The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-07-09
THE SCOUTMASTER

The work done by the Scoutmasters
Of Ardmore was reflected TO a great
extent in the conduct and behavior
of the Scouts while in camp at Camp
Turner. The desire TO qualify for
higher rank, the quick response to
discipline, and the manifestation Of
q general spirit Of Scouting on the
part of each boy present shows what
the Scoutmasters have been doing.
To our mind no higher type Of man.
hood can be found. and no greater
demonstration Of desire to serve
without thought Of self can be made
than when a man volunteers to de-
vote a part of his time to the training
of a group of boys along the lines
specified in the Scouting program.
That growing boys, boys especially
between the ages Of twelve and fif-
teen need companionship and COM
radeship with clean men, is fact that
has long been accepted as absolute.
The devil, in the working out Of his
plans, prompts men who are not
clean to seek the association of boys
af tender years-prompts them 10
tell the boys filthy stories, arouse in
their minds filthy thoughts and help
them acquire filthy injurious habits.
The boy responds to his advances
not because he desires knowledge OF
the lesser things, but because in q
man he recognizes the mark Of ex-
perience, and experience is what the
lad of adolescent age desires.
The man of clean mind has had
more valuable and more interesting
experience than the other. and the
boy recognizes this and desires his
comradeship; but such a man is gen
orally busy, feels that he cannot spare
time to fool with boys, and there
the devil gets in his work in the clean
minded man, holds him away from the
boy and gives the other fellow a
chance to get at him with his filth
and fakes.
The question of securing Scoutmast.
ers for troops of Scouts is not simply
matter of finding male beings who
J will put in time with the boys-its
question Of finding suitable men
men who will be allowed TO serve men
who can qualify to the real man s
standard, whom national headquarters
feels can be trusted to help develop
minds and bodies in the right way
the clean way. Perhaps 1t would be
an interesting experiment. psyche
logical test-to apply for commits
sion as a Scoutmaster and learn why
the application is rejected. A man
does not have to be long faced, mel.
ancholy, joy-killing sample of human
ity to be a Scoutmaster, but he does
have to be a man, real man, red
hlooded and right.hearted-big man,
Those few men in Ardmore who
have gone quietly about the business
of being Scoutmasters, have held their
! AiboRo AbbtNlltl htpl Nilt bOys
interested. have taught the boys some.
thing Of manhood, OF unselfish serv-
ice and useful lives are entitled "a
a vote of sincere and heartfelt thanks
from the parents OF the boys. And
again we say, claimants for greatness
as men and as upbuildcrs Of the com.
munity cannot have met the issu,
squarely, cannot have accomplished
as much as they might, until they
have accepted the challenge Of Ard
more's boyhood and become Scout
masters. Four hundred Ardmore boys
are waiting for the right kind of lead
ership-some perhaps are loiterinl
around the pool halls and gambling
joints while they wait, but theyr,
waiting and hpninp inst tho eorna