The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-02-22

citizenship. The character building
work OF the movement is presented to
boys In what is meant to be an "at-
tractive wrapping" II 10 based large
ly on the method Of learning by doing,
In order that boys may be taught 20
be reecurcefuls and seif-reliant In all
situations in which they may be piac-
THE movement Ii non.sectarian and
non-political. Its program offers to
the boy a weil-rounded mental. physi-
cal. and mUral experience, largely out
of-doors. and calculated to develop q
love Of country, God, and neighbor.
For its success the movement depends
upon the voluntary leadership Of mel
OF high ideals who serve as scout
masters and scout commissioners. The
educational aspect Of the work is
emphasized by the fact that Of the ~
OS1 men who held commissions as
scout masters on Dec. 81 last, about
% per cent are college men and over
80 per cent have either a high school
or q college education; 1856 give their
occupation as clergymen, and 100 as
public school teachers: others are pro-
fessiOnal men, journalists, students, or
engaged in mechanical or mercantile
pursuits. In practically every one of
the $50 chartered councils the public
through the service of the school
superintendent on the executive board.
and in many cases the school superin-
tendent serves as presiaent OF the
council"
In describing the educational work
OF the Girl Scouts, Montague Cannon,
the executive secretary, shows how
the movement has grown In q whole
some and normal way from small
beginning in Savannah, Ga, In 1912 to
national organization with troops in
$50 communities. He says: "The Girl
Scout program, presenting all Of it's
activities In group work, pre-
eminentiy nils distinct need In the
equipment OF women for modern life.
In its requirements for the three
grades OF scouting and for the pro-
dciency badges the organization is
emphasizing the home making oc-
cupations and virtues. Nursing and
trst AID occupy o prominent place in
While the Girl Scouts organization
10 non.sectarian. II IL distinctly religi-
Gus. Each girl is expected to live up
TO the tenets Of her particular church.
She cannot be Rood scout unless she
10 faithful to her own religion"
Group teaching by mothers 10 one
OF the features Of the work Of the
Campfire SlrlSs as ue@cr1Ded Dy Mrs.
Cecilia Farwell in the Bureaus report.
She points out how one mother who is
especially good in making bread, will
invite all the girls OF group to her
home on Saturday and teach them
how to make bread, while another
who excels in sewing, or some other
form OF home craft, will take them
into her home for the next meeting.
In speaking Of the system Of 'honors"
Mrs. Farwell declares:
While mothers are ENCOURAGED to
cooperate in the winning OF hontfs,
the honors are actually awarded In
the council fire in the presence Of the
group. This is one OF the secrets Of
success Of Campfire. Each girl knows
how difficult Il is to do simple home |
tasks which to an adult appear merely
in the light Of duty. The girl who
hates, to wash dishes appreciates the |
fact that the other girl who stands in
her place and receives an honor bead
for having washed and wiped dishes
and left the dining room in order aft
er one meal a day for two months has
won her bead through real effort. The
girl who receives the bead knows that
her mates, appreciate how hard it was
to win 1t, and the bead has a very
real value to her because OF this fact
The honor 10 awarded not by an adult
who feels that the girl has only done
her duty, but by her mates, all Of
whom are in sympathy with her."