The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-02-12
Scouting Comes
Of Age

The wonderful Boy Scout move
ment is 81 years old this week.
Scouting has now existed long
enough to measure the results. 1t
was never so popular as now. It has
touched the lives of millions of boys
in many lands. And there is no lad
who has had the advantages of Scout
ing who has not been bettered there
by. Many of the Scouts Of the earl
Ter period are now greying men, with
sons Of their own who are Tenderfeet.
And even these oldsters are still
Scouts at heart.
A pity it is that every American
boy cannot be an active working
member of the Boy Scouts. Many of
them are of course so situated that
this is impossible. However Scouting
reaches out and happily influences
numberless boys whose names are
never on a troop roster. We know
many young fellows who have absorb
ed much of all of the best in Scouting
who have never had the happy expert
ence of being actually enrolled.
So Scouting is one of the big things
the most worth while things, in our
American life today. 1t claims the
thought, the attention, the coopera-
ton Of every worth while citizen, for
surely such citizens are deeply con-
concerned that the men of tomorrow
shall be better equipped in training
and character for the responsibilities
of adult life than we of the present
generation.
Mr.. DeGroat, a Scout executive Of
Los Angeles, tells why he, and mil
lions more of us, believe in the Boy
Scouts of America. He says: 81 be-
lieve in the Boy Scouts:
Because-Hundreds of thousands
strong, Boy Scouts stand organized,
trained and resolved to serve God,
Native Land and all Mankind.
Demonstrating reveals the way,
quickens the pace and Eliminates the
path that leads to the truest and
noblest Americanization Of American
boys.
Because-the chosen playground Of
the Boy Scouts is the Great Unde-
filed Out-of- Doors amid the everlast-
ing hills, rocks and rills.
demonstrating arouses an in
terest in the highest civic aspirations
of the community, develops an abid-
ing passion for law and order, cham
pions respect for properly constitut-
ed authority, and marshals the vir-
tues of manhood that guarantee a
government of the people, by the peo-
pie and for the people.
Because-Motto, oath and law of
Scouting help boys cut their paths
straight and clean, through the itch
ing, burning, restless years of awk-
ward growth.
Demonstrating helps boys to
know, revere and commune with ma
ture even as the barefoot boy" drank
of the nectar Of life.
Because-S Scouting challenges body
and soul-warping child labor, routs
misunderstanding idleness, and fills
the self-directed hours of boyhood
with life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.
Demonstrating teaches tn at
kindness is strength knows no fear,
and helps others at all times, and that
dumb animals claim the fellowship of
all true Scouts.
Demonstrating is school Of
play, preparedness and patriotism
that fashions the bodies, minds and
characters of boys to do or die.
DEMONSTRATING whispers to
boys to tackle every job with the tools
of cheerfulness, patience, courtesy,
obedience and loyalty, and mastery
will be their because they are prepar-
ed.
Demonstrating is plan of edu
cation that bridges the gap between
knowing and doing, brings forward
the timid, and humbles the bully,
making the weak strong and the
strong stronger, and crowns physical
courage with moral valor.
Demonstrating embodies a code
of self discipline that commands boys
to talk clean, live clean, and fight
clean even as the immortal Roosevelt
played the game.
DEMONSTRATING is mighty but