Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-11
Scout Troop of toughest Boys
Formed by Playground Leader
Ex-Murine Reforms
Youth One jump
Ahead of Police

Otto H. Gage. w. P. A. playground
leader, former Marine sergeant and
Government investigator, had to call
one boy out to see which was the
best man before he could be sure
Of success in forming a Boy Scout
troop of the toughest boys in
Washington"
In the neighborhood of the New
York avenue playground or rather
the so-called central area" of the
Community Chest ran a gang of
approximately IS boys whom Mr..
Gage described today as "the
toughest in the city, They had
been playing hooky for days on
end. consorting with neighborhood
"punks," breaking school windows
and even snatching purses. They
were, in fact, just one jump ahead
of the truant officers and the police.
Mr.. Gage, who has been trans
ferred to the Georgetown Play
ground, is with the w. P. A. be-
cause he grew too we'll known to the
underworld as an investigator. Try
ing to make bad boys turn straight
had always been his hobby and he
turned to that.
The director of the New York
avenue playground is a woman. She
was unable to handle tobacco-chew-
ing, flst-slinging, cigarette-smoking
15-year- olds, every one a graduate,
cum laude, of the university of hard
knocks.
Pessimistic Outlook.
Assigned to the New York avenue
playground a few months ago to
take charge Of the boys, Mr.. Gage
was informed by his predecessor
that he didn't have chance. How
ever. he'd handled tough ones be-
fore and thought he could do 1t
again.
One day two boys on the play
ground, whose confidence he had
gained, told him OF their older
brother. He'd played hooky as
many as 20 days of 81. He'd run
away to West Virginia. In fact,
he looked like a case ripe for
Juvenile Court and reform school.
This was the opening he'd been
waiting for, Mr.. Gage said today,
to try out his methods of handling
the tough gang which ran the
neighborhood.
II went to the boys father for a
talk. The father seemed co-opera-
tive. While I was talking the boy
came in and I asked him what was
the matter.
He said that everybody was down
on him and that he wasn't allowed
to come on the playground because
he hadn't been willing to act like
the younger and gentler boys" Mr..
Gage said.
Solution to Problem.
The play leader asked him what
he would like to do and the boy
said he'd like to become a Boy Scout.
THAT looked to me like the solu-
ton to the problem of the gang as q
WHOLE" Mr.. Gage said.
He put the boy on his honor to
go to school, come to the playground
and not to run away and made him
live up to it. Else he would not be-
come Scout
The boy kept his word and Troop
81 was born October II, Mr.. Gage
re-registering as Scoutmaster after
gaining civic backing for his scheme.
Some of the other boys in the gang
applied for membership.
loHy thu 1nn@Avs If tia
gang, q 15-year-old of foreign ex-
traction, powerful and big beyond
his years, came on the playground
and told those who had joined the
troop, you better come to the gang
meeting tonight or you know what
will happen to you" (By grapevine
telegraph Mr.. Gage had ascertained
that this meant mutilation about the
face with penknife)
Test for Boys.
Here was the test. Would the boys
remain loyal to the newly formed
troop and would he be able to tame
this toughest one of all, at the same
time treating him as a boy and not
as q man to be dealt with as man?
IF anything happens to these
boys, you'll be responsible to me and
not to them" he told the boy.
you keep out Of this or III beat
your face in" was the retort.
Want to step of the playground
and try it," Mr.. Gage said.
They went out, but no fight
ensued.
II talked turkey to the boy, ex-
planned what I was trying to do
and what would happen to him
eventually II he went along the
same path he'd been travelling. I
tried to find out what would interest
him." Mr.. Gage said.
There was little response but the
leader came over to the Scout meet