Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1926-02-18
LEN LANIUS---JIU JITSU
MAN PLEASES BOY SCOUTS


was between the patrob Of the Nc
Connelsville troop. 1T included
first aid demonstrations also some
athletic stunts. In addition to the
exhibition by the scouts, Mr.. Len
Lanius who had been billed for the
show in the opera house Monday
night, and had been unable to be
present on that occasion, was at the
Thursday night meeting, much to
the delight of those who had the
opportunity of hearing and seeing
him.
Mr.. Lanius is the originator of
American jiu jitsu. For IL years
he was the worlds champion light
weight wrestler. He is also much
interested in boy scouts and has as
sisted the boy scouts in many parts
of the country. He is busy busi-
ness man of Cincinnati, being at
present the president of the Central
Optical Co. of that city, and it was
through Mr.. Ralph r. Baker, jewel
er and optician of this place, that
Mr.. Lanius consented to come here
and appear before the scouts.
Before giving his jiujitsu demon
stration, he made short talk to
the boy scouts and others present
In his practical, interesting talk Mr..
Lanius stated he wanted to help the
boys-that parents should be proud
to have their sons belong to such an
organization, as the scouts. He said
that no other interest is so great as
father being a pal to his boys. The
scout is taught TO develop in char
acter and body; the object is to
show that doing right and living
right pays. The speaker said he
had no fear OF the future of Ameri-
ca SO long as the boy scout move
ment continues to grow. One of his
highest points was to s'reach boys
through boy scout training-not
through the police courts" He en-
phasized the fact that the young
that there is nothing so good, or
that counts for SO much, as a good
name. He urged the scouts to be
real men and fight for t1et which is
right, and he reminded them that
they must have character to sue
ceed. He said that an artist cannot
paint great picture until he first
has a vision in his mind of that pic
ture. So is the same thing true of
life; have a vision and then make it
come true. Think, he said, of sue
cess, not failure. Worse than a
gutter, Mr.. Lanius said, is one who
won't even start.
Before giving demonstrations of
American jiu-jitsu, he explained
that it is the art of self defense. 1t
| is knowledge easily acquired, that
will enable one to oyerpower and
master others. 1t is self protection
in time of danger--it is matching
of science against brute strength.
He then proceeded to give practical
demonstrations of the art, showing
how an assailant about to grab you
around the throat, or waist, in
front or back, or about to strike
with knife, or shoot with gun,
etc, can easily be overpowered. 1t
was most interesting and practical
demonstration, showing the art to
be simple and easily acquired.
Mr.. Lanius' own life sounds like
fiction. His father died short
time before he was born. y At the
age of nine years, with but a few
months schooling, he went to work
to help support his mother, selling
papers, working as boot black,
and doing other things that most
boys of that age do. He was 80
years old when his daughter taught
him to read. One of his hobbies,
besides boy scouts, is the raising of
chickens, and he is one of the lead
ing chicken fanciers of his county,
having been called to judge poultry
in many parts of the country. Dur
ing the World war he assisted in the
physical training of soldiers at
Camp Dix. He is also an author,
and is a contributor to a Masonic
publication.
Following his address, and while
the court of honor was getting
ready, Atty G. o. McGonagle made
a few minutes talk on Abraham Lin
coin, and also displayed a Lincoln
and Hamlin campaign flag of 1860,
which he found in the book store of
the late j. S. Adair. Mr.. McGonag1e
characterized Lincoln as the great
est man that ever touched American
SOIL
Scoutmaster Mcdonald presented
tenderfoot badges to four new
scouts, and the court of honor be
slowed upon four scouts their sec
ond class badges, and merit badges
were ordered to be awarded to two
scouts. Thursday was also Good
Turn day, and the scoutmaster re-
ported that seven dozen flowers had
been delivered by the scouts to the
shut-ins of the towns.
Scouts At Marietta
The boy scouts of this place con-
cluded their program for the cele-
bration of boy scout anniversary
week, by attending a special rally at
Marietta, held at the armory of that
place Saturday evening. Among
other things on the program was a
basketball game between the Mar
ietta Gimogash Tribe and a team |
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( Deaths Toll 81