Omaha daily bee., 1916-06-11
PREPAREDNESS
CAMPS FOR BOYS
Nearly Two Hundred Thousand Will
Be Given Training Under the
Direction of Boy Scouts.
SIGNALING AND MAP MAKING

summer under the leadership OF men
identified with the Boy Scouts OF
/ America, according to an announce
4 n.ent made at the organization head
quarters here today. Military drill
will not be given, the boys, but in
other WAYS the camps will be very
;imiiar to tfe military instruction
amps for adults at Pattsburg, N. Y,
nd other places.
AN analysis of the program for the
,lattsburg and similar camps pro-
iotcd by General Leonard A. Wood,
eycals that fully tf1ree-fourths OF the
objects and activities taken up in
hem are included in the Boy Scout
cheme," the statement reads. "and
hey will be provided in this sum.
ner,s Boy Scout camps, the frst OF
which viii open next week.
The aims in view, il is explained,
are not only to build the boys ply
sically. but to give them knowledge
and skill that will UNNECESSARILY in
crease their usefulness to their coun-
trv m any crisis" Under this plan the
following subjects are included in the
course of instruction:
Camp-site selection, tent pitching,
drainage, sanitation, commisary
equipment and management. fire
lirhtina without matches, cooking,
long distance code signaling, setting
up Of field telegraph and wireless out.
fits. bridge building, construction OF
SIGNAL and observation towers, FIRE
fighting, swimming, rescue OF GROWN
ing persons, resustication, managing
boats, first aid to injured, observation
and memory tests, map making ana
reading. exploration Of unfamiliar
territory and dispatch bearing. In ad-
dition the scouts will learn, largely
through games and compositions
which chicken boyish interest, great
deai about nature, and will be taught
70 nut into practice the code Of con.
duct known to them as scout law.
The camp motto win be BE pre-
pared." which has been the Boy Scout
slogan since the incorporation OF the
movement in 1910
Manual Of Army Omitted.
"The most ardent preparedness adj
vocate OF today" the statement de-
clares, "has added nothing new TO the
arguments that were Recognized by
ths promoters Of the boy scout
scheme; indeed, the scout scheme
does further, and provides . work
able plan, one that is actually work
! ing, for preparedness for everyday
& life, for the routine requirements q
ritizenship, As well as for emcrgen-
ties, including the remote possibility
Of war"
In explanation Of the fact that the
bows will not receive military drill,
Inc statement says:
"The rifle, the sword and other
4 military aecoutrement form no part
Of the boy scout equipment The
bow. in his adoiescent years, we feel,
i not sufficiently benefited by prac-
tice in the manual Of arms to have i
take the place OF other things which
are Of more positive and construct
Lieutenant General Sir Baden
Powell (who developed the Boy Scout
movement upon the be prepared
pian), with long experience In Eng
lands recruiting work, strongly OPP
posed military drill for the younger
boys, and is fighting hard now against
the cadet system which 10 advocated
z BY some in Great Britain. He opposes
ii on the ground that It defeats the
object It IS intended to accomplish;
MAT efficient, well disciplined. fighting
men cannot be made without . per-
sonal development OF character, re-
sponsibility, self-discipline, physical
health, none Of which come from the
sort Of military drill that young
boys receive.
Grounding for Good Citizenship.
"Thc Boy Scouts OF America goes
in different way about the business
OF training boys for the service oil
their country. All OF the interests
and activities of the scouts are
planned so as to give the boy Z
grounding in the qualities that make
for good citizenship, strong body
an alert mind, moral perceptions ant
inclinations, knowledge Of his coun'
try and Of the true meaning the
Rag. The boy who gets these il
his teens and who in addition get!
the training given the scouts will b.
able to master purely military drill
in one-tenth the time the average
boy would require; and he wouls
have, plus this, initiative, resource
adaptability and ability to care to-
himself which the cadet would no
have had time to acquire.
"The summer camps will be a dem
onstration. But back of this demon
stration is that something else abou
the Boy Scout training which 81
changes and improves the spirit 0
the boy and his attitude toward hi
home, his school, his work and hi
country and his flag. II is what vii
count for most in an hour of crisis.
National headquarters records Of
Tune showed that $4,000 men en-
rolled as scoutmasters and in othe
posts Of leadership are prepared t
assist in the summer encampmcnt
for which l80,4o5 boys are eligible
In addition, the camps will have tn
services OF army and navy officer,
naturalists, scoutcraft experts, gov
eminent life saving officers. physi
clans, biologists, civil engineers an
other men qualified to give instruc
ton.
Masters Give Good Service.
I'm this day, when so much is beinl
said about patriotic service, tn
statement says, recognition shout
Be given to the personal sacrifice o
the thousands Of men who withou
compensation are devoting man,
hours every week to the training Q
scouts, and who give up their owl
vacation plans in order to see tina
their scouts are properly protecte
and instructed In the scout camp