The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1916-11-01
BOY sCouTs-lTs
ORIGIN AND PURPOSE
An Organization for tho Building oi
Character and Giving Employ
ment to Boys.

Boy Scouts are organizations of
boys and youths between the ages
of twelve and eighteen years and up
wards, which aim to develop char
acter, to aid in furnishing equipment
for career, and to train in service
for others, physical health, and ef:-
ficient citizenship, by utilizing the
natural activities and interests of
the adolescent period.
The developmnt of the boy scout
movement in England is due to Lieu
tenant General Sir Robert S. S. Ba-
den-Powelb "a. w, who, during the
seige of Mafeking (189O, had seen
the boys, under Lord Edwards c.
cil's command, organized and drilled
into an efficient messenger service.
When Baden-Powell returned to Eng
land in 1902, the idea was fostered
and received popular support, and a
general plan of organization was a.
dopted. The first boy scouts organi-
zation was formed in 1908, and a
Royal Charter of Incorporation was
granted in 1910, the organization
being recognized as a military,
public service body"
In the United States, Daniel Car
ter Boon, with his "Sons of Daniel
Boone, Ernest Thompson Seton,
with the ''Woodcraft Indians, (1902)
and others had much to do with the
early success of the movemnt, their
ideas, in conjunction with those of
Sir Robert, forming the basis of the
Boy Scouts of America. This or
ganization was incorporated - under
the laws of the District of Colum-
bia on February 8, 1910.
The Boy Scouts of America is nom
military and inter -denominational in
character, the movement being sup
ported by Catholics, ,Protestants and
Jews alike. Of late it has also been
given consideration as an education
al adjunct by we'll known educators,
some schools adopting the scout pro-
gram in part or as whole, while a
number of universities and colleges
conduct special courses for scout
masters and scout officials. 4
Whenever a real need exists, soon&
er or later something is found to
meet it. A real need existed for
something to fill with wholesome &C.
tivity the spare time of boys-and
the Boy Scout movement developed
to meet it. This organization which
has developed so amazingly in the
last few years, has many other
claims to consideration, but no one
is so fundamental as this basic prin-
ciple of keeping the boys so busy
doing useful things that there will
be no time for them to engage in
harmful activities.
The thing about the Boy Scout
movement that has surprised many
people is the fact that it works.
Peoule had become accustomed to
consider boys as beings naturally
mischeievous and destructive and to
look upon the period Of adolescence
as time of tribulation, like the
teething age of babies, which
must be borne with patience and
resignation. "What!" they exclaim-
ed, "makes boys want to do useful
things? 1t just can't be done!" Then
the Boy Scout Movement came along
and did it
Scouting has been a success be-
cause it was built to fit real boys
and not that mythical animal 'the-
knid-of- boy -an-old maid -thinks-a boy
should-be". The Boy Scout plan
goes right into the realm where real
boys live and brings them the food
their spirits crave-a code of honor,