Scouting, Volume 1, Number 3, May 15, 1913 Page: 7
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SCOUTING.
WITH THE SCOUT WORKERS.
A MONTH'S DEVELOPMENT.
By Arthur R. Forbush.
The month of April was the biggest
month we have ever had in the Regis-
tration Bureau at Headquarters. More
Scout Masters', Assistants' and Commis-
sioners' certificates were issued than dur-
ing any other month in the history of
in> the organization, and more Local Coun-
cil Charters than during any month ex-
cept one. The following table compar-
ing the certificates issued during April,
1912 and 1913, clearly shows that the
Scout movement is going ahead as
rapidly as ever.
,o 1913 1912
o Scout Masters 507 426
"2- Assistants 145 130
_ Scout Commissioners 38 36
Local Councils 31 35
^ Charters to Local Councils were
^ granted in the following places:
Commissioner City State
Walter C. Seaman Jasper, Ala.
Roland E. Evans Sheffield, Ala.
W. R. Stich Jonesboro, Ark.
E. J. Mole Orland, Cal.
F. H. Beckman Mill Valley, Cal.
E. F. Jones Edison Park, 111.
W. V. Mangrum..New Harmony, Ind.
Charles T. Miller Roachdale, Ind.
Henry P. Neilson Glenwood, Iowa
K. B. Wheeler West Liberty, Ky.
L. H. Penley West Paris, Me.
Leland A. Ross Dexter, Me.
Rev. John McElmoyle Elkton, Md.
E. S. Martin Kensington, Md.
Capt. Geo. L. Fisher. .Hagerstown, Md.
Albert W. Doolittle. .. .Sandwich, Mass.
Geo. L. Hosmer Woburn, Mass.
George H'. Neidlinger.East Orange. N. T.
R. E. Kersey Delawanna, N. J.
Edward Stilson Cortland. N. Y.
Ray E. Zaner. ... Washington C.H., O.
J. I. Muffley Mansfield, O.
M. A. Hill, Sec'y Frederick, Okla.
Maj. B T Bliss Ridgway, Pa.
W. W. Baxter Cookevi'le, Tenn.
Charles Lea Rosenberg, Tex.
Dr. W. A.. Wilson Shiner, Tex.
L. E. Finney Midland, Tex.
L O. Bnone Barton Heights, Va.
Graeme Davis Marshfield, Wis.
SOHE OF OUR PR0BLEH5.
We are wondering how many Scout
Masters have assistants who are not
registered in this office. We should be
glad if Scout Masters will report the
names of men who act in this capacity
but who are not enrolled on our records.
In sending in Assistant Scout Masters'
application blanks, the Scout Master
should always approve the blank before
it is sent into the office.
The National Court of Honor has
awarded 494 merit badges as compared
with 25 for April, 1912. In April, 1912,
no Eagle, Star or Life badges were
issued, whereas this month three Scouts
qualified for these awards and in addi-
tion, one secured the Life and Star
badges.
Some times Scout Masters meet with
small delays and annoyances in their
dealings with Headquarters. Once in a
while a slip is bound to occur; but, gen-
erally speaking, most of these difficulties
are unnecessary and would be obviated
by following certain little rules. Our
Scout Masters would be surprised, for
instance, if they could see what a great
number of requests for exceptions to
requirements were received in the course
of a month, and many times the men
feel personal grievances because we
cannot grant these requests.
It is absolutely impossible for us to
make exceptions for any of the require-
ments for merit badges. These can be
changed only by the National Council.
In-cases of physical disability it seems
unfair to the boy to hold back a badge
because he is physically unable to com-
ply with the requirements. There is
another side to this question. The
Scout badge stands for certain things.
It means that the Scout has passed vari-
ous requirements and that in case of
emergency he may be called upon to do
certain things. If, when necessity arose,
he should not be able to do these things,
even though prevented by physical dis-
ability, his badge would loose its sig-
nificance. Even though the boy cannot
win his badge and go on to the merit
badges, he will, if he is a good Scout,
take this disapoointment with loyal
Scout spirit, and will work ahead on
as many of the requirements as he can.
He may never be able to wear the
badge of his rank, but he will have the
satisfaction of knowing that he has done
his best as a Scout.
tion of future support in other things
as well as this, and will therefore be
a very useful part of the Scout's edu-
cation.
So while the contribution, even in the
aggregate, is small, we do not think it
will be despised, especially as we are
endeavoring to establish a principle
which we hope will become universally
recognized and followed.
The boys take a real pleasure in this
matter. Each patrol leader makes his
collection at the opening of the meeting,
and turns it in as a part of the opening
exercise. The patrols vie with each
other in keeping businesslike books and
accounts. The result is a small contri-
bution, but one which comes from the
heart as well as from the pocket; which
gives the boys a partnership feeling to-
ward the National work. Thus the lat-
ter is made to be a tangible fact and
a concrete thing to which they feel loy-
alty. These things are worth more than
the money—and they make the money
worth more.
Yours,
Frank F. Gray.
WHO SUPPORTS
HEADQUARTERS?
One Suggestion from the Field.
The problem of the financial support
of National Headquarters has been giv-
en considerable attention, and it is
generally felt that in so far as possible
the Scouts should be self-supporting,
rather than have their administration
kept up by outside contributions. How-
ever, there is a general feeling against
levying a tax or having any element of
a necessary fee connected with the Boy
Scouts of America
The following letter just received by
Chief Scout Executive West is there-
fore particularly interesting, and we
should like to hear from other Scout
Masters what they think of the plan
proposed by Scout Master Frank F.
Gray.
My dear Mr. West:
The secretary of my troop is this
week sending you the first monthly in-
stallment of a contribution which we
hope to make regularly. It is not much,
but it stands for much.
We have estimated that if every Scout
in the country should give one cent a
week, the National Council would have
more money at its command than ever
before. It would make the movement
self-supporting, and able to do extension
work, in which it is now hampered. We
also feel that this is not in any sense
a charity movement, and for it not to
be self-supporting is to keep down its
standard. Big subscriptions will always
be needed, but do not release each
Scout from his own obligation. This
contribution is strictly from the boys'
earnings or allowances. We believe
that the boys should learn to support
systematically and cheerfully anything
with which they are so vitally connected,
and that this principle, carefully carried
out, will help greatly to solve the ques-
THE DANGER OF NEGA-
TIVE SCOUT MASTERS.
By James E. West.
I would like to draw attention to a
most interesting case in connection
with the relation of parents to the
Scout Movement. A certain gentleman
donated a large sum of money, becom-
ing one of our most liberal subscribers.
He wanted to find out what the return
would be in the instruction and improve-
ment of the boys. A gentleman very
close to him in his work said to him, "I
have a boy who has joined the Boy
Scouts. I am simply going to remain
neutral in my attitude towards him, not
saying anything about his duty as a Boy
Scout. I am going to watch him, and
see what changes take place in the
bov's nature."
He watched him for nearly a year,
and reported that he could see prac-
tically no result. The Scout Master
never communicated with him. As far
as he could see, the boy never displayed
any evidences of the good turn. The
result was that when the time came for
the renewal of this gentleman's sub-
scription, he did not renew it. An in-
quiry was made into the reason for this,
and he said that he did not find the
return that he had expected.
Now, of course, in this case the Scout
Master was a negative quantity. Here
was a case where the parent was ex-
pecting an advance, and was absolutely
waitine and watching for it, and failed
to get it. It was, of course, a great b'ow
to the movement. I can assure you that
the National Council took the matter up
and tried to find out where the trouble
lay with that Scout Master. Thines of
this kind count for so much, not only in
the specific case, but in the movement
as a whole. The results of this move-
ment should speak for it in the minds
of the parents, and especially in the
good turns. We must be felt in the
home. I feel that this is a very impor-
tant question, and T hope that all Scout
Masters will take the lesson to heart.
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 1, Number 3, May 15, 1913, periodical, May 15, 1913; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282630/m1/7/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.