New Britain herald., 1924-12-08
SCOUTS NEED MEN,
 WYLAND'S MESSAGE
Ensene C. Brown, 15, Winner
 Of Eagle Scout Badge

BlDle CltpS yNslSiuu h'H' W w. Ray o. Wyland, a minister who has left the pulpit to handle the church department and the national educational program for Boy Scouts delivered the address and officiated at the ceremony which made Eugene c. Brown the youngest Eagle Scout in New Britain and the ninth boy 10 attain thls honor in 14 years. There were 3ia men present, F. NJ. Holmes, president Of the local Scout Council; Walter o. Cook Scout executive, and Rev. R. B. Gil man, pastor of the Stanley Memorial church and chaplain of the White army sat on the platform with President Walter R. Fletcher. MT. Gilman made the opening prayer. Mir. Wyland was introduced by President Holmes.
 Scout Brown of Troop 4, was pre- sented with his eagle scout badge by MT. Wyland, who explained to the class the difficulties which must De overcome before a boy can attaln this, the highest rank in scouting. Few boys who enter the movement ever reach this grade. He Is 10 years of age. The eagle badge Is won only after passing examinations in ol subjects, including personal health, public health, camping, bird study. pioneering, athletics or physi- cal development, and several other required subjects, besides many op' ,tional ones covering such a varied field as handicraft, firemanship, ra- dio, first aid, signalling, civlcs. schol- arship and others chosen from list of about SO. Some of the necessary material may be found in books put most of the work involved Is neces- sarily dependent on the scouts own initiative and ingenuity.
 Scouting From Boys Angle
 In his address Rev. MT. Wyland said: :.
 There are some people who don't know anything about scouting. They think it is a good thing; they think it is nice for the boy 10 have an out ing, to get out, but they haven't grasped the significance of scouting education. They haven't known what we are trying to do for the boys of America and of the world through this great program of edu- cation.
 "The reason for that is that so many get their impression Of scout ing from what the boy talks about. You recognize that the boy thinks or lit as play and fun, the outdoor life, the camping and hiking and fishing and swimming and life saving, the things that appeal to the boy. The boy is the advertiser of scouting and he advises it from the boy! standpoint,
 ITO the boy. scouting is game and l assure you we are glad t' have it so. We have not hesitatec at any time 10 think of scouting 1T terms of making it more and more a game for the boy, to give hin things which he likes to do. I ad' init to you frankly that there Is onl, one reason why a boy should be z scout, and that is because he wants 10 be. If the time ever comes wher the boy is not interested in scouting we do not want him to be a scout.
 We know that our only capita with that boy is the interest we car arouse in his mind and heart in tht things we offer him to do. A boy il more interested in a program of do ing than of hearing or listening. l is a program of action. A boy l. more interested in doing good thar in being good. You talk to bo, about being good, and to him tha signifies folding his arms and sit ting pretty. He does not know how to sit pretty; all he knows is to g out and do things. He is a ttngint bundle of nerves.
 You suppress boy and he is lik' steam engine, If the steam canno get out it will blow up the boiler. i boy has to have action. The reason we have had some difficulty witt boys is that we have sat on the safety valve until the boiler blew up He has to do something.
 scouting offers him things 10 d' that he likes to do. We capitalize that interest by giving Nim thing to do that he likes to do and tha : are worth while.
 The reason many people think O scouting as mere child's play is tha the boy thinks of 1t as recreation anc as an outing and good time. Wher you and I think Of scouting, we arr putting money into it and service and time. we think of 1t in terms O permanent values these boys get ou of the scouting program.
 What Boys Go To Heaven
 "We believe it Is a whole lot bet
 ter 10 give a boy something 10 dt that's worth while than to set hin down in Sunday school class wit . good, God-fearing woman witt
 tears in her eyes and voice wh
 looks down in his face and talk
 about good little boys. At the sam
 time this little fellow will reacl around the third or fourth boy an
 stick the fifth boy in the ribs an' break up the class. The teacher vii say to him, Johnny, what kind 0 little boys go to Heaven"' and h.
 says. Dead ones.'
 Don't think for a moment that
 discount the teaching of the Sunda school. or all things in Amoric ahat we need to emphasize is nor teaching in the Sunday school
 am for its~ith all my heart. and
 think that unless we get larger plac for the church school and the op
 rortunity 10 put the principles Of th
 faith of the living God into th 5. minds and hearts of boys Ve Ni
 never get anywhere.