Scouting, Volume 2, Number 2, May 15, 1914 Page: 3
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SCOUTING
§ /
KJ
Health in the city of Pittsburgh, plunged
into the wo.rk with the keenest interest.
cities and corporations push work.
It was decided to secure the co-operation
of all the educational and social service
organizations of the city and county in
carrying the plan to successful issue. The
response has been universal and hearty.
Various municipal departments have al-
ready indicated their readiness to co.-op-
erate. Borough boards of health, fire de-
partments and police departments have
responded heartily. The Board of'Educa-
tion will lend its aid in every possible way.
The University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie
Institute of Technology are in line for defi-
nite work. Many private institutions are
offering their co-operation. County organ-
izations of every sort are ready to serve.
The National Guard, the Field Hospital
Corps and other organizations interested in
first-aid wo.rk and signaling are lined up.
The Westinghouse Company, the Duquesne
Light Company and others will place men
and equipment at the service of the Com-
mittee on Training for this educational
campaign.
The leaders in the Allegheny work are
convinced of another fact which is sig-
nificant. They agree heartily with the
policy of the National Council that Scout-
ing is a movement rather than an organiza-
tion. Some of its finest work in the Alle-
gheny field, therefore, is being done within
other organizations. Churches, synagogues,
grammar and high schools, boys' clubs,
social settlements, Young Men's 'Christian
Associations, the Boys' Brigade and other
boy organizations are adopting Scouting as
a method of helping their own organiza-
tions in their work with the boys of their
own membership.
people eager to give honey.
No. better evidence of the grip which
Scouting has taken on the people of Alle-
gheny County could be furnished than the
interest which they have sho.wn in the
financing of the movement. It is rare, in-
deed, to have people come to an institution
with money rather than to have an institu-
tion go to, the people for money. Two
reasons for this unusual condition are in
evidence. The movement among the boys
is vital. Scouting is in actual operation in
almost every ward and borough; at least
two tho.usand Scouts are enrolled.
The second fact which has inspired con-
fidence in the movement and a desire for
financial help is the recognition of its
splendid leadership. The men of the Alle-
gheny Council are among the best in the
business and professional life of the city of
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. They
have been successful in their o.wn business
affairs. The same is true of the men at
the head of the ward and borough organ-
izations.
It would not be unfair to say that a third
factor in this belief of the people in the
movement is due to the low cost o,f admin-
istration. The budget is very small in pro-
portion to the work done, because so much
of the most important work is done gladly
by the volunteers in the movement. It is
safe to say that 4,000 boys can be reached
within a few months at an annual cost of
not over $5 for each boy.
The Scout mo.tto is " Be Prepared." If
two words can state the reason for the
success which attends the Pittsburgh work
they are these motto words. It represents
the most thorough preparation. Men are
in the Boy Scout Movement because they
believe in the highest ideals o,f character
and conduct, and because they have come
to know that the making of Allegheny
County boyhood what it might be is a 'task
which the manhood of Allegheny County
alone can accomplish.
SCOUTING GAMES FOR YOUR BOYS.
Written for
Scouting " by
Troop
B
CHARLES F, SMITH,
34, New York.
\
Scout Master,
ROTHER SCOUT MASTER, are you advisable, in order to make competition
engrafting into your system of Scout keen, to pit the two better Patrols against
education a list of games which are
both helpful and enjoyable to yourself and
to your boys?
My most successful wo.rk in training
Scouts to pass their First and Second Class
examinations has been accomplished by the
aid of games and competitions directly
correlated to the required subject matter.
Unfortunately such a set of games, suitable
to all conditions, is not published. On the
other hand, this affords the imaginative
Scout Master a great opportunity to invent
games exactly suited to his lo.cal conditions
and needs.
My games have all been successfully
worked out in my Troop, 34, New York.
Those I shall describe are offered merely
as suggestions; undoubtedly after playing
them even once changes and improvements
will present themselves.
teaching games.
Local conditions and environments are
usually responsible for the fact that the
favo.rite game of one set of boys is not
liked by another similar group. But oc-
casionally this may be accounted for by the
likes or dislikes of the teacher, or by his
method of teaching. At this point it may
not be amiss to offer brief suggestions
relative to the teaching o,f games.
The popularity of a game depends much
upon how it is received the first time it is
played. All rules should be minutely and
clearly explained; apparatus should be at
hand and ready, and the groups should be
of nearly equal ability.
Before starting a game, boys should be
enco.uraged to think for themselves, and
might be asked to suggest improvements.
Boys care less about the educational value
of a game than the teacher does, so such
discussions should be deferred until some
more opportune time. Often the less said
about the object o.f a game the better.
selecting teams.
When selecting two teams it is sometimes
each other and then complete sides by al-
lowing those Patrol Leaders to. choose
alternately from the remainder of the
Troop. However, this should not be con-
strued to infer that inter-Patrol matches
should be eliminated, for the spirit of
friendly rivalry existing in such contests
should be encouraged. Patrols unequally
matched should play against each o.ther oc-
casionally, and the weaker ones should be
encouraged to fight to the finish.
grading games.
The standard of mental Scouting games
in which the entire Troop is to. participate
should ordinarily be based upon the av-
erage ability of the Troop. In a signaling
game, for example, if only the best signal-
ers can take an active part the game will
not become generally popular, and the less
proficient may be humiliated to such an
extent that they will beco.me discouraged.
The standard of games requiring great
physical exertion or danger should be de-
termined by the physical condition of the
weak members. Games requiring handicaps
should be avoided, for they are not enjoyed
as open competition and are very difficult to
standardize to the satisfaction of all.
types of games.
Games bearing directly upon Scouting
activities should have the preference over
athletic and gymnastic games. But when
the greater part of a boy's spare time is
devoted to his Troop a part of this should
be given to. athletics, otherwise the athletic
boys will be tempted to give up Scouting.
The playful element used in instructive
games does not appeal to a boy in the same
way as does the free, genuine play spirit,
which he terms " rough-house." This form
of game is healthful and should receive its
due share of time.
Editor's Note,—Several games will be
described by Mr. Smith in an early issue of
Scouting.
letter message correctly, 1 minute, 20
seconds.
The sixteen Sco.ut Masters of Berkshire . .. w , ...
County, Massachusetts, representing about pnl Water boiling.
Contests for Scouts.
250 Scouts, worked out a scheme last winter
that has proved successful and may appeal
to other Scout Masters.
They arranged in December for a series
of contests to be held each month during
the winter and spring. These were done by
each Patrol at their Scout ro.oms during
the week before the monthly Scout Masters'
meeting. The Scout Masters then reported
at the meeting the winner in each Patrol
and the average time for the whole Patrol.
May—To. see which Patrol could make
the largest collection of different flowers
from forest trees.
Scouts Plant Trees.
The Boy Scouts of Hudson Center, N.
H., under Sco.ut Master Hermon R. McCoy,
have planted on the public highways in
front of their homes, school grounds and
at Library Park
a consignment of fifty
ttu* L11u LU"C 1L!X iL-lc-jW11iU1c black walnut trees, just received from the
lhis showed the best individual bcout in . , , . « , ' J, , ™ >4
th* rnnntv th W Patrnl .t 1]^ustnal department of Troop 1, Green-
the county and the best Patrol, it gave
something definite each month to. work on
and proved a great stimulation in promot-
ing the interest in the work.
Definite rules were made for each contest
so that all conditions would be equal, and
all but the last contest were for time.
The contests .were as follo.ws, with the
time made by the winner:
January—Knot tying; 8 knots, 42 seconds.
February—Set broken thigh; make coat
of stretcher and carry 15 feet, 1 minute 20
seconds.
March—Semaphore signaling; send 32-
ville, Mich., this Troop being the very first
to have a consignment.
To Scout Officials.—Give your local news-
papers an opportunity to reprint articles
from this issue of Scouting.
In the June Magazine.
The June Boys' Life will contain the first
of two splendid articles on the stalking
merit badge tests; a story about the " Coun-
cil Ring" in camp, written by Chief Scout
Seton, two pages of pictures of Scout cab-
ins and other notable Scout features.
Upcoming Pages
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Boy Scouts of America. Scouting, Volume 2, Number 2, May 15, 1914, periodical, May 15, 1914; New York, New York. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth282679/m1/3/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Boy Scouts of America National Scouting Museum.