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32 WILMETTE ' LIFE August 10, 1928 . BOY SCOUT NEWS "Do a Good Turn Daily" of the North Shore Troops Canoeing ·at Camp Checaugau "Be Prepar~d" Scout Executive Explains Aims of Scouting Activity (Excerpts from a talk by Scout Executive, Walter McPeek, recently delivered before a meeting of parents.) . The Scout program, available for the use of local institutions under the leadership of their own men and their own boys, grew out of a boy's dream of romance and yearning for adventure. Sir Robert Baden Powell, as a boy, must have yearned for the companionship of men in making possible some of the dreams of his boy world. He probably longed for a better chance to learn of the lore of the woods. He probably often wished for the chance to cook his own dinner over a wood fire. \Vhen he became a man, Sir Rqbert founrt it possible to give to other boys what he had longed for. And the program of Scouting came into being. A Stranter ia London All day long London had been in the grip of a dense, heavy fog. Traffic crept cautiously and slowly. Street lights had been ordered on by the police before noon, and now night was coming on. Danger lurked on every hand, because "going" was difficult even for the native. \\'iJiiam D. Boyce, Chicago publisher and traveler, was seeking a difficult address in old London. A boy approached him and asked, "May I be of service to you ? " Mr. Boyce told him where he wanted to go and the boy saluted and said, "Come with me, sir," and forthwith led him to .the desired spot. Like the typical American tourist, Mr. Boyce reached in hi~ pocket and offered the boy a shi11ing The boy promptly replied, "No, sir, I am a Scout. Scouts do not accept tips for courtesies." The man in surprise murmured, "What do you say?" The Scout repeated and then added, "Don't you know about the Scouts?" Mr. Boyce said, "Tell me about them." The boy did and added, "their office is very near, sir; I'll be glad to show you the way." Mr. Boyce had to complete his errand first. The lad waited, however, and then led him to the office of Sir Robert Baden-Powell, founder .of the British Boy Scout association, where information about the Scout movement was gladly given. Mr. Boyce was tremendously impressed and, gathering all ~vailahle information, brought it back to the United States. On February 8 of the next year, Mr. Boyce and others interested in boys and citizenship, formally incorporated The Boy Scouts of America. This day is observed each year as the birthday of Scouting in the United States. This ··Good Turn" to a stranger brought Scouting to the United States (1909), and to millions of American boys. Job of Team Work This "Good Turn" is in no way unlike millions of "Good Turns" done daily by the Boy Scouts of the United States and the world. Scouting is a program-not an institution in a community. It is a program to be used by the churches and schools, civic groups and service clubs under the leadership of their owa men in the unfolding of the personality of their own boys. Scouting is a job of team work- Two north shore Scouts in canoe at Camp Checaugau. say, "We're going to be canoeing down the Wolf river at Wisconsin camp." Many Scouts and Leaders Plan Trip to Camp Site Many Scoutmasters, committeemen, Scouts and their friends plan to take Labor Day trips to inspect the site of the newly secured camp site in northern Wisconsin. It is a nine or ten hour trip, and many plan to lea vc on Saturday to stay at the Muskie Tnn in Elcho and to return on Mondav. This witi give them a chance to see ·a goo~ deal of Spring Lake and the surrounding country. not a one-man task. There must be a Scoutmaster, with Assistant Scoutmasters and a Troop Committee of five men who are not figureheads but active helpers in the development of the troop effectiveness. We are trying to secure in each troop the same sort of brains, consecration and devotion as we have in church and school and in the business world. Scouting is ·a program-rightly used that actually touches a boy's soul. It is not merely a hobby, or a plaything for tag-end interests but a task worthy of the best efforts of our . biggest men. If you fathers and mothers know what grade your boy is in at school, you should also know what rank he has attained in Scouting. The habits he is demonstrating today are liable to be his controlling attitude.s of twenty years from now. A Tree a Week by Merit Kote: Each wee k difft-rent tree g-rowing . in this locality. Preacher (George W. ~nder~on) tells of his experience wtth . httle "Jimmie" in the settleme~t ad1ace~t to his chorch in a large ctty. J tmmte was the lad who knew every~od~. On Anderson's visits of mercy, ]tmmte led the way. Upon arriving at their destination, Jirnmie would ~hro~ the door open with the exclamatton, Thar they be." · Occasionally Jimmie wen~ home with the preacher to the btg house. These visits were rare treats to the soul-starved urchin. One day as this strange pair sat in the pas~or's study, a table bet":een the two Jimmie made the startlmg annou~cement, "Mr. Anderson, I',~l go. ing to be a ,1reat wan some day. And Mr. Anderson, not much 1myou'll be p ressed, said, "Yes. Jimmie, ,, a great man some day. Jimmie was not deceived, ."But Mr. Anderson," said he, "I'm g~mg to .b,e a- great man some day, cause tt s easy." Mr. Anderson could not deceive the hoy longer. "Yes, Sonny, but how do you know you are goir--7- to be a rrreat man some day?" " And then the boy replied, "You see, Mr Anderson. it's like this-1 jest set her~ and look at you a settin' in t~et . big chair with all the books and ptctures around you-and I shet my eyes and set real still. Pretty soon I s~e a kind of a pidure-'tain't very plam at first but if I set long enough and look f~r enough, I can see it . r!g~t plain. It's me growed up a se~ttn !" a chair like you-only I'm btgger n vou. And if I keep on a lookin' at that "Next year" they picture all the ~ime, and try . t~ look our own northern. like it all the ttme I'm growm upwell, when I get big like you are, I'll just be like the picture-that's all. You see ' Mr. Anderson, 'tai . n't hard, ,, 'cause you always got the ptcture. "Yes Jimmie, you will be a great man s~me day and it won't be hard," B. Scout said Anderson, because you have your picture.-H. G. Zion in "Scout-0he will describe a Grams." How Jimmie Knew · He Was Destined to Be a Big Man · The Shag-Bark-Hickory. All of us who have ever been in the Forest Preserve ·or in other wooded sections around the north shore, have seen the Shag-bark-hickory, averaging 60 t~ 100 feet high, and one or two feet in diameter. The bark is. rough and ~ parates into thick plates whir_h loosen . themselves from the tree and cud on the ends. The wood is hard and very strong. It is used largely in the manufacture of tools and in building wagons. It also makes very satisfactory fuel, burning for a long while. Junior Leaders Arrange a Get-Together Session The Junior leaders of the twelve Scout troops of Wilmette and Kenilworth will hold their first get-together on Friday afternoon, ~eptember 21, at 4 P. M. at St. Augustine's Club House. The Scoutmasters will be the guests of ihe boys at a 6:30 o'clock dinner. The prog.r~m will close at 8 P. M. You're InVited to Find a Name for the New Camp Now that a camp of our own is assured it is up to ey_ery Scout to put on his thinking cap to suggest a name for the camp ·which will ppen next summer. Inasmuch as it is near the border of the Menomine Indian Reservation, an Indian name would be most suitable. Executive McPeek Goes to National Conference Soon Walter McPeek, Scout Executive of the North Shore Area council, will leave September 3 for a ten day conference ...at Cornell university, Ithaca, N. Y. This conference of Scout executives all over the United States is held everv two vears and is attended ~· ..::'rofessional leaders throughout the country. It is expected that approximately 950 men will attend. This indudes the entire _professional leadership of the United States. NEW SCOUTMASTER Members .of Troop 2 of the Wilmette Congregational church are looking forward to the kick-off meeting of their troop to be held the second week in September. A new Scoutmaster will be in. charge of the troop.