Evening star., 1943-04-25


:"Look at everything and see what
you look at" might we'll be the motto
of every young person who has even
the remotest idea of entering any
branch of the service, for that is
one of the vital parts of this train
ing.
To cultivate alertness-and for
fun as well-a bicycle treasure hunt
is about tops. Here the elements
of personal pleasure and sociability
are pleasantly combined with scout
ing and accommodating, and the end
of the day will give you that nice
feeling of having accomplished
something worthwhile.
Prizes Are Awarded.
A treasure hunt is really an elab-
crate hide-and-seek game, with all
sorts of variations of your own
choosing thrown in for good meas
ure. The objective is usually a
prize in the form of some article
valued by the group trying for it. A
treasure hunt I helped manage re-
Gently had as the grand prize bike
speedometer, something which most
of those taking part coveted, and
which none owned. Minor prizes
included everything from candy bars
to flashlights.
A treasure hunt is fine athletic
club or bicycle club activity, and it
can be planned for any season of
the year. 1t can cover as much time
and space as you want to give to it.
Specific plans are governed by the
size and tastes of your group.
1t is most important to have a
reliable committee that can take
charge of all arrangements. This
committee should plan the trail, Sc
lect the prizes, lay the scent and the
clues, and arrange for eats and
entertainment at the end of the
hunt. The committee also takes
care of finances, and signs up those
who are to take part. This should
be done far enough in advance so
that there will be no bitches at the
last minute.
If possible, scents should be laid
and clues planted the day before the
hunt. Several things can be used
for scents, including corn if you
live where it is plentiful, pebbles
confetti and chalk marks. Wood
shavlngs or such inexpensive ar
ticles as wooden beads that are to
be picked up and counted at the end
of the hunt, also may be used. Prizes
may be given for the person finding
the most.
Players assemble on bikes at a
given place, and start the hunt at
the same time. Directions are given
by the leader about the first clue
then everybody hits the road. Some
times there are intermediate clues ir
| the form of notes, and the person
flndlng one must assemble all play
ers and read it aloud. This is to
prevent one person from finding and
destroying clues so it will be impos-
sible for the others to proceed. This
also prevents the crowd from scat
tering too much.
Each clue rates a certain score,
and the persons having highest
scores are given prizes. Each clue
is scored in proportion to its diff
Guilty, easy clues scoring as low as
points. The final clue, of course,
is the prize itself and goes to the
person finding it. Special prizes are
given to each clue finder.
Make Them Walk.
In planting clues the first one
should be placed near the starting
point, but the second should be we'll
out into the country and on the less
frequented roads. Hunters should
be forced to do considerable walking
by having them leave their bikes to
scramble up hills, down gullies,
across fields and along brooksides
in search of clues. 1t is fun also to
make the players double back occa-
slonally. Under no circumstances.
however. let them know where the
end of the hunt is to be until they
discover it for themselves. Mystery
is a big part of the fun.
You might also offer minor prizes
to persons bringing in such things
as abandoned birds nests, branches
or knots that resemble such objects
as bird or an animal, nuts, rock
specimens, certain kinds of leaves.
fruits, etc. You might offer prizes
for persons who can answer such
questions as these:
What did you see in Gibson's pas
ture? (Answer, his brindle cow
What kind OF a tree was it under
which you found clue 8? How many
strands were in the barbed wire
fence around Mr.. Hillyard's orchard !?
You can think of many more such
questions for an informal quiz at
the end of the hunt.