The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-04-05
Self-Reliance, Bravery and
Honor Are Keystones Of
Splendid Organization
SCOUTCRAFT GIVES
BOY SOMETHING TO DO
Ultimate Aim Always Is
Character Building Through
Difficult Period

Members of the Mt. Vernon troop
of Boy Scouts are looking forward
with eagerness to the date of their
meeting, Friday evening, April 8, that
is to mark the resumption of their ac-
tivities for the coming spring, sum.
mer and fall.
The troop now has an enrolment
of seven second class Scouts and 20
tenderfoot Scouts Their ranks are
to be increased by the enrolment of
10 or 12 candidates for tenderfoot
Scout rank.
Parents and those who have to do
with the training of boys and youth
through that difficult period that is
the gateway to young manhood now
now know and understand and ap-
preciate the Boy Scouts movement
as they did not few years ago. Dur
| ing the years OF the world war, the
Boy Scouts aboundantly proved and
demonstrated their usefulness There
is many Boy Scout the possessOr of
bronze medal won as reward for
useful service given as proudly and
devotedly to his country as by any
doughboy who went overseas to serve
with Pershing.
While it is the purpose of the Boy
Scouts movement to instill into the
minds and hearts of boys ideas OF
self-reliance, bravery and honor, it is
not done by an appeal to the military
instinct. The Boy Scouts are not q
military organization. Those to whom
is given the guidance of the Boy
Scouts movement realize that the
, spirit of the aga is against the culti
walton of the war idea in the rising
generation and to inspire it with 6
love of the arts Of peace.
The main object and purpose is tc
take the boys back, to the opportuni
ties that every youth had in the ear
J lier and more tonic periods of thi.
country's history It swas during thu
Boer war in South Africa that Gen
, Baden-Powell, then a British officer
t had his attention called to the posi-
, bilities of such a movement by th'
! superior craftsmanship and resource
r fulness of some of the American sol
: diers who served in the British army
5 The men trained in scouting wer'
: more valuable to the army than thu
reckless fighters, or even the sharp
, shooters. ttt
!. The time is coming. it is to b,
. hoped, when the advance of the prin
, ciples of peace will leave no call TO
| the man bent on destroying the lif
r of his fellows; but the time will ney
0 er come when the world will not nee'
!. men of bravery, resourcefulness an,
!. manly honor. Nature. in her man.
e sided aspects, will long stand befor
0 us to be studied, and to be subduei
t High ideals of individual conduct vii
always be needed in this world.
l. In Scoutcraft, the hike, the Ion
e tramp, the camp, the outdoor contest
/ of pedestrianism and the details q
# self-maintenance and forest woot
e craft carry a peculiar appeal to boy
|. In the words Of Ernest Thompso
It Seton, the aim is to give the boy
II something to do, something to thin
about, something to enjoy, in tn
l. woods" with view always to cha
h aoter building, for manhood, nc
e. scholarship.
l. The America of tomorrow lies
It the character of the boys-and th
t. girls-of today. This is sentimer
IS easy to say but too often overlooke
in practice. Sometimes we are s
concerned to have enough religion
mr. nlane for the how savs Charlf