Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-11
Boy Scouts for All Georgia

~ EORGI4. is fortunate to have been
chosen as the first State in the union
for the expansion of the Boy Scout
membership to include rural sections as we'll
as cities.
Plans to this er were laid at recent At
lanta meeting of Scout leaders from Geor-
gia, the Carolinas and Florida. 1t was de-
eided to organi1. the State for Scouting by
Congressional districts, each OF which snail
have a Scout council which in turn shall or
ganize committees, councils, Scoutmasters
and Scout troop in every county and town
where the Scouts are not already repre-
scented.
Georgia was chosen as the test State for
two reasons-frst, because of it's lack OF
Scouts, and, second, because Georgia has
shown so much enterprise in overcoming that
lack. It is authoritatively stated that at
present there is only one Scout in Georgia to
every sixty-seven boys, the lowest percent
age in the Union. At the same time, Georgia
in the past year has OutdiStanced all other
states in Scout extension work with an in-
crease of approximately three hundred per
cent. Many communities, including Atlanta,
Macon, Waycross, Savannah, Augusta, val
dosta Columbus, Athens and other centers,
have First Glass Scout corncils, and Scout
troops are fourishing in smaller cities.
While Scout expansion in Georgia will have
a three-fold motive-to include the rural boys,
to enroll as many young Georgians as posi-
ble thus paving the way for similar eXpan-
sion programs in thu other forty-seven states;
and to educate the State as whole IN the
principles and the value of Scoutlng-1t is
the first Of these which is the primary pur-
pose of the movement and which promises
the most beneficial result.
Since it's inception, the Boy Scout organiza-
ton, naturally enough, has been confined In
the main to ne larger communities where II
was easier to create organized interest ana
where it was possible to assemble boys with
the least difficulty. Yet the rural youth GER
tainly should be given as much opportunity
to become Scout a. his brother Of the city.
In fact, statistics obtained from war enlist
n,ents, surprising though it may seem to
some, showed that of the two, as rule, the
city lad was quicker to learn, healthier at
core and capable of greater endurance.
Since the Boy Scout movement was found
ed in America ten years ago, it has grlpped
the country as perhaps no other system work
ed out for the benefit of youths. only a
movement intrinsically sound could have
done that, only movement that appealed not
only to the best in boy, but 20 the love OF
all lads for adventure, sport Woodcratt and
the outdoor life. e is that rare combine
Generalization that uplifts even while 1t IN
terests and enwraps the educated.
Scouting traces it. origin to General ). B.
Baden-Powell, of the British army, to Whom
the idea first came while he was one OF the
leaders in the defense of Mafeklng against
the Beers. In the troops under is command
were many lads whom he discovered, to MS
rueful establishment, were so lacking IN re-
source and knowledge that they were help
less as children when placed in situations
where they we're thrown absolutely on their
own responsibility. General Powell return
ed to England with life mission ahead O.
him. The result, after five years observa-
ton and study of boys in all parts of the
world was the Boy Scout organization, in
which boys were not only trained to be
strong healthy and self-reliant, but to be
kind, to be generous, to be truthful, to be
every inch manly in the best sense OF the
word
Scouting swept over the world. Today
there are four million Boy Scouts scattered
through practically every civilized country. In
the United States, under the pioneer leader
ship of such men as Clifford Pinchot, Theo-
dore Roosevelt Dan Beard and Ernest
Thompson Seton, Scouting has spread to ey-
ery State and includes more than half a mil
lion young Americans who, wherever they are.
stand as the recognized criterion for all that
is best in boyhood.
To enroll every lad in Georgia in the Boy
Scouts is a goal that should enlist the sym
patty and heartiest cooperation OF all c1tl-
zens for on such foundation the State can
build a future of greatness such as she has
never known.