The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1911-06-10
BOY SCOUT MANUAL
AMERICANIzED
Oath Has Been Changed. Law Am
plified by American Ideals Of
Manhood and Citizenship.

fNN W ahANNAANa ANfA NhAN ~ AtA
they have adapted the principles Of
the BOY Scout Movement to suit the
needs Of the Ameriman boys. The
movement has been Americanized. II
may seem strange that an organiza.
ton that was started In this country,
adopted In England, and then in a new
form, transferred to this country, should
need Americanization. The fact is that
General Sir Robert Baden. Powell added
new ideas 20 the priouciples which he
found here, and when the Boy Scouts Of
America we're started more than a year
ago, 1t had many foreign phases. so
popular did the organization become
that the English manual with several
chapters Of Ernest Tompson Seton was
hastily adopted for the American boys
The requirements for the various class
- Of scouts, badges. various articles in
the manual, scout law, equipment, and
many of he activities bad foreign
characteristics.
Despite all this the activities appeal
I'd strongly 10 American boys aud the
movement spread rapidly. Il was appar
ent To the leaders Of the work, howe,
sr. that the work among the boys was
hindered 10 a certain extent by the for
eign element in the activities. Il wa,
apparent that this obstacle must be oy.
ercome before the Boy Scout orpanya
tiou could really fnd a place In the
heart Of the American boy for which
the leaders hoped. To this 'remcnduu,
task OF Americanising q movement tina,
originally was American, many men
have given months of serious thought
aud work. II included a conference in
Washington, under the auspices of Pres
id,nt Taft, aud consultations with MANY
eminent educators and ntilanthtopi.'.
interested In the development OF Amer.
lean boys into splendid citizens.
The first tangible result Of this worn
is the new manual. Typewrit en- cop
les aud proof sheets Of Il have been
submitted to many men throughout the
country. The comments which the eli
torial board. comprising II Mr.. Nm
Murray, A. \. Johnson, Ernest Thomp.
sop.Seton, @. D.. Pratt, and James T..
West, executive secretary, have recciv
ed are highly gratifying. Persons in
terested in the organization feel sure
that in the coming summer the Scout
activities will appeal more than ever To
the boys and that the movement will
receive greater impetus.
A brief summary Of the contents Of
the manual shows at a glance how thor.
oughly the activities have been adapt.
ed 90 the ideals Of the American boys.
The requirements FOR the three classes
of scouts have been changed and made
more thoroughly American. The Scout
oath has been changed. The Scout law
has been amplifed. To Il have been nd
ded planks in keeping with the Amer
can ideal of manhood aud citizenship.
II Is aimed 10 train the boys 10 face
evils which threaten them daily.
The badges ~ the Boy Scout move
ment has been changed. The American
eagle forms a part Of the design. The
models for the various merit badges,
aud hero medals have been revised.
The requirements for these badges are
in keeping with the activities Of the
American hoy. There are instructions
tor the p%iaving Of games not included
in the British Manual. Many activities
tina, are strictly American but at the
same time train 20 "he prepared - ply.
sicslly, mentally and morally for emer.
gencies have been added. The equip
ment Of the BOYS has been worked out
carefully. II is made NOR" compact
and yet the enjoyment ~ the boys have
been added. Az the same time The price
has beer greatly reduced
Another interesting phase Of the new
manual is that the illustrations are dis
tinctly foreign pictures 10 the old man.
usl. The old illustrations as well as
many words and phases often puzzled
the American Boys. These difficulties
have been eliminated.
The manual has been written by many
men. Authors skilled in work among
boys have prepared and adapted the
scout activities for the American man,
ual. Writers like Ernest Thompson Sc.
ton have written on woodcraft and
Camping. Scientists Of the highese
rank have taken up in a popular man.
ner many things that hitherto have
been thought too abstract for the boys
These subjects have been prepared in 4
simple, clear and thoroughly interest
ing name There are articles 81
Birdcraft, Forestry, Stars, sheIlhsh
Reptiles and Insects. There Is a chap
ter on Chivalry which treats Of IN
Knights Of the Middle Ages, and tn,
heroes Of America in a manner to en-
phasize the Boy Scout principles, Ther
IL n chapter on Citizenship written wit
the aim Of bringing home TO the hoy
the deeds Of the men who made Amer
can History, aud of showing how Oh
Boy Scout principles train them TO d
likewise.
The authors Of the manual know IN
boys and understand what they want
The fact that so many men have take
q part In the authorship Of the manu-
guarantees that Il has much create
breadth and scope than II one man ha'
-t.49.a "A Tha fact too that n ha