The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-12-10
MOVEMENT is FORMATIVE

NSOllliilu'usJ
So il will be seen that the move.
ment is formative in hte fullest sense,
molding. the thought of the boy along
lines which result in constructive
rather than destructive work on his
part.
A well boy is like a well filed boil
or set over a hot fire with the steam
gauge showing a hundred pounds. He
is in the mood to do one of three
things-if he receives no constructive
attention he is apt TO explode and
scatter ruin broadcast; he may tap
his boiler and put IN a whistle, but
that results in the type of boy whose
entire activities center around noise;
or he may permit his steam to turn
wheels, and he will then grind his own
tools, by his Owl power, without stop
ping to realize the source of the pow
er.
Of course he mus be taught how
to handle himself, or else he may dull
a perfectly good tool, which needs but
a keener edge. Under competent
leadership, Scouting accomplishes this
for the boy.
The movement is strictly non
s~ectarian and non-military, that is, it
has no connection whatever with any
religious organization, o are the
scouts taught to carry arms. 1t
teaches reverence alike for God and
country and for the law, and the drill
teaches obedience.
The average boy has little or no con
ception of the fundamentals of obedi-
ence. He takes no interest in the
proposition; therefore, he is not as
responsive a citizen as the scout
taught boy, who has learned the ne
cessity OF obedience and has been
given good reasons for it.
The slogan or motto of the Boy
Scouts is BE Prepared" which means
Ready on Demand" Time was when
we did our household cooking by
means of wood stoves, then coal was
introduced and today modern methods
| suggest the use of the gas range. In
the old way it was necessary to nam
ain the fire continually, but today we
| use the gas only when we need 1t. IL
is right there and we know it. 1t is
ready on demand"
Non Don'ts in Scouting
! In the life of the average boy there
are a great many "don'ts." Thinking
as they do in terms of adults, rather
than of childhood, parents find it east
er to say don't" than to teach the
child how and why to do constructive
thinking. There is nothing in this
sort of scouting. Everything is posi-
tive, constructive and the reason why
is always given. This establishes
standards instead of lowering them.
Scouting teaches fundamentals OF
real efficiency, which has been defined
as doing the right thing at the right
time, in the right way" 1t is the
shortest road to what men call sue
cess, no a short cut, but a logical way
of going. DIRECTED energy" express
the thought which scouting teaches.
1t harnesses the energy OF the boy
Scouting gives the boy a vision oil the
future, and competent leadership
helps him to realize it. All boys are
fundamentally right, but if misdirect-
ed or unguided, they absorb through
environment, influences which b
them otherwise. The spring bubbling
out from the sand is the purest sort
of water, but it follows the line of
least resistance, joins others on a
similar errand, and is finally lost in
the sea-contaminated. A man with
vision stood at the side of the Niaga-
ra river, and his vision resulted in
Harvesting the falls and producing
light and unlimited electric force for
a radius of 100 miles. Scouting stands
beside the river of opportunity along
which the boy is floating, harnesses
his energy and causes him to light the
world by his effort.
A great majority of people who have
heard of the Scout Movement look up
on it as a less offensive form of mis-
chief than hat in which a boy might
otherwise be engaged, or a somewhat
reasonable form of amusement not
known to be Objectionable. There are
comparatively few who know the real
worth of the movement or who have
delved into it sufficiently to be willing
TO do their part, not only for their
own boy, but for their neighbours boy
to give to it the moral as well as
the financial support necessary to
success-character building in the boy
of today, the man of tommorw in the
making.
nm. H. Continued