The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-14
WHY LOCAL COUNCIL
IS NECESSARY FOR
ARDMORE BOY SCOUTS
(Contributed)


The promotion of the Boy Scout
movement is essentially community
enterprise
1t Is the community's opportunity to
reach the boy with corrective influences
for character building and good citizen
ship,
To give the work proper direction,
governing committee known as the
Scout Council" is needed in each city
whore scouting is developed.
The scout council Is composed of men
who are seeking for the boys of the
community the very best things pos
sible, and who are representative of all
community interest.
The local council, through scouting,
makes valuable asset of the boy; 1.
makes him cooperative in promoting
the interests of the community and
places a value ON the minority years OF
his citizenship life; 1t is proof of the com
munity's interest in the healthful, nor
NAL, mental and moral development of
its boys.
a local council can be merely a figure
head organization. or it can be IA real
live organization, assisting materially in
the welfare of the various Boy Scout
troops of the city.
The first duty of the local council,
after perfecting its organization is to
institute II campaign for funds to sup
port the work.
The council employs man who will
be known as the scout executive" to
devote his entire time to promoting the
work in the city. 1t also selects man
to act as scout commissioner" and
definitely fixes the responsibilities OF
these officials in order to prevent con
flict OF authority and make clear the
responsibility of the scout executive TO
the executive board of the local council,
in all matters excepting those specif'
cally assigned to the scout commission
er. In many communities the position
of scout commissioner is honorary. In
all cases he receives his commission
| from the national council and serves
without compensation in the same man
ner as the scoutmaster. His duties are,
in many respects, of an advisory ma
ture, suggesting plans which he con
sders for the betterment of scouting,
and leaving the details for the paid eX'
ecutive to work out.
The local council need meet only once
a year. If its members are taking an
active interest in the welfare of the
movement they may meet more often.
The executive committee of the council
meets more often, as business requiring
its action comes up. The court of
honor" composed of three or more
members, should meet at such times as
are necessary to fulfill their duties,
which are--to conduct examinations for
| the various merit badges and other
scout tests; to investigate and recon-
mend all claimA lur honor medals or
other special awards; and to pass upon
appeals. In the organization of the
local council, representation is desired
from all religious denominations in the
city, from schools, city authorities, bus
mess mems organizations, the press
and all other organizations looking to
the betterment of the city.
AS each new troop is formed in the
city, the organization which fosters the
troop should elect some member as
member of the local council, to repre-
sent that particular troops interests
and lend his assistance in all other mat
ters of Importance to the good OF the
work in general.