The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-11
REVIVAL OF
 SCOUT CRAFT
Boy Scouts of America 4OO,- 900 Strong-A Tip De- clined Leads to Big Re sults-Scout Movement a Peace Force.

(By James F. West, Executive Secre-
 tary Boy Scouts of America. Exclu-
 sive Service The Survey Press Bu-
 reau.l
 A Chicago publisher, MT. W. D. Boyce, was lost while wandering about in the streets of London. After some
 bewilderment, youth came up, sa- luted, and asked if he might direct him. MT. Boyce cheerfully accepted the service. After being helped to
 his destination, he tried to reward him but the boy promptly saluted and said ''No sir! am a Boy Scout and
 boy scouts never accept tips" MT.
 Boyce asked further information and was directed to the office of Gen. Ba-
 den-Powell who is the leader of the Boy Scouts in Great Britain.
 Upon reaching New York, he gath cred together a group of men and placed at their disposal s1,000 month for four months to take the prel1ntn- ary steps for the organizing of the Boy Scouts in the United States which
 i show the movement was brought to this country.
 Geographically speaking the scope of the Boy Scouts of America is as extensive as the territory of the Unit ed States. Although the movement formerly had it's actual start the first of June 1910, by the first of October there were scouting organizations in
  three dependencies, the Hawaiian and Philippine Islands and Porto Rico. The idea has swept our land like wild fire and at the present approximately
 50O,00O boys and 5000 men as scout
 masters have been enrolled in the movement.
 It is almost impossible to conceive of single place of any importance in the United States that has not been touched by the genius of the move ment
 The Boy Scout movement is essen- tially American. After two and a half years of experience in England and her colonies, the idea was brought again to it's native soil, the United States Many of the biggest men in the country those who are at the head of most of our largest move ments, believe that the Boy Scout idea offers to America the greatest oppor- tunity to raise the qualities of the boy and the man in all phases of life. President Taft has consented to serve as Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America. Speaking in the terms of boyhood, the scope of the Boy Scouts of America is equal to the interests of boyhood itself. Be- tween the ages of twelve and eight cen the interests of a boy are general and reach all the way from the catch | ing of minnows and tadpoles to find | ing God in the stars.
 The Boy Scouts of America aims | educational agencies such as the state, l church home, school, boys club. Sun ! day School, Boys Brigade, Y. M. c. A., Young Mems Catholic Association, Younfg Mems Hebrew Association, | etc. Its recreational activity may be classified under: Scout Craft, Camp Craft, Chivalry, Life Saving, Health, | Patriotism.
 l The aim of the Boy Scouts of Amer | ica is to promote the ability in boys to do things for themselves and for others. It seeks to teach a boy re- sourcefulness by knowledge of wood craft and outdoor life; it seeks to make hims strong and healthy; it seeks to make him chivalrous and to | do little kindly deeds daily for some one else: it seeks to teach him life- saving; it seeks to teach him patriot
 ism and citizenship so that as a mem | Der of the nation, he may give glad l ly of himself for the proper discharge l Of his duties as a citizen.
 The Boy Scouts of America seeks to organize representative groups of men called local committees or coun- l cils in the various states and towns. | Under the direction of this local coun- | cil men over twenty years of age are secured as scout masters or scout 1 leaders. Each becomes the leader of a troop which consists of at least three patrols. A patrol of scouts
 numbers eight, the eighth member be- ing an older boy and the patrol lead CT. This arrangement guarantees ad- equate leadership and recognizes the gang instinct.
 The scout idea takes the non-su- pervised leisure time of boys and fills it with recreatonaL and educational activities. It teaches him facts about nature and citizenship and how to get the most out of life. At the present time all over the country there are insistent demands for field secretaries to organize and pronite the work. The scout idea is a peace movement.
 Every possible precaution has been ta- ken to guard against it being Ikened
 to military movement. We do not permit arms. The boys are net all