Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-08-25
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL y. COLLINS

idle youth. Just as truly as that "a
million men springing to arms over
night" do not constitute an army, but
a mob of confusion and destruction
so Gen. Baden-Powell has shown the
superiority OF self-disciplined and
trained Boy Scouts over gangs" and
unorganized boys with pent-up ener-
gies but with no worthy detectives
and no teamwork.
| X +
Fourteen years ago a Chicago pub
Usher. w. D. Boyce, desiring to find
a certain railroad station in London,
hailed q boy:
MY boy. please tell me how to go
to Charing Cross Station"
"I'll show you. SIR"
Together they walked the short
distance. and Mr.. Boyce offered the
usual tip, a shilling.
| Il cannot take pay. sir. This is
my good turn for today" answered
the boy. with a smart salute.
Your what? Your good turn? ?
Why, what do you mean?"
I'm a Boy Scout. sir" Another
salute. I'VE each do some good turn
daily. This is mine for today"
The traveller woke to his discovery
IT something astonishingly new. He
postponed his departure in order that
the scout could do him another good
turn by conducting him to the scout
headquarters. When Mr.. Boyce
reached Chicago $500 he called
upon the Y. NJ. c. A. with the news Of
MS wonderful find, and began at once
the Introduction of boy scouting in
America.
According to Scout laws-not
| preachments, but laws which every
Scout swears to obey. and for which
ne Is penalized or dropped IL he fails
to honor-these are the principles of
scouthood: Scout is Trustworthy,
loyal to whom loyalty is due, friendly,
| courteous, kind, obedient to all con-
stituted authorities, including, of
course, his own parents, cheerful che
| smiles whenever he can. and never
shirks or grumbles"), Is thrifty, is
brave. is clean in body and mind. Is
reverent-and respects the convic-
lions OF others in matters Of custom
and religion.
There is no distinction of religions.
Scouts may be Christians or Jews.
| Protestants or Catholics The order
is not military nor sectarian, vet 1t
has all the merit Of military discipline
and Of ideal true religion.
| BE prepared" That Is the motto
OF the Scouts. Hence the Scout is
always training, always learning how
to act in case of emergencies. He
fire without matches. like an Indian.
He knows how to put out a fire in
| the forest, how to do teamwork to
| stop panic or a runaway horse, how
to cooperate with the police to con-
| troll crowded street, how to swim
to drowning person, and to re-
suscitate the victim after bringing
him to shore. how to twist a
| tournequet to stop a bleeding artery.
| He knows the stones, the trees, birds,
insects and some one or more of the
arts or trades. That is scoutcraft
| \ X
| There are now 617,SOS such Scouts
| In the United States Besides the
boys, there are 141,oS5 grown-up men
who have the privilege of being
volunteer officers. as scoutmasters,
and share with the boys the fun and
responsibility Of developing the great
| est movement in American society.
Nothing is more effective in breaking
down class distinctions and incuIcat-
ing the sport spirit that makes every
one play the game" and be square
The boys can parade, but they prize
most their daily good turns" rather
than playing soldier. for they are not
military.
In the last annual report, the 18th,
the chief Scout executive, James E.
West, says:
| character development Is the real
objective Of the Boy Scout movement
Every step in the scouting program
is but a means to this end. - =
The character development manifests
| itself in health. efficiency, chivalry,
loyalty, patriotism and good citizen
ship"
Copyright, 1924. by Paul v. Collins)