Scouting, Volume 2, Number 1, May 1, 1914 Page: 3
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SCOUTING
SCOUTS ARE PRAISED BY
AUDUBON SOCIETY MEN.
National Association Official Writes of
the Boys' Efficiency in Protecting
Birds.
SO great has been the part played by
Boy Scouts in the work of the bird
preservation this winter that it has
obtained unusual recognition from the
National Association of Audubon Societies.
"We appreciate their work," writes Mr.
Ernest Ingersoll, an official of the Associa-
tion, " and the assistance they have ren-
dered, and wish to compliment them on
the efficiency displayed." He goes on to
say:
" One can hardly imagine anything more
thoroughly in line with the ambition and
discipline of the Boy Scouts than the work
they have been doing, since the cold
weather came on, in saving the lives of
birds. The sudden onslaught in mid-
February of snow and ice had hardly
begun to affect the thermometer when Mr.
T. Gilbert Pearson, the secretary of the
National Association of Audubon Societies,
began to send warnings by telegraph to
local officials in the Northern States, from
Maine to Minnesota, that the wild birds
would suffer unless fed. Thereupon State
Audubon Societies became centers of energy,
newspapers spread the alarm and agencies
for distribution of bird food sprang into
immediate and generous activity—none
more promptly than the Boy Scouts, espe-
cially in New England.
" The call was precisely to the Scouts'
liking, for it was tramping, natural history
and utility combined; and they made ideal
distributors of the bounty furnished by the
National Association or by local providers,
because they were' prompt and intelligent
and because they kept going the rounds of
the feeding stations as long as needed.
Here was shown the benefit of discipline
applied to a sudden and rather novel duty,
and the Association wishes to express its
thankful appreciation of the aid of this
skilled force of assistants, so cheerfully
given when most needed."
Another Scout Masters' School.
In San Antonio, Tex., a Scout Masters'
School has been started to secure men suit-
able for the work and to train them for
leadership. Each Scout Master must go
through the Tenderfoot, Second Class and
First Class tests as a Scout does.
Mr. L. W. Atlee, assistant secretary of
the Council, writes: "We find many men
who are willing to lead, but they must be
taught to lead. How can a Scout Master
pass a boy on his tests if he himself has
never gone through them? We find some
Scout Masters that are experts along some
lines, but a man that can go through or
pass his boys on their tests without some
study on his part can seldom be found. A
Scout Master must be a Scout himself, and
it is the purpose of this school to make him
one."
"Back Numbers" in Demand.
In the last few months National Head-
quarters has received calls for hundreds of
" back copies " of Scouting, and the office
files have been almost exhausted. There
is especial need now for the issues of the
following dates: June 1, July 1, August 1,
August 15, September 15, November 1, De-
cember 1, December 15, January 1 and Jan-
uary 15 and February 1.
If you have one or more of any of these
which you can spare, please send them to
Headquarters. They will be put to good
use.
TYPICAL PROGRESS OF A SCOUT TROOP.
, — - — . ' \ / \
Experiences of a Successful Scout Master in a Small Town.
IN their two years' development Troop
1 of South Easton, Mass., illustrates
what the work of a capable Scout Mas-
ter and a group of interested Scouts can
accomplish. The Rev. Dr. Talmage M,
Patterson first introduced the movement
and himself acted as Scout Master for a
year. An entertainment entitled " A Scout's
Honor" gave the town people an idea of
what the movement stood lor, and so great
was the interest aroused that several con-
tributions were immediately forthcoming.
At a summer camp, in which the iboys
learned a great deal of Scoutcraft, the in-
terest of the present Scout Master, Ralph
L. Williams, was enlisted. Under his direc-
tion they held a Food Fair, which made a
great sensation, bringing them in a good
deal of revenue and advertising their work
widely. In the meantime Dr. Patterson
was speaking far and near on the subject
of the movement, and owing to his fre-
quent absences Mr. Williams took the Scout
Mastership of the Troop. He immediately
undertook a systematic canvass of every
street for new members and in a short time
the membership was doubled. An initia-
tion program which he drew up brought
great success.
The subject of a clubhouse began to be
agitated. The plans first called for a small
clubhouse out in the country, but the news-
papers and townspeople took up the scheme
and a splendid plot of ground was given by
a citizen. It was then decided to build a
hall that could be used for entertainments,
banquets, etc. It was estimated that $3,000
would be necessary to build a hall and the
Scouts at once started to raise the sum.
Several methods were tried, the first, " a
mile of pennies," bringing in a few hun-
dred dollars. Circulars and personal let-
ters raised a good deal more.
The merchants of Brockton, Mass., an-
nounced a voting contest in which a set
of books would be given to the school,
lodge or organization bringing in the most
votes. The 42 Scouts started in in dead
earnest and rather to their own surprise
defeated' an organization of 3,000 members
and a score of others boasting several hun-
dred members. The books are valued at
$300 and will form an attractive feature
of the new clubhouse. It is expected that
this building will be completed in the
spring.
The loyalty of the Scouts to their organ-
ization is proved by the fact that it does
not occur to any of them to stop the work
upon reaching the age of eighteen. There
are a number of members who still con-
tinue their Scout work who are over that
age. The exact membership now is 54—a
good-sized Troop for a small town.
Headquarters Work Report.
Dec. 31,'13,
EiTJ i i : to
Apr. 1-27, '14 Apr. 27, '14
New and reregistered
Scout Masters 434 2,397
New and registered As-
sistant Scout Masters.. 181 682
New and reregistered
Commissioners 28 147
Unassigned Scout Masters 17 131
Charters 21 128
Mail received 18,223 65,614
Outgoing mail—
Letters 12,642 133,811
Postals 9,846 13,567
Packages 771 16,202
Orders 2,921 15,533
Total 26,180 179,113
Incoming telephone calls 1,543 6,492
Outgoing telephone calls 1,056 4,708
Press clippings received. 3,550 12,214
Number of visitors 498 2,502
great rally in
Brooklyn on may 16.
With special demonstrations' of "house-
afire," life-saving, bridge work, tower
building, and all sorts of camp activities,
the Brooklyn Local Council expects to have
a record-breaking rally on Saturday, May
16. There are prizes for out-of-town
Troops, as well as local Troops, so a great
many visitors should enter the rally. It
will be held out doors, in Prospect Park.
Entries for contests and accommodations
should be in by May 6.
The Scouts will gather Friday after-
noon, and pitch camp. Saturday morning
general good times precede the afternoon
demonstrations. Fireman's race, sack race,
bugling, flag race, Paul Revere, antelope
race, full equipment race and wall scaling
are the events. Send to Brooklyn Head-
quarters, 164 Montague Street, for entry
blanks if you live anywhere near.
SCOUTS MANAGE PLAYGROUND.
"T ROOP 1 of West Plains, Mo., which
was founded iff 1912, is established in
new quarters with an office, assembly room
and a well equipped gymnasium, provided
by the citizens of the town. This year their
number has increased to seventy and an
auxiliary Troop formed.
Perhaps the most lasting service this
Troop has done their city is the establish-
ment of a directed playground. A park of
about ten acres is under their direction and
they furnish baseball, basketball, tennis,
croquet and other interesting games.
A splendid opening program was carried
out. One of the Scouts picked out a flag
pole from his father's ground, felled the
tree and had it hauled to the park, peeled
it himself and presented it as his share.
The flag was raised with a special cere-
mony. The Scouts had complete control
of the celebration, even to the selling of
concessions, and so well was the program
carried out that there was not a single
arrest nor an accident during the day. The
Scouts paid all the expenses of the picnic
and the equipment of the grounds and had
a little money left. From now on the
grounds are to be open every afternoon
under the supervision of the Scouts.
SUMMER CAMP IN SOUTH.
The Scout Masters of Nashville, Tetln.,
are making plans for next summer's camp
at Blueridge, N. C. The date has been set
for July 22 to August 3. It is hoped that
Chief Scout Seton will be there part of the
time, and some of the very best Boys' Sec-
retaries in the South will also attend the
camp. The Scout Masters anywherg near
the location of the camp are invited to send
for printed information to Mr. W. D.
Weatherford, Field Secretary of the Y. M.
C. A., 2126 Blair Boulevard, Nashville.
Tenn.
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 2, Number 1, May 1, 1914, periodical, May 1, 1914; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282678/m1/3/?q=houston: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.