The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-31
BOY SCOUTS ASK
AN APPROPRIATION
SENATOR PAGE, OFF VERMONT HAS
INTRODUCED BILL IN
CONGRESS-.
TO PRODUCE BETTER MEN
HOPE FOR GOVERNMENT To EN-
COURAGE PRINCIPLES SET
FORTH BY ORGANIZA-
TIoN OF BOYS.
TO PRODUCE BETTER MEN

! WASHINGTON. July 3o.-United
| State Senator Carroll S. Page. Of
| Vermont. believes that the Boy Scout
movement is leading in line of edu-
| Cattc mai work and character build
! ilts that eventually will be approved
Is congress through legislation Be-
lore becoming interested In the Boy
/ scout movement he made study
| OF the methods of educating bows
and girls in different countries, ana
now has introduced a bill in coa-
siess to provide for the cooperation
of the Federal government with the
states in encouraging instruction in
agrie ulture. trades, industries. and
home economies in secondary schoo S,
State normal schools, colleges and
Universities.
| Such a bill would call for an ap-
! Etopriation of millions of dollars The
LEADERS of the Boy Scouts of America
ard Senator Page doubtless will CO.
operate in working for this bill, as
they feel that the Boy Scout prince
lies are along the lines of the meas
| ure.
| Speaking Of his measure and the
Boy Scout principles, Senator Page
says;
Il am especially interested in the
.
of our land. and my bill is In such
entire harmony with the work that
| vcu are trying to do that / have
| thought ii best to send ii to you. My
theory Is that after a boy has come
to the age when he must become in
/ part a breadwinner for the family,
! he ought to be examined earthly by
| expert methods and the line of work
ascertained for which each particular
! boy is adapted.
! Boy Scouts Well Equipped.
/ Il have no doubt that Boy Scout
/ is better equipped man by far
| when he reaches the age of IS or
Il than boy who has not had the
/ benefit of seoutcraft instruction.
| My idea is that the general gov
! eminent should blaze the trail for
| the States in such a way as to lead
up to a fairly decent education in
agriculture for the boy who decides
to be a farmer, and in trades and in
! industries for the boys who design
| to be merchants or mechanics and
| 1t should fit the girl with a practical
education on home economics so that
she becomes a better wife, better
mother and better housekeepeer
How much Of the Boy Scout line
of education could be introduced into
the educational work which my bill
provides for. may be matter Of
doubt, but that they are in harmony
and work along kindred lines together
| cannot, 1t seems to me. be questioned
and 1t occurs to me that scoutcraft
work could be very materially bene-
| fitted by the splendid equipment which
scoutcraft would give"
! Organization is Growing.
! The Boy Scouts of America have
| trebled In the last eight months. There
are now $500 scout masters regis
tered with the national organization.
On January l there We're only 400
/. These facts alone show that there
are three times as many troops OF
scouts under the direction or the
leaders of the Boy Scouts of America
as there We're in the beginning of
the year. While it Is hard to figure
on the number OF boys yet 1t Is quite
probable that the Boy Scouts alone
number three times as many as at
the beginning OF the year
This remarkable growth is due to
many reasons. Boys in every village,
town and city throughout the coun-
try have read Of the principles of the
scout movement. and have appreciate
ed how much more fun they can have
under a good traine ror scout mas
ter. who takes them into the woods
and teaches them various useful
things for play and work.
Many young men. learning of the
principles of the scout movement
have become enthusiastic workers and
have raaue Efforts to organizes troops
because they are fond OF the woods