Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1916-06-11
HUGE THRONG Of BOYS WILL
LEARN PREPAREDNESS DUTIES


usefulness to their country in any
crisis" Under this plan the following
subjects are included in the course of
Instruction:
Camp-sit selection, tent-pitching,
drainage, sanitation. commissary
equipment and management. fire light
ing without matches cooking. long
distance code signaling. setting up of
field telegraph and wireless outfits,
bridge building, construction of signal
and observation towers. fire fighting,
swimming, rescue of drowning persons,
resuscitation, managing boats, first aid
to injured observation and memory
tests, map making and reading, eXplo-
ration of unfamiliar territory, and de
spatch bearing. In addition the scouts
will learn, largely through games and
competitions which quicken bOyisp in
terest a great deal about nature, and
will be taught to put into practice the
ode of conduct known to them as
scout law" The camp motto will be
"be prepared" which has been the boy
scout slogan since the incorporation of
the movement in 1910.
The most ardent preparedness ad-
vocate of today" the statement de-
clares, mas added nothing new to the
arguments that We're recognized by the
promoters of the boy scout scheme;
indeed the scout scheme goes further
and provides q workable plan. one that
is actually working, for preparedness
for everyday life, for the routine re-
quirements of citizenship, as well as
for emergencies. including the remote
possibility Of war"
In explanation of the fact that the
BOYS will not receive military drill. the
statement says:
The rifle, the sword and other mil
tary accoUtrement form no part of the
boy scout equipment. The boy, in his
adolescent years, we feel, is not suf-
| ficiently benefited by practice in the
manual of arms to have it take the
place OF other things which are of a
mere positive and constructive value.
Lieutenant general Sir Robert
Baden Powell (who developed the Boy
Scout movement upon the be pre-
pared plan), with long experience in
Englanv's recruiting work, strongly
/ opposes military drill for the younger
boys. and is fighting hard now against
| the cadet system which is advocated
| by some in Great Britain. He opposes
| it on TIE ground that it defeats the
| object it is intended to accomplish;
| that efficient. well-disciplined, fight
| ing men cannot be made without 4
personal development of character, re-
| sponsibility, elf-discipline, physical
| health, none of which come from the
| sort of military drill that young boys
| receive.
| THE Boy Scouts of America goes in
| l different way about the business of
| training boys for the service of their
| country All of the interests and ac-
tivities of the scouts are planned so as
10 give the boy a grounding in the
| qualities that make for good citizen =
| ship, a strong body, an alert mind
| moral perceptions and inclinations. a
| knowledge of his country and of the
| true meaning of the flag. The boy who
scouts will be able to master purely
litior gets tie training given the
scouts will be- able to master purely
military drill in one-tenth the time the
average boy would require; and he
would have. plus this. initiative, re-
source, adaptability and ability to care
for himself which the cadet would not
have had time to require
| The summer camps will be a dem.
| Onstration. But back of this demon
! stration is that something else abOu
the boy scout training which Sc
changes and improves the spirit of tn,
boy and his attitude toward his home
his school. his work and his country
and his flag. 1t is what will count fo
most in an hour of crisis"
Natioral headquarters records OF
June l showed that $4,000 men en-
| rolled as scOutmasters and in othe
posts of leadership are prepared to as
sist in the summer encampments TO
which 1SO.495 boys are eligible. In ad
dition, the camps will have the ser
vices of army and navy officers. nat
uralists, scoutcraft experts govern
ment life saving service officers, ply
sicians, biologists, civil engineers AM
other men qualified to give instruc
ton.
In this day when so much is beinj
said about patriotic service" the state
mert says, recognition should be Civ
en- 20 the personal sacrifice of tn
thousands Of men who without com
pensation are devoting many hour
every week to the training of scout
and who give up their own vacatio
plans in order to see that their scout
are properly protected and instructe
0 in the scout camps this summer
U These men stand in very close re
0 ationship TO the boys; they have wo
q their respect. admiration and conf
" dence; they have come into position
W of unusual influence in these youn
> lives. Clean. strong men of unques
" toned patriotism, they are playing
" very large part in the work of prepal
" ing this nation for any emergency"
- There are troops of Boy Scouts
" virtually every citV and town in II