Scouting, Volume 4, Number 14, November 15, 1916 Page: 3
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SCOUTING.
Christmas Time Brings Many
Opportunities for Scout Service
.Burnett a. Wrignt, sergeant witn ^uiiipaxi^ c • c \/ t
7th New York Infantry, on field service at Suggestions for Y OUr 1 TOOp
McAllen, Texas. Mr. Wright was the first
A Scoutmaster in Texas
[The following communication was received
by Scout Executive Barclay of the Manhattan-
Bronx Council, New York, from Scoutmaster
Burnett B. Wright, sergeant with Company L,
7th New York Infantry, on field service at
McAllen, Texas. _ Mr. Wright was the first
scoutmaster -commissioned in New York City
and is the oldest active scoutmaster in point /^tHANCES—ves chances bv the scorethere is the big community Christmas tree
3 the^roop1 at* IhY street Neighborhood CChrisSnas time for ScoL to make for the big town and cities. Scouts can do
House in New York.] themselves happy. Happy by bring- a lot to help the police in keeping the crowds
W-R nrp crpttinp* a 1nt nf nractical scout- ing cheer to those whose Christmas might back and in helping distribute the presents
fnfdownhere*^ I haveleaSed a ?ot otherwise be an occasion for contrast to to the children. There isn't always much
that will be of very practical use the ruling spirit of the season, happy be- first aid work to be done on such occasion
when I return to mv bovs cause they are doinS their Soocl turns and but is wel1 to have the Scouts 011 hand and
I euess there will be' no exchange of especially because they are making others prepared as usual for any emergency.
bullets with the Mexicans, but we have happy. Christmas is the time when Red Cross
enough other enemies to look out for- There probably isnt such another time stamps are sold everywhere and it is mainly
Tarantulas, scorpions, snakes with rattles the whole year through when Scouts can through the support received during the few
in their tails ants which love to bite, sand take the place of the Santa Claus who short days at Christmas time that the Red
storms constipation and intense heat. Isn't doesn't always stop to knock at the gate Cross is able to continue with its remark-
that enough to look out for? If more of the poor, and can instill a mighty drop able work for the prevention and cure of
is wanted, there are cactus thorns to pick of their youthful enthusiasm into blood that tuberculosis. Scouts have offered their ser-
out of feet and legs. While we have some has run cold through the chill of despair. _ vices quite freely in past years and there is
sickness the per cent is not very high. The Not all Scouts can afford to bring their no reason to supose that the Red Cross can
water tastes bad, but we are getting used bits from home to fill Christmas baskets not look forward to receiving a great deal
to it; it is full of alkali salts and so hard but there are a thousand and one ways of assistance from the Scouts again this
one can scarcely make a lather, no matter open to a lively crowd of boys whereby they year.
how much soap one uses. I try to soften can gather together in a short time enough Enterta1nment in Public Institutions
it some with borax. real good substantial food to fill as many ,
Last week we went to the real border, baskets as they can place in needy places. In Philadelphia one troop prepared a
seven or eight miles away, where the Rio Last year many troops and especially Christmas entertainment which was given
Grande's swift current divides "Gringo" those connected with churches made it their at a home for crippled children. I here are
from "Greaser." The river looks much business to collect the donations and then public institutions of many sorts where an
like the Missouri, in color and size; of deliver baskets which were filled and dis- entertainment by a crowd of scouts would
course midsummer is low water for the tributed by the church itself. It is always bring happiness into the hearts of those who
Rio Grande. We camped at Pharr on the a problem for the ladies of the church as have troubles imaginary and real that the
railroad one night—then our company_ all to j-be most suitable and best way to have average man must never experience.
alone with our big military wagon bring- things delivered, sometimes they feel large hospitals there is likely to be a
ing up the rear, headed for the river. that it will be somewhat embarrassing for children's ward. A wooden doll or a rag
Nearly every mile we would cross an irri- tbe recipjent if the committee drives up to d°h or maybe nothing more than an old
gation ditch—in its neighborhood the soil the door and presents the Christmas basket picture book might make it seem really
would give forth abundance. We saw with a formal ceremony And it is in a way like Christmas even with sickness and pain,
orange, grapefruit and lemon groves al- toQ lacking in sentiment to have the basket But if Brother Scoutmaster is hard put
falfa, corn and melons, growing where delivered by a paid messenger. Of course, to it f°r something to give his Scouts to do
irrigated Near the ditches were new bung- it isn>t necessary to 'stage a demonstration on Christmas, it might be a very lucky.sug-
alows where white men live. As one leaves ^ gach door ag thg ScQuts leaye the basket> gestion that he give his troop committee an
the water ditch behind the country changes bu(. there .g something about Scouts—and opportunity to help him out. These three
-poorer crops—then brush and finally^cac- ^ knQw what it ig as weU ag any one men are volunteer Scout men you know,
tus and mesquite brush are all that show. dse_that makes the thing seem doubly and they may be able to think of something
No new bungalows here, but thatched huts, ,, while when thev have something- to that would just suit the boys and make them
and many little brown children, mostly when they have somethmS to feel that thJey were really doing something
naked, who do not speak the gringo • on Christmas day besides giving and receiv-
words. As we neared the river it was all Free Delivery Service for Small Towns jng "presents."
"Mex. huts and no white settlers. j£ yQU are jn a sman town you can appre- So many boys are brought up to look for-
A Real Hot Water Bath. ciate the trouble people have the night be- ward to Christmas as a time when they are
fanntp RnnrVi w9« ™,r npyt halt This fore Christmas in doing all there is to be going to get somehing. As a matter of
Capote th* hanV nf done, especially when it comes to delivering fact it ought to be a time when they do get
a tinv lake Our captaiti gave ^fs p^rmU- packages' or rLning for a last visit to the something-something that makes them
sion to swim in the Dond fo with 3 cheers store- °n Christmas day too there are lots swell up inside with the realization that
for Cant Nicoll we striooed in a hurrv and o£ httle presents that must be delivered, they have done someone some good, and
rushed in Such a surprise the water There is a town in Illinois where Scouts receive the reward that always comes to
was not warm it was fairly hot under the o^er to perform this service free. People the Scout after he has done a good turn—
Texan sun, and only two and a half feet seem to appreciate it a whole lot, and every- a better and more wholesome joy than he
deep, with' an added foot of mud and body in that town is for the Scouts. Then has ever before experienced.
alkali of course. But it was wet, and —— —— — — —
hot, dirty, sweaty troops enjoy any kind of the Rio Grande. We posted a good guard dear friend Villa. One could plainly see
bath. We thought of people who rushed to that night. the spires of the cathedral, and the U. S.
Europe to take mineralized mud baths at Next day we went on to the old Spanish regular on guard at the pumping station
a fancy price and here was Uncle Sam town of Hidalgo, after which this country told me a Mexican sentry was scanning the
giving us mud medicated baths free. It was named. Here was the pumping station U. S. boundary with field glasses from the
was peculiar tasting water from the Capote that fills the irrigation ditches. A town cathedral tower. In the barracks of Rio
ranch well. One fellow described the taste hall—or county court house going to rack Noces 3,000 Carranza troops are held in
as that of "old rubbers." and ruin, was the other big building. An readiness.
The ranch consisted of a dozen or more inn used as quarters for a company of . Though we ached for a swim in the muddy
buildings, mostly Mexican thatch huts, in U. S. regulars was a fine brick building, Rio Grande, it was not permitted on
one of which I bunked that night. Around but the rest of the town was Mexican account of sniping, which had taken the
the buildings ran a trench of breastworks adobe huts, saloons and stores. lives of several Americans already. So
about two feet high. Barbed wire for Across the river was no bridge, but a we said goodbye to the Rio Grande the
topping it off was stored close by. Tales tiny ferry boat was moored on the Mexican following morning and marched back to
of a skirmish with bandits several months shore; the ferryman was there, waiting, McAllen, seven and one-half long, dusty al-
ago were circulated; I found three empty but no commerce beckoned him to service, kali miles.
cartridges on the shore of the lake which I The American side of the river was a steep
keep as souvenirs of the battle of Capote bank-but the Mexican bank was low and wife of Commissioner Bacon Dies
Ranch; even if no battle was fought, I flat and was undoubtedly flooded every
believe the cattle were stolen by bandits, springtime. About two miles from the Lucy Avery Bacon, wife of Edward C.
The little lake was fenced off with barbed river we could see the red tiled roofs and Bacon, national field scout commissioner,
wire so various ranches could have water mud and thatch roofs of Rio Noces, a died on October 25, at her residence in
rights; the ranch was about a mile from Mexican city looted over a year ago by our Grand Rapids, Mich.
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 4, Number 14, November 15, 1916, periodical, November 15, 1916; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282837/m1/3/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.