The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-11-07

personally responsible element Of his
community, sharing its tasks as we'll
as its privileges.
There is scarcely any limit to the
community service. that scouts rem
der. They take charge of the rails
ing and lowering Of community flags,
keep public squares in condition, CO.
operate with police, public health, and
fire departments, with fish and game
commissions and with forest wardens.
They participate all over the country
in Walk-rite, city beautiful and city
cleanup campaigns, fight mosquitoes
and pestilence carrying rats. are ready
in short, to do anything and every
thing which needs doing and for
which their scout training and organi-
zation peculiarly fits them.
Scouting develops the social con-
science. The scout is not content
with not being careless himself. He
trails the carelessness Of other peo-
pie, picks up the banana skin from
the sidewalk, the broken glass from
the street. If he sees fire trap
or a disease breeder, heap Of rubbish
he reports these things to the proper
authorities. In fine. he is being
trained by daily practice to respon-
sible, constructive citizenship.
Scouting stands always for law
and order. In his troop meeting on
the hike, in camp. the scout learns
to see the necessity for law and to
ntSnt n
because he understands its import
ance and sees that 1t makes sense"
One week in a scout camp will do
more toward making q scout into
good citizen than the examining Of
many volumes upon the subject.
Another phase Of scouting which we
believe to be of great value is the op-
portunity for vocational guidance
which 1t presents. Scouting helps
boys to help themselves in the truest
sense and avoid the blind alleys into
which SO many men drift for lack Of
suitable direction during adolescence.
No statement Of Boy Scout train
ing for citizenship would be COM
plete without recapitulation Of the
scout oath, which contains the whole
essence of scouting. 1t runs as fol-
lows:
"On my honor will do my best
81. To do my duty to God and my
country, and to obey the scout law;
"2. To help other people at all
times;
"3. To keep myself physically
strong, mentally awake, and morally
straight"
There are nearly 100000 Boy Scouts
Of America today. Thousands more
have passed into manhood with the
spirit and practice Of this fine oath
ingrained in their hearts. Who shall
say that this army Of "men in the
making" will not exert tremendous
influence for good upon the America
Of tomorrow?
Locally the Boy Scout organization
Is following along the lines indicated
by Chief Scout Executive West. The
scout understanding Of Americaniza-
ton is that each individual be taught
and encouraged in every way possible
to take q keen active interest in the
welfare Of his community. The Boy
Scout learns the value and the re-
sponsibilities Of citizenship by doing
those things which a good citizen
should do. AS citizens Ardmore scouts
have helped their community by per-
sonally gathering up tin cans and by
encouraging others to do the same;
by helping preserve the trees of the
city by removing pests which were
destroying them; by helping the
various community welfare organiza-
tions, the Chamber OF Commerce, etc