The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-02-08
Scout Executive

ted the Boy Scout program from
England to America. The English
Scout, whose name has been lost to
record, introduced Mr.. Boyce to
Baden-Powell, and the two confer
red on several occasions, discussing
the Scouting Program.
Colin HI. Livingstone Interested
Among those he interested was
Colin H. Livingstone, banker and
descendant of DR.. David Living
stone, 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 minded youth groups. On
February 8, 1910, they realized the
incorporation Of the f'Boy Scouts of
America" under the laws of the
District Of Columbia.
Incorporation offered protection.
More important at the time, 1t in
vited mobilization and cooperation
of all youth leaders, such as Daniel
Carter Beard, who had established
1.-THE Society Of the Sons of Daniel
Moone," and Ernest Thompson Sc
ton, originator of the Tribe of
Woodcraft Indians" Both organiza-
tons contained some of the outdoor
features incorporated in the planned
program for the Boy Scouts of
America, and BaGen-Powell admit
teddy had used their theories in de-
veloping his program, with the re-
suit that the predominant charac-
teristics of each were pooled to
complete a balanced program.
A committee on organization got
to work, with Mr.. Livingstone as
chairman, and by November 1910
the official letterhead named 35
members of the first National Coun-
Gil. Included were the names Of Ad-
miral George Dewey, Jacob A. Riis,
Henry Van Dyke, John Wanamaker.
General Leonard Wood, Daniel Car
ter Beard, Colin H. Livingstone,
William D. Boyce, Hamlin Garland,
william Howard Taft, Ernest
Thompson Seton and David Starr
Jordan. On January 2, 1911, James
E. West, young Washington law
yer, opened. the National Office of
the Boy Scouts of America in the
Fifth Avenue building, New York
City, with an assisting staff of sew
en- persons.
DIR. West Executive Secretary
The selection OF DR.. West as Ex-
ecutive Secretary-he became Chief
Scout Executive within a short time
was stroke of genius. An orphan
at 6, he became leader of boys
while in an orphanage, directing
their work, play and education. He
worked his way through high school
and graduated from law school at
Is. Despite his youth and a physi-
cal handicap he was respected as a
social worker and helped obtain for
Washington juvenile court, pro-
noted the Washington Playground
Association, and was secretary of
President Theodore Roosevelt's first
White House Conference on the
Care of Dependent Children. When
he accepted the office Of Executive
Secretary, 1t was to be temporary,
lasting six months. The half-year
has never ended for him.
Much like DR.. Vests experience
was that of Colin H. Livingstone,
who was elected president of the
Boy Scouts of America at the first
annual meeting, held in the White
House with President Taft presid-
ing. Mr.. Livingstone held the office
for is years.
First Annual Report 1911
Wide interest resulted, although
few people had an honest under
standing of Scouting, its aims and
purpose. Nevertheless, volunteer
workers became interested and
Troops sprahg up here and there.
Tales spread and communities lis
tened. Spontaneous growth came
from pioneering. The first annual
report, published in 1911, limited Of
the fertile field for such program.
It reported that 5,072 Scoutmasters
and 600 Assistants were at work.
Thirty Scouts had already earned SO
Merit Badges for achievement.
The start was immediate, and
never to be forgotten in Scouting
annals is the organizations first
decade when Troops began with a
leader and few boys, gained the
sponsorship of Troop Committees,
and developed Local Councils super
vised by Scout Executives. Desperate
months passed before such progress
could be reported, before the 10th
annual report disclosed: 270 first
class and Isl second class Councils
with 32,345 Scoutmasters and As
sistants supervising the activity OF
378,800 boys. Thousands of boys
were participating IN organized
camping programs which became a
recognized phase of Scouting. Dis
tinctive literature was produced
starting with the Handbook for
Boys. Merit Badge pamphlets fol-
lowed, and Boys Life" became the
official magazine for Scouts and
another magazine, Scouting" was
released to leaders.
Scouts In World War
The first World War brought
Scouting to national interest. It
opened with 100000 boys In uni
form, equipped to offer an amazing
demonstration Of boy power trained
and organized for service. Serve
they did. They took subscriptions
for 2,35O,977 Liberty Loan bonds
totaling $l47, $40, 962, located 20.758,-
$50 board feet OF standing walnut
for the government and gathered
the equivalent Of 100 carloads Of
fruit pits for gas masks. They dis
tributed over 10000. 900 pieces Of
government literature and tended
thousands Of Boy Scout gardens.
They gave nation wide first service
In the influenza epidemie which
followed the Arnlistice.