Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-07
POWELL PRAISES
THE BOY SCOUTS
Sir Robert Declares Chicagoans
the Finest I've Seen in
America"
SEES TROOPS IN ACTION
Five Thousand Little Soldiers of
Peace Perform Before Boer
War Veteran.
SEES TROOPS IN ACTION

Chicago, Feb. Five thousand
pairs of boyish knees trembled yes
terday afternoon and 5000 right
bands were jerked into stiff, almost
reverent salute. For the boy scouts
of Chicago, brought up in review
form in the Dexter pavilion at the
stockyards, were having their first
view of the most wonderful man in
the world to them, Lieutenant Gen
eral Sir Robert Baden-Powell, hero
of Mafeking and the founder of the
boy scout movement.
Evidently Sir Robert himself was
pleased. He watched the drills of
ments in wig-wag signaling, wireless
telegraphy, first aid, racing, building
fires without matches and campmak-
ing with a keen interest. Nor did he
stay at distance.
PRAISES CHICAGO SCOUTS.
| left his fiag-bedecked box and walked
into the arena with H. H. Simmons,
field secretary of the Boy Scouts OF
| Chicago to visit the troops.
These are fine boys" he said time
after time, as he walked along, "the
| finest l have seen in America. They're
well built, strong and sturdy and
they're intelligent"
AS they walked along the general
noticed a banner and stopped tt
read it.
"Hull house." he said. Boys from
the poorer districts of the city,"
"Yes," answered the field secre
tary.
That's the thing. There's tn,
good of the boy scout movement
When it reaches the poor districts
then it begins to accomplish rea
good"
VISITS FIRST AMERICAN TROOP.
A moment later Sir Robert stop
ped before the Hamilton Park boys
comprising the first troop of Scout
in the United States. He listene,
smilingly to the story of o. w. Neeve
the scout master, and stepped for
ward as VIII Seaton and Albert Patz
left, the medal members" of tn
troop, were brought forth.
'The commander tells me you'v
not missed call in two years." sal
Sir Robert. THAT is good work"
He chuckled them under the chi
and shook hands with them. The
he left them and while the drums o
the many troops doomed forth an
the bugles started their blaring tn
man who made himself famous a
Mafeking returned to his box to tall
of the Boy Scout work and himself.
, TALKS OF SCOUT MOVEMENT.
"The Boy Scout movement is grow
| ing greater, wider in it's scope ever
year." he said. "The thought that
is for military purposes should b
!, abandoned entirely. 1t Is a form @
: education-an education in honest
and truthfulness and saving, and i
/ good health. Already there are 81
; schools in England who conduct III
movement upon educational lines er
tirely. Every boy who undergoes
training in boy scout work goes to
real life school and"
His face beamed, for out in tn
J arena the boys were endeavoring I
l make a fire by rubbing sticks togetl
: er over tinder. One had succeede
I and brought applause.
f Good" Sir Robert called. Good
I "You see," the soldier continue
and his glance travelled downward {
S the medals he wore. I've see
/ enough of war to want to keep ava
from the military idea. Woodcraf
. hsndicraft and all those things al
: invaluable. First aid and all tn;
: goes with it is excellent, but the bo,
/ should be kept away from the idt
n that they are being trained so tht
some day they may fight for the
Il country
. Rapidly the events of the arer
8 changed and were applauded. The
+ at o'clock the founder of the BC
a Scouts left the exhibition to make
r tour OF the stockyards and the pac