Boy Scouts of America

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

an organization designed to help in the preservation of the health and formation of the character of its members. It was incorporated Feb. 8, 1910, and chartered by Act of Congress June 15, 1916. The movement is intended to furnish a wholesome outlet for the activities of young boys by cultivating outdoor sports under wise leadership and at the same time to instil moral principles that will make them upright men and good citizens. It is akin to the Boy Scout movement in Great Britain and in other countries. There is no military object sought to be obtained, and the uniform and drill adopted have their chief value in form- the men counsellors, scoutmasters and ing a desirable esprit de corps. The ideal of the movement is service-service to others and also to their own highest ideals. Each member subscribes to the following oath: On my honor, I will do my best-1. To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law. 2. To help other people at all times. 3. To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. Scouts are organized into patrols and these again into troops. A patrol consists of eight boys and there are four patrols to a troop. The troop is under a scoutmaster in whose selection much care is exercised, as it is of first importance that he should be in hearty sympathy with youth and yet at the same time be mature and judicious enough to exercise a wise leadership over the growing boys. Each troop, which is usually, though not necessarily, connected with some church or school, must hold a charter from the National Council. The sports and crafts included in the Scout program practically cover the whole range of outdoor life. Fishing, cycling, camping, wood lore, signaling, tracking are some of these. Then, too, the crafts are given much attention. Excellence in photography, gardening, telegraphy, forestry, etc., is stimulated by the award of special medals. The rich and poor are on precisely the same footing and snobbishness is a thing unknown. There are three grades, the Tenderfoot, the Second Class and the First Class. The Scouts pledge themselves to do a good turn daily to some one. The whole aim of the movement is to develop the Boy Scout into a vigorous, chivalric, right living man and loyal citizen of his country. As an organization, the Scouts have Governrendered sterling sterling service to the ment during the World War. They were a valuable factor in the Liberty Loan campaigns. They secured subscriptions amounting to $278,744,650, and sold War Savings Stamps to an amount of $42,- 751,000. They co-operated, as far as their youth would allow, with the Red Cross, the War Work and other Government committees; collected 100 carloads of fruit pits for gas masks; distributed 30,000,000 pieces of literature and did a vast amount of related work that released their elders for other tasks. Their patriotism was of the flaming kind, and all they asked was to be told what to do. General Pershing warmly commended their work. The membership of the organization in the United States in 1919 was 373,- 174. There were 16,768 troops and others connected with the work numbered 102,020. So important a feature of our national life has the work become that courses have been introduced in some of the American universities for training scout leaders. The national headquarters of the organization are in New York.