition of the main arteries, how to
stop bleeding from veins and arteries.
how to improvise splints, and many
other things which constitute FIRST
aid to the injured.
All the leading branches of the gen
eral scout movement in this country
have now been consolidated.