Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-12-08
THE BOY AND
HIS MAGAZINE
By JAMES E. WEST
Chief Scout Executive in America.

has occasioned widespread discussion,
but not all the comment has been di-
rected to the point at issue. It is not
surprising there should be the prob
lem of fractional reading. We are
entering a new field and attempting
work for which there are few sound
guiding precedents.
The Boy Scout organization, in it's
effort to develop recreational reading,
is not inaugurating a library move
ment. We are not primarily concern
ID with the library phase of the read
ng problem. There are hundreds
upon hundreds of books for boys that
have found a place for themselves up
IN library shelves. There are, in fact,
so many books for boys-and really
good ones, too-that no boy could
rope to read even a small part of
them. Our libraries are doubtless
headed in the right direction. The
Boy Scout organization has no inten-
ton of quarrelling with them or at
.empting to change them.
During the last three decades there
has been an unparalleled develop
ment in the magazine field. Likewise,
there is also an increase in the an
aual out put of books. More books
are being read and more magazines
are being read than ever before. That
much we know.
But there are some things we do
not know. There are no statistics for
example, showing the extent to which
the development of the magazine has
modified popular reading habits and
tendencies. How many people are
there who formerly turned to the H.
brary for their fractional reading
who now rely entirely upon the maya
zine Nobody knows. To what en-
tent has the growth in the magazine
field modified the type of fractional?
Nobody knows.
The question what concerns us is
this: To what extent is the American
boy turning almost wholly to the
magazines designed primarily for a.
dults for all or part of his fractional
reading? This, again is a question
for which there is no answer at hand.
Many of those who have contended
that the Boy Scout organization could
not hope to improve past and present
types of books designed for boys will
undoubtedly concede the possibilities
of improvement from the boys stand
point in the magazine field.
George Willard Davidson, principal
of the Isador and Ida Strauss Public
School, Brooklyn, writes concerning
his as follows:
american boys are in need now,
as never before, of a magazine which
will compel their attention.
"The Boy Scouts of America can
furnish the machinery and back
ground for such magazine as no
other organization in existence can
provide. Its work is entirely unset
fish and is not in any sense a mer-
ccnary proposition. A magazine run
under private auspices must be for
gain and in the very nature of things
which is based on altruism.
"You are in position, provided
means are given you, to command
the services of the best writers and
the best articles which the Nation
produces. At the same time, you are
in a position to secure contributions
from successful men of affairs in all
lines of activity, from craftsmanship,
on the one hand, to business and pro-
fessional activities on the other. Such
contributions cannot be made avail
able through any other channel, but
can be spread before American boys
if this vision is embodied by your or
ganization in printed form.
"The vital Importance of develop
ing Boys Life, the Boy Scout maya
zine, into periodical which will force
its way into the hands of millions of
boys is matter worthy of the atten-
ton of the strongest intellects the
most devoted patriotism and the
strongest spiritual insight that our
Nation has to offer. Multitudes of
boys are reaching out vainly for such
paper today They cannot, they
must not be denied"
Mr.. Davidson's recommendations
were based upon observations he had
made concerning the degree to which
boys were turning from the publica-
lions designed primarily for them to
publications in the preparation of
which the interests of boy received
little or no consideration.
Writing for boys is an occupation
that properly challenges the guild
ance of the entire writing fraternity.
Since boys are turning more and
more to the magazine for their rec
reational reading, there should be a
real boys magazine for them toward
which to turn.
do Rats Talk to Each Other?'s
Asks Mr.. M. Batty, RI.