ey know the man to whose care
they entrust their boy, after he has discussed with them the real
purpose of the scout movement.
9. Do not hesitate to give a boy a hard task, but not an impossible
one. A boy likes to do hard things.
10. Do not attempt right at the start to give the boy every bit of
detail regarding the activities of the troop. Work out the plans with
the boys from time to time, always reserving some things of interest
for the next meeting. Your attempt to give them everything at one time
will cause the whole proposition to assume the nature of a task
instead of pleasurable education, as was originally intended.
11. Hold frequent tests for advancement to the classes of scouthood.
Get your fellows to really win their badges.
12. As a scout master use good judgment. If there are other scout
masters in your town, or a scout council or local committee, cooperate
with these. To be a scout master, you must have the spirit of '76,
but be sure to work with others. The boys will benefit by the lesson.
THE SCOUTS' CAMP
To go camping should mean more than merely living under canvas away
from the piles of brick and stone that make up our cities. To be in
the open air, to breathe pure oxygen, to sleep upon "a bed of boughs
beside the trail," to look at the camp fire and the stars, and to hear
the whisper of the trees--all of this is good. But the camp offers a
better opportunity than this. It offers the finest method for a boy's
education. Between twelve and eighteen years the interests of a boy
are general ones, and reach from the catching of tadpoles and minnows
to finding God in the stars. His interests are the general mass
interests that are so abundant in nature, the activities that give the
country boy such an advantage for the real enjoyment of life over the
city lad. Two weeks or two months in camp, they are too valuable to be
wasted in loafing, cigarette smoking, card playing or shooting craps.
To make a camp a profitable thing there must needs be instruction; not
formal but _informal_ instruction. Scouting, nature study, scout law,
camp cooking, signalling, pioneering, path finding, sign reading,
stalking for camera purposes, knowledge of animals and plants, first
aid, life saving, manual work (making things), hygiene, sex
instruction, star gazing, discipline, knowing the rocks and trees, and
the ability to do for one's self, in order that a boy may grow strong,
self-reliant, and helpful. This
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