Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-30
IL This Your Boy?

Ing out of doors, and performing al
the scout duties.
IL This Your Boy?
Il don't know what we're goint
TO do with John" sighed tn,
twelve year ODDS mother. Hes be
yond me, but 1 don't think he mean!
10 be bad. If only his father hat
time to take him out in the coun
try"
Her soliloquy was broken by q
crash from the kitchen an uarepent.
ent yell Of triumph, and past the
window dashed the worst boy In
the neighborhood," pockets stuffed
face radiant, making his finest speed
for the corner. where llrked "the
gang" all eager to share his spoils
But one of the boys Ead a new
book, the Boy Scouts Handbook,
and though it said nothing of the
honor of robbing fruit stands ii
told Of lots of things those boys
had v ever heard of.
whats that?" a stubhy finger
stopped another boy as he tried to
turn the leaf. "a lean-to. Say, it
shows how to make one. That 'ud
JIG odkiuy ~ SiCCp III IL q Ctci III e'iii
up"
Les build one in Skinny's back
yard" suggested another. The idea
was received with acclaim.
Here's another place where it
tells how to find you way when
you're lost in the woods, 'thout a
compass" The n who discovered
this bit of woodcraft said when"
rather than "if" as though the &C.
currence were a frequent one in
their experience of back-yards.
The upshot of it all vas a de-
scent upon a popular father, his hui
morous agreement to act as scout
master. ("It'll all blow over in "a
week" he said to his wite). and a
Boy Scout troop was launched.
When the Handbooks came what
a scramble there was for them!
The scoutmaster read it carefully
TOO and began to think more seri-
ously of the movement. He thought
more seriously when in order to re-
ceive his certificate as scoutmaster
he had to fill out an. application
blank and give reliable witnesses as
10 his character. And when, a week
or two later it had not blown over
and he looked at the boyish faces be-
fore him and heard their shrill
repeat without a break:
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my
country, and to obey the Scou'
law;
To help other people at all times
I-H,-keep myself physically strong
mentally awake and morally stralght
he suddenly realized that the
ching was in deadly earnest ana
49, daterminatio on the faces OF
$3.50 daenlv impressed new Tender
tnots was reflected in that of the
~ took q little wnile for several
-,,ers to understand why their
snns made such d startling delldhu
- ha allowed to wash d'5nts, why
thev spread out crInpled caves
af,er dinner on the dining room,
table. making laborious notes anu
.spetchLs' the while, and whJ they
c,,na home swatliei in
l,,S beaming ami unhurt' lheii,
.h3urh he did not con SO sooo
"a to be alarming. eacn scout srau
nav dropped the street PHRASES
ami initiated "tougtnass CT winch
they were once so proud. ihey
still demonstrated an interest IN tn
cans. lit: it was tnelr uses as ami
cook kits rather than as tan orha'
men;s for haplesI dogs ihaecu
when che puppy suffered IA ,rokei,
leg, the patrol fell upon him gieeiuii.
as their first "pa,ien.,' n ne wa
rau.6!y supplied with spl Us an'
= lie ,r,nyn,1,np !, n NH
mate satisfaction.
Summer came, and camp began
to be the talk. Mothers
anew at visions of upset canoes
w%hittled-off fingers and starved los
boys. The S~coutmaster Intervene
each one and outlined a plan for
cheap camp on the lake. with super
yised swimming and a first aid eX
pert.
but who WI, cook their meals?
asked each anxious proVlder o
emother's' cooking. ,
.'They cook their own,' promPtl
responded the Scoutmaster.
.Nonsense!" rose the chorus.
But the troops served a Mother:
and Sons banquet-and the mother
capitulated. Then came more SUI
DTlSeS. IIlt oCOuliliuolCl ASou q -
of good turns" and they realize
that the mysterious supply of WiGc'
Jones larder was explained, tna
their Sons had directed stranger
and sodded a church lawn. The
remembered now, q subtle change
tho youngsters attention towar
chores" and errands. Bankbook
were fiourished, the fruits of MANI
toit al 10 cents an hour. The boy
revived an apparently browne
member, signaled to an imaginar
distant camp for aid and carrie
the embarrassed patient" off on
cot stretcher. A serious young o:a
tor made the address of the eve
ming. telling in boyish phrases {
what the Scout Movement Means
The troop went camping.
But when they got home, it We
their turn to be surprisud. III
.Mother's Auxiliary of Trouu 4 ma
been formed, and who Tho DO!
saw that fitted out l.. 'Iu1rter
they
But that's another story.
All this happened % sood viii
ago. and most mothers know mo-
about the scout movement than the
once did. But not ALL even ye
realize the SERIOUS aspect uiluei
fun and outdoor good tines. Won
err who live in some of the o
American cities have seen the GU
come of scouting plainly. They ha'
enlisted the khaki-clad youngste
in distributing swat the fly
'.clean-up" literature. They ha'
been met at trains. coming for D
conventions, and courteously escor
cd IN hotels. At community celebri
tons the scouts have been ready,
crowd too great for their reat
help.