The Detroit times., 1912-02-22
ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS
BOY SCOUT MOVEMENT
? HASQUAORUPLED IN YEAR
Increase in IL Months Is From
About Zoo to Almost
4 5000
EXECUTIVE MAKES REPORT
James E. West Gives Many
, Striking Facts In His Sec
ond Annual Summary

NEW YORK Feb. 22.-The. Boy
Scouts of America have almost quad
rupled In the last year. This fact
.gnd many other interesting statistics
from out the Boy Scouts are contained
In the second annual report OF James
T.. West, chief scout executive OF the
Boy Scouts OF America. Not only
have the scout-masters increased In
numbers from about 1000 or l,4OO 10
almost 5000 In a year. but the mum
ber of scout commissioners and local
councils have increased likewise. MI.
Vests report presents viva luea
of the interest in the scout move
ment by showing that In the last year
l98,439 pieces OF mail matter and eX-
press packages have been handed at
he national headquarters OF the BOY
Scouts OF America In the FiIth.ave.
abuilding in New York. The ACTIVITY
OF the boy scouts convinces such lead
ers as Colin ii. Livingstone. George
ID. Pratt. Mortimer l.. Schin, Frank
Presbrey, John Sherman Hoyt and
other members OF the executive board
chat the scout movement has become
permanent institution In this coun-
try.
The possibilities OF the scout move
ment." saws Chief Scout Executive
West "in developing the idea OF ser
vice with thousands of boys make the
movement OF enormous value TO the
community. II is significant and en-
rouraging that In the organization OF
the movement In this country with
such encouraging progress that dis
interested service on the part or men,
is the most noteworthy feature. When
a movement can secure the volunteer
services of an army of six thousand
aen TO work as scoutmasters and as
sstants, each giving at least one
evening and in many cases also one
afternoon each week. the services OF
iwo hundred and ninety men 10 act
rs scout commissioners, the services
OF approximately fifteen thousand men
as officers and members of commit
tees of local councils. convincing evil
,uence is presented that this move
ment Is more than a mere temporary
ad, but has real value and is worthy
OF the services which are so gener-
pusly volunteered.
Even more encouraging and impress
sive is the fact that today the inter
est Is Just as keen and intense as ~
was during the first few months when
he movement was introduced in this
country.
In the last year 1850 new scout
masters have been commissioned at
he rate OF 800 per month, 252 local
councils have been organized at the
rate OF q per month; l4S scout com
.missioners have been secured to give
all or part of their time TO the move
nent, or IL per month.
while a number of men after Sc
,tuc
they did not have the proper time or
.were not suited to continue. the mum
ber of designations or Withdrawals
lave been comparatively few amount
ing 10 approximately $50 during the
wear. leaving today as active scout
masters as far as we are able TO as
certain by correspondence and with
sut the aid OF the field force. 5,072
men"
After giving a summary OF the his
tory OF the scout movement In this
country and the account OF the first
annual meeting OF the National coun-
ell. Mr. West continues:
"Since that time the work has de-
veloped with leaps and bounds, as is
ohown i'm the detailed statement
nrinted herein of the work done
There has been an average of 30 peo-
ple per month employed during the
7ast year: 5354e letters have been re-
ceived and 155.269 have been sent
out: 65,994 new bulletins have been
distributed All together 19S,439 o.
tSerent pieces of mail matter and ex
press packages have been handled
10 supervise the formation OF loca
councils. the maintenance OF stand
ards. the issuance of handbooks and
other supplies has involved tremend.
us amount of detail work.
following table shows the d.
a vision OF the local councils. scout COM
missioners and scoutmasters by
states: