Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1916-12-27
Public Forum
In Regard to the Bow Scouts.


On account of the instrumentation of
the work of the Boy Scouts, some say
we are training them for military pur-
poses; others, that we are trying to
make them professional tramps. How
ever, the following is the facts in the
case. The scout oath implies
l. To do my duty to God and to my
country and obey the scout law.
2. To help other people at all
times.
3. To keep myself physically strong
mentally awake and morally
straight.
The scout laws consist of first:
A scout is trustworthy loyal, help
full, friendly, courteous, kind, obed-
lent, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean.
reyerent. Under such laws and regu-
lations we hope to create the highest
! type Of citizens.
We aim to touch him physically in
the camp craft and woodcraft of out
door life in order that he may have
strength in after days to give the best
he has to the city and community in
which he lives, as we'll as to the ma
ton of which he is part.
1t seeks to develop by observation
and the knowledge of things far and
near, so that later on when he enters
business life he may be alert and
keen and SO be able to add to the
wealth Of the nation
1t teaches him chivalry and unset
fishness, duty, charity and loyalty, so
that no matter what should happen
! in business and social or national life
he may always be a true gentleman,
seeking to give sympathy help and en-
couragement, and good cheer to those
about him. 1t teaches him life-Saving,
in order that he may be able, in dire
accidents and peril by land and sea,
to know just what to do to relieve 9TH
ers Of suffering. 1t teaches him en-
/ durance in order that he may guard
his health by being temperate; eating
pure food, keeping himself clean, so
that being possessed of good health he
may be always ready to serve his
country in an hour of her need. 1t
teaches him patriotism by telling him
about the country he lives in, her his
tory, her army and navy.
Good citizenship means to the Boy
Scout not merely the doing of things
which he ought to do when he becomes
a man, such as voting, keeping the
law and paying his taxes. But the
looking for opportunities to do good
turns, by safeguarding the interests
Of the community and by the giving
OF himself in unselfish service to the
town or city and even the nation of
which he is a part. 1t means that he
will stand for equal opportunity and
justice which the Declaration of In
dependence and the Constitution guar
antees. 1t means that in every duty
of life he may be on the right side
and loyal to the best interests of the
state and nation.
By the good turn" that he does
daily as a Boy Scout, he is training
himself for unselfish service that our
cities and land need so much.
Scouting presents greater oppor-
tunities for the development Of the boy
Ireligiously, than does any other move
ment instituted solely for boys. It's
aim, to develope the boy physically,
mentally and spiritually is being real
lied very widely The movement has
been developed on such broad lines as
to embrace all classes, all creeds, and
at the same time to allow the greatest
possible independence to industrial or
carnations officers and hOvc
Scout training is neither military
nor anti-military, but developing citi-
zenship of the highest type of the
teen age boys
w. A. WEYHRAUCH,
ScOutmaster.