Evening star., 1940-02-04
Presidents
Aided From
Early Days
incorporation Was
Under Local Laws
80 Years Ago
Bv John CIaeett Proctor.

y
The Bible tells us, Train up a
child in the way he should go: and
when he is old, he will not depart
from it." And it is safe to say that
of all the great men we ever knew
at least 80 per cent gave entire credit
for all they were or ever expected to
be, to those who gave them their
early training and instruction, espe-
cially the religious teaching received
from some dear pious mother And
so it was, no doubt, with this thought
OF training Of the youth ir mind that
the Young Mems Christia-. Associa-
tion founded the first Boy Scouts Of
America, which was incorporated
under the laws of the District of Co.
lumbia February 8, 1910, or just 80
years ago this coming Thursday.
w. D. Boyce was the incorporation
and the Office of honorary president
was accepted by William Howard
Taft, then President of the United
States. Former President Theodore
Roosevelt became honorary vice
president and chief Scout citizen.
Colin H. Livingstone, at one time a
clerk in the Capitol and later a
prominent banker. was elected pres
ident; Mortimer L. Schif, Milton A.
McRae and Benjamin L. Dulaney,
vice presidents; George D. Pratt,
treasurer; Daniel Garter Beard, ma
tional Scout commissioner; Ernest
Thompson Seton, chief Scout; John
Sherman Hoyt, DR.. jeremiah w.
jerks, William D. Murray, Frank
Presbrey and G. Barrett Rich, men,
bers of the Executive Board.
National headquarters were opened
at 124 East Twenty eight street, New
York City, and on June q James E.
West, q Washingtonian by birth, and
active in the work from the begin
ming, was appointed executive off,
Ger, post he continues to hold.
1t is indeed strange just how some
things originate, and so in seeking
the history Of the beginning of this
magnificent body of young people we
find its birth was rather unusual,
and yet quite logical. AS many
probably know. the idea originated
in England with Gen. Robert S. S.
Baden-Powell, who, when organizing
the South African constabulary, dur
ing the Boer War Q899-19O2), rec
ognized that his men lacked char
acter values; that they knew nothing
of pioneering, of the outdoors, of the
things he believed essential for the
full life, and that ordinary processes
of military training did not fit them
for life in South Africa. To improve
them as individuals and as members
OF society, he developed a scheme OF
group activity, with emphasis on the
outdoor life.
Views Assimilated.
Strangely, England's youth as
simulated his views as he expressed
them in booklets. Possibly, the at
traction was because of youths in
herent love for uniform. Never
theless, he revised his program to
suit boys and incorporated in it the
somewhat similar views of American
youth leaders. The Boy Scouts were,
therefore, established by him in 1908,
and, we are told, the American
branch came about in this quite &C
cidental way:
One Of Baden-Powell's early Scouts
was on the alert when Mr.. Boyce
found himself lost In an English fog.
The lad aided the visitor, but instead
Of accepting a gratuity he explained
that he was Boy Scout and could
not take tip. He had merely done
a good turn"-a chance good turn"
which transmitted the Boy Scout
program from England to America.
The English Scout, whose name has
been lost to record, introduced Mr..
Boyce to Gen. Baden-Powell and the
two conferred on several occasions,
discussing the scouting program.
Mr.. Boyce was Chicago publisher
interested in boys. He had employed
as many as 10000 boys in magazine
sales forces and long had hunted
for an organization which would
furnish them with recreation and
moral development.
In Baden-Powell's program he saw
the answer. He recognized that
Baden-Powell had incorporated In
his youth program a basis for in
struction and moral incentive. Its
distinctive features-the oath, law,
motto, uniform and badge, the troop
and patrol, and close association
with a respected leader-could at
tract youths and inspire self-action
among them. He returned to this
country, therefore, with a trunkful
Of literature and a head crammed
with ideas and ambition.
Among those whom he interested
was Mr.. Livingstone, descend
ant Of DR.. David Livingstone, the
man who was hunted on Henry
Morton Stanley's famed trek into
Africa. Other men were drawn In
with Boyce and Livingstone and
they secured partial absorption Of
similarly ly-minded youth groups. On