The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-08-20

The outdoor boy-the enthusiastic
Boy Scout, the make-beffeve cowboy
or Indian, the amateur hunters any
normal boy whether he he raised in
Harlem or Kansas, but some have to
be taught more than others before they
can enjoy themselves in the wilds, ac-
cording to Ernest Thompson Seton
author, naturalist, and Chief Scout Of
the Boy Scouts of America.
You would be astounded at the ig-
norance OF natural things displayed by
many boys when they first come out
here" recently declared Seton to
visitor who journeyed to his estate,
Wyndygould, near Cos Cob, Conn, to
ask: How is the outdoor boy pro-
duced7"
In answer Seton laughed and said,
"nay whole life work has been to ans
wer that question. Here Is part OF
the answer" He pointed to a great
pile of ink-stained proofs that he was
correcting.
The printed pages were the proofs
Of Seton's latest book, rolf in the
Woods" one Of the spring publications
of Doubleday, Page & Co. Seton
knows the heart of the boys as few
men do. He has played with them,
and worked with them, both at home
and IN camp. That the boys might
better learn Of the wild things in their
natural stats he has kept Wyndygoul
as much like the primal forest as pos
sible, making a great playground for
the boys as well as haven Tor his
Wild bird and animal friends. Appro-
.priately Wyndygoul Is the scene Of the
opening chapters of Rolf in In the
Woods" At the base of Abs Rock, a
historic cliff only a few yards from
Seton's home, Rolf is described as be-
ing sheltered by Quonab, the last OF
the Myanos Sinawa whose counter
part in real life lived and died there.
Rolf learned his first lessons in wood
lore from the Indian, and there formed
his first and strongest friendship that
lasted throughout their stirring adven-
lures on their trip to Albany through
the then primal forest, their expert
ences in trapping in the Lake Cham
! plain country, and later as scouts in
the war of 1912.
Rolf in the Woods forms what
may be considered as the second step
in Seton's development of his ideas OF
the value of woodcraft in the forma-
/ ton Of character. SetoG's first book
/ along this line, Two Little Savages."
also published by Doubleday, Page &
{ Co., starts with boy Of nine and takes
( him to the age Of fifteen. rolf in the
5 Woods" takes another boy, Rolf, from
the age Of fifteen to manhood. Seton's
Manual of the Boy Scouts Of America,
however, crystalizes and Classics all
the woodlore and scouting detail he
has been developing for 50 many years
IN simple and attractive form.
The lesson of the woods in Rolf is
delivered in such fascinating form that
no normal human being. man or wo-
man, girl or boy, could fail to under
stand the truth Of one of the closing
passages in Rolf:
And when the years had added ripe
ness to his thought, and the kind gods
of gold had filled his scrip, 1t was
that his ampler life began to bloom.
His was a mind of the best begetting,
born and bred of ancient clean-bfooded
stock; infiexibly principled; trained by
a God-fearing mother. nurtured IN the
cradle of adversely, schooled in a
school of hardship, developed in the
big outdoors, wise in the ways of the
woods, burnt in the FIRE of affliction,
forced into self-reliance, inspired with
the lofty inspiration Of sacrificial pa
triotism-the good stuff of his make
up shone as shines the gold in the
fervent heat; the hard blows that
prove or crush, had proved; the metal
had rung true; and in the great valley
Rolf Kittering was man of mark.
''The country's need Of such is ever
present and ever seeking"
In and out through Rolls adventures
Seton has woven the spirit Of fair play
and true hearted comradeship Of the
unfettered outdoors. together with
enough woodcraft to enable an ordi-
{ narily resourceful boy to make his
own way alone in the woods. From
Z the making Of fire by rubbing two
! dry sticks together after the Indian
method, to trapping the widest ami
mails, and carrying through hair rails
ing feats of scouting, the woodlore Is
all given. Rolls teacher Quonab gives
7 an excellent clew to Seton own method.
by allowing the boy to work out as
many of his problems as he can, with
only suggestion or lead here and
& there.
Teaching the boys is sometimes
I complex" said Seton. when we have
a number Of groups OF boys camping
over there on the lake 1t is just like
running a college in woodcraft. Some
pick it up quickly with but little
teaching, others have to be taught
every step, and some never get the
real mack of it.
"Ten years ago I began bringing
boys here for annual camps. We had
no organization except the Birch Bark