Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-02-09

Scouting NOn-Sectarian Movement
While Scouts are given definite
ideas and are taught that they must
distinguish between right and wrong
yet the movement is absolutely non
secetarian. 1t is maintained that no
boy can grow into the best kind of
manhood without recognizing his OBJ
legations to God. The first part of
the Scouts Oath or pledge is ''On my
honor [ will do my best to do my
duty to God and my country" The
recognition of God as the creating
and ruling power for the universe
and the grateful acknowledgment of
His guidance is held to be necessary
in directing the growing boy toward
the best type of American citizenship,
The Boy Scout movement, however
is non-sectarian in it's attitude toward
religion. It's policy is that the reli-
gious organization or institution with
which the Boy Scout is Connected
shall give the needed attention to his
spiritual life. If the boy be Cath
Ollie, the Catholic church should be
the agency for his Catholic religion.
If he be Hebrew boy, then the SYM
agogue will teach him the faith of
his fathers. If he be a Protestant,
the church of which he is an adher-
ent is the proper organization to give
him an understanding of the things
that pertain to his allegiance to God.
Educational Value of Scouting
Recognition of Boy Scout methods
as a subject for study in university
and training college courses was dis
cussed at an educational conference
in London recently. Sir Robert Baden
Powell, originator of the movement
which in seventeen years has spreaed
all over the world, was chairman.
In the United States, he said, many
universities already recognized the
educational value of scouting. Scout
ing seemed to appeal equally, he de-
clared, to West Coast or Africa ma
tives, to Scandinavian, Hindu and
Chilean boys. 1t already numbers o.
100000 members and is still growing.
He calculated that when the scouts
and guides in the world numbered
10O,O0O,0OO, all following the same
ideal of good will and service for
others, there would be a change in
spirit such as would make the world
better place to live In.
University of California Adopts
Scouting
The regents of the University OF
! California recently set aside $4,000 to
establish the scout program as part
of the work of that institution. This
is one of the first cases where the
university has taken the lead in such
! i
leges of the east are carrying on the
scout work, but the burden of ex-
pense is carried by the national scout
council.
! Interesting Facts
Published figures tell that of 1,00O
boys who begin in the public school
! grades, only Ill finish high school,
and only IA finish college. With this
comes an interesting announcement
| from national scout headquarters, OF
an inquiry among the students Of a
number of universities of the United
States. The figures show that nearly
so per cent of the undergraduates are
scouts AZ per cent of Harvards stu
dents, 81 per cent of Yale's and "A
per cent of the University of Michi-
| gan students are or nave Deen scouts
This is a tremendous proportion when
it is remembered that only one boy
out of fifteen throughout the country
has been a scout. In other words, of
the IA boys out of 1000 who go to
college, are scouts, While only 81
of the LOCO who entered grade
schools ever joined the. Boy Scouts
of America. Or to put it in differ
emily, of 933 boys who are not scouts
| z go to college, while Z scouts out
of 81 will take full advantage of
such facilities. The chance of boy
in the grade school going to college
is IA times better if he is a scout.
American Legion and Scouting
A recent issue of the American
Legion Weekly bulletin contains the
report of a special committee appoina,
ed by the National Commander, James
A. Drain, to develop on a national
basis, ways and means of developing
more effective cooperation between
| the Boy Scouts of America and the