The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-04-17
BOY SCOUT TRAIL
"Short History of the Boy Scouts"
By w. B. Morgan

sShort History of the Boy Scouts"
A little over 1900 years ago the
great order of knighthood and chival-
ry was founded. These were the
days when might was right, and the
man with the strong arm did as he
pleased, after expressing the poor
and riding rough shod without any
regard over the feelings and affec-
tious Of others. Chicalry then was a
revolt against these brutal acts, and
ignorance and protest against the
continuation of the idea that weight
was right.
The founding of the order Of
knighthood was merely the begin
ming of the age-long struggle to
make right the ruling thought of life.
Long after knighthood had passed
away the struggle continued. In the
birth of the modern nations, Eng
land, Germany, France and others
there was the distinct feeling on the
part of the best men of these ma.
lions that tyranuny must yield to the
spirit of freedom.
No set of men showed this early
spirit of chivalry more than our pic.
neers beyond the Alleghenies. These
American knights and guardians were
generally termed backwoodsmen anC
scouts, and were men of distinguished
appearance, of athletic build, OF
high moral character, and frequently
of firm religious convictions. They
were noted for their staunch qualities
of character. They hated dishonesty
and were truthful and brave. They
were polite to women and old people
ever ready to rescue companion
when in danger, ever ready to do an
act of kindness. They fought the
Indians, not because they wished to-
but because it was necessary to pro-
tect their wives and little ones from
the raids of the savages.
They knew all the things that
scouts ought to know. They were
acquainted with the woods and the
fields; knew when the best fish were
to be caught; understood the trees,
the signs, and blazes, the haunts of
animals and how to track them; how
to find their way by the stars; how to
make themselves agreeable to the gen.
eral environment, and with all of
this, they inherited the splendid ideas
of chivalry that had been developed
in the thousands years preceding
them, and fitted these ideas to the
conditions of their own day, standing
solidly against evil and falsehood.
They were not perfect but they did
their best to be of service to those
who came within their reach and
worked conscientiously for their
country.
A hundred years have passed since
then, and the conditions of life which
existed west of the Mississippi are
no more. Just as the life of the
pioneers was different from that of
the Knights of the Round Table and
as they each practised chicalry in
keeping with his own surroundings
so the life of today is different from
both, but the need of chivalry is the
same. Might sill tries to be right, as
was attempted by foreign nation
previous to the World War. Vice and
dishonesty left their heads just as
strongly today as in the past, and
there is just as much need of respect
for women and girls as there ever
was. So today there is a demand for
a modern type of chivalry. 1t is for
this reason that the Boy Scouts of
America have come into being, it is
with this proud history behind them
and with firm foundation under
them that this fraternity of American
youths has set out to make this a
better world to live in.
The spirit challenges every real
American boy. The privilege and re-
sponsibility for service comes to the
boys of today, and the voices of the
knights of the olden time and of the
hardy pioneers of our own country
are urging them on in their efforts.