The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-02-12
PRESIDENT TO
ADDRESS THE
SCOUT LEADERS
MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL
COUNCIL WILL HOLD FIRST
MEETING IN WARRINGTON,
COMMENCING TUESDAY.

The first annual meeting Of the
members Of the national council Of the
Boy Scouts Of America will be held
In Washington on next Tuesday and
Wednesday. II wifi gather together
the leaders Of the movement from
various parts Of the country to re-
port on the Growth Of the organise
ton. the work accomplished n the
last year and to make plans Tor the
next year. The council win be re-
ceived at 1850 p. N. IN the East Room
Of the White House by President
Taft, who 10 honorary president Of
the organization and member Of the
council The President, who has
watched with keen interest the growth
Of the Boy Scout movement, will de-
liver an address to the members Of
the council concerning the aims Of the
movement and win open up questions
for discussion. He expects at the
reception to have a general discussion
Of the affairs Of the organisation be-
cause he wishes to keep Informed con-
corning the growth and the future
plans Of the organization.
The meeting in Washington, practi-
cally under the auspices Of the Presi-
the boys throughout the country and
to mon Of various professions and
business who are working for the de-
velopment Of good citizens. President
Taft's speech and the reports to the
council will tell of the remarkable
growth Of the Boy Scouts Of America
In less than year. More than 100000
boys have been organized into troops
under scout masters since last March
and thousands more are seeking scout
Emasters. No other boys organization
ever developed 30 fast because no or
ganization ever appealed to so many
phases of boys life and at the same
time unconsciously developed his char
acter and the spirit of service to his
fellow man and to his country.
The gathering. secondly. promises
to show in a more convincing way
than actual numbers that the Boy
Scout movement has been needed In
this country and IL doing tremen-
dous good in providing healthy enjoy
ment for boys, teaching them self
reliance and service, and training
them morally. The leaders Of the
movement will summarize reports al
ready made to the national headquar-
ters, showing that the methods Of
training Boy Scouts have appealed to
the boys spirit Of fun and to his
sense Of honor; that the movement
already has been 50 developed that 1t
suits the American boy despite the
fact that the general plan was adapt
ed from General Sir Robert s, S.
Baden Powell, founder of the English
Boy Scouts.
The meeting will give the final
touch to the "Americanization" of the
boy scout movement that has been
going on for more than a year. This
process has been gradual but the re-
ports to be read In the meeting will
show that the movement Is becoming
distinctively American. When the
American organization was started
the enthusiasm among the boys was
greater than was anticipated and there
was such q demand for a handbook
that General Sir Baden-Powells book
was adopted as the model for the Am
erican manual. Experience has shown
that this manual can be changed
slightly in accordance with the growth
Of the organization and be made more
distinctively American.
The idea which underlies the Boy
Scouts 10 not one which originated
with any one man or set Of men. For
years men have been working with
boys-some in one way and some in
another. Ernest Thompson-Seton. the
naturalist, worked with boys along the
lines Of woodcraft and Indian life. Dan
Beard, the illustrator and well known
author of boys books, simultaneously
with Ernest Thompson-Set was
working with boys along the lines Of
honeering, handicraft and outdoor
life. Byron w. Forbush, Phi. D., was