Scouting, Volume 1, Number 5, June 15, 1913 Page: 5
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SCOUTING.
HINTS TO SCOUT HASTERS.
By Dan Beard, National Scout Commissioner.
SCOUTING FLOURISHES IN
THE SOUTH.
AFTER thirty odd years of study-
ing boys, I have found that an ap-
peal to their patriotism always
meets "with a hearty response. Conse-
quently, everything- that you do that
tends to increase the boy's love of his
country, of his home, his town, village
or city will help to give you a better
hold on the esteem and friendship of
the Scouts. It is for this reason that
I always emphasize the fact that the
Scout_ Movement originated here in
America and was suggested and evolved
from the lives of our own historic
scouts of the Boone, Kenton, Crockett,
George Roger Clark, Lincoln and
Washington type. A wonderful group
of men, moral, athletic, forceful, inde-
pendent and daring almost beyond be-
lief, I might say, a phenomenal lot of
men, were the product of our border-
land.
These men wore the only typical
American dress ever worn in this coun-
try. The fringed buckskin wamus, coon-
skin cap, the fringed leggins and moc-
casins, the broad belt around their
waist, their bullet pouch engraved cow's
horn powder flask, made as picturesque
a costume as ever fired the imagination
of a boy.
When you have men dressed in such
fascinating clothes and know that they
led the most thrilling and adventurous
lives, that they had an exalted sense of
honor, were most free and generous in
their hospitality and that their morals
were worthy of imitation by our best
citizens, you have a set of heroes which
appeal irresistably to a boy's love of
romance, love of adventure and love
of action,—in truth you have a set of
heroes superior to any yet discovered
or invented.
It is evident that no one loves the
the _ squalid and the offensive,
hence it is necessary that our boys
should see and realize the beauties
of _ our _ country in order to love it.
This gives you a good opportunity
to work for civic cleanliness and enlist
the Scouts in the labor of making the
town, village and city beautiful, a work
which we have shown is intimately con-
nected with patriotism, for the more
beautiful our country is, the easier it is
to inspire in the hearts of our Scouts
a love for their native land.
Scout Masters and speakers on the
Scout Movement should read the lives
of the American Pioneers and all that
part of American history connected with
pioneer life, so that they can tell the
■-SEouts.. about those stirring times and
they must not forget that the Buckskin
men were morally head and shoulders
above the settlers who followed their
tracks; that most, if not all of them,
were religious men; all whose lives I
have been able to trace with any cer-
1 a iuiuiu11 s men.
Men of action are almost without ex-
ception religious; agnostics are men of
the desk and not of the trail.
SCOUT COMMISSIONER PATTON IS
PHILADELPHIA'S BUSY LEADER.
SINCE August, 1910, J. Woodbridge
Patton, of Philadelphia, has been an
active influence in promoting scout
work in Philadelphia. The first eigh-
teen months his services were given to
the movement without remuneration, but
his devotion and ability caused the
Scout Council to appoint him during the
last year as Field Secretary. The or-
ganization of 100 troops is not the least
notable of Mr. Patton's achievements.
He has kept them all active and pro-
J. WOODBRIDGE PATTON.
gressive, beside being Scout Master of
Troop One Hundred.
"In organizing boys for a troop," said
Mr. Patton, "I try always to ascertain
to whom the group has been looking as
a leader. This boy is generally mis-
chievous, full of spirit, with unbounded
activity. I try to get him to name four
or five others, and these I take from a
mass meeting of all and tell them they
will be a staff of assistants to me. It is
almost indispensable, in creating interest,
to have some good music to draw the
crowd together, and if the interest should
flag for an hour turn on the band. The
players should be young boys,—the
younger the better. No less than twelve
troops in this city have acceptable musi-
cal organizations.
"I do not bring forward at first the
altruistic and helpful nature of the
movement, but make the appeal more to
the Indian instincts of the 'boys, showing
them fire making by rubbing sticks, ex-
plaining the process of living in the
woods on what nature has there pro-
vided, telling them the story of the
original race of Americans, and show-
ing them the Indian games, dances, war
whoops, etc. Then when they are thor-
oughly interested, I say, In fifteen min-
utes^ or half an hour, vou fellows should
qualify as tenderfeet.' They generally
do. I make the investiture of this rank
the most impressive ceremony possible.
''Later on the good turns can be
written up, and their value voted on
by the boys. I always have a program
at least a month in advance, so that the
fellows can see something definite ahead.
The boys should be taken into the con-
fidence of the Scout Master, even to
the working out of his problems with
them. The more a boy is given to do,
the more responsibility is invested in
him, the more the Scout Master really
loves his scouts and trusts them, the
better the boy, troop, organization and
movement."
Mr. Dale on Southern Trip Finds
Encouraging Conditions.
MORE than two thousand people at-
tended the rally and demonstra-
tion of Richmond, Va., Boy Scouts
recently. The program included first aid,
signaling, — semaphore, wig-wag and
wireless,—tent building, fire fighting and
life saving. As every Scout who ap-
peared was "prepared" the audience was
kept busy applauding. Mr. O. J. Sands,
member of the National Council, Mayor
Ainslie and L. S. Dale, National Field
Scout, spoke briefly urging more inter-
est in this "wonderful movement to make
not only men but citizens." Eight second
class and one first class badges were
awarded. To prove to the audience that
to be a first class Scout not only means
'knowing it by the book," Mr. Dale
asked the boy a number of questions
from the requirements. The audience
realized that this was a severe test, and
so did the Scout, especially as the ques-
tions came as a distinct surprise. He
was given the closest attention, and the
burst of applause when he finished
proved that he had "made good."
A few days after the rally more than
two score of Richmond's prominent busi-
ness and professional men met and or-
ganized a local council.
Scouting in Richmond has now be-
come an established institution and the
men comprising the local council guar-
antee that the movement will prosper in
this beautiful and progressive southern
city.
From Richmond Mr. Dale went to
Charleston, W. Va., where he spoke at
the schools, before the Chamber of Com-
merce, the Ministerial Alliance, and
other organizations. He also visited the
state capitol and was assured by the
leading state officers that they believed
most heartily in the movement and that
they would give the Scouts every assist-
ance. _ Governor Hatfield accepted the
invitation to become a member of the
National Council, stating that he looked
upon Scouting as a most promising factor
for human betterment.
Winston-Salem, N. C., was the next
place visited by Mr. Dale. The work at
this place culminated in a public meet-
ing where a number of prominent men
spoke, among them Mr. O. B. Eaton, the
mayor of Winston-Salem, Dr. P. O.
Schallert, president of the local council,
Mr. Davis, secretary of the board of
trade. Judge Hastings of the Juvenile
and City Court, Prof. Latham, superin-
tendent of schools, and District Attorney
S. P. Graves. Every one of the speak-
ers endorsed the movement eloquently
and offered every possible assistance.
The Winston Journal closes a splendid
account of the meeting as follows:
"The meeting may be far-reaching in
its effect upon the life of this citv. and
many are becoming enthusiastic over the
possibilities involved."
Prof. Latham proposed an interesting
scheme at the meeting. North Carolina
will endeavor to enforce a compulsorv
education law next fall, and Prof.
jLatham plans to establish a troop in
every school and make it responsible for
the attendance of those who up to this
time have stayed away.
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 1, Number 5, June 15, 1913, periodical, June 1, 1913; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282634/m1/5/?rotate=180: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.