Scouting, Volume 54, Number 6, June-July 1966 Page: 25
40 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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KEEPING
FAITH
WITH
OUR
CHARTER
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™ ]fty years ago, the Boy Scouts of America was a 6-
year-old infant organization, struggling for existence. Our
very name was in jeopardy—other groups were calling
themselves Scouts. Our uniforms and insignia were not
protected—others could use them and we couldn't stop it.
June 15, 1916, the Boy Scouts of America was given
a special distinction—the Congress of the United States
granted us a Federal charter. Our attorney in Washing-
ton paced the anterooms at the Capitol throughout the
night of May 3 1 before he could telephone Chief Scout
Executive James E. West in New York to tell him the
charter had been voted.
The act was signed by John H. Bankhead, acting pres-
ident of the Senate; by Champ Clark, Speaker of the
House of Representatives; and finally signed into law on
June 15 by President Woodrow Wilson. This was truly
an early-day Breakthrough.
"OK, history is interesting, but it's already an ac-
complished fact. What can 1 do about it?" you may ask.
You and every Scouter can do and are expected to do a
great deal. You can help build the movement so strong
that we will always have a far-reaching and positive
answer to what Congress expects of us.
What Congress Expects
What are the obligations that our charter imposes on
us? What does Congress—and all America—have a right
to expect that you and T and every Scouter will do for
the boys of America?
The record is clear. The need is still clear-cut and
even more demanding today than it was in 1916.
"That the purpose of this corporation shall be," states
Section 3 of the charter, "to promote through organiza-
tion and cooperation with other agencies:
• the ability of boys to do things for themselves and
others,
• to train them in Scoutcraft,
• and to teach them patriotism, courage, self-reliance,
and kindred virtues
• using the methods which are now common to the Boy
Scouts."
In clear, sharp, understandable language that charter
says to you, Mr. Scouter—"We expect you to be a team
worker. We expect you to work with and through your
chartered institution to increase the effectiveness and
growth of Scouting to reach every possible boy."
That charter asks that you and I feel deep concern
that boys grow in skills and resourcefulness. It asks that
we help create conditions in councils, districts, and units
that will maintain boys' interest all the way through Cub
Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Exploring; that will turn
into the mainstream of citizenship more boys who have
the know-how and the care-enough to help other people.
That charter says that as a Scouter you must be con-
cerned to influence boys to be more genuinely patriotic,
more self-reliant, and equipped with the courage to do
what they know is right.
That charter says that as a Scouter you need to keep
up to date and alert to use the best and most effective
methods to help boys grow to be their best selves.
Don't think for a minute that our charter spoke only
to the Scouters of 50 years ago.
It speaks to you today. It will continue to ask much of
Scouters in the years to come.
We must not be satisfied with less than out best. EJ
25
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 54, Number 6, June-July 1966, periodical, June 1966; New Brunswick, New Jersey. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth331772/m1/27/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.