Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-09
BOY SCOUT ANNIVERSARY WEEK HAS OPENED
Local Troops Heard Annual Address
 of National President.


 The Boy Scout anniversary week, which opened Thursday night is a powerful influence in bringing new boys into the scout movement and de- velopfng the ideals of those who are already scouts. The main feature of this anniversary week is the special effort towards good turns performed Individually or in troops. Such good the sick, cleaning unsightiy lots in the city. assisting charitable organi- cations. Ministers and rabbis are gladly responding to requests for spe- sary week for they know the value of scouting in the religious life of the boy. Thursday night at SIS o'clock, 100000 scouts assembled at their headquarters throughout the country to hear the annual message Of Pres ident Colin H. Livingstone, which fol- lows:
 Tonight is the seventh anniversary years ago only a. few boys and men in this country knew what boy scouts really were. The name was attrac- tive--business houses were using it as were calling little boys scouts and dressing them up in uniforms. Those who understood that the scout move ment was for boys in their teens were having a hard time to protect it.
 On February 9th, 1s10s the move ment was incorporated under the laws of the district of Columbia. This put the scout membership, tests, uniforms, ment under the control of the mem bers of the organization. Even then it was not possible to know who was a genuine scout and who was not.
 The scoutnnasters and other scout officials were registered at national headquarters but the scouts were not. The scouts had no certificates of mem bership. Nobody knew exactly how n @r~Ao rIT~ were.
 So the present membership phn was put into operation. Every scout, during the past three years. has been registered at national headquarters and has had a membership certificate. The records containing his name ans rank are filed in f1reproof cases in a freproof building. It is easier for him to obtain proof of his rank as a scout than it is for him toAprove his na- tionality by securing a birth certifi- cate
 On June 18th. 1916. the congress of charter to the Boy Scouts of America, which together with existing laws give the Boy Scout complete protec- ton against exploitation for all time to come.
 All this is incidental to the main thing, which is loyalty to the Scout oath and law and the doing of a good turn daily by every scout.
 A upon every scout. You are scouts not only when in uniform, not only while attending your troop meetings, but 24 hours a day and three hundred and nifty judges the whole scout brother hood by what you do. An oath, a ci- garette, an indecent story would in jure not only the scout who was guilty of it, but every other scout in the world.
 The future progress of the move ment depends upon you. Every Scout who does his good turn makes good impression upon someone and helps to spread the scout idea Every par ent who sees a scout doing his duty, cheerfully and faithfully. will want his boy to become a scout. Every teach working to secure an education and doing all he can to help the school, will want all the other boys in school to become scouts. Every priest, pas tor and rabbi who sees scout true to his religion. will want a troop n h1sS church or tabernacle. A single act by a single scout has often resulted in new troops and scores of new scouts. By next year we should have 100000 scouts at least.
 For tn enext five days. during An niversary Week, we will all have big opportunity to make the scout movement known throughout the United States. It will be like getting a running start down the further side of the hill in the hike. gathering mo- mentum to help us up the mountain of opportunity which lies just ahead. Forward! Double time! March! COLIN H. LIVINGSTONE, President of the Boy Scouts of Amer
 Following the reading of the address they came to attention, saluted ana repeated the scout oath Wh1ch act testified to their loyalty to the. pledge.