Evening star., 1937-05-29
Scout Life
Good for
All Boys
Encourage Youngster
to Pursue Healthy
Outdoor Life.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

ROYS have to play and work and
live together to get the best out
Of their growing time, which IS all
too short. No grown person can ever
take the place Of companions of the
boys own age. They learn quickly
and easily from each other, accept
guidance, praise and punishment from
each other and thrive nightly while
they would wilt under the same treat
ment from well-intentioned adult.
It is great mistake to keep q
boy closely confined to his own COM
pany and that Of his family. He has
to get beyond the family limits to
sample life, test 1t. make it work.
There is q great difference between
working with a member of the family
and working with an outsider. The
family contribution Is likely to be
Goals to Newcastle The child knows
every wrinkle of thought in the family
group and gains little except bare
experience by close association with
it. Every outsider has another point
Of view, another way Of thinking and
doing, and the newness stimulates the
children.
Boys more than 10 years old have
to hunt in packs. They gather IN
punches at recess, at playtime, and
they all talk at once, move together
in the same direction, do the same
thing about the same time and argue
endlessly about it. That is a pattern
of boy life, and it is a healthy one
to follow. The hut and the gang
and the club are as essential to those
youngsters as milk with their cereal
in the morning. Prepare the way for
them.
Just as soon as 1t is possible let
the lad join the Boy Scouts and en-
courage him to take the whole course.
He will get fun out Of 1t and much
education not found in books. He
does what his associates do, and if
that is good to do he Is in the midst
OF goodness multiplied by the numbers
in the squad. He draws strength
from his brothers who are all going
his way.
At this stage of boys life q hike
along a country road with campfire
lunch at the end of it, scouting trip
through the woods, or along stream,
q fish hooked and laid in the basket
in anticipation of supper before the
camp fire spells deep delight. When
the last bite is eaten that night, the
cleanup finished and the group piles
on more sticks and the smoke and
sparks rise high, then the backs and
legs stretch and the minds relax. 1t
Is story time. After that, bed; sleep
wrapped in q blanket and Graded In
balsam boughs. There may be q
better way of spending q long, fine
day. If there Is, no boy I know has
ever found 1t.
:, Encourage the boys to join the
Scouts. Then help the Scout master
do = good Job. Praise every mark Of
his good influence and never. If you
truly value that work, deride that
influence. Don't say, And you're q
Boy Scout. Fine Scout you are.
thought Boy Scouts knew something.
That is the best possible way to kill
all interest in the idea. Try the Other
way.
Glad you're going out tomorrow
Always does you good. You're getting
good tan, too. Looking like q regular
Scout. You might need an extra
quarter tomorrow, eh? You've go,
enough? Good scouting. Still, you
never can tell. You might need 1t
Twon't take up much room. Hope
you have . good day"
Help . good idea along. Root fol
your own Scout and never miss q
chance to cheer for the crowd. The
boys need both the Scouts and the
en'e' ,oo,,,..as ass.A