Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-15
OVERHEARD! HE'S
RESCUED; IT'S PART or
THE SEASCOUTS' DRILL
Lads in Blue Learn Every
Phase of Nautical Craft
in Cruise of Fleet in Bar
negat Bay-To Win Sea-
manship Badge the Goal.
Swab Decks, Clean Boats, Swim
Fully Clad, Learn of Com
pass, Lead Line and Charts,
Practice Knotting-It's All
in Days Work.

HMan overboardi"
sudden splash, followed by another,
and hurrying footsteps sounded today on
the deck OF a houseboat anchored In
the mouth Of Toms River. where II
ernptles into Barnegat Bay a few sharp
orders were snapped out by a bearded
man. clad I'm white uniform, on the upper
deck. and not two minutes after the first
splash dory shot out from the side
Of the houseboat Two pairs Of bronzed
arms pulled a dripping boy from the
water. where he had been clinging to a
life preserver hurled overheard at the
drst alarm.
II was the daily practice in llfesaving
Of Nautical Troop i16, Of the Philadel-
phia Boy Scouts, which is on the annual
cruise in Barnegat Bay. of Island
Heights, NJ J. This and many other
duties nll up each day 30 completely that
when night comes the tanned and tired
seaseouts are glad to turn into their
hunks TO be lulled TO sleep by the waves
splaBhing against the sides Of the vessel
Tied aft is a string Of three dories and
300 yards away shine the lights of the
Arawan If, riding at anchor. She is the
yacht of Captain Charles Longstreth,
Deputy Scout Commissioner and Admiral
Of the Boy Scout fleet. under whose care
the seascouts learn to be sailors on the |
houseboat Young America, His assistants
are scoutmaster John L, Taylor and AS
sistant Scoutmaster Howard M. Jenkins. |
MACHINE-LIKE DRILL.
Every phase Of the nautical training |
which the blue-clRd seascouts receive Is
executed with machine-like precision
When Fred Pitts fell overheard" Frank
Holman, bo's'n on duty, threw life pre-
server overheard quick as flash and the |
dory crew. with Charles Moore, coxswaln;
Howard Dubois, stroke, and Robert Har-
rls, bow, were away in twlnkling for the
rescue; the lifesavlng drill was completed
when Louis Moss applied method of re-
suscitation on the quarterback. And each
OF those who stood by played a part,
Just as they did in Tuesday nights storm,
when, In oilskins and sou'westers, they
made the boat shipshape.
From early morning till night falls the
Heascouts are kept busy, learning and
playing. After the morning dip at
o'clock, decks must be swabbed and the
boats cleaned. Breakfast is followed by
colors and inspection, which usher In the
morning instruction in seamanship and
rowing drill and practice, The afternoon
Is spent In sailing, boat drills, races
swimming and shore leave.
Special programs break the routine
from day 10 day One day was spent at
the coast guard station. where life
guards, acting under instructions from
the Treasury Department, gave demon
strations in launching boats and ex-
planned the breeches buoy. signal guns,
rockets and hares, rope-throwing gun
and long-distance and night signaling.
The requirements for the seamanshlp
merit badge, which every member of the
crew Is striving to wih include knot
ting. splicing, reeving Off and use of
tackle. palm-and-needle sewing. swim
ming 80 yards fully clothed, handling
rowDoat and acting as coxswain. han
ding sailboat, knowledge OF anchors and Z
ground tackle, compass, lead line and
patent log, charts and pilotage, rules OF 8
he road and signals. q
Besides the scouts who took part i'm the =
escue. the members Of Troop 1l6 are
Edmund s. Wood Robert MotherwelI, g.
Robert Nesbltt. Gordon Crouter, John
aansell. Exton Guckes. Russell De Long
jowan Hood and Edward Wheeler. ?.
Troop III will begin the second cruise
3.
NO matter In what walk OF life
Joy Will become a better man for nauti- =
al training said Captain Longstreth. "'
III he's a clerk he'll tie up a package 6.
'etter. He is taught the value of space
md the conservation of food and water. T.
every drop OF water used on the boat is
owed by the scouts from shore and 8.
aerefore, there is no waste The nautical
cout learns TO look for and Interpret
'eather conditions. He learns cleanliness
nd orderliness. One of the best trainings
or any walk OF life is the training a
saman gets. because 1t is so practical" "