Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-07
SaRoyS(!o!u1so OF
kAGl&&4I!I
inst Talks With Scouts
Conducted By Mabel Putnam Gibson

iVeness OF the little fellows all over
the islands who have fought Storms
and bugs and animals in order to get
taeir school gardens going Haven't
you watched them in the Star-Bulletn
and haven't you clapped your hands
over their courage in planting and re-
planting and maybe planting again
To be sure, they were growing things
for a reward-a golden reward, or
even a silver reward; while we are
not. But jolly old Uncle Sans smile
IL something of a reward. and that 8
who We are working for. II scouts be-
gan working for mere money, 1t would
be sad indeed. Money ts a handy
thing to have, but in cases OF grea:
strain and hardship, or in case OF
ones being at a great distance from
civilization. knowledge Is even more
powerful than cash-knowledge OF
working the ground so as to make 1t
yield something to eat. That, OF
course, Is but one kind Of knowledge.
Other forms that We have applied are
IN the way Of making fire without
matches, 80 that one can cook what
ever requires cooking. Another form
OF knowledge IL shown by the first aid
work, which no money can buy.
The other night we were much in.
terested' In arguments developed at
Troop VII, bearing on the subject of
knowledge necessary to apply II
scout and two companions were
tramping in the high mountains, when
suddenly one Of them should fall and
break his leg. Different ideas were
expressed by the scouts, especially
with regard TO the making and handl-
1ng Of q stretcher with which to climb
down steep decliyity.
At meeting Of Troop XVIII, consid-
cradle knowledge was shown by one
OF the first class scouts. who had
been attending the demonstration at
the Agricultural station. He knew
Why certain treatment Of O vegetable
bed should be made, and why certain
other things ought not to be done,
showing that he had attended to bus
mess and absorbed knowledge. Now
he Is ready 10 apply Il, and In Q few
months his reward viii be smiling at
him from four or five feet above
ground.
So all these scraps OF information
pay, and In 40 or 80 years from now,
when we have but one tooth and q tiny
Gprig Of white hair left, We shall SIT In
comfort on our broad lanais, gaze out
from behind the alamanda and the
lauai and the sweet plumarias, and
rub our hands together and exclaim,
.aThank God we once were scoutsl
For through the knowledge gained In
that good order, when we were only
kids, came the chance to get this land
and cultivate Il and make II yield us
something. And through the scout
instruction came the first awakening
TO the very line Of work that we found
ourselves keenly interested in-mine
for the automobile business, yours for
pineapple culture. Toms for contract
ing" "a
Yes, IL Is thus In life--a simple idea,
q little suggestion along some special
line often awakens IN us desire for
greater knowledge, and soon we find
ourselves accepting that particular
thing az our chosen work In life. For
Instance, scout who passes merit
badge for carpentry may have devel-
oped Just enough love for tools to
make him hunger for more informa-
ton. So, from practising on the roof
OF hts heu-house, where he learns
whether the single should be 4 or 8
inches to the weather, he finds himself
longing to be more than Just what
the scouts instructions make him,
and soon he is apprenticing himself
to his neighbor, who IL q builder.
q L. d.
own account and finds that he can
draw q pretty good little plan and can
make his figures and his lumber hitch.
Fine! Now he's encouraged; and be-
fore you can say Jack Robinson, he
has become a really truly carpenter,
who develops into q really truly con-
tractor and builder. Sol That much
for seoutcraft having given him his
start. 49,.
There is an old saying that ''knowl-
edge is power" We recall to mind the
story OF q young chap who, while wan.
defing from town to town In the foot.
hills Of the Sierra Nevadas, suddenly
found himself on the edge of q ranch |
where all hands were In distress over !
something that had gone wrong with
q tractor. Il happened that the regu-
lar engineer had gone on a "bust" to |
Sacramento, and as he was the ma
chinist OF the ranch as well, nobody
else could handle the engine so well. |
Well, our young friend had been out |
OF cash for several days and had
been forced to pick up work wherever
he could find 1t, mostly work in or
chards. It had not occurred to him |
that the simple knowledge he had
GAINED as q child In his fathers ma
chine shop was ever to put him in a !
position to help other people out OF |
piIikia; but so It was to be. Although
On his vacation from school Git being !
his ambition to travel over the coun. |
tryl. he nevertheless did some rapid |
These farmers were in |
distress; they must have the tractor |
at work. They were talking about !
sending for someone from miles away
"This is t