The Republican journal., 1911-09-14
Boy Scouts Win Honor Medals
They are Awarded to Four Scouts for
Their Quick Wit and Bravery.


ST. PAUL, MINI, September 8. Four
honor medals for life saving were pinned
on Boy Scouts of America to-day by
Governor A O. Eberhart. The boys
who received the medals are George
Meyer, of Morris, Mimi, Walter Jer-
rard, first class scout, sixteen years old,
years old, both of St. Cloud, Mimi, and
Edward Grout, of Dayton Bluffs, four
teen years old. The boys all live in Min
nesola and their decoration with medals
was one of the last events OF the three
days State camp of the Boy Scouts of
America in the fair grounds. These
medals, which were given for alertness
and bravery by the boys, are awarded
under the authority Of the Executive
Board of the Boy Scouts of America.
/ AS the members of the National Court
of Honor which will in the future take
up all evidence bearing on the question
of honor medals has not yet been ap
pointed, the Executive Board of the Boy
Scouts of America felt that the case of
these four boys were so deserving that
they took them up before considering
other cases reported to the National
Headquarters 1t is likely that more
medals will be awarded in the next
month.
The history of the bravery of the boys,
verified by the affidavlts by witnesses,
follows: George Meyer saved the lives of
two boys on May 9 last. Two boys,
Oscar klejer, six years old, and Sidney
Peterson, four years old, were thrown
into the water from an overturned
boat. Meyer, who was on shore saw the
little fellows He waded in and swan to
their assistance. He grabbed both boys
and managed to keep the two boys af1oat
until several boys went to his aid.
Rev. R. W. Merrifeld, Scout Master
of the troop in St. Cloud, Mimi, and
member of the Local Council of that
place, applied for medals of honor for
Walter Jerrard, and Glen Dudley for
having saved boys from drowning in the
Mississippi River Jerrard's modest
statement of his act which was verified
by witnesses is as follows
"One afternoon in June / was SWIM
ming in the Mississippi River. We had
a boom in the river making forty-five
degree angle with the shore line. The
far end of the boom was about eighteen
feet out. The water was over your
head. We had small pole nailed to the
top of the boom and from there to the
shore thereby holding the log in place.
Il was on the side of the pole away
from the boys when | heard the boys on
shore yell Looking around l saw Har-
ry Peterson struggling in the water. |
started at once and in diving over the
small pole | received a long scratch under
my left arm. reached Harry and with
one arm under his arms and around his
chests got him into shallow water,
where he was taken by the other boys.
Il think the boy lost confidence in
himself, finding he was in water over his
head But he himself could not give an
excuse He was going down for the
third time when I reached him.
Glen Dudley saved the life of Roy
johnson on July 2lst last. johnson
went in swimming, was seized with
cramps, and young Dudley swan to his
aid and with great personal risk to him
self brought the boy to shore.
The Ramsey Council of the Boy Scouts
Of America of St. Paul, Mimi, made
application for the award of an honor
medal to Edward Grout, member of the
Sioux patrol, troop No. IL Dayton's
Bluff, MINI. Grout led his troop on a
hike to Battle Creek, few miles from
Dayton's Bluff. The boys hit upon the
idea Of damming the creek. A party of
them began to pile stones, While circuit
and Floyd Rogers, another scout, went
around by path to point above the
proposed dam. There is jagged cliff
at that point and Grout began to chisel
out the soft sandstone just under the
path that led down the cliff and let it run
down to the boys below. Rogers came
along the path above CIRCUITS head and
stepped on the spot that was undermined.
Circuit seeing the sand cave in, jerked
his head back out of danger just in time
to see Rogers pitch headlong through
the air, and straight for the edge of the
cliff on which he was sitting.
''Floyd," he screamed, and the falling
boy stretched his hand toward him.
Grout made a grab at his arm and